Episode 151: Nick Spitzer Explores the Rhythm of America

Louisiana Insider

Millions of people listen to music on the radio. Over a half million people listen to radio each week to hear Nick Spitzer talk about music. Spitzer’s pioneering broadcast American Routes is way more than a D.J. spinning songs but a weekly two-hour public radio program that presents the breadth and depth of the American music scene and cultural landscape.

Syndicated by 225 radio stations American Routes is the most widely heard regular presence for tradition-derived and community-based music on public radio today. Spitzer joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell stories about the origins and characters of the nation’s many music forms. He also has interview clips including Jerry Lee Lewis; Willie Nelson and the late zydeco artist Clifton Chenier. The podcast presents a fun side trip into American routes.