Category Archives: American Popular

Summer of Broken Hearts

The debate is over; what’s say we have ourselves another. There’s certainly no debating democracy at work. Today’s Deeper Roots show will find us circulating through the connective tissue of song: themes that connect with one another. A little bit of eclectic free form fused with all the delightful sounds of country, pop, rock and tradition. Our guiding light will be the truth and the American way. Yes, there’s always bubble gum, apple pie, and Sunday church but then we also have the bats**t crazies who will blame all the good, the bad and the ugly on those who don’t resemble themselves or their own views. So take a break with us on this summer of broken hearts and we’ll share country from Don Gibson to Rosanne Cash, rock and roll from The Stray Cats to Fats Domino, and a little bit of sass and blues from Etta James and Charles Brown. Summer’s almost over and election day is fast approaching. So make sure you vote. 

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Sarah Vaughan Broken Hearted Melody Ultimate Sarah Vaughan (Selected by Dee Dee Bridgewater) Amazon
3Chris Isaak Lonely With A Broken Heart San Francisco Days Amazon
4k.d. lang & the Reclines Trail of Broken Hearts Absolute Torch and Twang Amazon
5Rosanne Cash The Way We Make A Broken Heart [Album Version] King's Record Shop Amazon
6Al Green How Can You Mend A Broken Heart The Virgin Suicides Amazon
7Don Williams Some Broken Hearts Will Never Mend The Definitive Collection Amazon
8Don Gibson I Can Mend Your Broken Heart The Complete Recordings 1952-1962 Amazon
9Charles Brown & Johnny Moore's Three Blazers My Heart Is Mended Sunny Road Amazon
10Gram Parsons Hearts On Fire G.P. / Grievous Angel Amazon
11Kelly Dalton I'm On Fire Home – EP Amazon
12Nikki Lane Love's On Fire All or Nothin' (Deluxe) Amazon
13Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys Settin' The Woods On Fire Back At The Quonset Hut Amazon
14Fats Domino I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire This Is Gold Disc 2 Amazon
15Leon Redbone Settin' By The Fire Whistling In The Wind Amazon
16Etta James Let's Burn Down The Cornfield Enduring Soul Amazon
17Etta James Jump Into My Fire Seven Year Itch Amazon
18The Brothers Four Greenfields Best Of The Folk Era Amazon
19Peter Wolf The Green Fields Of Summer [with Neko Case] Midnight Souvenirs Amazon
20Nanci Griffith Fields Of Summer Late Night Grande Hotel Amazon
21Stray Cats Lonely Summer Nights Runaway Boys: A Retrospective '81-'92 Amazon
22The Four Preps Lazy Summer Night Dancin' & Romancin' In The '50s And 60s [Disc 3] Amazon
23Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta Summer Nights Grease Amazon
24Steve Forbert Steve Forbert's Midsummer Night's Toast The Best of Steve Forbert: What Kinda Guy? Amazon
25The Beach Boys Your Summer Dream Surfer Girl Amazon
26Link Wray & The Wraymen Summer Dream Destination Beach: 30 Tunes For Dancing In The Sand Amazon
27Rodney Crowell Voila, An American Dream Collection Amazon
28Hayes Carll American Dream What It Is Amazon
29Elvis Presley An American Trilogy Fifty Years Of Hits Amazon
30Willie Nelson By the Rivers of Babylon Gospel Favorites Amazon

Little Bit O’ Bad

A little bit of good, a little bit of bad, and a whole lot of Americana classics. This morning’s Deeper Roots show runs the gamut from boogie Woogie to country ballads, classic rock, soul, blues, gospel and everything but the kitchen sink. Dave Stroud will be featuring songs that celebrate the band of gold, bad boys, bad girls, schooldays nostalgia, and the silly notion that black cats are no more than a warning when, in fact, they are a sign from on high of the very best being yet to come. Tune in for the likes of Stephen Stills, Johnny Cash, Cleo Brown, NRBQ and…yes, Billie Eilish as we celebrate America’s roots from then until now where no ocean is wider nor mountain is high. Celebrate a free form extravaganza with us as we push our way through August, well past the dog days and into the breezy, cool nights of summer’s waning. All for you and the neighborhood on KOWS Community Radio.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2NRBQ A Little Bit Of Bad Message For The Mess Age Amazon
3Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs Stay Street Corner Symphonies (Disc 2) Amazon
4Ronnie Hawkins Matchbox Duane Allman: An Anthology, Vol. 2 [Disc 1] Amazon
5The Hunt Sisters Elvis Is Rocking Again Dirty Boogie:The Fortune Records Story Amazon
6Elvis Presley Dirty Dirty Feeling Elvis Is Back! Amazon
7Cleo Brown Boogie Woogie Picking the Blues – Compiled By John Mayall – Boogie Woogie Pioneers Amazon
8Big Joe Turner Boogie Woogie Country Girl Big, Bad & Blue: Anthology [Disc 3] Amazon
9Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis Boogie Woogie Country Gal Wild! Wild! Wild! Amazon
10The Drifters Let The Boogie Woogie Roll The Definitive Drifters [Disc 1] Amazon
11Robert Plant Let The Boogie Woogie Roll More Friends Amazon
12Ella 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
13Billie Eilish Bad Guy When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Amazon
14Robert Gordon Bad Boy Bad Boy Amazon
15The Jive Bombers Bad Boy Cry-Baby Amazon
16Slim Rhodes Band Bad Girl Sun Ballads 1953-62 Amazon
17The Miracles Bad Girl The 35th Anniversary Collection Amazon
18Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kin… Mama Don't Like My Man I Learned the Hard Way (Bonus Version) Amazon
19Johnny Cash I Will Rock And Roll With You The Legend: Old Favorites And New [Disc 2] Amazon
20Willie Nelson Bring Me Sunshine ("Naked" Version) Naked Willie Amazon
21Roy Orbison Dream Baby The Monument Singles: A-Sides (1960 – 1964) [Disc 1] Amazon
22Roy Orbison She Wears My Ring Crying Amazon
23Greg Brown Band of Gold Down in There Amazon
24Don Cherry Band Of Gold Rockin' & Rollin' Wedding Songs, Vol. 1 Amazon
25Elvis Presley Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong: Elvis' Gold Records – Volume 2 Amazon
26Rev. Emmett Dickinson A Black Cat Has Crossed Your Path Apple Bobbing Mix Vol. 2 Amazon
27Johnny Winter Black Cat Bone The Progressive Blues Experiment Amazon
28Memphis Minnie Black Cat Blues – Take 1 Queen Of Country Blues [Disc 5] (1936-1937) Amazon
29Johnny Cash Mean Eyed Cat The Man In Black 1954-1958 [Disc 1] Amazon
30Johnny Cash Ring Of Fire Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 1] Amazon
31Roy Orbison Rock House Three Classic Albums+Singles and Sessions 1956-1962 [Disc 1] Amazon
32Pixies Havalina Bossanova Amazon
33BR5-49 I'm Going Down Dog Days Amazon
34Stephen Stills Acadienne Man Alive! Amazon
35Louis Jordan Boogie Woogie Blue Plate Number Ones Amazon
36Marty Wilde Bad Boy The Epic Story 1960 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

Bad Road To The River

It’s been a while since we went free form so today’s show takes our regular breather from genre-focused explorations, theme, retrospectives and artist-inspired shows. There will be all of that found in the mix this morning. Interspersed between some fresh sounds from the likes of Dylan LeBlanc, Charley Crockett, and a newly revealed Johnny Cash nugget, we’ll be sharing everything from Dave Brubeck to Los Indios Tabajaras, Marvin Rainwater, and Johnny Thunder in our show today. From a pair of Memphis Minnie covers, some country classics from Patsy Cline, swinging rhythm from Louis Jordan, and straight-ahead rock from The Doobie Brothers and The Georgia Satellites…it’s a Friday morning full of Duane Eddy tributes and we’ve even got Slim Whitman…just for you on Sonoma County Community Radio, broadcasting on the FM airwaves out of Occidental, California, and streaming to the whole wide world on kowsfm.com/listen. KOWS-LP 92.5 FM is “Free Speech. No Bull” Community Radio.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Duane Eddy Forty Miles Of Bad Road Dance With The Guitar Man Amazon
3Dylan LeBlanc Sensitive Kind Pastimes Amazon
4Down Like Silver To the River Light That Match – Single Amazon
5Johnny Thunder Loop De Loop The Very Best Of Johnny Thunder Amazon
6The Georgia Satellites Almost Saturday Night / Rockin' All Over the World Rubaiyat Elektra's 40th Anniversary [Disc 2] (1990) Amazon
7The Doobie Brothers Long Train Runnin' The Very Best Of The Doobie Brothers [Disc 1] Amazon
8Patsy Cline Got A Lot Of Rhythm In My Soul Volume 3 Amazon
9Linda Martell I Almost Called Your Name (Remastered 2022) Color Me Country (Sun Records 70th / Remastered 2022) Amazon
10Slim Whitman Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection  2013 Amazon
11Willie Nelson Made In Texas The Border Amazon
12Duane Eddy Dance With The Guitar Man Dance With The Guitar Man Amazon
13Johnny Cash Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie Come Along And Ride This Train [Disc 2] Amazon
14T Bone Burnett He Came Down The Other Side Amazon
15Charley Crockett Hard Luck & Circumstances $10 Cowboy Amazon
16Jorma Kaukonen Red River Blues Blue Country Heart Amazon
17Jefferson Airplane Embryonic Journey Surrealistic Pillow [Bonus Tracks] Amazon
18The Dave Brubeck Quartet Unsquare Dance Silver Linings Playbook: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Amazon
19Los Indios Tabajaras Always In My Heart Maria Elena/Always In My Heart Amazon
20Ria Valk Santo Domingo (Fernando, Alfredo En Jose) The Wanda Jackson Connection (30 Roots And Covers Of Wanda Jackson) Amazon
21Eileen Barton Fujiyama Mama The Wanda Jackson Connection (30 Roots And Covers Of Wanda Jackson) Amazon
22Marvin Rainwater Baby, Don't Go Whole Lotta Woman Amazon
23Clifton Chenier Me And My Chauffeur King Of The Bayous Amazon
24Louis Jordan Caldonia Living The Blues – Jump Blues & Boogie Amazon
25Jim McCracklin Think Living The Blues – 1965 – 1969 Blues Classics Amazon
26Howlin' Wolf 300 Pounds Of Joy Legends of Guitar – Electric Blues (Vol. 1) Amazon
27Sonny Boy Williamson II One Way Out The Real Folk Blues Amazon
28Jimmy Reed Hush, Hush The Very Best of Jimmy Reed Amazon
29John Lee Hooker It Serves You Right To Suffer The Definitive Collection Amazon
30Johnny Cash Well Alright Songwriter Amazon
31Lydia & Her Melody Strings Just A Queen For A Day The Wanda Jackson Connection (30 Roots And Covers Of Wanda Jackson) Amazon
32Duane Eddy Rebel Rouser Twang Thang: The Duane Eddy Anthology [Disc 1] Amazon
33Duane Eddy Ramrod Twang Thang: The Duane Eddy Anthology [Disc 1] Amazon

Cuppa Joe

The history of coffee consumption in 20th century America takes hold in the small cafes, truck stops and coffeehouses which became venues and social spaces for the community. Like music, they helped with the congregation of like minds and served as hubs for intellectual exchange, artistic expression and social activism. And it was all because of the caffeine. Instant and decaf coffees were just an aberration; much like disco. This week’s Deeper Roots drives the theme of coffee home with tracks that span the century including Emmett Miller, the King Cole Trio, The Bobs, Ella Mae Morse and Merle Travis (among others) to tell us a cuppa tale or two. It’s one more Friday show ahead of next week’s 420 observation…one more libation to celebrate.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Warren Barker Caper At The Coffee House (From '77 Sunset Strip') Jazz Noir Amazon
3The Manhattan Transfer Java Jive Anthology – Down in Birdland [Disc 1] Amazon
4King Cole Trio You're The Cream In My Coffee The Cocktail Combos [Disc 1] Amazon
5Ella Mae Morse Coffee Date Singles 3 Amazon
6Patricia Kaas Black Coffee Jazz a Saint Germain Amazon
7Jack Barlow Hot Cup Of Coffee I Live The Country Songs I Sing Amazon
8Merle Travis I Can't Afford The Coffee The Guitar Picker CD4 (1954-56) Amazon
9Tex Ritter 01 – Coffee Pot (2000) High Noon (CD 4) Amazon
10Claude Gray I4ll Have an Other Cup of Coffee Country & Western Nuggets Amazon
11Lefty Frizzell Make That One for the Road a Cup of Coffee 1962-1965 (Warped 6382) Amazon
12Curtis Gordon Caffeine And Nicotine Bob Dylan: Radio Radio [Disc 1] Amazon
13Jon Rauhouse Corn & Coffee Steel Guitar Rodeo Amazon
14Frank Sinatra The Coffee Song Radio Radio Vol.5 [Disc 1] Bob Dylan Amazon
15Enric Madriguera And His Hotel Biltmore Orchestra Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee American Dance Bands – Playing the Music of Irving Berlin Amazon
16Pancho Cantaneo y los Cubaztecas Moliendo Cafe Cuba. Por La Musica Amazon
17Terry Snyder / Earl Palmer Binga Banga Bongo-Percolator Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 8: Cocktail Capers Amazon
18Ella Mae Morse w/Big Dave and His Orchestra Forty Cups of Coffee Barrell House Boogie and the Blues Amazon
19The Modernaires Coffee Five, Doughnuts Five The Very Best of the Modernaires With Paula Kelly Amazon
20The Ink Spots Java Jive The Great Entertainers Amazon
21Atilla Coffee, Coffee Mo 33004 Amazon
22Greg Brown Good Morning Coffee If I Had Known Amazon
23Kim Lenz Percolate Slowly Speeding Amazon
24Julie London Black Coffee 36 All-Time Greatest Hits Disc 1 Amazon
25Ruth Etting You're The Cream In My Coffee Love Me or Leave Me CD1 Amazon
26Brook Benton Another Cup Of Coffee Best Of Brook Benton Amazon
27The Boswell Sisters Coffee In The Morning And Kisses In The Night [Album Version] That's How Rhythm Was Born Amazon
28Emmett Miller You're The Cream In My Coffee Minstrel Man From Georgia Amazon
29The Larks Coffee, Cigarettes And Tears Bob Dylan: Radio Radio [Disc 1] Amazon
30Bellevue Cadillac Cuppa Joe Hipsters, Zoots & Wingtips, Vol. 3 Amazon
31Lefty Frizzell Cigarettes and Coffee Blues Life's Like Poetry (Disc 5) Amazon
32Otis Redding Cigarettes And Coffee Oxford American Southern Music Issue Vol. 25 Amazon
33Neil Young + Promise of the Real A Rock Star Bucks A Coffee Shop The Monsanto Years Amazon

Rhythm Roller Coaster

Swing and jazz music of the late 1930s had just enough time to raise a small ruckus before the second World War broke out. After a celebratory wave swept the nation, there was a need for more of the same but with an upbeat but harder drive to it. It didn’t take long for pre-rock R&B to become popular across demographics as it would gain significant traction among urban youth, particularly in the central hubs of New York, Chicago, Detroit, LA, and New Orleans. This week’s show features a roller coaster of great sounds including tracks from Varetta Dillard, The Lollypoppers, The Flairs, and Little Johnny Jones & The Chicago Hound Dogs. You don’t want to miss this wild ride.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Big Joe Turner Love Roller Coaster Big Joe Turner: The Definitive Blues Collection [[Disc 2]] Amazon
3Big Maybelle Whole Lot-Ta Shakin' Goin' On OKeh Rhythm & Blues Amazon
4Ann Cole Got My Mojo Working The Girls Gone Rockin' Rhythm & Blues Queens [Disc 1] Amazon
5Mabel Scott Elevator Boogie Swing Baby Swing!: House Rocking Swing and Jump Jive Boogie Amazon
6Etta James Spoonful The Girls Gone Rockin' Rhythm & Blues Queens [Disc 1] Amazon
7Shirley Gunter & The Queens Oop Shoop The Flair Story – Dust My Rhythm & Blues Amazon
8LaVern Baker You'd Better Find Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll/Volume 2 [Disc 5] Amazon
9Little Esther & the Dominoes The Deacon Moves In Rhythm 'N' Blues: Early Doo Wop 1943-55, vol. 1 Amazon
10Ruth Brown This Little Girls Gone Rockin' The Girls Gone Rockin' Rhythm & Blues Queens [Disc 1] Amazon
11The Drifters With Clyde McPhatter Such A Night Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters Amazon
12Hank Ballard & The Midnighters Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go American Music Library: The Hits Of 1960 Amazon
13Tabby Thomas I'd Love To Tell Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies Amazon
14Louis Jordan Roc Doc From the Ghetto Amazon
15Fats Domino Don't Come Knockin' Rhythm & Western Volume 3 – Lovesick Blues Amazon
16The Flairs She Wants To Rock The Flair Story – Dust My Rhythm & Blues Amazon
17Titus Turner Hungry Man Exotic Blues & Rhythm Volume 7 & 8 Boom-A-Lay & Chug-A-Lug Amazon
18Little Johnny Jones & The Chicago Hound Dogs Dirty By The Dozen (Sweet Little Woman) The Flair Story – Dust My Rhythm & Blues Amazon
19The Lollypoppers A Bottle of Pop Rhythm 'N' Blues: Early Doo Wop 1943-55, vol. 2 Amazon
20Julia Lee Tell Me Daddy The Girls Gone Rockin' Rhythm & Blues Queens [Disc 1] Amazon
21Varetta Dillard Them Their Eyes Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll Vol 2 [Disc 13] Amazon
22Varetta Dillard Mercy, Mr. Percy The Lovin' Bird Amazon
23Varetta Dillard Promise Mr Thomas From the Ghetto Amazon
24Viola Wells (Miss Rhapsody) Sweet Man Were Sisters Under the Skin – Female Blues & Boogie 1944 to 1949 Amazon
25Chuck Willis & His Orchestra Lawdy Miss Mary OKeh Rhythm & Blues Amazon
26Champion Jack Dupree Shim Sham Shimmy Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll Vol 2 [Disc 15] Amazon
27Little Willie John Leave My Kitten Alone Various Artists: Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll/Volume 2/[Disc 10] Amazon
28Gladys Hill Please Don't Touch My Bowl Get Hot Sleazy Rhythm & Blues Vol. 3 Amazon
29Young Jessie Shuffle In The Gravel From the Ghetto Amazon
30Roy Milton Rhythm Cocktail ABC Of The Blues Vol 30 Amazon
31The Ravens Midnight Blues OKeh Rhythm & Blues Amazon
32The Blenders Don't Play Around with Love Rhythm 'N' Blues: Early Doo Wop 1943-55, vol. 1 Amazon
33The Ebonaires Lawd, Lawd, Lawd Rhythm 'N' Blues: Early Doo Wop 1943-55, vol. 1 Amazon
34Cab Calloway Gambler's Guitar Rhythm & Western Volume 3 – Lovesick Blues Amazon
35Gloria Gunter Move On Out Cat Scratchin' Amazon
36The Coasters Yakety Yak 50 Coastin' Classics [Disc 1] Amazon
37The Coasters Run Red Run 50 Coastin' Classics [Disc 2] Amazon
38Big Joe Turner Flip Flop And Fly Big, Bad & Blue: Anthology [Disc 2] Amazon
39Big Joe Turner Well, All Right Big Joe Rocks Amazon
40Big Joe Turner Midnight Special Train Atlantic Rock & Roll Amazon

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.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2The Mello-Tones Flying Saucer Vocal Groups Amazon
3Jerry Engler Sputnik (Satellite Girl) That'll Flat Git It, Vol. 6 (Us Decca, Vol. 2) Amazon
4Harmonica George Sputnik Music This Is The Blues Harmonica Amazon
5Roosevelt Sykes Sputnik Baby Voodoo Lou Amazon
6Astronaut Neil Armstrong The Moon Landing Great Speeches of The 20th Century – Volume 3 – the Dreams, Inspirations & Accomplishments Amazon
7Gil Scott-Heron Whitey On The Moon The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Amazon
8Hightower, Dean (George Barnes) Moon Rocket Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
9Chris Kenner Rocket To The Moon The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 5] Amazon
10The Drivers My Astronaut The King Records Story – Part 1 Amazon
11Johnny Greco Rocket Ride Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
12Vernon Green & The Medallions Rocket Ship Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
13Jesse Belvin & His Space Riders My Satellite Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
14The Larks Rockin' In The Rocket Room Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
15Educational Duck and Cover Educational Amazon
16The Tornados Telstar Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 2 Amazon
17Jimmie Haskell & His Orchestra Rockin' In The Orbit (Space Satellite) Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
18Don Lang & His Frantic Five Red Planet Rock Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
19Speedy West Space Man In Orbit Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
20Joe Montgomery Planetary Run Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
21Galen Denny Gonna Build A Rocket Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
22Merv Griffin The Screamin' Meemies From Planet 'X' Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
23The Royal Guardsmen Smallest Astronaut The Best of the Royal Guardsmen Amazon
24Sheb Wooley The Purple People Eater Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection: The Greatest Novelty Records Of All Time [Disc 1] Amazon
25The Big Bopper The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor The Greatest Novelty Songs, Disc 2 Amazon
26John Mauceri: Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Herrmann: Outer Space [From "The Day the Earth Stood Still"] Journey To The Stars: A Sci-fi Fantasy Adventure [John Mauceri  The Sound of Hollywood Vol. 10] Amazon
27Buddy Morrow & His Orchestra Men Into Space Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
28Billy Riley, The Little Green Men Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
29The Marketts Out of Limits Billboard Top Rock & Roll Hits: 1964 Amazon
30Nervous Norvus Kibble Kibble (The Flying Saucer Song) Stone Age Woo Amazon
31Freddy Sunder Flying Saucers Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
32Dave & The Detomics Detomic Orbit Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
33The Equadors Sputnik Dance Sputnik! The Launch of the Space Race – 65 Years First Sputnik in Space Amazon
34Leonard Nimoy A Visit To A Sad Planet Spaced Out – The Best of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner Amazon
35Lightnin' Hopkins Happy Blues For John Glenn The Complete Prestige-Bluesville Recordings [Disc 3] Amazon
36David Rose & His Orchestra Forbidden Planet Destination Forbidden Planet (37 Outer Space Shock Treatments) Amazon
37David Bowie Space Oddity Singles: 1969-1993 Disc 1 Amazon

Family Affair

We’ve got the family trees for you on Deeper Roots this week; proof positive that music can very well run in the family. Our show will share music from just a few of the families that have made their own way in a host of different genres. We’ll hear from the Nelsons (both of them), the family Marsalis, the Hiatts, the Wainwrights, the brothers Neville and a few others this week, spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries. Tune in to this week’s two hour mixed bag with some of the very best performances from some different lineages, here on KOWS Community Radio.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole Straighten Up And Fly Right Re: Generations Amazon
3Art Neville That Old Time Rock And Roll His Specialty Recordings Amazon
4Aaron Neville Let's Live Brother To Brother ([Disc 1]: Aaron) Amazon
5The Neville Brothers Run Joe Fiyo on the Bayou Amazon
6Hank Williams Sr. I Saw the Light Country's 20 Classic Gospel Songs of the Century Amazon
7Hank Williams Jr. Mind Your Own Business Country Gold 1984-1986 Amazon
8Hank Williams III I'm A Long Gone Daddy Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute Amazon
9Wynton Marsalis Septet My Baby Don't Tolerate United We Swing: Best of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Galas Amazon
10Branford Marsalis Fool For You A Tribute To Curtis Mayfield Amazon
11Ozzie Nelson And His Orchestra About A Quarter To Nine Paper Moon Amazon
12Rick Nelson Poor Little Fool Malt Shop Memories: Top Down Convertible Sound (Disc 2) Amazon
13Dionne Warwick Anyone Who Had A Heart Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits Amazon
14Dee Dee Warwick We're Doing Fine Kent's Cellar Of Soul: Volume 2 Amazon
15Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You The Bodyguard Amazon
16Willie Nelson Mr. Record Man One Hell Of A Ride Amazon
17Willie Nelson;Lukas Nelson;Micah Nelson Come On Back Jesus Heroes Amazon
18Bobbie Nelson The House of Blue Lights Audiobiography (iTunes Exclusive) Amazon
19Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real If I Didn't Love You Sticks and Stones Amazon
20Bob Dylan High Water (For Charley Patton) Love and Theft Amazon
21Jakob Dylan Oh, Mama, Come Home The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams [LP/CD] Amazon
22John Hiatt Crossing Muddy Waters Here To Stay – Best Of 2000-2012 Amazon
23Lilly Hiatt Walking Proof Walking Proof Amazon
24Loudon Wainwright III Dead Skunk Album III Amazon
25Rufus Wainwright Greek Song Poses [US Bonus Track] Amazon
26Martha Wainwright Prairie Lullaby Martha Wainwright Lullaby Record Amazon
27Johnny Cash with The Carter Sisters & The Statler Brothers Belshazzar (w/ The Carter Sisters & The Statler Brothers) The Johnny Cash TV Show (1969-1971) Amazon
28Johnny Cash I Can't Go On That Way Life Amazon
29Rosanne Cash Black Cadillac Black Cadillac Amazon
30June Carter Cash Keep On The Sunny Side Wildwood Flower Amazon
31The Carter Family Anchored In Love American Roots- A History Of American Folk Music: [Disc 2] Amazon

Hive Harmony

The bouffant and the beehive…hairstyles with a tease and some backcombing, were all the rage in the sixties. Like pop music, it had a short life before the British wave. Unlike pop music, whose sound endured, the fashion was washed away at the salon in favor of the next big thing. Girl groups set the tone for the harmonious sounds of the time, and our nostalgia cruise will be tooling the AM radio sounds of the very best of the beehive and flip hairstyles of groups like The Shangri-Las, The Paris Sisters, The Angels, Lesley Gore and a couple dozen others in this week’s show. Join Dave for the hits, the misses, and the near misses along with some of the unheard in this week’s episode of Deeper Roots. He’ll also share a number of tracks from an excellent 2018 release from Chicago’s Numero Group featuring some of ‘the others’. Girl groups emerged as a dominant force in the music industry, characterized by harmonious vocals, catchy melodies, and often choreographed performances.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2The Shangri-Las Sophisticated Boom Boom Myrmidons of Melodrama Amazon
3Reparata And The Delrons Whenever A Teenager Cries Dancin' & Romancin' In The '50s And 60s [Disc 3] Amazon
4The Angels Cry Baby Cry Ultimate Rock 'n Roll Time Capsule – Volume 2 [Disc 5] Amazon
5The Angels The Guy With The Black Eye Second Helpings: Sequels To The Songs That Left 'Em Hungry For More! Amazon
6Shirley Ellis I See It, I Like It, I Want It The Clapping Song… And More Amazon
7Shirley Ellis The Clapping Song We Love Pirate Radio – 60s Favourites Amazon
8Dee Dee Sharp I Sold My Heart to the Junkman It's Mashed Potato Time Amazon
9The Blossoms Hard To Get Love Charms: California Girls And Groups Amazon
10The Ribbons Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya Love Charms: California Girls And Groups Amazon
11The Dreamers Do Not Forget Love Charms: California Girls And Groups Amazon
12Nancy Sinatra Like I Do Love Charms: California Girls And Groups Amazon
13Lesley Gore Look Of Love The Golden Hits Of Lesley Gore Amazon
14Lesley Gore Maybe I Know The Golden Hits Of Lesley Gore Amazon
15The Shangri-Las He Cried Myrmidons of Melodrama Amazon
16The Ronettes Do I Love You? The Best of the Ronettes Amazon
17The Ronettes Everything Under the Sun The Best of the Ronettes Amazon
18The Jelly Beans I Wanna Love Him So Bad The Best Of The Girl Groups, Vol. 1 Amazon
19The Cookies I Never Dreamed Birth Of Soul: 2 Amazon
20The Murmaids Popsicles And Icicles Early Girls: 1 Amazon
21The Petites Lonely Girl Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground Amazon
22The Monzas Ain't It the Truth Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground Amazon
23The Vandelettes He's All Mine Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground Amazon
24The Contessas Gimme Gimme Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground Amazon
25Paris Sisters Be My Boy Early Girls – vol 5 Amazon
26The Chantels Look In My Eyes Four By Four – Girl Groups Amazon
27The Chiffons Stop, Look And Listen One Fine Day And Other Favorites Amazon
28The Chiffons A Love So Fine One Fine Day And Other Favorites Amazon
29The Dixie Cups Gee The Moon Is Shining Bright (Mono Single) The Complete Red Bird Recordings Amazon
30The Dixie Cups Another Boy Like Mine The Complete Red Bird Recordings Amazon
31The Shirelles Baby, It's You Memories: Jukebox Gems (Disc 1) Amazon
32The Shangri-Las Remember (Walkin' in the Sand) Myrmidons of Melodrama Amazon
33Peggy March Hello Heartache, Goodbye Love Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 60's. Vol. 2 Amazon
34Vickie & The Van Dykes Baby I'm Crying Basement Beehive: The Girl Group Underground Amazon

Heart of Saturday Night

Where else but the heart of Saturday night? We’ve got an eclectic collection of performances that take you ‘there and back’ this Friday morning on Deeper Roots. No theme. No tribute. No genre sweep. Just a collection of some great sounds from the past (and present). Little themes that reach deep and a few awesome covers that you may not be familiar with. We’re making our way to the outskirts of the bayou with Cookie & The Cupcakes and Jo-el Sonnier, then into some gritty blues from Muddy Waters and RL Burnside, and we’ll also have some rollicking country and soul from Big Maybelle, Buck Owens, Mickey Baker, and The Ink Spots. Add a dose of Billie Holiday, LaVern Baker, and Tow Waits…and there you have it. Some surprises and some favorites all rolled up on this Friday morning blue plate special.

No.
1Artist Title Album Buy
2Tom Waits (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night Used Songs 1973-1980 Amazon
3The Ink Spots The Gypsy Your Hit Parade 1946 Amazon
4The Impressions Gypsy Woman American Music Library: The Hits Of 1961 Amazon
5Joe Ely The Gypsy Lady Flatland Lullaby Amazon
6Jo-el Sonnier Say You Love Me The Complete Mercury Sessions Amazon
7Cookie & the Cupcakes Mathilda Swamp Gold, Volume 1 Amazon
8Bill Hayes Poor White Trash Hillbillies in Hell Country Musics Tormented Testament Volume 5 Amazon
9George Jones Just One More The Best Of George Jones: 1955-1967 Amazon
10Patsy Cline A Poor Man's Roses (Or A Rich Man's Gold) 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection – Classic Patsy Cline Amazon
11Buck Owens Hot Dog (with Danny Dedmon) The Other Side of Bakersfield, Vol. 1; 1950s & 60s Boppers and Rockers from 'Nashville West' Amazon
12Big Maybelle Don't Leave Poor Me Roll Your Moneymaker Amazon
13Eilen Jewell Don't Leave Poor Me Down Hearted Blues Amazon
14Jessie Mae Hamphill Lord Help The Poor And Needy Goin' Down South Blues Sampler Vol. 2 Amazon
15Shemekia Copeland Lord Help the Poor and Needy Outskirts of Love Amazon
16Robert Belfour Old Black Mattie Goin' Down South Blues Sampler Vol. 2 Amazon
17Samantha Fish Poor Black Mattie Belle of the West Amazon
18Leon Russell It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry Leon Russell And The Shelter People [Bonus Tracks] Amazon
19Bob Dylan Down Along The Cove John Wesley Harding Amazon
20Bob Dylan Alberta #1 Another Self Portrait (1969-1971): The Bootleg Series Vol. 10 Deluxe-Edition 4 (Self Portrait. Original Edition; Rem. 2013) Amazon
21The Cactus Blossoms If Not For You If Not For You (Bob Dylan Songs Vol. 1) Amazon
22Sarah Jarosz Ring Them Bells Follow Me Down Amazon
23Jubilaires Casey Jones Bob Dylan Presents: Radio Radio, Theme Time Radio Hour, Vol. 1 Amazon
24Mickey Baker Gloomy Sunday The Wildest Guitar Amazon
25Billie Holiday Feat. Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra Gloomy Sunday Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia 1933-1944 [Disc 10] Amazon
26LaVern Baker Soul on Fire (Japan 2012 Remaster) Atlantic Rock & Roll Amazon
27The Browns Shenandoah Classics 1960 (Warped 6062) Amazon
28Elvis Presley I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine Date with Elvis Amazon
29Elvis Presley Poor Boy For LP Fans Only Amazon
30Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels Jenny Take a Ride! Let There Be Drums Vol 2: The 60's Amazon
31Little Richard Jenny Jenny The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection Amazon
32Muddy Waters Young Fashioned Ways The Anthology [Disc 1] Amazon
33Shakey Jake Roll Your Moneymaker Roll Your Moneymaker Amazon