Session Masters: Guitar

When trying to put together a Deeper Roots episode that covered the great session masters from the past one hundred years it became exceedingly clear that the show would need to be broken up into multiple parts. Percussion, keyboards, brass, bass and all the rest will follow but this week we’re going to focus on the string masters; those guitar stars who account for the bulk of Top 30 hits that graced our lives over the second half of the 20th century. They include Hank Garland, Grady Martin, James Burton, Joe Messina, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Johnson and, of course, Tommy Tedesco. There are many others who deserve the recognition but our show is only a two hour show and, even at that, picking only three or four examples per performer doesn’t do it justice. We’re going to give credit where it’s due…those who stood in the shadows.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Brenda Lee Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree Queen of Rock 'N' Roll Amazon
3Jimmy Lloyd I Got A Rocket In My Pocket 100 Rare '50s Rockabilly Tracks Amazon
4Elvis Presley A Big Hunk O' Love Elvis 30 #1 Hits Amazon
5Little Jimmy Dickens (I Got) A Hole In My Pocket Four Classic Albums Plus Singles 1954-1962 Amazon
6Simon Crum Stand Up, Sit Down, Shut Your Mouth Country & Western Nuggets Amazon
7Bobby Helms Jingle Bell Rock Making Merry Amazon
8Dale Hawkins Susie-Q The Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1957 Amazon
9Ricky Nelson Stood Up Legacy [Disc 1] Amazon
10Jim & Joe Fireball Mail James Burton – The Early Years 1957-1969 Amazon
11Gram Parsons Return Of The Grievous Angel G.P. / Grievous Angel Amazon
12Buffalo Springfield A Child's Claim To Fame Buffalo Springfield Again Amazon
13Elvis Presley Please Don't Drag That String Around Grady Martin Amazon
14Johnny Horton The Battle Of New Orleans Classic Country Amazon
15Brenda Lee Little Jonah (Rock On Your Steel Guitar) Grady Martin Amazon
16Merle Haggard Mama Tried The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology 1963-1977 [Disc 1] Amazon
17Willie Nelson On The Road Again Superstars of Country Easy Loving [Disc 2] Amazon
18The Champs Tequila Rock Instrumental Classics vol. 1 – The '50S Amazon
19Rick Nelson Hello Mary Lou Greatest Love Songs Amazon
20The Beach Boys I Get Around All Summer Long Amazon
21Wayne Newton Danke Schoen Wild, Cool & Swingin' Amazon
22Elvis Presley What'd I Say Elvis' Gold Records (Volume 4) Amazon
23J. Livingston & R. Evans Bonanza Television's Greatest Hits Volume I Amazon
24Jerry Goldsmith Twilight Zone Overture – Twilight Zone: The Movie 75 Years-Warner Brothers (Scores-1) Amazon
25Sam Cooke Bring It On Home to Me Best of Answer Songs vol 4 Amazon
26Jack Nitzsche The Lonely Surfer Cowabunga! The Surf Box Disc 2 Amazon
27The 5th Dimension Wedding Bell Blues Greatest Hits on Earth Amazon
28Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces Searching For My Love Chess Uptown Soul Amazon
29Aretha Franklin Do Right Woman, Do Right Man 30 Greatest Hits [Disc 1] Amazon
30Leon Russell Tight Rope Retrospective Amazon
31The Four Tops I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) Motown: The Classic Years Disc 1 Amazon
32The Temptations Ain't Too Proud to Beg Motown: The Classic Years Disc 1 Amazon
33Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell Your Precious Love Motown: The Classic Years Disc 2 Amazon
34The Supremes When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through Gold Disc 1 Amazon

Sweet Dreams

Our show this week features sweet dreams, swamp pop, Americana, doo wop, and all that makes the past century of America’s music a delight to dream on. We’ll touch on the new album from a legend who is most deservedly having his moment right now with a new album and where a one hit wonder once existed. Tommy McLain’s new album is a revelation and reminds us that music, when carried and shared with a passion like his, will always bring a bright light even in the darkest of times. This week’s show is a free form romp featuring Tommy, Mark Knopfler, Robert Plant, Bill Kirchen, Corb Lund, Bob Wills, Paul Thorn, and a couple dozen others. Some fiery rock and roll blended with country, doo wop, pop and lots of circumstance. Please join in…we’d be delighted to spend a Friday morning with you on Sonoma County Community Radio.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Solomon Burke/Zucchero Diavolo in Me (A Devil in Me) Zucchero & Co. Amazon
3Tommy McLain I Ran Down Every Dream (feat. Elvis Costello) I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
4Tommy McLain Sweet Dreams Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
5Tommy McLain Before I Grow Too Old The Essential Collection Amazon
6Tommy McLain Before I Grow Too Old I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
7Chet Atkins/Mark Knopfler I'll See You in My Dreams Neck and Neck Amazon
8Mark Knopfler Devil Baby The Ragpicker's Dream Amazon
9Chris Isaak Speak of the Devil Speak of the Devil Amazon
10Earl-Jean I'm Into Something Good The Brill Building Sound [Disc 3] Amazon
11Marvin & Johnny Cherry Pie Art Laboe's Memories Of El Monte/The Roots Of L.A.'s Rock And Roll Amazon
12Don Gardner & DeeDee Ford I Need Your Loving Soul Gold Oldies Amazon
13Ernie Maresca Shout Shout (Knock Yourself Out) The Best Jukeboxhits [Disc 1] Amazon
14Jesse Powell & The Caddies Ain't You Gonna Roulette Rock & Roll, Vol. 2 Amazon
15The Chiffons One Fine Day One Fine Day And Other Favorites Amazon
16Corb Lund Devil's Best Dress Americana Music Awards Sampler Amazon
17Gillian Welch The Devil Had a Hold of Me Hell Among the Yearlings Amazon
18Bill Kirchen Devil With The Blue Dress (Album Version) Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods Amazon
19Paul Thorn Don't Let The Devil Ride Don't Let The Devil Ride Amazon
20Bob Wills The Devil Ain't Lazy Stompin' Singers & Western Swingers ([Disc 3] It Ain't Far To The Bar) Amazon
21Scott H. Biram Gotta Get To Heaven Sold Out To The Devil: Select Gospel Cuts By The Reverend Scott H. Biram Amazon
22Robert Plant Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down Band Of Joy Amazon
23Levon Helm Stuff You Gotta Watch Electric Dirt Amazon
24Ella Mae Morse & Her Boogie Woogie Seven Down The Road Apiece Capitol Records' From The Vaults, Volume 5 – Roots Of Rock 'N' Roll – 1944-53 Amazon
25Hank Ballard & The Midnighters Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go Hank Ballard & the Midnighters – Greatest Hits Amazon
26Michael Nesmith Silver Moon Listen To The Band [UK] Amazon
27Louis Jordan Stone Cold Dead in the Market – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, Tympany Five Number Ones Amazon
28Rosemary Clooney Come On A My House Tenderly Amazon
29Tommy McLain Somebody (Radio Edit) I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
30Pete Seeger Little Boxes The Essential Pete Seeger Amazon

Top Country Albums of All Time

It’s list time! For better or worse, we’re going with the top tier of the Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Country Albums of all Time as our guidepost. There’s some great ones here, in fact the majority are agreeable in our estimation but there are also some “huh?” moments. We’ll just assume that that is par for the course with any opinion-based list by a disparate group of critics. For the most part, it captures the core of country pretty well. We’ll share music from Tom T. Hall, The Carters, George Strait and a few nineties and aught pop stars that made the list because they swim the pop country charts. Join Dave as he walks down the list, one that has its cringe-worthy moments, right alongside moments of pure Americana country gold.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Kacey Musgraves Space Cowboy Golden Hour Amazon
3Hank Williams The Blues Come Around Southern Belle [Disc 2] Amazon
4Waylon Jennings Black Rose Honky Tonk Heroes/Ramblin' Man/Dreaming My Dreams (1 of 3) Amazon
5Sammi Smith Help Me Make It Through The Night Sammi Smith early 60's the Best Of (varese sarabande 96) Amazon
6John Anderson Wild and Blue Anthology Amazon
7Sturgill Simpson Life Of Sin Metamodern Sounds In Country Music Amazon
8Guy Clark Rita Ballou Old No. 1 Amazon
9The Carter Family Kissing Is Crime Can The Circle Be Unbroken Amazon
10John Prine Paradise John Prine Amazon
11Kris Kristofferson The Law Is For Protection Of The People Kristofferson Amazon
12Rosanne Cash My Baby Thinks He's A Train Hits: 1979-1989 Amazon
13George Strait I Can't See Texas from Here Strait Out of the Box [Disc 1] Amazon
14Gary Stewart She's Acting Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles) Superstars Of Country: Good Ol Songs [Disc 2] Amazon
15Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter Decca Country Classics 1934-1973 Amazon
16Tom T. Hall The Year That Clayton Delaney Died (Single Version) The Definitive Collection: Tom T. Hall Amazon
17Patsy Cline I Fall To Pieces Classic Country Amazon
18George Jones He Stopped Loving Her Today I Am What I Am Amazon
19Miranda Lambert Vice The Weight of These Wings Amazon
20The Judds Why Not Me Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 2] Amazon
21Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues At Folsom Prison Amazon
22Taylor Swift You Belong With Me Fearless Amazon
23Randy Travis On The Other Hand Country Gold 1984-1986 Amazon
24Shania Twain That Don't Impress Me Much Come On Over Amazon
25Merle Haggard Red Bandana His Greatest & His Best Amazon
26Lucinda Williams Jackson Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Amazon
27Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces Country: The American Tradition [Disc 2] Amazon
28Ray Charles Born to Lose (Remastered) Complete Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (Remastered) Amazon
29Waylon Jennings Dreaming My Dreams With You Artist's Choice: Emmylou Harris Amazon
30Dolly Parton Coat of Many Colors Coat of Many Colors [RM 2007] Amazon
31Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger The Many Sides Of Willie Nelson [Cd 3 "Cowboy"] (1992) Amazon

Loretta & Jerry

This past October, we lost a couple of very important ties to two whose stars shone bright in both the Golden Age of Country and the Golden Age of Rock ‘n Roll. We’ll take on a dual tribute to the passing of Loretta Lynn and Jerry Lee Lewis. The torch has surely passed but their fire burned white hot as their stars rose, both sharing controversy and almost overnight fame. They also continued to perform into their later years, teaming up with songwriters and performers who were relevant to new generations, but true to their core calling. Our first hour take time to visit Loretta Lynn’s humble but no-nonsense storytelling and the second hour will take us into the whirlwind of unapologetic badassness that was Jerry Lee Lewis.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Loretta Lynn You Ain't Woman Enough Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection [Disc 1] Amazon
3Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter (Recitation) Still Woman Enough Amazon
4Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 1] Amazon
5Loretta Lynn,Margo Price One's On the Way (feat. Margo Price) One's On the Way (feat. Margo Price) Amazon
6Loretta Lynn & Jack White Portland Oregon Van Lear Rose Amazon
7Loretta Lynn The Pill Loretta Lynn Legendery Country Singer Amazon
8Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty After the Fire Is Gone Decca Country Classics 1934-1973 Amazon
9Ernest Tubb & Loretta Lynn Answer The Phone (w/ Loretta Lynn) A Tribute To A Legend Amazon
10Ernest Tubb/Loretta Lynn Thanks a Lot Legendary: It's Been So Long, Darling Amazon
11Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection [Disc 3] Amazon
12Loretta Lynn She's Got You Loretta Lynn Legendery Country Singer Amazon
13Loretta Lynn Success I Got A Woman : Gems From The Decca Vaults [Disc 1] Amazon
14Loretta Lynn This Old House Van Lear Rose Amazon
15Loretta Lynn First City Loretta Lynn Legendery Country Singer Amazon
16Loretta Lynn Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind) Honky Tonk Girl: The Loretta Lynn Collection [Disc 1] Amazon
17Loretta Lynn In the Sweet Bye and Bye All Time Gospel Favorites [Disc 1] Amazon
18Jerry Lee Lewis/Jimmy Page Rock and Roll Last Man Standing Amazon
19Jerry Lee Lewis Crazy Arms All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology (Disc 1) Amazon
20Jerry Lee Lewis End Of The Road Bob Dylan – Radio Radio – Theme Time Radio Hour Volume Four [Disc 4] Amazon
21Jerry Lee Lewis Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On A Half Century Of Hits [Disc 1] Amazon
22Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls of Fire Red, White & Rock Disc 1 Amazon
23Jerry Lee Lewis High School Confidential Sun Recordings Greatest Hits Amazon
24Jerry Lee Lewis Breathless All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology (Disc 1) Amazon
25Johnny Cash & Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins I Saw The Light (With Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins) The Survivors Amazon
26Johnny Cash & Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On (With Jerry Lee Lewis) The Survivors Amazon
27The Million Dollar Quartet You're the Only Star in My Blue Heaven The Million Dollar Quartet: 50th Anniversary Special Edition Amazon
28Jerry Lee Lewis What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me) The Definitive Collection Amazon
29Jerry Lee Lewis Somewhere Over the Rainbow The Oxford American Southern Sampler 1999 Amazon
30Jerry Lee Lewis Milkshake Mademoiselle Good Old Summertime Amazon
31Jerry Lee Lewis Bad Moon Rising Mean Old Man Amazon
32Jerry Lee Lewis Wild One 18 Original Sun Greatest Hits Amazon
33Bruce Springsteen/Jerry Lee Lewis Pink Cadillac Last Man Standing Amazon
34Jerry Lee Lewis Big Blue Diamond Southern Roots Amazon