A gem from composer William Grant Still, Highway 1, USA, explores the ever-shifting and sometimes deadly dynamics of love, sacrifice, and family. The story takes place in the home of Bob and Mary, a very ordinary couple who run a filling station on Highway 1 (which, by the way, runs from Key West to Maine). These good folks have, for years, invested much of their income in supporting the education of Bob’s younger brother, Nate. This was in fulfillment of a promise Bob made to his mother on her deathbed. Bob and Mary deeply love each other but the problem of Nate is driving a wedge between them. Mary feels that it’s time to think of their own future, not just Nate’s.