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 3 at 9pm PT.

Long before the days of singer-songwriters, troubadours were writing music for the hopeless romantics of the Middle Ages.

In medieval times, troubadours were poets and musicians who wrote songs about chivalry and courtly love. But of course, love and heartbreak are pretty timeless themes—and composers today are still writing love ballads for the modern romantic. On this Saturday’s episode, we’ll hear modern spins on the age-old love ballad. Songs about love, songs about heartbreak—and songs about online dating nightmares.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 26 at 9pm PT.

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

This Juneteenth, we are 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 19 at 9pm PT.