Friday, April 26 @9am on KOWS
Celebrating Smokey
The songs of Smokey Robinson have stood the test of time, remaining popular and relevant across generations. His compositions have been covered by artists from various genres, further cementing a legend as one of the greatest songwriters of his era. This week, we take a walk through a handful of the many classics he gave us, spanning three decades, from an early hit written for Barrett Strong to the Motown song machine classics from The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Mary Wells, and, of course, his own group The Miracles. There is no question that his songwriting style and lyrical finesse have influenced generations of musicians and, coupled with his ability to blend heartfelt lyrics with catchy melodies, standards were set for songwriters in the R&B and soul genres; not to mention the groundswell of the sixties sound of Berry Gordy’s Motown Records. A morning of pure soul and pop that will include some sweet contemporary covers (if we can squeeze them in).
Saturday, April 27 @3am on KOWS
Blue Moon Americana Episode 455
From the misty cliffs of the Pacific Ocean to the rolling hills blanketed with vineyards and redwood forests, the landscape of West Sonoma County is a testament to the region’s diverse ecosystems. Occidental, like its neighboring communities, offer a blend of laid-back vibes, artistic flair, and a deep-rooted connection to agriculture and local craftsmanship. West Sonoma County is known for its world-class wines, farm-to-table dining experiences, and opportunities…and KOWS Community Radio loves to be able to participate! One of the ways is we share the music we love each morning at 5 Pacific on the Americana Hours, as well as Thursday mornings on Blue Moon. This week’s new music features more from Sierra Ferrell, Dolly Parton and Mark Knopfler blended with a collection of Tom Petty favorites. We’ll also give a nod and farewell to an Americana great we lost this past week. Drop on by.
Saturday, April 27 @9am on KOWS
Space Race Rock
What a time it was. The surprise of Sputnik in the early fifties led to a space race, a technological competition that had a profound impact on popular music (not to mention popular culture), providing musicians (and would-be musicians) a rich source of inspiration and contributed to some of the most iconic, as well as comic and out of this world, songs of the era. Themes of space travel, the moon and Mars, and even flying saucers were rampant on the airwaves. And one can only ascribe the fear of aliens to the number attempted novelty bits that reflected that trepidation. Laughter is, after all, a natural way for fear to be released in humankind. This week we’ll be sharing some of the classics, as well as the unknowns, including Jesse Belvin & His Space Riders, The Drivers, Merv Griffin, The Big Bopper, Dave & The Detomics and quite a few more that even if we were to share their names, you’d probably scratch your head anyway.
Thursday, May 2 @Midnite on KOWS
Jubilee Time
Our encore Thursday episode takes on a theme and we’ll take you pretty deep today, exploring songs of jubilation and celebration. Our theme revolves around the term ‘jubilee’ and it’s meaning, at least over the past century. While its etymology is centuries deep, with roots in the Old Testament and the Hebrew word ‘yobhel’ which refers to the ram’s horn which was sounded on the Day of Atonement, there are also the jubilee references to the freeing of slaves well into the 19th century. it speaks to anniversaries, rejoicing, and freedom. We could go much deeper but what better way to celebrate than with music, and there are plenty of Americana examples that tell of jubilees. We’ll hear from country favorites like The Sons of the Pioneers, Tyler Childers, and Joe Maphis alongside early century rhythm jazz and rhythm greats like Dinah Washington, Ivie Anderson, and Benny Goodman in this week’s show.
Thursday, May 2 @9am on KOWS
Saturday, May 4 @3am on KOWS
Blue Moon Americana Episode 456
The sun comes up for another beautiful Sonoma County morning and there’s hits to be had including some tracks from T-Bone Burnett’s latest album, and it’s proof positive that he’s an American treasure whose perspective and production are the Americana gold standard. As a collaborator, historian, composer, songwriter, musician, and renaissance man, there’s not much he hasn’t contributed to in that space. We’ll share songs of his early years, collaborations and at least two tracks from his latest album “The Other Side”. There’s more where that came from: Heather Little, Charley Crockett, Elliott Brood and Martha Spencer round out the new music this morning, our first show of May 2024. We all hope you can drop by and enjoy another two hours of music from the Americana comfy chair, live from the KOWS studios in Santa Rosa and broadcasting the signal far and beyond over the ether.