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.
Category Archives: American Popular
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.