It’s fun to cover the songwriters whether they be pop, country, blues, or in the wheelhouse of Broadway or Tin Pan Alley. This week, we drop by the sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and catchy sounds from the Great White Way. From Broadway to Hollywood, the music of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II left a cultural watermark on the psyche of middle America in the heart of the 20th Century. From The Sound of Music to Oklahoma!; from Carousel to The King and I and South Pacific, the songs that were featured in these musicals were totems to their time and place. And catchy, too. Tune in for a romp through some of the most popular performances written by two giants of screen and stage musicals.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Shirley Jones, James Whitmore, Gordon MacRae
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
3
Oscar Hammerstein II
Act I: The Sound Of Music
The Sound Of Music: Original Broadway Cast
4
Mary Martin
My Favorite Things
Columbia Records' 125th Anniv.
5
Blossom Dearie
Surrey With The Fringe On Top
Four Classic Albums Plus (Blossom Dearie / Plays For Dancing / Give Him The Ooh-La-La / Once Upon A Summertime) (Digitally Remastered)
6
Gertrude Lawrence
Getting To Know You
Ultimate Broadway [Disc 1]
7
Ella Fitzgerald
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair
That's Amore [Prism]
8
Frank Sinatra
It Might As Well Be Spring
Sinatra & Strings
9
Ray Charles & Betty Carter
People Will Say We're In Love
Ray Charles and Betty Carter/Dedicated To You
10
Jo Stafford
The Gentleman is a Dope
Yes Indeed! – [Disc 3] Haunted Heart
11
Bobby Darin
Hello, Young Lovers
Wild Cool & Swingin
12
Mary Martin
A Wonderful Guy
The Best of Broadway: The Late '40s
13
Willie Nelson
Some Enchanted Evening
What A Wonderful World
14
Elvis Presley
You'll Never Walk Alone
He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley Disc 1
Long before we were graced with the voices of SAM, Siri, or Alexa, and before we could carry our smart devices around like a wallet or clutch…there were the women and men who served us from behind the receiver: the telephone operator. Maybe they didn’t have the answer to everything but they could connect us to about anyone anywhere in the world. But it usually cost more than we were willing to admit. This week’s Deeper Roots show takes on the theme of the telephone operator, the long distance connector, and the person with a soul…and usually a quick hangup if there were not enough coins to drop in the pay phone. It was the penalty for human interaction I guess. We’ll let Jorma, Johnny Otis, Wanda Jackson, and Eddie Floyd take us on a trip back to rotary dials and party lines in this week’s episode, live from the Santa Rosa studios at KOWS.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Mary Wells
Operator
Looking Back 1961-1964
3
Dusty Owens
Hello Operator
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
4
Rusty McDonald
Call Operator 210
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
5
Hank Snow
I Just Telephoned Upstairs
The Chronogical Classics 1951-1952 (Warped 5244)
6
Bonnie Guitar
Hello, Hello, Please Answer The Phone
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
7
Wanda Jackson
Between The Window And The Phone
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
8
The Blue Sky Boys
The Royal Telephone
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
9
Johnny Burnette
Operator
The Train Kept a-Rollin' Memphis to Hollywood – CD 9
10
Howard Crockett
Please Answer The Phone
Talking on the Telephone Vol. 2
11
Jorma Kaukonen
Operator
River Of Time
12
The Band
Long Distance Operator
A Musical History [Disc 2]
13
The Golden Gate Quartet
I Just Telephone Upstairs
Vol. 6 (1949-1952)
14
The Jordaniares
I Telephoned Upstairs
The Jordaniares Gospel
15
Selah Jubilee Singers
Royal Telephone
Complete Recorded Works – Vol. 1 (1939-1941)
16
Sister Wynona Carr
Operator, Operator
Dragnet For Jesus
17
Spirit Of Memphis Quartet
The Atomic Telephone
The Best Of King Gospel
18
Sister Wynona Carr
Don't Miss That Train
Dragnet For Jesus
19
Johnny Otis
Call Operator 210
Mercury R&B Story '45-'55 – [Disc 6] West Coast Blues V2
20
Tony & Tyrone
Please Operator
After Hours 3 – More Northern Soul Masters
21
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Operator
Soul Grooves
22
The Marvelettes
Beechwood 4-5789
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of The Marvelettes
Well, it might be a bit of a stretch, and it might have been a bit of a fad, but it also flavored the beverage. Mambo. A lively mix born of a Latin dance of Cuban descent in the 30s and introduced by Perez Prado to an American audience in the 40s. It found it’s way into the popular music culture from big band to jazz and R&B. This week’s show samples some of the performances that were totally infected by its rhythm. We’ll hear from Mickey Baker, Wynonie Harris, and Tiny Grimes on the R&B side as well as the bandleaders who brassed it up including Perez Prado, Desi Arnaz, and Xavier Cugat.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Wynonie Harris
All She Wants to do is Mambo
Lovin' Machine
3
Perez Prado
Mambo #5
Cocktail Hour : Mambo Jambo
4
The Andrews Sisters
The Mambo Man
Golden Age of the Andrews Sisters [Disc 4]
5
Tito Puente
Cuban Pete
Mambo Kings
6
Tiny Grimes
Showboat Mambo
Rumba Gone Mambo
7
Xavier Cugat
Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)
The Original Mambo King [Disc 2]
8
Desi Arnaz
Holiday In Havana
The Best of Desi Arnaz: The Mambo King
9
Desi Arnaz;Amanda Lane
Cuban Pete
The Best of Desi Arnaz: The Mambo King
10
J.J. Jones
After Hours Mambo
Rumba Gone Mambo
11
Mickey Baker
Guitar Mambo
Rumba Gone Mambo
12
Ruth Brown
Mambo Baby
Miss Rhythm Greatest Hits And More Disc 2
13
Joe Liggins & His Orchestra
They Were Doing the Mambo
Mercury R&B Story '45-'55 – [Disc 6] West Coast Blues V2
This week’s show has us revisiting the Old Chisholm Trail and prairie passages that resemble all things that follow those romantic icons whose life on the range was less than what their songs usually embellish. In the western sunsets where John Lomax first went out in search of the ‘cowboy song’, we’ll explore more enlightened performances from the silver screen to the deep folk traditions that have become so laminated with romance that it’s hard to see the images beneath. This week’s show will take us from Carl T. Sprague, the original cowboy crooner, to Johnny Horton, Fess Parker, Rex Allen, and Roy Rogers. The music is sometimes sappy (Rick Nelson’s My Rifle, My Pony, and Me), sometimes light (Roy Rogers’ My Chickashay Girl), and other times full of storytelling and history. So many performances to light up the evening sky…just before dusk…just before that ceiling of stars appears in the night sky. Join us for our first live show from our new KOWS studios in downtown Santa Rosa.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Rex Allen
The Covered Wagon
Riding All Day
3
Jimmie Rodgers
Prairie Lullaby
Recordings 1927 – 1933 [Disc 5]
4
Carl T. Sprague
O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
…I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My Traces
5
The Carter Family
Cowboy Jack
On Border Radio – 1939 – vol. 2
6
Rhubarb Red
Little Green Valley (Radio)
Cowboy Crooners Sing Songs Of The West Cd 1
7
The Riders Of The Purple Sage
Cool Water (Radio)
Cowboy Crooners Sing Songs Of The West Cd 1
8
Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers
The Strawberry Roan
Saturday Night Rag 1934-1936 Vol. 1
9
Hank Snow
I Traded My Saddle for a Rifle
1942-1943 (Warped 4206)
10
Rex Allen
Dreaming of the Western Plains
Riding All Day
11
Roy Rogers
My Chickashay Girl
1942-1947 (Warped 4561)
12
Roy Rogers
Don't Fence Me In
My Rifle, My Pony And Me
13
Sons of the Pioneers
Moonlight On the Prairie
Songs of the Prairie – CD1
14
Sons of the Pioneers
Cool Water
Cool Water & 17 Western Favorites
15
Charlie Haden
Oh Shenandoah
Charlie Haden Family & Friends – Rambling Boy
16
Al Caiola & His Orchestra
Bonanza
TV Land presents Favorite TV Theme Songs
17
Various
The Virginian
Television's Greatest Hits Vol.II – 65 More TV Themes 50s and 60s
18
Johnny Western
The Ballad Of Paladin
Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana
19
Johnny Cash
The Rebel Johnny Yuma
My Rifle, My Pony And Me
20
Lee Marvin
Wand'rin Star
Rare Songs Played on Radio, Vol. 1
21
Dean Martin
Rio Bravo
My Rifle, My Pony And Me
22
Rick Nelson
My Rifle My Pony And Me (w/ Dean Martin)
Legacy [Disc 1]
23
Marty Robbins
Ballad Of The Alamo
My Rifle, My Pony And Me
24
Frankie Laine
Rawhide
The Cowboy Album
25
Johnny Horton
Sleepy-Eyed John
Honky Tonk Man: The Essential Johnny Horton 1956-1960 (2 of 2)
26
Patsy Montana
My Dear Old Arizona Home
The Best Of Patsy Montana
27
Roy Rogers
Rock Me to Sleep in My Saddle
1942-1947 (Warped 4561)
28
Fess Parker
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett
The Cowboy Album
29
Vaughn Monroe
(Ghost) Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend)
The Cowboy Album
30
Johnny Cash
The Sons Of Katie Elder
My Rifle, My Pony And Me
31
Gene Autry
Red River Valley
The Essential Gene Autry 1933-1946
32
Johnny Bond
Twilight On The Trail
Country Hits Vol. 6
33
The Sons Of The Pioneers
O Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie
Sons Of The Pioneers
34
The Cinema Sound Orchestra
High Noon
Western Film Themes
35
Willie Nelson
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys [Album Version]
Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)
Back to the bayou once more. This time we keep our focus with laser precision on the rhythm and the blues swirling around in the stew that is Louisiana and the southern climes. You can look forward to some straight ahead blues from Katie Webster, B. B. King, and Lonesome Sundown as well as rhythm vocals from the likes of Art Neville, The Del-Chords, and Joe Richards. I’m telling you…you won’t be hearing anything like it anywhere on Sonoma County radio. It’s a down and dirty bayou collection including selections from the Ace UK archives, the Chess label, and includes some special treats from Little Richard, The Spiders, and King Karl.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
James Booker
Junco Partner
Junco Partner
3
Little Richard
Directly from My Heart
The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 2]
4
Joe Richards
You'd Better Change
Rhythm & Bluesin' By The Bayou – Rompin' & Stompin'
5
Tabby Thomas
I'd Love To Tell
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
6
Johnnie Allan
Lonely Days & Lonely Nights
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
7
Cookie & His Cupcakes
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups
8
The Velvetiers
Feelin' Right On Saturday Night
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups
9
The Del-Chords
Help Me
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups
10
The Hi-Fi's
I'm So Lonely
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups
11
The Spiders
I Didn't Want to Do It
Doo Wop Box, Vol. 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems from the Golden Age of Rock-N-Roll Disc 3
12
Art Neville
House On The Hill
Brother to Brother (Disc One:Art)
13
Art Neville
What's Going On
The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 4]
14
Clarence "Frogman" Henry
Ain't Got No Home
Chess New Orleans [Disc 2]
15
Earl King
Feeling My Way Around
Chess New Orleans [Disc 2]
16
Sugar Boy Crawford
What's Wrong
Chess New Orleans [Disc 1]
17
Chris Kenner
Something You Got
Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound
18
Katie Webster
Hoo Wee, Sweet Daddy
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
19
Jimmy Dotson
I Need Your Love
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
20
Lionel Torrance
Rooty Tooty
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
21
King Karl
Walking Through The Park
Rhythm & Bluesin' By The Bayou – Rompin' & Stompin'
22
B.B. King
Bad Case of Love
Blues on the Bayou
23
Lonesome Sundown
California Blues
Rhythm & Bluesin' By The Bayou – Rompin' & Stompin'
24
Huey "Piano" Smith & His Clowns
Don't You Just Know It
Having A Good Time with Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns – The Very Best Of, Volume 1
25
Fats Domino
Whole Lotta Loving
Very Best of Fats Domino [Phantom] (Disc 2)
26
Bobby Mitchell
I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday
Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound
27
Clifton Chenier
The Big Wheel (Squeeze Box Shuffle)
Chess New Orleans [Disc 1]
28
Smiley Lewis
Shame, Shame, Shame
I Hear You Knocking: 1947-1962 Disc 3
29
John Fred
Shirley
Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound
30
Ernie K-Doe
Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta
Absolutely the Best
31
Big Boy Myles
New Orleans
The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 5]
32
Frankie Ford
Roberta
Very Best Of Frankie Ford
33
Charles Brown & Amos Milburn
Educated Fool
The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 4]
34
Clarence 'Bon Ton' Garlow
Jumping At The Zadacoe
Louisiana Swamp Blues
35
Huey "Piano" Smith & His Clowns
Don't You Know Yockomo
Having A Good Time with Huey 'Piano' Smith & His Clowns – The Very Best Of, Volume 1
It’s a holly, jolly, country Christmas on a Friday morning in West County. We’ll put our political blinders on this morning in search of the merriment that ’tis the season on Deeper Roots. This year’s Christmas special is a collection of country sounds, both new and old, that takes us down a path that mixes contemporary Americana, bluegrass, rockabilly, and classic country into a finely tuned blend of holiday cheer. We’ll be cooking from the Texas panhandle with Dale Watson, taking the high lonesome yule train with Jimmy Martin, spinning yarns with Johnny and Tommy Cash, and dropping by the Waffle House with Bill Anderson. Tune in knowing full well that the dinner’s in the oven and the stockings are all hung by the chimney with care. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Gretchen Wilson
I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas
I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas
3
Ernest Tubb
I'll Be Walking the Floor This Christmas
Christmas On the Country Side
4
Pee Wee King
Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus
Pee Wee King's Country Hoedown (1 of 2)
5
Buck Owens
Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy (Original Mono Single Version)
Buck 'Em: The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
6
Jimmy Martin
Daddy Will Santa Claus Ever Have to Die
To Mother At Christmas
7
Jimmy Martin
Old Fashioned Christmas
Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys 1954-1974 [Disc 2]
Back to the bayou. Back to Bourbon Street. From a house of blues to the small clubs out across the river. We’ll be taking a journey into the deeper wells where the influences include urban blues, jazz, French Acadian, Caribbean, and African American. And one could argue a handful of others. It’s all there in the sounds of south where the pianos and guitar amps are wired into a foundation of tradition…as if performed from a garage or cabin. Cookie & The Cupcakes’ swamp pop, swamp rock from Randy & The Rockets, New Orleans busking from Snooks Eaglin, classic piano noodling from the Professor and Dr. John, and a warm bouillabaisse of southern musical cuisine from Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino all served up on a Friday evening celebrating a few of the treats on community radio for Sonoma County, KOWS.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Dr. John
Honey Dripper
Definitive Pop Collection
3
Charles Sheffield
Boogie Children
Rhythm & Bluesin' By The Bayou – Rompin' & Stompin'
4
Professor Longhair & His Blues Scholars
Walk Your Blues Away
'Fess: The Professor Longhair Anthology [Disc 1]
5
Dave Bartholomew
Got You On My Mind
1952-1955
6
Joe Medwick
Brought Down
I4m An After Hour Man (The Crazy Cajun Recordings)
7
Phil Bo
Don't Take It So Hard
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
8
Cookie & the Cupcakes
Mathilda
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
9
Cookie & His Cupcakes
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Vocal Groups
10
Rod Bernard
This Should Go On Forever
Chess New Orleans [Disc 2]
11
Dr. John
Wash, Mama, Wash
Definitive Pop Collection
12
Erwin Babin
Big Boy Blue
Boppin' By The Bayou – Made In The Shade
13
Clint West
Our Love
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
14
Clarence 'Bon Ton' Garlow
Flip Flop
Louisiana Swamp Blues
15
Clarence 'Bon Ton' Garlow
Hey Mr. Bon Ton
Louisiana Swamp Blues
16
Rod Bernard
Diggy Liggy Lo
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
17
Katie Webster & Bobby Jay
Hey Mr Love
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
18
Jay Nelson
Silly Filly Oh Baby
Rhythm & Bluesin' By The Bayou – Rompin' & Stompin'
19
Fred Carter
(You'll Have To) Come And Get It
Boppin' By The Bayou – Baby Dolls & Drive-Ins
20
Randy & the Rockets
Lets Do the Cajun Twist
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
21
Rufus Jagneaux
Opelousas Sostan
Swamp Gold, Volume 1
22
Fats Domino
La-La [Version 2]
They Call Me the Fat Man: The Legendary Imperial Recordings Disc 3
23
Fats Domino
I Want You to Know
They Call Me the Fat Man: The Legendary Imperial Recordings Disc 3
24
Snooks Eaglin
Lavinia
Baby, You Can Get Your Gun!
25
Snooks Eaglin
By the Water
Complete Imperial Recordings
26
Charles Sheffield
I Would Be a Sinner
Best Of Excello Vol 1: Sound of the Swamp
27
Zorro & The Zips
Frankie & Johnny
Boppin' By The Bayou – Baby Dolls & Drive-Ins
28
Jay Chevalier & The Longshots
Cuttin' Cane
Boppin' By The Bayou – Baby Dolls & Drive-Ins
29
King Karl & Guitar Gable
Mary Lou
Rhythm 'n' Bluesin' By The Bayou – Mad Dogs, Sweet Daddies & Pretty Babies
30
Warren Storm
Hey Ma Ma
Boppin' By The Bayou – Made In The Shade
31
Terry Clement & The Tune Tones
Hey Joli
Boppin' By The Bayou – Baby Dolls & Drive-Ins
32
Irma Thomas
Cry On
Soul Queen of New Orleans
33
Berna Dean
I Walk In My Sleep
Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host Bob Dylan [Disc 2]
34
Clarence "Frogman" Henry
The Glory Of Love [Outtake]
Chess New Orleans [Disc 2]
35
Bobby Charles
Time Will Tell
Chess New Orleans [Disc 1]
36
Dr. John
Iko Iko
Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans
The music of Albert E. Brumley resides in a shadowy corner of country gospel, but when it’s given the light of day, the glow is blinding. He was a shape note music composer and publisher whose southern gospel pieces are familiar to many. There’s not a lot of information about Albert but the musical legacy of his “I’ll Fly Away”, “Rank Strangers”, and “Turn Your Radio On” are masterpieces of the genre made popular by everyone from The Carters to Bill Monroe and Aretha Franklin to Alan Jackson and Kanye West. We’ll spend time with his music today, sharing numerous interpretations for you on a Friday morning in Sebastopol, live from KOWS studio at the UMC in the heart of town.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Chuck Wagon Gang/George Jones
Turn Your Radio On
70th Anniversary
3
The Dillards
Introduction
There Is A Time: 1963-70
4
The Dillards
I'll Fly Away
There Is A Time: 1963-70
5
The Humbard Family
I'll Fly Away [Album Version]
Roots 'N' Blues/The Retrospective 1925-1950
6
Stamps-Baxter Quartet
When We Sing Around The Throne Eternal
Close Harmony: A History of Southern Gospel Music
7
The Del McCoury Band
The Lord Is Writing Down Names
The Promised Land
8
The Del McCoury Band
It's Surprising What The Lord Can Do
The Promised Land
9
Clinch Mountain Boys/Jim Lauderdale/Ralph Stanley
This World Is Not My Home
I Feel Like Singing Today
10
Fern Jones
This World Is Not My Home
The Glory Road
11
Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys
The Prettiest Flowers Will Be Blooming
Ralph Stanley 1971-1973 Disc One
12
The Louvin Brothers
He Set Me Free
Close Harmony [Disc 6]
13
Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys
Standing By the River
Ralph Stanley 1971-1973 Disc 4
14
The Country Gentlemen
Rank Strangers To Me
The Early Rebel Recordings [Disc 3]
15
Ricky Skaggs
Rank Stranger
Bluegrass Rules!
16
Leon Redbone
If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven
Double Time
17
Elvis Presley
If We Never Meet Again
He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley Disc 1
18
Doc Watson
I'll Meet You In The Morning
Milestones [Disc 2]
19
Albert E. Brumley, Jr./Merle Haggard
I'll Meet You in the Morning
Two Old Friends
20
Johnnie and Jack
I Heard My Name on the Radio
1947-1950 (Warped 4720)
21
Coon Creek Girls
Flowers Blooming In The Wildwood
Flowers In The Wildwood
22
Rangers Quartet
I've Found A Hiding Place
Close Harmony: A History of Southern Gospel Music
23
Marty Stuart
Lord, Give Me Just a Little More Time
Souls' Chapel
24
Mac Wiseman
By the Side of the Road
Voice of the Spirit, Gospel of the South
25
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
By The Side Of The Road
Beyond The Shadows
26
The Del McCoury Band
I'll Put On A Crown And Walk Around
The Promised Land
27
The Del McCoury Band
It's An Unfriendly World
The Promised Land
28
Merle Travis
If We Never Meet Again
Hot Pickin' [Disc 1]
29
The Kingsmen
I'd Rather Be An Old-Time Christian
Crossroads: Southern Roots
30
Jimmie Davis
'Twill Be Sweet When We Meet
Nobody's Darlin' But Mine
31
Carl Story
I've Found a Hiding Place
Country & Western Hit Parade 1947
32
Wade Bowen
I'll Fly Away
Then Sings My Soul: Songs for My Mother
33
Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch
I'll Fly Away
Down From The Mountain: Live Concert Performances By The Artists & Musicians Of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
It’s a time that followed the second World War and baked into its foundation were the sounds of Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Spade Cooley, Bob Wills among others. The music was inspired by bluegrass, folk, blues, and jazz with Country Swing and barn dances sparking a popularity that blanketed the American musical landscape from the Pacific to the southern Atlantic. It was a sound that solidified the title of “Country and Western” and he’ll be sharing some of the great performances in this week’s episode: Patsy Cline, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Ferlin Husky, and Webb Pierce…just to name a few. While the sound would fade away sometime around the turn of the seventies, when rock n’ roll would elbow it (more like steamroll it) out in popularity on the airwaves, it is revered and restated to this day as a cornerstone of what we recognize as Americana music.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Marty Robbins
Singing The Blues
Hillbilly Fever – Vol. 3: Legends Of Nashville
3
Webb Pierce
Why Baby Why Featuring Red Sovine
All Hits! [Disc 2]
4
Ray Price
Crazy Arms
Columbia Country Classics Volume 2: Honky Tonk Heroes
5
Elvis Presley
Heartbreak Hotel
Collections
6
The Everly Brothers
Wake Up Little Susie
The Complete Cadence Recordings 1957-1960 Disc 1
7
Little Jimmy Dickens
Hey Worm (You Wanna Wiggle)
Four Classic Albums Plus Singles 1954-1962
8
Ferlin Husky
Gone
Hillbilly Fever: Vol. 4 – Heroes Of Country Music – Vol. 4: Legends Of The West Coast
9
Marty Robbins
The White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)
Magic Moments
10
Bobby Helms
Fraulein
Classic Country
11
Patsy Cline
Walkin' After Midnight
12 Greatest Hits
12
Ray Price
My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You
The Essential Ray Price 1951-1962
13
Little Jimmy Dickens
A-Sleepin' At The Foot Of The Bed
The Old Country Church/Raisin' The Dickens
14
Marvin Rainwater
Gonna Find Me A Bluebird
Three Classic Albums Plus Singles 1955-1962
15
Johnny Cash
Ballad Of A Teenage Queen
His Sun Years
16
Johnny Cash
I Still Miss Someone
16 Biggest Hits
17
Lefty Frizzell
If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time
Selected Sides – 1957-59
18
Little Jimmy Dickens
Me And My Big Loud Mouth
The Essential "Little" Jimmy Dickens
19
Don Gibson
Oh, Lonesome Me
RCA Country Legends
20
Charlie Walker
Pick Me Up On Your Way Down
Columbia Country Classics Volume 2: Honky Tonk Heroes
21
Jim Reeves
Billy Bayou
Country Roads – Ralph Emery Presents – For The Good Times
22
Patsy Cline
I Can See An Angel
The Patsy Cline Collection [Disc 2]
23
Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys
Drivin' Nails In My Coffin
Songs For Rounders
24
George Jones
White Lightning
The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country Disc 1
25
Johnny Horton
The Battle Of New Orleans
Classic Country
26
Stonewall Jackson
Waterloo
Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana
27
The Browns
The Three Bells
Classic Country
28
Marty Robbins
El Paso
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
29
Buck Owens
Under Your Spell Again
The Very Best Of Buck Owens, Volume 1
30
Kitty Wells
Amigos Guitar
Queen of Country
31
Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys
A Six Pack To Go
Vintage Collections
32
Wynn Stewart
Wishful Thinking
Hillbilly Fever: Vol. 4 – Heroes Of Country Music – Vol. 4: Legends Of The West Coast
There are a handful of record labels that subscribe to the ‘deeper roots’ dogma. And our show tries to cover all of them. But East Bay’s own Arhoolie, whose catalog was recently acquired by Smithsonian Folkways is a very special example, maybe the premiere example, of what it means to dig deeper. Founded in 1960 by Chris Strachwitz, a German transplant who moved to the States in 1947, Arhoolie was founded on the principle that the best music could be found by traveling the backroads. And that is precisely how it got started, with a recording device in his trunk and an ear for the sublime. Join us this Friday evening as we explore just a hint of the music you’ll find on a landmark roots label.
