America is a melting pot—and so is our music. From folk to jazz, pop, classical, and the avant-garde, American music has always been a merging of different cultures, influences, and ideas. And as you travel to different parts of the country, you find each region has its own unique music to share and story to tell.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re taking a road trip around the U.S. We’re exploring music from the people and places that make up our country. We’ll hear music inspired by coal miners in Pennsylvania, stories of slavery in the American South, sounds from the Pacific Crest Trail, and songs of the Alaska Natives.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, July 1 at 9pm PT.

Here in Seattle, the longest day of the year brings about 16 hours of daylight—and we’re celebrating the summer solstice this weekend on Second Inversion.

On this Saturday’s episode: the Sun and the Moon. We’ll hear music inspired by day and night, darkness and light. One composer traces the mythic struggle between the Sun Lion and the Moon Bull. Another explores the four suns of the Arctic sky. Plus: night music from the land of the midnight sun, and moonlight shimmering over Guan Mountain.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 24 at 9pm PT.

Music is rooted in change: chord change, tempo change, dynamic change. But music can also ignite change.

This Juneteenth, we’re celebrating the ways in which Black artists continue to shape and enrich American music. On this Saturday’s episode: Songs of Liberation. From intimate folk songs to sprawling musical manifestos, we’ll explore cutting-edge new music by Black composers—all culminating in a live recording of Julius Eastman’s radical 1973 composition Stay On It.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 17 at 9pm PT.

The best trips are the ones you just can’t wait to write home about. You send a postcard saying, “You’ll never believe what I saw, did, touched, and tasted while I was exploring this new place…”

On this Saturday’s episode of Second Inversion: Musical Postcards. We’ll hear composers’ impressions of new and familiar places. From the Amazon jungle to the Arctic tundra and the rooftops of Bamako, Mali, we’ll hear musical snapshots from all around the world.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 10 at 9pm PT.

The meteorologist Edward Lorenz once said that a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil could ultimately cause a tornado in Texas. The smallest change can lead to chaos. A simple, whimsical little insect can transform our lives in ways we never expected.

This Saturday on Second Inversion: The Butterfly Effect. We’ll take wing with some big music inspired by these delicate little creatures. From evenings at a butterfly greenhouse to afternoons spent studying the different species, we’ll get lost in the bold colors and dazzling transformations of butterflies.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 3 at 9pm PT.