American Routes digs into the archives for a classic program on the previous musical generation that defined cultural continuity and renaissance in Southwestern French Louisiana. The interviews include swamp popper Rod Bernard about his breakout hit “This Could Go On Forever.” The late guitarist Lil’ Buck Sinegal recalls the heyday of Clifton Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band. There’s an historic interview with Dewey Balfa, the late fiddler who helped bring Cajun music to worldwide attention. Plus an in-studio set with the memorable Creole accordion player Zydeco Joe.

Somewhere on our journey over the past two decades at American Routes, we started talking about “guilty pleasures” shows, where old free form radio roots called for the pleasure of old favorites and new discoveries. But since we broadcast from New Orleans, we’ll drop the word guilty and roll on with the Stones and Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys, Our Native Daughters and Tina Turner, a bootleg tape of Doug Sahm from 70s underground days, and the Mexican American accordion squeeze of Los Texmaniacs.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.