Down the Mississippi

With its ever-changing course, its flowing waters and historical significance, the Mississippi River serves as a powerful metaphor for the American story. The river is a lifeblood nourishing the land while also serving as a path to freedom itself, symbolizing the pursuit of freedom and progress from the North to the Gulf of Mexico. Additional to all of this are its routes of trade and commerce that highlight both the American spirit and prosperity. This week’s Deeper Roots show celebrates the river that got its name after the northern Minnesota people, the Ojibway, and their name for ‘big river’ as well as songs of the namesake state and delta as well. Performances include mid-century recordings from country favorites the Delmore Brothers and Jimmie Skinner, blues from Charlie Musselwhite and the Rufus Thomas, as well as classic recordings of Bob Dylan, Charley Pride, Pops Staples and the Boswell Sisters. Tune into West County radio each Friday morning at 9 Pacific.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Kay Starr Mississippi Capitol Collectors Series Amazon
3Allen Toussaint Bright Mississippi The Bright Mississippi Amazon
4J.J. Cale Mississippi River Grasshopper Amazon
5Janet Klein and Her Parlor Boys Mississippi Mud Whoopee Hey Hey! Amazon
6Pops Staples Down In Mississippi Peace To The Neighborhood Amazon
7Charley Pride Roll On Mississippi Anthology Amazon
8Danielia Cotton Roll On Mississippi Roll On Mississippi – Single Amazon
9Bruce Cockburn Sunrise on the Mississippi Dart to the Heart Amazon
10Bob Dylan Mississippi Love and Theft Amazon
11Hank Penny Mississippi Muddle King Of Hillbilly Bebop [Disc 1] Amazon
12Jimmie Skinner I Miss the Mississippi and You 1960-1962 (Warped 6188) Amazon
13Delmore Brothers Mississippi Shore 1946-1947 (Warped 4679) Amazon
14The Browns Mister and Mississippi Classics 1963-1964 (Warped 6384) Amazon
15Boswell Sisters Roll On Mississippi Boswell Sisters Amazon
16Sammy Price & the Blues Singers Mississippi Moan Sammy Price and the Blues Singers Vol. 1 1938 – 1941 Amazon
17Roy Book Binder Mississippi John The Hillbilly Blues Cats Amazon
18Charlie Musselwhite Blues Up The River Mississippi Son Amazon
19Rufus Thomas Funky Mississippi The Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles, Vol.2: 1968-1971 [Disc 1] Amazon
20Mountain Mississippi Queen Super Hits Of The '70s: Have A Nice Day, Vol. 1 Amazon
21The New Christy Minstrels Mighty Mississippi Ramblin' Amazon
22Tennessee Ernie Ford Mr. And Mississippi The History Of Country & Western Music (Disc 19) Amazon
23Cheryl Wheeler Lighting Up The Mighty Mississippi Sylvia Hotel Amazon
24George Jones & Melba Montgomery I'd Jump The Mississippi Vintage Collections Amazon
25Bobbie Gentry Mississippi Delta Ode To Billy Joe Amazon
26SNCC Freedom Singers; Jones, Marshall In The Mississippi River Voices Of The Civil Rights Movement, [Disc 2] (Ensembles) Amazon
27Mavis Staples Down In Mississippi (Cd) We'll Never Turn Back Amazon
28Merle Haggard Miss the Mississippi and You The Peer Sessions Amazon
29Jesse Winchester Mississippi, You're On My Mind The Best Of Jesse Winchester Amazon
30Marty Stuart Mississippi Railroad Blues [Instrumental][Instrumental] Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions Amazon
31Doc & Merle Watson Mississippi Heavy Water Blues Sittin' Here Pickin' the Blues Amazon

Tex Mex Fest

We took a journey to the south in last week’s show and this week, we head further west where we’ll share a vibrant and dynamic genre that reflects the rich cultural fusion of its geographic origins, combining traditional Mexican folk music with contemporary American influences of country, rhythm and blues, and rock. With the accordion and bajo sexto, drums, bass and guitar punching a hefty rhythm whose lyrics are often filled with catchy hooks and danceable beats, it is prominently featured in festivals, celebrations and public events across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. We’ll share some of the influentials from across the border like Lydia Mendoza as well as the mainstays and popular artists of the past half century including Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm, The Texas Tornados, Flaco Jimenez, The Mavericks and a dozen others in this week’s Deeper Roots fest.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Conjunto Sotavento de Nacho Fierro La Bamba Tex Mex Folk 1920s to 1950s Amazon
3Lydia Mendoza Jurame Lone Star Amazon
4Lydia Mendoza Mal Hombre American Roots Music [Disc 4] Amazon
5Las Hermanas Mendoza Mis pensamientos The Rough Guide to Tex-Mex Amazon
6Little Joe & La Familia Las Nubes American Roots Music [Disc 4] Amazon
7Conjunto Bernal Mi Unico Camino Lone Star Amazon
8Ritchie Valens La Bamba Southern California With Fond Memories Amazon
9Freddy Fender Before The Next Teardrop Falls Before The Next Teardrop Falls Amazon
10Los Super Seven Cupido (ft. Freddy Fender & Rick Trevino) Heard It On The X Amazon
11Freddy Fender Wasted Days And Wasted Nights Country Crossroads Amazon
12The Texas Tornados Who Were You Thinkin' Of Texas Tornados Amazon
13Doug Sahm Nuevo Laredo Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 Amazon
14Sir Douglas Quintet Dynamite Woman Mono Singles '68-'72 Amazon
15Sir Douglas Quintet She's About A Mover Sir Douglas Amazon
16Tejas Brothers (w/ Augie Meyers and Larry Joe Taylor) Rosa Live a Little More Amazon
17Los Lobos Will the Wolf Survive? El Cancionero: Mas y Mas (1 of 4) Amazon
18The Mavericks Volver, Volver Collection [2003] Amazon
19The Mavericks Ven Hacia Mi (Come Unto Me) [Conjunto Version] In Time (10th Anniversary Deluxe) Amazon
20Eddie "Lalo" Torres Y Su Conjunto Arriba San Antonio The Rough Guide to Tex-Mex Amazon
21Santiago Jimenez Jr. Alma de Tejas The Rough Guide to Tex-Mex Amazon
22Flaco Jimenez El Pesudo Flaco Jimenez Amazon
23Flaco Jiminez The Girls From Texas featuring Ry Cooder (Album Version) Partners Amazon
24Flaco Jimenez Por Una Mujer Bonita Flaco Jimenez Amazon
25Linda Ronstadt Mi Ranchito (My Little Ranch) Mas Canciones Amazon
26Ry Cooder w/Sam Samudio No Quiero The Border/Alamo Bay Amazon
27Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs Wooly Bully Memphis Celebrates 50 Years Of Rock 'n' Roll Amazon
28David Lindley & El Rayo-X Texas Tango Very Greasy Amazon
29Charley Pride Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone Country USA 1970 Amazon
30Marty Robbins El Paso All-Time Greatest Hits Amazon

Swamp Pop Fest

Swamp pop. What is it and where does Tex Mex begin and country blues end? Well, just listen for that Louisiana backbeat, a taste of torch song and rocking rhythm. We’ll take on the music of Tex Mex next week but this week we’ll be sampling some of the greats of that splinter genre referred to as ‘swamp pop’; music that was grafted from a number of different root source sounds. Swamp pop remains an important cultural expression of the Acadiana region, celebrated for its heartfelt and nostalgic qualities. While it never achieved the widespread commercial success of other genres, swamp pop has maintained a dedicated following and continues to be performed by contemporary musicians. We’ll share the sounds of some of the genre’s most popular:  Warren Storm, Tommy McLain, Rod Bernard, Clint West and so many others. Drop on by.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Cookie & the Cupcakes Mathilda Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
3Joe Barry I'm A Fool To Care Don't Do It: The Smash Record Story 1961-1962 [Disc 2] Amazon
4Joe Barry Teardrops in My Heart I'm a Fool to Care: The Complete Recordings 1958-1977, Vol. 1 Amazon
5Joe Barry Little Jewel of the Vieux Carre I'm a Fool to Care: The Complete Recordings 1958-1977, Vol. 1 Amazon
6Rockin' Sidney Shirley Jean Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
7John Fred Shirley The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 3] Amazon
8Rod Bernard This Should Go On Forever Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
9Rod Bernard Diggy Liggy Lo Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
10Rod Bernard Colinda Swamp Gold, Vol. 2 Amazon
11Warren Storm Prisoner's Song Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
12Warren Storm Hey Ma Ma Boppin' By The Bayou – Made In The Shade Amazon
13Lil' Band Of Gold/Warren Storm Please Mr. Sandman Americana Roots Songbook: Louisiana Amazon
14Little Bob & The Lollipops Nobody But You Oxford American 11th Edition Southern Music 2009 Amazon
15Lil' Bob & the Lollipops I Got Loaded Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
16Johnnie Allan Lonely Days & Lonely Nights Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
17Jivin' Gene Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
18Dale & Grace I'm Leaving It All Up to You Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
19Clint West Our Love Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
20Clint West Big Blue Diamonds Swamp Gold, Vol. 2 Amazon
21Cookie & His Cupcakes Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups Amazon
22Cookie And The Cupcakes Until Then Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
23Cookie & The Cupcakes Got You on My Mind Swamp Gold, Vol. 2 Amazon
24Shelton Dunaway & The Cupcakes Mary Lou Doing The Popeye The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 5] Amazon
25Tommy McLain Sweet Dreams Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
26Tommy McLain Before I Grow Too Old The Essential Collection Amazon
27Tommy McLain Before I Grow Too Old I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
28Tommy McLain Somebody (Radio Edit) I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
29The Uniques All These Things Swamp Gold, Vol. 2 Amazon
30Randy & the Rockets Lets Do the Cajun Twist Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
31Joe Barry Just Because Don't Do It: The Smash Record Story 1961-1962 [Disc 2] Amazon
32Cookie & The Cupcakes I Cried Bob Dylan Presents: Radio Radio, Theme Time Radio Hour, Vol. 1 Amazon
33Tommy McLain I Ran Down Every Dream (feat. Elvis Costello) I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
34Rockin' Sidney My Toot-Toot Alligator Stomp: Cajun Zydeco Classics Amazon

J.J. Cale Tribute

When J.J. Cale’s first album came on the scene in 1972, it exuded something different…some kind of “timeless cool” with it’s imposing John Bunyan raccoon album cover and understated country sound setting it apart from everything else out there. Not psychedelia, not rock exactly, and certainly not the LA sound that was hip at the time. It was, as it has since been coined, the “Tulsa sound”. Many have covered John Weldon Cale’s music and many have become rock standards while others languish only to be rediscovered year after year by new listeners who hear that “timeless cool” and those breezy treasures he left us. We’ll feature a number of covers today, as well as his own originals in a show that will take you down a river whose currents are slow but determined.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2J.J. Cale Call The Doctor Naturally Amazon
3Eric Clapton Call Me the Breeze The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale Amazon
4Case Garrett Call Me The Breeze Aurora Amazon
5Marc Cohn After Midnight Listening Booth: 1970 Amazon
6Waylon Jennings Clyde Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line: The RCA Years Disc 2 Amazon
7The Band Crazy Mama High On The Hog Amazon
8Maria Muldaur Cajun Moon Louisiana Love Call Amazon
9J.J. Cale Hey Baby The Very Best of J.J. Cale Amazon
10Widespread Panic Travelin' Light Choice Cuts: The Capricorn Years 1991-1999 Amazon
11Eric Clapton Travelin' Light Reptile Amazon
12Eric Clapton/J.J. Cale Don't Cry Sister The Road to Escondido Amazon
13John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers Sensitive Kind A Sense of Place Amazon
14Chris Smither Magnolia Happier Blue Amazon
15Shannon McNally Magnolia Magnolia – Single Amazon
16Tony Joe White Louvelda (feat. J.J. Cale) Collected [CD3] Amazon
17J.J. Cale Rock and Roll Records Okie Amazon
18Eric Clapton After Midnight The Cream of Clapton Amazon
19J.J. Cale Anyway the Wind Blows Okie Amazon
20Kansas Bringing It Back Kansas Amazon
21Eric Clapton/J.J. Cale Danger The Road to Escondido Amazon
22Shannon McNally Low Rider Black Irish Amazon
23J.J. Cale Roll On Roll On Amazon
24Eric Clapton/J.J. Cale Heads in Georgia The Road to Escondido Amazon
25The Tractors The Tractors-Rhythm Bone Trade Union Amazon
26Eric Clapton Magnolia (feat. John Mayer) The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ Cale Amazon