*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
This weeks’ American Routes hits the road in story and song. We visit with country singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash about life in a musical family, living in Nashville and her recent release, Black Cadillac. And join Nick as he rides the rails. It’s a trip on the City of New Orleans train with the singer that made it famous, folk hero Arlo Guthrie. Plus two hours of the traveling blues, as well as country, jazz, rock and soul and more.

Banks of the Ohio
Ten Jimmy Martin recordings from the beginning to the end of the Sunny Mountain Boys include live cuts from 1960 and 1973. Hear eight more of the late Hall of Fame member’s numbers by the top bluegrass artists of today. 1942 is the featured year in the “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment, including a complete Roy Hall & the Blue Ridge Entertainers radio program from WDBJ, Roanoke. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - January, February & March, 1968
We’ll be hurtling back through time and high-lonesome space to those halcyon days of yore—specifically, January, February and March, 1968 when, among other things: Flatt and Scruggs, Reno & Harrell and Bill Clifton appear on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine in successive months; The Sawtooth Mountain Volunteers, an Oregon based band, dress up in “Bonnie & Clyde”-like outfits and pick “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and “Birdie” during halftime at ABC’s basketball “Game of the Week” between UCLA and Oregon State; Flatt & Scruggs take their first trip to Japan, prompting Earl to say, “I don’t know whether I want to go to Japan or not. Over there a “banjer” is an outhouse”; Kenny Baker rejoins Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys; and new albums from J.E. Mainer, Don Reno & Benny Martin, the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe appear on record store shelves.

Bluegrass Review
Every generation has a small group of pickers who not only define their era, but shape the future. Our Gem of Bluegrass focuses on one of them: Chris Thile, the great mandolin player. Then, we talk with one of the great banjo creators, Alan Munde.

Bluegrass Signal - What’s Goin’ On: Musical Previews
This week Peter Thompson presents mostly music from the west coast, including bands that feature old time music (The Roadoilers), old time/bluegrass fusion (John Reischman & the Jaybirds), trad grass (The Mighty Crows and Carolina Special), original grass (Alhambra Valley Band), and party grass (Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys). Additional music from west coast visitors The Infamous Stringdusters, Bluegrass Brothers, and Jim Hurst.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Bob Osborne’s first records from 1950, Gene Autry sings the blues, a couple of 1920s jug bands, a Yiddish dance tune that broke the ethnic barriers, a Mississippi Delta classic that Howlin’ Wolf inherited from Tommy Johnson (remember TJ in O Brother, Where Art Thou?), and surviving treasures from Blue Ridge, the 1950s western North Carolina bluegrass label.

*etown with Nick Forster
The Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Shawn Mullins is back in etown! He performs both favorite hits and brand new tunes, backed up by Nick & Helen Forster and the etones. Sharing the etown stage is living legend Puerto Plata (aka José Manuel Cobles), an 84-year-old singer and guitarist from the Dominican Republic now living in the U.S. He introduces us to an acoustic style rarely heard outside of his native country. And former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter shares some compelling opinions and insights about Iraq.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

Foster’s Corner Sunday 3 a.m. (3/30)

The Bill Miller Show, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (4/6)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. - LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show - Katy’s back from Nashville!

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage

With Host Larry Groce featuring Regina Spektor, Asleep At The Wheel, Matt White, the subdudes, and They Might Be Giants. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
Mike Kear features Blue Highway’s new CD “Through The Window Of A Train” (Rounder) this week on Music from Foggy Hollow. He plays a few tracks from the CD and talks about the band and the music. Also plays lots of other new music, becuase it seems almost every band is releasing new CDs right now. Also on the show, a look back 5 years at what was on the show back then, and a selection from the Sao Paulo Bluegrass Association. It’s another big show you would be a wombat to miss!

Musician Tip - Larry Stephenson

Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for Cherryholmes and David Davis and the Warrior River Boys. Both groups visited host Carol Beaugard on Lonesome Pine RFD in the WFDU studios earlier this month for some conversation and live bluegrass.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie plays sample selections from several CDs just received, containing a mix of old-time band instrumentals and some sentimental harmony singing. Artists heard will include the Hoover Uprights, the Double Decker String Band, the Ill-Mo Boys, Ann and Phil Case, Don Pedi, Greg Clark, the New North Carolina Ramblers, John Hoffman and Mac Benford, and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Bob Webster talks with Lou Reid, Jen Hitt reviews the bluegrass featured at SXSW 2008, and we hear the Punch Brothers recent appearance on the NPR program, All Things Considered.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
In addition to some of your favorite old hymns, we’ll hear several selections from the new all gospel recording “Help Is on the Way” by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.

*Thistle and Shamrock
Patsy Seddon is one of Scotland’s best-known harpers, celebrated for her innovative work with The Poozies and Sileas. Fiona joins Patsy for a chat recorded live at the Perthshire Amber Festival.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.