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.
We are remembering what happened here in Sonoma County last October when the firestorm hit, devastating communities and lives. Over 5000 homes and dozens of lives were lost. Disaster struck overnight and our music today reflects back with songs of disaster, songs of burning hell, and music that reminds us that Mother Nature will have its way. Blues from John Lee Hooker and Howlin’ Wolf, traditional country gospel from Bill Neely and Kitty Wells, and more in a Friday evening remembrance.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
The David Thom Band
California's Burning
That Old Familiar
3
Under The Radar
Ride These Flames
Beyond The Niche
4
Kitty Wells
He Will Set Your Fields on Fire
Dust on the Bible (1959)
5
Kilby Snow, Mike Seeger
He Will Set Your Fields On Fire
Close To Home: Old Time Music From Mike Seeger's Collection, 1952-1967
6
Clyde Moody
06 – Where There's Smoke (There's Bound to Be Fire)
The Hillbilly Waltz King
7
Bill Neely
Satan's Burning Hell
Texas Law & Justice
8
Howlin' Wolf
The Natchez Burning
Blues From Hell
9
John Lee Hooker
Burning Hell
The Ultimate Collection 1948-1990 [Disc 2]
10
John Lee Hooker
The Motor City Is Burning
The Definitive Collection
11
Otis Spann
Burning Fire
The Great Blues Men
12
Bob Brozman
American House Fire Blues
Fire in the Mind
13
Dave Alvin
Barn Burning
King Of California
14
Dave Alvin
California's Burning
Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women
15
John Mellencamp
Eden Is Burning
John Mellencamp
16
Dixon Brothers
The School House Fire
Down In The Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove Of Vintage 78s: 1926-1937
There’s a new tribute album out, celebrating the music of country renaissance troubadour Roger Miller. Produced by his son Dean it’s a fully formed varietal that, as Rolling Stone magazine critic Stephen Betts notes, features a dazzling lineup after being beset by repeated delays since 2015. Miller was an extraordinary songwriter with offbeat humor, part Hank Williams, part Will Rogers, and a poet of the uncommon whose song King of the Road “was positively average compared to his other oddball compositions, including Dang Me, Chug-a-Lug, and You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd” as Betts goes on to point out. Our show features tracks from the album, some other notable covers of Roger Miller’s music, and, of course, some wacky, some tame originals from Roger himself.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Asleep at the Wheel
Chug-A-Lug (feat. Huey Lewis)
King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller
3
Roger Miller
Dad Blame Anything A Man Can't Quit
King Of The Road – The Genius Of Roger Miller (CD2)
4
Doug Kershaw
You Don't Want My Love
The Best Of Doug Kershaw
5
Ernest Tubb
Half a Mind
Ernest Tubb: The Definitive Collection
6
Faron Young
A World So Full of Love
The Complete Capitol Hits of Faron Young (2 of 2)
7
Emmylou Harris; Rodney Crowell
Invitation to the Blues
Old Yellow Moon
8
George Jones
Tall Tall Trees
George Jones The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection
9
Roger Miller
Tall, Tall Trees
King Of The Road – The Genius Of Roger Miller (CD3)
10
Roger Miller
My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died
The Complete Smash-Mercury Singles
11
Charley Pride
Billy Bayou
20 Classics
12
Jim Reeves
Home
Essential Jim Reeves
13
Roger Miller
Little Green Apples
All Time Greatest Hits
14
Bill Kirchen
Husbands and Wives (Album)
Word To The Wise
15
Roger Miller/Willie Nelson
Husbands and Wives
Old Friends/Funny How Time Slips Away
16
Willie Nelson
Old Friends
One Hell Of A Ride
17
Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard
Old Friends
King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller
18
Patsy Cline
When Your House Is Not A Home [Radio Transcription]
The Patsy Cline Collection [Disc 2]
19
Little Jimmy Dickens
When Your House Is Not A Home
Four Classic Albums Plus Singles 1954-1962
20
Merle Haggard
Leavin's Not the Only Way to Go
Chicago Wind
21
Ray Price
Invitation To The Blues
Columbia Country Classics Volume 2: Honky Tonk Heroes
22
Jon Rauhouse
Pardon This Coffin
The Executioners Last Songs, Volume 3
23
Roger Miller
King Of The Road
The Best Of : Vol 2
24
Dick Curless
King of the Road
A Tombstone Every Mile (7CD Set) CD4 (1950-1969)
25
Roger Miller
Kansas City Star
The Best Of : Vol 2
26
Kacey Musgraves
Kansas City Star
King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller
27
Roger Miller
Dang Me
King Of The Road – The Genius Of Roger Miller (CD1)
28
Willie Nelson
When Two Worlds Collide
Old Friends/Funny How Time Slips Away
29
Alison Krauss
You Oughta Be Here With Me / I've Been a Long Time Leaving (feat. The Cox Family)
King of the Road: A Tribute to Roger Miller
30
Alison Krauss
River In The Rain
Windy City
31
Roger Miller
Where Have All The Average People Gone
King Of The Road – The Genius Of Roger Miller (CD3)
32
Roger Miller
Hoppy's Gone
The Best Of : Vol 2
33
The Dead South
One Dying And A Burying
King Of The Road: A Tribute To Roger Miller [Disc 2]
34
Nick Lowe
Old Toy Trains
Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection For All The Family
Yip Harburg was a songmaker. He was part of a select few in the early to mid-century who found their calling as lyricists, writing words that transformed music to story and story to film and Broadway spectacles. We could gloss over his contributions by simply saying “he’s the guy who wrote Over The Rainbow or April in Paris or Brother, Can You Spare a Dime”. But his career was more than that. It’s no secret that Yip’s politics were carefully crafted in song. The phrases “honky-tonk parade” and “Barnum and Bailey world” were veiled criticisms of the “phony as it can be” corporate and political leadership in America, written by a freethinking, socially conscious lyricist. Our show today will honor some of his best songs and include interview excerpts featuring both Yip and his son, Ernie.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
The George Shearing Quintet And Orchestra
What Is There To Say
White Satin Black Satin
3
Anita O'Day
Old Devil Moon
Anita Sings The Most
4
Frank Sinatra
It's Only A Paper Moon
Swing And Dance With Frank Sinatra
5
Peggy Lee
Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe
The Best of Miss Peggy Lee [Bonus DVD] Disc 1
6
Martha Tilton
How Are Things In Glocca Morra?
The Liltin' Miss Tilton [Disc 2]
7
Nellie Lutcher
April In Paris
Nellie Lutcher & Her Rhythm [Disc 2]
8
Lena Horne
Ain't It The Truth
Lena Horne: A Musical Anthology
9
Lena Horne
Then I'll Be Tired of You
Harburg, E.Y., 1896-1981
10
Nat King Cole Trio
Then I'll Be Tired Of You
The Nat King Cole Trio: The Complete Capitol Transcription Sessions [Disc 3]
11
Ella Logan
How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
The Best of Broadway: The Late '40s
12
Ray Bolger
If I Only Had A Brain
The Wizard Of Oz
13
Groucho Marx & Bing Crosby
Lydia The Tattooed Lady
The Marx Brothers Greatest Hits
14
Ella Logan
When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich
Harburg, E.Y., 1896-1981
15
Judy Garland
Over The Rainbow
That's Entertainment! The Best Of The MGM Musicals
A few years back we celebrated the record, the radio, and disc jockeys on a couple of themed shows. We’re going to rev that theme up once again, but with a bit of a twist. This morning’s show pays tribute to that nickel, dime, and quarter evaporator known as the jukebox. We’ll also extend the music selections to include sounds of record hops, soda fountains, and the healthiest way to partake in any or all of the festivities. Tune in for new and old, including country sounds from Kitty Wells, Buck Owens, and Bill Walker; R&B from Shirley & Lee, Charles Bronw, and The Marigolds; and pop straightaways from Gale Storm, Dodie Stevens, and Brook Benton. All this on a Friday evening on KWTF community radio.
This morning’s show finds a festive free form summer set featuring the usual suspects and a whole lot of fine sounds from the deeper wells. We’ll be sharing country classics from George Jones, Floyd Tillman, and Pee Wee King as well as some sweet upbeat R&B from Clyde McPhatter, Big Maybelle, and Ivory Joe. Taj Mahal, some doo wop pioneers, and the great Ella Fitzgerald will round things out in a free form fest on Sonoma County Community Radio. Tune in at 9am Pacific at www.kows.fm/listen.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Taj Mahal
Diddy Wah Diddy
Maestro
3
Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends
Oh Chuck It (In a Bucket)
Kansas City Blues 1944-1949 Disc 2
4
Hank Williams
My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
The History Of Country & Western Music – Vol. 18
5
Hank Williams
I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Living
The History Of Country & Western Music (Disc 19)
6
Johnny Cash
The Night Hank Williams Came To Town
Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town & Water From The Wells Of Home
Deeper Roots goes to the deeper wells of black American gospel which is one of the more powerful examples of bedrock sounds that we play here on our show. This show includes hand-picked classics such as “The Old Rugged Cross”, “Joshua Fit the Battle”, “Trouble in My Way”, and a medley of freedom classics from the SNCC Freedom Singers. It’s a mix of jubilee quartets, female gospel greats, sensational musical sermons, as well as Aretha, Sister Tharpe, Mahalia, and The Staples. Tune in for more….a whole lot more.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Freedom Road
Higher Ground
3
Mahalia Jackson
Didn't It Rain
16 Most Requested Songs
4
Marie Knight
The Old Rugged Cross
Hallelujah What A Song!
5
Marie Knight
Walk With Me
The Great Gospel Women
6
SNCC Freedom Singers
Woke Up This Morning
Crossroads: Southern Roots
7
The Freedom Singers
Freedom Medley:Freedom Chant, Oh Freedom, This Little Light Of Mine
Voices Of the Civil Rights Movement
8
Joseph Crawford and unidentified vocalist
Free At Las'
2- The Long Road To Freedom : An Anthology Of Black Music
9
Southern Sons
I'm Free At Last (1942)
1940's Vocal Groups: Southern Sons (1941-44) & Richmond's Harmonizing Four (1943)
10
Sam Cooke And The Soul Stirrers
Mean Old World
The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 3]
11
Aretha Franklin
Precious Lord (Part One)
Lovely Jazz Gospel & Blues
12
Marion Williams
Nobody Knows, Nobody Cares
The Great Gospel Women
13
Clara Ward Singers
Somebody Bigger Than You & I
Somebody Bigger Than You & I
14
Morris Brown Quartet
Climbing Up The Mountain
I Hear Music In The Air
15
Southern Sons
Lift Every Voice And Sing
I Hear Music In The Air
16
The Swan Silvertones
Trouble In My Way
Love Lifted Me
17
Bill Landford And The Landfordaires
Trouble Of This World [Album Version]
The Gospel Tradition: The Roots And The Branches, Vol. 1
18
Fisk Jubilee Singers
Joshua Fit The Battle
American Roots Music [Disc 3]
19
Leonard de Paur conducting choir
We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder
5- The Long Road To Freedom : An Anthology Of Black Music
20
Gospel Tones
Roll, Jordan, Roll
Nuggets Of The Golden Age Of Gospel, 1945-1958
21
The Sensational Nightingales
Freedom After a While
Great Gospel – People Get Ready
22
Reverend Robert Ballinger
So Glad
1950s Gospel Classics
23
Mahalia Jackson
I'm on My Way To Canaan
101 Great Black Gospel, Vol. 1
24
The Trumpeteers
I'll Fly Away
Folk Blues & Gospel: Will the Circle Be Unbroken
25
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Stand By Me
Complete Recorded Works, 1938 – 1944; Volume 1
26
The Belleville A Cappella Choir of the Church of God and Saints of Christ
Great Camp Meeting… – Swing Low… – Steal Away – What Kind… – Oh Them… – I'm a Soldier… (Medley of Spirituals)
Southern Journey Vol 11: Honor the Lamb
27
The Staple Singers
Swing Down, Chariot
Swing Low Sweet Chariot + Uncloudy Day (Bonus Track Version)
28
The Staple Singers
Uncloudy Day
Swing Low Sweet Chariot + Uncloudy Day (Bonus Track Version)
29
Golden Gate Quartet
God's Gonna Cut 'em Down
101 Great Black Gospel, Vol. 1
30
The Dixie Hummingbirds
Christian's Automobile
Thank You For One More Day: The 70th Anniversary Of The Dixie Hummingbirds
31
Southern Sons
Above My Head, I Hear The Music In The Air
I Hear Music In The Air
32
Arizona Dranes
Bye & Bye We're Going To See The King
He Is My Story: The Sanctified Soul Of Arizona Dranes
Merle Travis’ influence on country music cannot be ignored. Along with a select few entertainers of the mid-century, he bridged the hillbilly and Appalachian folk institutions to the Golden Age of Country. His influences were not only the ‘picking style’, but also his keen sense of populist stories told from the front lines. We’ll hear from and early influence, Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers, as well as those he influenced. All songs written by Merle and some performed by Merle himself. Our show will also feature Merle Travis interview excerpts from the sixties. It’s a Friday morning collection of the very best of Merle Travis.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Merle Travis
I'll See You In My Dreams
The Guitar Picker CD3 (1951-53)
3
Joe Maphis & Merle Travis
Alabama Jubilee
Country Guitar Thunder (Joe Maphis & Merle Travis 1977-1981)
Tales of lonesome saddles, lost loves, broken hearts, and lonely rooms…a mood, a tone, and short vignettes so common among those themes of country music. We’ve got that and much more in this week’s episode of Deeper Roots. Performances from Grandpa Jones, The Stanley Brothers, Lefty Frizzell, Mel Tillis, and many others, will take us on a ride on a country road, drinking new wine from an old jug. That will also include stories of highway mishaps, the bottom of the bottle, and a mystery of the Tallahatchie Bridge. Friday solemn sounds from the past century on Sonoma County community radio.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Bobbie Gentry
Ode To Billie Joe
Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1967
3
Elvis Presley
Don't Cry Daddy
Always on My Mind
4
Tammy Wynette
D-I-V-O-R-C-E
Country Legends
5
Hank Williams
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
24 Greatest
6
Bobby Bare
Jeannie4s Last Kiss (1963)
All American Boy – CD 2
7
Doc & Merle Watson
The Tragic Romance
Ballads From Deep Gap
8
David Grisman w/Alan O'Bryant
Tragic Romance
Life Of Sorrow
9
Grandpa Jones
Tragic Romance
Makes The Rafters Ring
10
The Stanley Brothers
Tragic Love
An Evening Long Ago: Live 1956
11
Lefty Frizzell
The Tragic Letter (& Wayne Raney) 1965
Life's Like Poetry (Disc 3)
12
Red Fox Chasers
Wreck On The Mountain Road
People Take Warning [Disc 1] – Man Vs. Machine
13
Esco Hankins
Wreck on the Highway
1947-1951 (Warped 4732)
14
Vernon Dalhart
The Wreck Of The Old '97
American Roots- A History Of American Folk Music: [Disc 1]
15
Lefty Frizzell
Long Black Veil
Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana
16
Mel Tillis
Life Turned Her That Way
36 All Time Greatest Hits
17
Mary Gauthier
Mercy Now
Mercy Now
18
Townes Van Zandt
Waiting Around to Die
Legend: The Very Best Of Townes Van Zandt
19
Vern Gosdin
Chiseled in Stone
Chiseled in Stone
20
Ray Charles & Willie Nelson
Seven Spanish Angels
The Many Sides Of Willie Nelson [Cd 3 "Duets"] (1992)
21
James King
He Stopped Loving Her Today
Three Chords & The Truth
22
Lucinda Williams
Sweet Old World
Sweet Old World
23
Dwight Yoakam
I Sang Dixie
Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room
24
Willie Nelson
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Artist's Choice: Sheryl Crow
25
Merle Haggard
Sing Me Back Home
The Lonesome Fugitive: The Merle Haggard Anthology 1963-1977 [Disc 1]
26
Red Foley
Old Shep
Smoke on the Water / Hillbilly Fever
27
Walter Brennan
Old Rivers
Classic Country Great Story Songs [Disc 2]
28
Charlie Louvin
Wreck on the Highway
Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs
29
Doc & Merle Watson
The Wreck of The Old #9
Ballads From Deep Gap
30
Faron Young
Hello Walls
Hello Walls / The Young Approach
31
Merle Haggard
If We Make It Through December (2006 Digital Remaster)
A notorious theme in our world today. But it’s not like there is a thin line between truth and lies in the end. The line is clearly defined and yet people would rather imagine anything but what is clearly painted before them. Our show today looks at what the worst often looks like. Dirty lies, white lies, poison lies, and all of those falsehoods made in earnest or in self promotion. There are those who proudly wear the color of lies and hate to remind us that vigilance is more important now than ever. Call out the lies. This week, we look at it through the gospel lens with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, swim into the rock oldies pool with The Knickerbockers, swing soft and winsome country with Carl Smith and The Carters, and we’ll also bring in some contemporary sounds including tracks from Mavis Staples, David Olney, and Robert Ellis. I don’t know about you but I’m sick about what’s happening.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Mavis Staples
We Go High
If All I Was Was Black
3
Fats Domino
Telling Lies
Out Of New Orleans, Vol. 4
4
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
No Room In the Church for Liars
Precious Memories
5
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Let That Liar Alone
ABC Of The Blues Vol 43
6
Reverend A. Johnson
Let That Liar Pass On By
1950s Gospel Classics
7
Radio Yesterday
Lights Out
Flashbacks # 6: Hitler & Hell
8
Martha Fields
Southern White Lies
Southern White Lies
9
Laurie Lewis And The Right Hands
Let That Liar Alone (Featuring Tom Rozum, Patrick Sauber, Harley Eblen & Andrew Conklin)
The Hazel and Alice Sessions
10
The Carter Family
You Better Let That Liar Alone
Carter Family, vol. 2: 1935-1941 (Disc 3)
11
David Olney
No Lies
One Tough Town
12
Rosalie Allen
Hitler Lives
Flashbacks # 6: Hitler & Hell
13
Carl Smith
Wicked Lies
Kisses Don't Lie
14
The Nashville Bluegrass Band
The Biggest Liars in Town
Home of the Blues
15
Flatt & Scruggs
Poison Lies
The Stanley Brothers: Selected Sides 1947-1953 [Disc 2]
16
Les Paul & Mary Ford
Lies
Bye Bye Blues/Les and Mary
17
Cyndi Lauper
Lies
A Hat Full Of Stars
18
The Roosevelts
Tell Only Lies
The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn
19
Ian Gomm
Dirty Lies
Summer Holiday
20
The Castaways
Liar, Liar
Good Morning Vietnam [Soundtrack]
21
The Knickerbockers
Lies
Nuggets Sampler 1965-1968
22
Tex Grande & His Range Riders
Hitler's Reply to Mussolini
Flashbacks # 6: Hitler & Hell
23
Bill Boyd's Cowboy Ramblers
Tellin' Lies
The Eyes of Texas
24
John Hartford
Politic
Hamilton Ironworks
25
Mimi & Richard Farina
House Un-American Blues Activity Dream
Generations of Folk, Vol. 2 Protest & Politics
26
Dar Williams/Doug Wainoris/G.E. Smith/Steve Holley/T-Bone Walk
All Men Are Liars
Labour of Love: The Music of Nick Lowe
27
J.J. Cale
Lies
The Very Best of J.J. Cale
28
Frankie Boots And The County Line
Pack Of Lies
Frankie Boots And The County Line
29
Neko Case
Lonely Old Lies
The Virginian
30
Johnnie Taylor
Running Out Of Lies
Lifetime: A Retrospective Of Soul, Blues & Gospel 1956- 1999 [Disc 3]
