The story of R&B, gospel, and early rock were embellished by many performers, artists, and personalities. The early influencers behind the scenes also included people like Art Rupe, a native of Pittsburg who lept into the entertainment industry with both feet after the Second World War, co-founding a small West Coast label called Juke Box Records in 1944. Breaking away from his partners, he would later form a label of his own: Specialty Records. His keen ear for what he termed the “secret [that] lay in a big band sound with a churchy feel” was spot on. Specifically, he took the stigma out of the ‘race’ of ‘race records’ of the day and targeted larger audiences. There were dozens of performers that came from the Specialty stable, chief among them being Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Sam Cooke and, of course, Little Richard Penniman. Art Rupe passed away this month at the age of 104 and we’ll be sharing the early-to-mid-century classic pieces from a cross-section of Specialty performers that spanned the gospel, R&B and rock genres that Art helped bring into the mainstream.
| No. | Artist |
Title |
Album |
Buy |
|---|
| 1 | Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers |
Little Joe's Boogie |
Joe Liggins & The Honeydrippers |
 |
| 2 | Roy Milton & His Solid Senders |
R.M. Blues |
Specialty Profiles: Roy Milton |
|
| 3 | Camille Howard |
You Don't Love Me |
The Specialty Story |
|
| 4 | Paul Gayten |
My Rough And Ready Man |
R&B Outbreak CD 2 |
|
| 5 | Percy Mayfield |
Strange Things Happening |
Poet of the Blues |
|
| 6 | Percy Mayfield |
Please Send Me Someone To Love |
Blues Masters Vol. 3: Texas Blues |
|
| 7 | Joe Liggins |
One Sweet Letter |
Joe Liggins & The Honeydrippers |
|
| 8 | Lloyd Price |
Lawdy Miss Clawdy |
Sound Of The City, The – New Orleans [UK] Disc 1 |
|
| 9 | Marvin & Johnny |
Wine Woogie |
The Rough And Rowdy Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 5 |
|
| 10 | Jesse & Marvin |
Dream Girl |
Specialty Profiles: Larry Williams |
|
| 11 | Joe Houston Orchestra |
All Night Long |
Loud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s [Box] Disc 4 |
|
| 12 | Marvin Phillips |
Mamo Mamo (Specialty 554) |
R&B Humdingers Volume 12 |
|
| 13 | Tony Allen & the Champs |
Nite Owl |
Doo Wop Box, Vol. 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems from the Golden Age of Rock-N-Roll Disc 2 |
|
| 14 | Little Richard |
Keep A Knockin' (ART RUPE) |
The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection |
|
| 15 | Little Richard |
Tutti Frutti |
The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection |
|
| 16 | Don & Dewey |
Farmer John |
Jungle Hop |
|
| 17 | Larry Williams |
Short Fat Fannie |
The Rock 'N' Roll Era: 1957 |
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| 18 | Larry Williams |
Bony Maronie |
Loud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s [Box] Disc 2 |
|
| 19 | Larry Williams |
Dizzy Miss Lizzy [Album Version] |
Specialty Profiles: Larry Williams |
|
| 20 | Art Neville |
That Old Time Rock And Roll |
His Specialty Recordings |
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| 21 | Art Neville |
Belle Amie |
His Specialty Recordings |
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| 22 | Hollywood Flames |
Buzz Buzz Buzz |
Doo Wop Box Disc 2 |
|
| 23 | Don & Dewey |
Koko Joe |
Jungle Hop |
|
| 24 | The Original Gospel Harmonettes |
Get Away Jordan |
Good News (Vol 3) Get Away Jordan |
|
| 25 | Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes |
Love Lifted Me |
Nuggets Of The Golden Age Of Gospel, 1945-1958 |
|
| 26 | Sam Cooke And The Soul Stirrers |
He's So Wonderful |
The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 3] |
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| 27 | Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers |
Come and Go To That Land |
101 Great Black Gospel, Vol. 1 |
|
| 28 | Swan Silvertones |
Trouble In My Way |
Gospel Music |
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| 29 | Clifton Chenier |
Eh, Petite Fille |
Bayou Blues |
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| 30 | Clifton Chenier |
Boppin' The Rock |
Bayou Blues |
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| 31 | Frankie Lee Sims |
Lucy Mae Blues |
Blues Masters Vol. 3: Texas Blues |
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| 32 | John Lee Hooker |
My Baby's Got Something |
No Friend Around |
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| 33 | Little Richard |
Shake A Hand |
The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection |
|
| 34 | Professor Alex Bradford |
What Folks Say About Me |
The Great Gospel Men: 27 Classic Performances By The Greatest Gospel Men |
|
| 35 | Brother Joe May |
Testimony |
The Great Gospel Men: 27 Classic Performances By The Greatest Gospel Men |
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We’ve got ourselves a blend of free form sounds from the Deeper Roots archives with themes of midnight runs, trains, and happiness spiced with instrumental punch. Tune in on a Friday morning on KOWS Community Radio for some oddball tunes from John D. Loudermilk, Bob Gibson, and Chip Taylor and The New Ukrainians. We’re already halfway through the month and we’ll find ourselves with a brighter eclectic blend of sounds from the past century. The antenna is installed and now the volunteers who pedal the wheels to churn those dynamos will soon have our signal spreading it’s joy throughout the county. Go volunteers!!
Tune in why don’t you…
| No. | Artist |
Title |
Album |
Buy |
|---|
| 1 | Chip Taylor & The new Ukrainians |
Be Kind (Clean) Radio Safe |
Fuck All The Perfect People |
|
| 2 | Ted Hawkins |
Peace and Happiness |
25 Years of Rounder Records (Disc1) |
|
| 3 | Big Joe Turner |
Feeling Happy |
Big Joe Turner: The Definitive Blues Collection [[Disc 2]] |
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| 4 | Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin |
Feeling Happy |
Lost Time |
|
| 5 | The Jive Five |
I'm A Happy Man |
Rock Is Dead, But It Won't Lie Down: 24 Greatest Hits Of All Time, Vol. 2 |
|
| 6 | Bob Gibson |
Joy Joy |
Joy Joy! The Young and Wonderful Bob Gibson |
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| 7 | John D. Loudermilk |
He's Just a Scientist |
Blue Train |
|
| 8 | The Friends Of Distinction |
Grazing In The Grass |
Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 60's, Vol. 1 |
|
| 9 | Sandy Nelson |
Chop Chop |
Killer Rhythms & Red Hot Beats – The Definitive Rare Rock & Roll Instrumentals Collection |
|
| 10 | The String-A-Longs |
Wheels |
Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 2 |
|
| 11 | Ray Bryant Combo |
The Madison Time, Pt. 1 |
Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 2 |
|
| 12 | Hank Penny |
Jersey Bounce (Instrumental) |
King Of Hillbilly Bebop [Disc 2] |
|
| 13 | The Bobby Fuller Four |
A New Shade Of Blue |
The Best Of The Bobby Fuller Four |
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| 14 | Bob Dylan |
Soon After Midnight |
Tempest |
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| 15 | Marc Cohn |
After Midnight |
Listening Booth: 1970 |
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| 16 | Arthur Alexander |
In The Middle Of It All |
The Greatest Hits |
|
| 17 | Roger McGuinn |
Anna |
Adios Amigo: A Tribute to Arthur Alexander |
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| 18 | Carlene Carter/Paul Carrack |
Oh How Happy |
Twenty-One Good Reasons: The Paul Carrack Collection |
|
| 19 | Johnny Cash |
Casey Jones (Blood, Sweat & Tears) |
Come Along And Ride This Train [Disc 1] |
|
| 20 | Mabel Scott |
Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train |
Blues Women |
|
| 21 | Chuck Berry |
Down Bound Train |
Johnny B. Goode-His Complete 50's Chess Recordings |
|
| 22 | Dick Flood |
Hellbound Train |
Hillbillies In Hell (Country Music's Tormented Testament 1952-1974) |
|
| 23 | Precious Bryant |
Morning Train |
Black Snake Moan Soundtrack |
|
| 24 | John Prine |
Morning Train |
Fair & Square |
|
| 25 | Harry Nilsson |
Turn on Your Radio |
Son of Schmilsson |
|
| 26 | John Hartford |
Turn Your Radio On |
Aereo-Plain |
|
| 27 | Rambling Rod Foley |
Yodeling Radio Joe |
American Yodeling |
|
| 28 | The Shootouts |
Radio Jesus |
Quick Draw |
|
| 29 | The Bootleg Honeys |
Radio |
Paint It Red |
|
| 30 | Carlene Carter |
Radio Sweetheart |
Two Sides to Every Woman/Musical Shapes |
|
| 31 | B. Bumble & the Stingers |
Bumble Boogie |
Rock Instrumental Classics, Vol. 2 |
|
| 32 | The Stampeders |
Sweet City Woman |
Les stars du country, vol. 2 |
|
| 33 | The Ink Spots |
Address Unknown |
Greatest Hits |
|
| 34 | Fiona Prine/John Prine |
My Happiness |
For Better, Or Worse |
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This week we’re taking a look back at a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, musician, and performer who helped to enlighten a younger set to Tex Mex music, even making inroads into the sixties San Francisco ‘summer of love’ with a top 20 hit in 1965. Considered a child prodigy, he would appear on the Louisiana Hayride by the age of eight and would find his influences in blues, country, r&b, and conjunto sounds from across the border. Our retrospective will feature contemporaries and music from his close-knit cadre of compadres that would go on to form a sort-of supergroup called The Texas Tornados. Tune in on a Spring morning in April for a collection of pure Americana treats from Texas as we overlook (for a brief two hours) its abhorrent decline into a state of hate and anti-democratic principles.
| No. | Artist |
Title |
Album |
Buy |
|---|
| 1 | Doug Sahm |
(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone |
Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 |
|
| 2 | Doug Sahm & The Knights |
Crazy Daisy |
Wild Streak, Vol. 1 |
|
| 3 | Sir Douglas Quintet |
She's About A Mover |
Best Of Sir Douglas Quintet |
|
| 4 | Sir Douglas Quintet |
The Rains Came |
Best Of Sir Douglas Quintet |
|
| 5 | Sir Douglas Quintet |
Mendocino |
Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 |
|
| 6 | Freddie Fender |
Before the Next Teardrop Falls |
Classic Country 1975 – 1979 |
|
| 7 | Doug Sahm |
It's Gonna Be Easy |
Complete Atlantic Recordings Disc 1 |
|
| 8 | Doug Sahm |
Faded Love |
Complete Atlantic Recordings Disc 1 |
|
| 9 | Frank Black |
Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day |
Honeycomb |
|
| 10 | The Texas Tornados |
Little Bit Is Better Than Nada |
4 Aces |
|
| 11 | The Texas Tornados |
Who Were You Thinkin' Of |
The Best Of Texas Tornados |
|
| 12 | The Texas Tornados |
Wasted Days And Wasted Nights |
The Best Of Texas Tornados |
|
| 13 | Jerry Lee Lewis |
The Revolutionary Man |
Southern Roots |
|
| 14 | Townes Van Zandt |
Pancho & Lefty (with Freddy Fender, Rubin Ramos & The Texas Revolution, Doug Sahm & Augie Meyer) |
Texas Rain |
|
| 15 | Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm & Gene Taylor |
Big Mamou |
The Return of the Formerly Brothers |
|
| 16 | Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm & Gene Taylor |
Smack Dab in the Middle |
The Return of the Formerly Brothers |
|
| 17 | The Mavericks |
Nitty Gritty (Bonus Track) |
Mono |
|
| 18 | Uncle Tupelo |
Give Back The Key To My Heart (feat. Doug Sahm) |
Anodyne |
|
| 19 | Dwight Yoakam/Flaco Jimenez |
Carmelita |
Reprise Please Baby: The Warner Bros. Years Disc 2 |
|
| 20 | Flaco Jiminez |
The Girls From Texas featuring Ry Cooder (Album Version) |
Partners |
|
| 21 | Flaco Jiminez |
Las Golondrinas (Album Version) |
Partners |
|
| 22 | Augie Meyers |
Matilda |
Trippin Out On Triplets |
|
| 23 | Dave Alvin |
Dynamite Woman |
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm |
|
| 24 | Los Lobos |
It Didn't Even Bring Me Down |
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm |
|
| 25 | Delbert McClinton |
Texas Me |
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm |
|
| 26 | The Gourds |
Nuevo Laredo |
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm |
|
| 27 | Freda and the Firedogs |
Be Real |
Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm |
|
| 28 | Doug Sahm |
Crazy Crazy Baby |
The San Antonio Hipster |
|
| 29 | Doug Sahm |
Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day |
Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 |
|
| 30 | The Texas Tornados |
Soy De San Luis |
Texas Tornados |
|
It’s a fool’s paradise for all of us as April Fool’s Day lands on a day where Deeper Roots debuts a new episode. So why not take advantage, I say! We’ll fill the airwaves today with songs about fools today and add a garnish of novelty to keep the show moving on notes that are as light as air. Foolish hearts, king of fools, poor little fools, and fools who fall in love. We’ll be featuring a blend of country from Charlie Rich and Dwight Yoakam, blues with Etta James and Delbert McClinton, vocals from The Cadillacs and Frankie Lymon, and the so many more on this April Fool’s Day, 2022. Come on along…and don’t forget that tomorrow is the annual April Fool’s Day Parade in Occidental, home to KOWS.
| No. | Artist |
Title |
Album |
Buy |
|---|
| 1 | Chico Marx |
Piano playing with Chico & Groucho |
Horse Feathers |
|
| 2 | Cliff Edwards |
I'm No Fool |
Ukulele Ike |
|
| 3 | Charlie Rich |
Who Will The Next Fool Be |
Feel Like Going Home: The Essential Charlie Rich |
|
| 4 | The Mavericks |
Foolish Heart |
From Dusk Till Dawn |
|
| 5 | Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis |
Foolmaker |
Wild! Wild! Wild! |
|
| 6 | Charley Crockett |
Fool Somebody Else |
Welcome To Hard Times |
|
| 7 | Jerry Reed |
Pity the Fool |
1958-1963 (Warped 6141) |
|
| 8 | Johnny Cash |
Fools Hall Of Fame |
His Sun Years: Down South |
|
| 9 | Brandi Carlile |
Sinners Saints and Fools |
In These Silent Days |
|
| 10 | Rick Nelson |
Poor Little Fool |
Greatest Love Songs |
|
| 11 | Connie Francis |
Everybody's Somebody's Fool |
Malt Shop Memories: All I Have To Do Is Dream (Disc 1) |
|
| 12 | Brenda Lee |
Fool No. 1 |
I Got A Woman : Gems From The Decca Vaults [Disc 3] |
|
| 13 | Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers |
Why Do Fools Fall In Love |
Glory Days Of Rock 'N' Roll: Doo-Wop [Disc 1] |
|
| 14 | The Excels |
My Foolish Heart |
From The Vaults of Gone Vol. 2 |
|
| 15 | The Cadillacs |
Cool It, Fool |
For Collectors Only (Disc 3) |
|
| 16 | Johnny Burnette |
The Fool Of The Year |
Point Of No Return: The Liberty Records Story 1962 |
|
| 17 | Etta James |
Seven Day Fool |
Northern Soul – The Early Years – 100 Classic And Rare Tracks (CD2) |
|
| 18 | Etta James |
Fool That I Am |
Her Best: The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection |
|
| 19 | Ray Charles |
A Fool for You |
Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952-1959) (1 of 8) |
|
| 20 | Percy Mayfield |
What a Fool I Was |
Poet of the Blues |
|
| 21 | Joe Barry |
Je suis bet pour t'aimer (French version of i'm a fool to care) |
I'm a Fool to Care: The Complete Recordings 1958-1977, Vol. 1 |
|
| 22 | Mose Allison |
Fool's Paradise |
Western Man / Mose In Your Ear |
|
| 23 | Mose Allison |
Foolkiller |
Oxford American 10th Anniversary Southern Music CD [Disc 2] "Past Masters" [2008] |
|
| 24 | Aretha Franklin |
Chain Of Fools |
Let's Dance: The Best Of Ballroom: Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug and Jive |
|
| 25 | The Pulsators |
Fool |
Let's Play! |
|
| 26 | Bobby "Blue" Bland |
I Pity the Fool |
Pure R&B: Vol. 1- Got My Mojo Workin [Disc 2] |
|
| 27 | Logan Ledger |
River of Fools |
Produced by T-Bone Burnett |
|
| 28 | Delbert McClinton |
Solid Gold Plated Fool |
Honky Tonk 'n Blues |
|
| 29 | Billie Holiday |
I'm A Fool To Want You |
Lady In Satin |
|
| 30 | Sarah Vaughan |
Fool's Paradise |
Young Sassy: It's Magic [Disc 3] |
|
| 31 | Ethel Ennis |
There's No Fool Like an Old Fool |
Have You Forgotten? |
|
| 32 | Tony Perkins |
April Fool |
On a Rainy Afternoon |
|
| 33 | Professor Longhair |
Who's Been Fooling You |
'Fess: The Professor Longhair Anthology [Disc 1] |
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A Century of America's Music