Worth a Listen

Mississippi River at Memphis (pmPilgrim photo)

I keep getting behind on listening to one of the best shows on Public Radio ever since my station dropped it from its Saturday evening time slot. So the other day I put my iPod on and listened over WiFi while working out.

Nick Spitzer and American Routes never disappoints. This one is particularly good, considering my being a water baby and river rat.

It's called Wade in the Water and follows the Mississippi from up north at Lake Itasca all the way to the end in New Orleans. From their web page:

January 8th, 2014 ~ As the muddy Mississippi winds its way past us in New Orleans, we're reminded of the power and place of these waterways in American culture. First, we seek the source of the mighty river at the headwaters in Minnesota. Then listen to stories of steamboat captains, riverboats and rural fisherman. And learn about New Orleans own relation to the river with Tulane professor Richard Campanella. Plus river tales from Captain Doc Hawley, Aaron Neville and Al Green.

As Nick Spitzer said at the intro to the show:

Rivers are a kind of natural and historical bloodstream of American culture and music. They’re sources of life for water and baptism, and death by floods and drownings. Rivers are lazy and romantic, dangerous and polluted.
--Nick Spitzer, American Routes

As usual,Nick ties lots of threads together musically and in interviews. Take the listen.

LINK