Join us for the sounds and stories of estranged country singer and songwriter Robbie Fulks. And R&B vixen Bettye LaVette takes us from the Motor City to Muscle Shoals, and Beale Street to Bourbon Street, as she recounts nearly 50 years of singing R&B.

Elemental blues, jazz and country from two performers with deep roots and cosmic connections. In the ’60s, young Tracy Nelson left the midwest for psychedelic San Francisco to front the R & B rock band, Mother Earth. Now deep in the Tennessee hills, she’s looking back to country sounds. From South Carolina to deep space, guitarist James “Blood” Ulmer takes us on his journey from childhood gospel to free form harmolodic jazz with Ornette Coleman. Blood now brings it all to bear on a brutal, personal version of the blues.

For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health — June is the month for weddings, and American Routes has lots of different takes on matrimony from Cab Calloway, Tammy Wynette, Hank Williams, Etta James and more. Plus a sweet proposal and a look at what makes a good wedding band – the music not the gold. Tune in to American Routes, and we’ll get you to the chapel on time…