It’s a free form episode that follows the American songbook stream of musical consciousness from the early twentieth century right up through some contemporary sounds. A river of rhythm and song…. doo wop shoo wops, the 88 key bounce of boogie woogie, master jelly roll bakers, and sweet confections for you on a warm summer Friday morning from the West County studios of KOWS radio. Performances will include Les Paul, Peggy Lee, Levon Helm, The Adderly Brothers, Jesse Winchester, and a couple dozen more of your favorites. Settle in for a free form collection of memories and musical gems from the past century with your host, Dave Stroud.
Category Archives: American Popular
Answer Songs
Answer songs. A novelty of the music business that has always had a place but it truly exploded, becoming habit-forming with the advent of Top 30 radio in the fifties and sixties. Seldom was there an answer song that responded to a question that was not a big success. This week on Deeper Roots, it will be a ’round robin’ of ‘question followed by answer’ songs including the obscure (which about 99% of the so-called answer songs were). You’ll be treated to the sounds of Tennessee Ernie Ford, Muddy Waters, Rufus Thomas, Dodie Stevens, and Elvis (of course) on a summer Friday in West Sonoma County.
100 Years Ago
We’re taking this ‘Century of America’s Music’ theme quite serious this week. The tracks we’ll be playing are from the the first few decades of the 20th Century. Parlor music had lost its attraction by the turn of the century in favor of minstrel, vaudeville, and the emergence of Tin Pan Alley. Ragtime and jazz would evolve in an organic manner and blues would inform much of the jazz and band music that would become popular with the advent of the Victrola. Music today includes tracks from Vernon Dahlart, Billy Murray, Frank Crumit, and Ben Selvin & His Orchestra as we find the music of the teens and early 20s on a show that keeps our tagline strong. Tune in for this celebration of American popular music in its infancy.
Lonely Avenue
Blues from a lonely place. From blues to doo wop to southern soul…from behind prison walls to that singular window in that singular room looking out from a high-rise hotel onto a busy street in urban anywhere, America. Today’s music is all about being alone. Our show explores songs written with the lonesome muse on the shoulder. Ray Charles, Joe Liggins, Earl King, and Champion Jack Dupree join in as we ponder lonesome times from the heart of the solitary blues.
Early Female Pop Vocals
Here’s to the pioneering pop mavens. Don’t think we won’t draw a little bit outside the lines as well in this show, bringing in flappers, jazz, and novelty sounds. The groups and solo acts are thoroughly represented with the likes of Marion Harris, Ruth Etting, Billie Holiday, Kate Smith, and The Andrews Sisters. We’ll go a little bit further and bring you songs to uplift in hard times, ring with a bit of jingoism in war time, and celebrate the good times in every way possible. West County radio will get a good dose of the best of the early and mid-century popular music…all from the ladies.
Songs About Morning
Morning is one of those times between. Break of day elicits many emotions as it’s always a new start. Those occurrences that affect the heart have always been prime fodder for words and music so we’ve reached into the song bin from the past century for a theme for this morning: morning. Tune in for some classics and some not-so-knowns. We’ve got Baez and Dylan, Dearie and Day, Bromberg and Kottke, McDowell and Leadbelly, all with a tune to spin about morning. And we’ll also take you into a pop-themed set featuring Frankie’s classic “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning”. Tune in.
Free Form – Roll Like a Big Wheel
We mix it up once again. Nothing like ending the week on a high note, a low note, and just the right mix of jazz, pop, rock, country, bluegrass, and R&B. You know it won’t stop there because if it’s one thing we do well is find all that is good in between the boards. Join Dave Stroud for music featuring tracks from The Boswell Sisters, Red Foley, Julia Lee, The Prisonaires, Mose Allison, and John Prine. Friday mornings in West County … where we kick off the weekend on the stream our hearts out!
Free Form – Old Records
Old records are honored…as they are each week. The 33s, the 45s, and the 78s…all forms, all speeds. We’ll take a musical trip back to the dawn of doo wop, head to the border for an encounter with el toro relajo, visit the Big Broadcast sounds of early radio and hotel orchestras including Ted Weems and the Sunshine Boys. We’ll also gear up for a classic 1914 recording by the piano genius Felix Arndt. Arthur Alexander, Los Lobos, Tampa Red, and Left Frizzell also join in…just for you on a free form Friday morning on Deeper Roots.
A Dreamer’s Holiday
Sit back and relax. Today’s Deeper Roots takes on a quieter mood with easy and sweet pop melodies from the past century. Dreamy classics from the American Songbook featuring the likes of Ray Charles, Leon Redbone, Willie Nelson, Sam Cooke, The Pied Pipers, and many more. From the 1930s to the 2010s, this week’s show contains the polish of moonlight, the wisp of clouds against a blue sky, and a trip to the Isle of Golden Dreams. Something to ponder…a dream or two…adrift like smoke rings in low light. All for our West County fans on Community Radio.
Jazz Guitar Redux
Jazz guitar masters take center stage on a February Friday in Sonoma County on community radio. Join Dave Stroud as he revisits some of the great jazz guitar performances including tracks from Charlie Christian, Eddie Lang, Teddy Bunn, and Kenny Burrell. This week’s two hour show will also include some country and rock favorites whose guitar work stands alongside the great influential performers of the day….Les Paul, Chet Atkins, and Hank Garland among them.