Country, gospel, and rhythm and blues are the major arteries that flow to the heart of Americana musical traditions, each influencing the other through shared themes of storytelling, emotion, and spirituality. Gospel’s uplifting harmonies and spiritual fervor inspired both the heartfelt narratives of country music and the soulful expressions of rhythm and blues. Similarly, rhythm and blues infused gospel energy into secular music, while country music borrowed melodic and vocal elements from both genres. The “golden age” of these genres is often considered to be the mid-20th century, roughly the 1940s through the 1960s, when their innovation and cross-pollination laid the groundwork for modern popular music, including rock and roll. This week on Deeper Roots we’re going to flip through some classic old records (as we love to do) and highlight the morning with performances from the likes of Otis Spann, Merle Travis, Sue Foley, Sturgill Simpson, and a few dozen others.
No.
1
Artist
Title
Album
Buy
2
Margie Singleton
Old Records
One More Record Please
3
Seasick Steve
Dark
Man from Another Time (Bonus Version)
4
Sturgill Simpson
Breakers Roar
A Sailor's Guide To Earth
5
The Everly Brothers
Bowling Green
Walk Right Back: The Everly Brothers on Warner Bros. Disc 2
6
The Kossoy Sisters
Bowling Green
Bluegrass Jamboree
7
Merle Travis
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)
Ash Grove 12/9/1966
8
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)
We've Got a Live One Here!
9
The Louvin Brothers
There's A Grave In The Wave Of The Ocean
Close Harmony [Disc 7]
10
Hart Valley Drifters
Nine Pound Hammer
Folk Time
11
Van Morrison
Dark Night Of The Soul
Three Chords And The Truth
12
The Riders Of The Purple Sage
Cool Water (Radio)
Cowboy Crooners Sing Songs Of The West Cd 1
13
The Harmonizing Four
Wade In The Water
Jesus Rocked The Jukebox: Small Group Black Gospel (1951-1965)
14
The Soul Stirrers
Jesus I'll Never Forget [Album Version]
The Ladykillers Music From The Motion Picture
15
Mahalia Jackson
Dark Was The Night
Moving On Up A Little Higher
16
Bing Crosby
Down to the Old Ox Road
Bing Crosby in Hollywood (1930-1934), Vol. 1
17
Sue Foley
Freight Train
One Guitar Woman
18
Porter Wagoner
Banks of the Ohio
1968 (Warped 6846)
19
Roy Rogers with Country Washburne
My Chickashay Girl
26 All-Time Country Classics
20
Merle Haggard
Time Changes Everything
The Peer Sessions
21
Jimmie Dolan
The Wheel That Does The Squeakin'
Juke Box Boogie
22
Raul Malo
Weary Blues from Waitin'
The Nashville Acoustic Sessions
23
Ted Daffan's Texans
Born To Lose
26 All-Time Country Classics
24
Norridge Mayhams And The Blue Chips
I'm A Rattlesnakin' Daddy
Norridge Mayhams and The Blue Chips
25
Mae West
I'm An Occidental Woman In An Oriental Mood For Love