Category Archives: Modern Americana

The Ladies of Americana

This week on Deeper Roots, we’re celebrating the women who helped shape Americana music. From pioneering artists who blazed trails through country, folk, blues, and gospel to the remarkable performers carrying those traditions into the 21st century, we’ll spend two hours exploring voices that transformed the sound of American roots music. We’ll begin with some of the giants of the genre—artists such as the Carter Family, Patsy Cline, and Dolly Parton—women whose talent, determination, and vision helped create the foundation upon which generations would build. Then we’ll follow the road they paved through the work of contemporary Americana artists including Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, Margo Price, Sierra Ferrell, and others who continue to redefine and expand the genre today.Join us for a journey through the past, present, and future of Americana music, celebrating the women whose stories, songs, and spirit remain at the very heart of the American musical experience.

No.Artist Title Album Year Start At
1Patsy Cline Strange Her Legendary Recordings #1 0 00:00
2Anita Carter Ring Of Fire Country Boy's Dream 1962 04:44
3June Carter Cash Church In The Wildwood / Lonesome Valley Church In The Wildwood 2006 06:36
4Dolly Parton Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me 1968-1969 1969 09:29
5Tammy Wynette Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad Classic Country Vol. 15 The Sixties Legends Disc 1 1999 11:18
6Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Half As Much At The Ryman [Live] 1992 13:16
7k.d. lang & the Reclines Full Moon Full of Love Absolute Torch and Twang 1989 15:34
8Carlene Carter Me and the Wildwood Rose Hindsight 20/20 1996 24:40
9Rosanne Cash The Way We Make A Broken Heart It'll Come To You: The Songs Of John Hiatt 2003 28:25
10Lucinda Williams Hard Road Happy Woman Blues 1980 32:11
11Neko Case Bowling Green The Virginian 1997 34:29
12Gillian Welch Acony Bell Coal Country Music 1996 42:13
13Eliza Gilkyson Borderline Paradise Hotel 2005 45:13
14Carolina Chocolate Drops Cornbread and Butterbeans Songs from Sing Out! v.53#3 2010 47:48
15Rhiannon Giddens You're the One You're The One 2023 50:54
16Carrie Rodriguez & The Sacred Hearts Perfidia Lola 2016 54:12
17Mavis Staples Anytime We Get By 2019 57:08
18Tami Neilson Pretty Paper Pretty Paper (Single) 2020 1:04:35
19Sierra Ferrell In Dreams In Dreams – Single 2021 1:07:09
20Loretta Lynn/Margo Price One's On the Way (feat. Margo Price) One's On the Way (feat. Margo Price) 2021 1:09:45
21Connie Smith Here Comes My Baby Back Again Here Comes My Baby Back Again – Single 2021 1:12:21
22Mary Gauthier Fall Apart World Dark Enough to See the Stars 2022 1:15:56
23Tanya Tucker Breakfast In Birmingham (ft. Brandi Carlile) Sweet Western Sound 2023 1:19:47
24Eilen Jewell The Pill Butcher Holler 2024 1:26:15
25Lindi Ortega The Spiritual Advisor From The Ether 2024 1:29:20
26Hurray For The Riff Raff Hawkmoon The Past Is Still Alive 2024 1:31:51
27Sweet Megg Canberra (Baby Blue) Never Been Home 2025 1:35:28
28Sierra Hull Boom A Tip Toe High Wire 2025 1:39:36
29Larkin Poe Little Bit Bloom 2025 1:43:22
30Bonnie Raitt I Will Not Be Broken Bonnie Raitt: Opus Collection 2011 1:47:24
31Margo Price Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down (Clean Edit) Hard Headed Woman 2025 1:53:52
32Samantha Fish Sweet Southern Sounds (Radio Edit) Paper Doll 2025 1:56:38

Bound To Lose

This week‘s show brings us echoes of resistance from the past because there’s a storm brewing, stirring from the louder voices of people recognizing that fascism has settled in. People in this country are getting organized around a common anger that democracy and freedom is being taken from them. The political fortification led by Republican leadership co-opted by white nationalism and support for the gestapo tactics must be held in check and the voices of the ballot box will be the final determination; that is, if there is time. Music this week features Roy Zimmerman, Billy Bragg, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and a whole host of sounds from the past century whose musical voices raged when fascism and autocracy attempted to take hold. Money is the root of this evil, make no mistake. There is always hope, however, and we need to be here for each other while practicing self-care with family and friends. The storm clouds are now above us and it’s up to all of us. Now. Not later.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Gene "Mighty Flea" Conners & McCrarys We Shall Overcome Gospel Caravan Amazon
2Allen Toussaint Yes We Can Can Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album Amazon
3Pete Seeger Which Side Are You On Pete Seeger's Greatest Hits Amazon
4John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band Power To The People Gimme Some Truth [Disc 1] Amazon
5Buffalo Springfield For What It's Worth Buffalo Springfield Amazon
6Molly Brandt Revolution on the Horizon American Saga Amazon
7Tracy Chapman Talkin' Bout a Revolution Tracy Chapman Amazon
8Woody Guthrie Tear the Fascists Down My Dusty Road Amazon
9Alan Lomax All Of You Fascists Bound To Lose Ballad Operas-Martins & The Co Amazon
10The Tillers All You Fascists Bound to Lose The Tillers Amazon
11Marc Ribot Bella Ciao (Goodbye Beautiful) (feat. Tom Waits) Songs of Resistance 1942 – 2018 Amazon
12Garland Jeffreys Wild in the Streets Ghost Writer/One-Eyed Jack/American Boy & Girl [[Disc 1]] Amazon
13Jefferson Airplane Volunteers Volunteers Amazon
14Public Enemy Fight The Power Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed Music Amazon
15Perla Batalla The Partisan A Letter to Leonard Cohen Amazon
16Isley Brothers Fight the Power EDIT FunkGASM Amazon
17Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings This Land is Your Land (Digital Album Exclusive) Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition Is In) Amazon
18Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal Crawl into the Promised Land Crawl Into the Promised Land (Single) Amazon
19Nanci Griffith Hell No (I'm Not Alright) Occupy This Album Amazon
20Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. Chapter & Verse Amazon
21Nina Simone Revolution Anthology Disc 2 Amazon
22R.B. Morris That's How Every Empire Falls Singing Through the Wall. Songs for Western Sahara Amazon
23Woody Guthrie This Land Is Your Land (Alternate Version) Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection Amazon
24Dropkick Murphys All You Fonies This Machine Still Kills Fascists Amazon
25Gil Scott-Heron Whitey On The Moon The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Amazon
26Lou Christie Self Expression (The Kids on the Street Will Never Give In) Enlightnin'ment: The Best of Lou Christie Amazon
27John Fogerty Fortunate Son The Long Road Home: Ultimate John Fogerty Creedence Collection Amazon
28Billy Bragg & Wilco All You Fascists Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2 Amazon
29Marvin Gaye What's Going On Singers And Songwriters 1970-1971 [Disc 1] Amazon
30Marc Ribot How To Walk In Freedom (feat. Sam Amidon & Fay Victor) Songs of Resistance 1942 – 2018 Amazon

Rock Meets Country

It was without question a natural progression. All of the attributes that country inherited from gospel, blues, and jazz resulted in what amounted to competition in the charts (and in some mid-century cultural clashes). Although The Beatles had suggested a kinship with mid-sixties tributes to Buck Owens and Chet Atkins, the only comfortable way to make the marriage work was to have it come from other directions…specifically from cultural prods of Nudie suits, coupled with folk and country nudges, and the inevitable respect for the music. Gram Parsons’ influence on the late sixties rise of something they called ‘country rock’ is easy to find but Dylan’s John Wesley Harding album from 1968, The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and Leon Russell’s alter-ego Hank Wilson opened the doors to a sound that swept the charts. We’ll hear some originals, covers, and a whole lot more in this week’s Deeper Roots. Hope y’all can join us.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Gram Parsons Streets Of Baltimore G.P. / Grievous Angel Amazon
2Gram Parsons The New Soft Shoe G.P. / Grievous Angel Amazon
3The Beatles Act Naturally Help! [UK] Amazon
4Buck Owens Act Naturally Remember the Titans: An Original Walt Disney Motion Picture Soundtrack (2000 Film) Amazon
5The Byrds You Ain't Goin' Nowhere Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 2] Amazon
6The Byrds The Christian Life Sweetheart of the Rodeo Amazon
7The Louvin Brothers The Christian Life Long Play Collection Amazon
8Tex Ritter Blue Canadian Rockies Have I Stayed Away Too Long Amazon
9The Byrds Blue Canadian Rockies Sweetheart of the Rodeo Amazon
10Bob Dylan John Wesley Harding John Wesley Harding Amazon
11Leon Russell She Thinks I Still Care Hank Wilson's Back [Bonus Tracks] Amazon
12Leon Russell I'll Sail My Ship Alone Hank Wilson's Back [Bonus Tracks] Amazon
13Leon Russell Uncle Pen Hank Wilson's Back [Bonus Tracks] Amazon
14Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys Uncle Pen Decca Country Classics 1934-1973 [Disc 2] Amazon
15Moon Mullican I'll Sail My Ship Alone The Very Best Of Amazon
16George Jones She Thinks I Still Care Swingers [Original Soundtrack] Amazon
17Emmylou Harris & Gram Parsons Love Hurts Duets Amazon
18The Louvin Brothers The Angels Rejoiced Last Night Close Harmony [Disc 4] Amazon
19Emmylou Harris/Gram Parsons The Angels Rejoiced Last Night Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems Disc 1 Amazon
20Hank Williams Half as Much 24 Greatest Amazon
21Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Half As Much At The Ryman [Live] Amazon
22Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Cattle Call At The Ryman [Live] Amazon
23Tex Owens Cattle Call Cattle Call-Early Cowboy Music And It's Roots Amazon
24Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers Get Up John At The Ryman [Live] Amazon
25Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys Get Up John Bill Monroe: Anthology Amazon
26Neil Young Oh, Lonesome Me After the Gold Rush Amazon
27Various Artists Don Gibson – Oh Lonesome Me Fifty Years Of Hits – Vol 7 Amazon
28Jackson Browne Red Neck Friend (LP Version) For Everyman Amazon
29Eagles Take It Easy Selected Works 1972-1999: The Early Years Amazon
30Bob Dylan I'll Be Your Baby Tonight John Wesley Harding Amazon
31Linda Ronstadt I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) Fifty Years Of Hits – Vol. 4 Amazon
32Asleep at the Wheel Ida Red A Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills (Dance Versions) Amazon
33George Jones You're Still On My Mind Complete Collection 1960-1962 [Disc 4] individual albums Amazon

AKA Blind Boy Grunt

It’s a cover show. It’s a celebration. It’s a reconnaissance regarding a renaissance. To what do we owe this week’s offering? The answer is clearly the songs of Bob Dylan who, at one time recorded under the non de plume Blind Boy Grunt and we’ve got a track from the Broadside Ballads collection to prove it. But this week’s show will focus primarily on covers of Dylan tracks going back to Sam Cooke live at the Copa to an oddball cover by The Grass Roots. We’ll also share some fresh takes from Eric Clapton, Raul Malo, Audra Mae & The Forest Rangers, and a lovely cover of a rare but popular piece called Walkin’ Down The Line. We’re celebrating a multi-generational master of his dominion where his words and melodies honor the past and carve a well-defined path leading into the future of America’s songwriting craft. Tune into Community Radio for Sonoma County on another Friday morning…via the stream at kowsfm.com/listen.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Bob Dylan Corrina, Corrina [Album Version] The Future Is Unwritten Amazon
2Blind Boy Grunt (Bob Dylan) Ballad Of Donald White Selections From The Best Of Broadside 1962-1988 Amazon
3Eilen Jewell Walking Down the Line Letters From Sinners & Strangers Amazon
4New Riders of the Purple Sage Farewell Angelina The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage Amazon
5Sweethearts of the Rodeo One More Night Beautiful Lies Amazon
6Joan Baez The Walls Of Redwing Any Day Now Amazon
7The Highwaymen One Too Many Mornings Live – American Outlaws Amazon
8Johnny Cash Mama, You've Been On My Mind [Album Version] Orange Blossom Special Amazon
9Johnny Cash Wanted Man The Mystery Of Life Amazon
10Jessi Colter Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 [Album Version] Out Of The Ashes Amazon
11Sam Cooke Blowin' In The Wind Sam Cooke At the Copa Amazon
12Nappy Brown Tonight Ill Be Staying Here With You Tore Up Amazon
13Jerry Lee Lewis Rita May A Half Century Of Hits: Rockin' My Life Away [Disc 3] Amazon
14The Grass Roots Mr Jones (A Ballad of a Thin Man) Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970 Disc 1 Amazon
15Eric Clapton I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine I Still Do Amazon
16Raul Malo You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go The Nashville Acoustic Sessions Amazon
17Waylon Jennings Don't Think Twice, It's Alright Dylan Country Amazon
18Shirley Caesar Gotta Serve Somebody Masked & Anonymous Amazon
19The Blind Boys of Alabama feat. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver Every Grain Of Sand I'll Find A Way Amazon
20The Mighty Clouds Of Joy Saved [Album Version] Gotta Serve Somebody – The Gospel Songs Of Bob Dylan Amazon
21Audra Mae & The Forest Rangers Forever Young Songs Of Anarchy: Music From Sons Of Anarchy Seasons 1-4 Amazon
22Hazel Dickens Only a Hobo It's Hard to Tell the Singer From the Song Amazon
23Bob Dylan Tell Ol' Bill [Album Version] North Country – Music From The Motion Picture Amazon
24Karl Shiflett Walking Down The Line Sho Nuff Country Amazon
25The Band I Shall Be Released Yesterday's Gone [Disc 2] Amazon
26The Byrds You Ain't Going Nowhere Sweetheart of the Rodeo Amazon

Classic Country Covers

It may be Friday the 13th, but we won’t be bothered with the superstitious. Instead, we’ll go with traditional and popular country nuggets as our topics with some couplings of contemporary and vintage. We’ve gathered a collection of modern country covers from the likes of Rosanne Cash, Solitaire Miles, Charley Crockett, Chuck Mead and others and we’ll be coupling them up with originals and favorites from the distant past. Merle Travis, Red Foley, Hank Williams, and The Louvin Brothers take the stage from a dream-filled past. We’re celebrating country classics from fifties, sixties and seventies and having fun doing it while kicking back. You don’t need to be wearing pretentious boots and hats to appreciate the easy sway of classic country … you just need to close your eyes and appreciate the performances … well, unless you’re driving.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1The Band Long Black Veil Music From Big Pink Amazon
2Rosanne Cash Featuring Jeff Tweedy Long Black Veil (Feat. Jeff Tweedy) The List Amazon
3Lefty Frizzell Long Black Veil Columbia Country Classics, Vol. 3: Americana Amazon
4Johnny Bond Goodbye Old Paint Standard Transcriptions Amazon
5Pharis and Jason Romero Goodbye Old Paint A Wanderer I'll Stay Amazon
6McKinley James Who Will The Next Fool Be Who Will The Next Fool Be (Single) Amazon
7Charlie Rich Who Will the Next Fool Be Sun Ballads 1953-62 Amazon
8Johnny Cash We Must Believe In Magic The Adventures Of Johnny Cash Amazon
9Matt Urmy We Must Believe in Magic (feat. Cowboy Jack Clement) Out of the Ashes Amazon
10The Malpass Brothers Hello Walls The Malpass Brothers Amazon
11Willie Nelson Hello Walls Mr. Record Man – The Early Singles As & BS Amazon
12Henson Cargill Skip a Rope Skip a Rope Amazon
13Charley Crockett Skip A Rope Music City USA Amazon
14Kevin Russell Are You Teasing Me Plain Dirt Fashion Amazon
15The Louvin Brothers Are You Teasing Me Capitol Country Music Classics Amazon
16Eddy Arnold and his Tennessee Plowboys Anytime Nipper's Greatest Hits – The 40's Vol 2 Amazon
17Chuck Mead Anytime You Don't Know Me: Rediscovering Eddy Arnold Amazon
18Dirty Cello Sixteen Tons I May Not Be Perfect Amazon
19Merle Travis Sixteen Tons Hot Pickin' [Disc 1] Amazon
20Spade Cooley & His Orchestra feat. Tex Williams Crazy 'Cause I Love You That's What I Like About The West Amazon
21Solitaire Miles Crazy Cause I Love You Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas Amazon
22Whitney Rose There's A Tear In My Beer Heartbreaker of the Year Amazon
23Hank Williams & Hank Williams, Jr. There's A Tear In My Beer Fifty Years Of Hits – Vol 10 Amazon
24Solitaire Miles I Hear You Talkin' Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas Amazon
25Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys I Hear You Talkin' The Tiffany Transcriptions Volume 1 Amazon
26Hank Williams You're Gonna Change Fifty Years Of Hits – Vol 11 Amazon
27Tom Petty You're Gonna Change (Or I'm Gonna Leave) Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute Amazon
28Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys Settin' The Woods On Fire Back At The Quonset Hut Amazon
29Hank Williams & The Drifting Cowboys Settin' The Woods On Fire Steelin' It: Steeling The Mood Amazon
30Red Foley Tennessee Border Tennessee Saturday Night Amazon
31Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys Tennessee Border Back At The Quonset Hut Amazon
32BR5-49 The Price of Love This Is BR549 Amazon
33The Everly Brothers The Price of Love Walk Right Back: The Everly Brothers on Warner Bros. Disc 2 Amazon

The Year in Americana 2022

This week’s show looks back at the year 2022 with a focus on the umbrella genre known as Americana. We’ll be digging deep into the releases that mattered last year, sharing some of the fresh new releases that made an impression. There are the singer/songwriters, the old hands with fresh perspectives, as well as those who have taken tradition and dressed it up fresh for the party. We’ll hear tracks from some of the very best albums of the year, including a few off the beaten one. Some great sounds coming your way from Aoife O’Donovan, The Black Keys, Tami Neilson, and Hurray for the Riff Raff. Pour yourself a cup of your favorite fresh brew, put on the headphones, and find yourself some new favorites from under that big tent they call ‘Americana’ on KOWS Community Radio.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Courtney Marie Andrews These Are The Good Old Days Loose Future Amazon
2Jake Xerxes Fussell Frolic Good and Green Again Amazon
3Neko Case Hold On, Hold On Wild Creatures Amazon
4John Craigie Distance Mermaid Salt Amazon
5Hurray for the Riff Raff Nightqueen Life On Earth Amazon
6Eliza Gilkyson Don't Stop Lovin' Me Songs From the River Wind Amazon
7Tami Neilson feat. Willie Nelson Beyond The Stars Kingmaker Amazon
8Mary Gauthier Fall Apart World Dark Enough to See the Stars Amazon
9Calexico El Mirador El Mirador Amazon
10Aoife O'Donovan Prodigal Daughter Age of Apathy Amazon
11Father John Misty Goodbye Mr. Blue Chlok and the Next 20th Century Amazon
12Tommy McLain Somebody (Radio Edit) I Ran Down Every Dream Amazon
13Leeroy Stagger Does Anybody Live Here? Dystopian Weekends Amazon
14Dr. John End Of The Line feat. Aaron Neville Things Happen That Way Amazon
15The Cactus Blossoms Ballad of an Unknown One Day Amazon
16Charley Crockett I Hope It Rains At My Funeral Lil G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley Amazon
17Charley Crockett The Man from Waco The Man from Waco Amazon
18Angel Olsen & Sturgill Simpson Big Time Big Time Amazon
19Melissa Carper Hit or Miss Ramblin' Soul Amazon
20Jake Blount Didn't It Rain The New Faith Amazon
21Tyler Childers Way of the Triune God Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? Amazon
22David Quinn Cornbread and Chili Country Fresh Amazon
23Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Can't Let Go Raise The Roof Amazon
24The Black Keys It Ain't Over Dropout Boogie Amazon
25Willi Carlisle Vanlife (Radio Edit) Peculiar, Missouri Amazon
26Miko Marks The Resurrectors Trouble Feel Like Going Home Amazon

Top Country Albums of All Time

It’s list time! For better or worse, we’re going with the top tier of the Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Country Albums of all Time as our guidepost. There’s some great ones here, in fact the majority are agreeable in our estimation but there are also some “huh?” moments. We’ll just assume that that is par for the course with any opinion-based list by a disparate group of critics. For the most part, it captures the core of country pretty well. We’ll share music from Tom T. Hall, The Carters, George Strait and a few nineties and aught pop stars that made the list because they swim the pop country charts. Join Dave as he walks down the list, one that has its cringe-worthy moments, right alongside moments of pure Americana country gold.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Kacey Musgraves Space Cowboy Golden Hour Amazon
2Hank Williams The Blues Come Around Southern Belle [Disc 2] Amazon
3Waylon Jennings Black Rose Honky Tonk Heroes/Ramblin' Man/Dreaming My Dreams (1 of 3) Amazon
4Sammi Smith Help Me Make It Through The Night Sammi Smith early 60's the Best Of (varese sarabande 96) Amazon
5John Anderson Wild and Blue Anthology Amazon
6Sturgill Simpson Life Of Sin Metamodern Sounds In Country Music Amazon
7Guy Clark Rita Ballou Old No. 1 Amazon
8The Carter Family Kissing Is Crime Can The Circle Be Unbroken Amazon
9John Prine Paradise John Prine Amazon
10Kris Kristofferson The Law Is For Protection Of The People Kristofferson Amazon
11Rosanne Cash My Baby Thinks He's A Train Hits: 1979-1989 Amazon
12George Strait I Can't See Texas from Here Strait Out of the Box [Disc 1] Amazon
13Gary Stewart She's Acting Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles) Superstars Of Country: Good Ol Songs [Disc 2] Amazon
14Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter Decca Country Classics 1934-1973 Amazon
15Tom T. Hall The Year That Clayton Delaney Died (Single Version) The Definitive Collection: Tom T. Hall Amazon
16Patsy Cline I Fall To Pieces Classic Country Amazon
17George Jones He Stopped Loving Her Today I Am What I Am Amazon
18Miranda Lambert Vice The Weight of These Wings Amazon
19The Judds Why Not Me Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 2] Amazon
20Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues At Folsom Prison Amazon
21Taylor Swift You Belong With Me Fearless Amazon
22Randy Travis On The Other Hand Country Gold 1984-1986 Amazon
23Shania Twain That Don't Impress Me Much Come On Over Amazon
24Merle Haggard Red Bandana His Greatest & His Best Amazon
25Lucinda Williams Jackson Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Amazon
26Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces Country: The American Tradition [Disc 2] Amazon
27Ray Charles Born to Lose (Remastered) Complete Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (Remastered) Amazon
28Waylon Jennings Dreaming My Dreams With You Artist's Choice: Emmylou Harris Amazon
29Dolly Parton Coat of Many Colors Coat of Many Colors [RM 2007] Amazon
30Willie Nelson Red Headed Stranger The Many Sides Of Willie Nelson [Cd 3 "Cowboy"] (1992) Amazon

Doug Sahm Retrospective

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
1Doug Sahm (Is Anybody Going To) San Antone Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 Amazon
2Doug Sahm & The Knights Crazy Daisy Wild Streak, Vol. 1 Amazon
3Sir Douglas Quintet She's About A Mover Best Of Sir Douglas Quintet Amazon
4Sir Douglas Quintet The Rains Came Best Of Sir Douglas Quintet Amazon
5Sir Douglas Quintet Mendocino Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 Amazon
6Freddie Fender Before the Next Teardrop Falls Classic Country 1975 – 1979 Amazon
7Doug Sahm It's Gonna Be Easy Complete Atlantic Recordings Disc 1 Amazon
8Doug Sahm Faded Love Complete Atlantic Recordings Disc 1 Amazon
9Frank Black Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day Honeycomb Amazon
10The Texas Tornados Little Bit Is Better Than Nada 4 Aces Amazon
11The Texas Tornados Who Were You Thinkin' Of The Best Of Texas Tornados Amazon
12The Texas Tornados Wasted Days And Wasted Nights The Best Of Texas Tornados Amazon
13Jerry Lee Lewis The Revolutionary Man Southern Roots Amazon
14Townes Van Zandt Pancho & Lefty (with Freddy Fender, Rubin Ramos & The Texas Revolution, Doug Sahm & Augie Meyer) Texas Rain Amazon
15Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm & Gene Taylor Big Mamou The Return of the Formerly Brothers Amazon
16Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm & Gene Taylor Smack Dab in the Middle The Return of the Formerly Brothers Amazon
17The Mavericks Nitty Gritty (Bonus Track) Mono Amazon
18Uncle Tupelo Give Back The Key To My Heart (feat. Doug Sahm) Anodyne Amazon
19Dwight Yoakam/Flaco Jimenez Carmelita Reprise Please Baby: The Warner Bros. Years Disc 2 Amazon
20Flaco Jiminez The Girls From Texas featuring Ry Cooder (Album Version) Partners Amazon
21Flaco Jiminez Las Golondrinas (Album Version) Partners Amazon
22Augie Meyers Matilda Trippin Out On Triplets Amazon
23Dave Alvin Dynamite Woman Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm Amazon
24Los Lobos It Didn't Even Bring Me Down Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm Amazon
25Delbert McClinton Texas Me Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm Amazon
26The Gourds Nuevo Laredo Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm Amazon
27Freda and the Firedogs Be Real Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm Amazon
28Doug Sahm Crazy Crazy Baby The San Antonio Hipster Amazon
29Doug Sahm Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day Best of Sir Douglas 68-75 Amazon
30The Texas Tornados Soy De San Luis Texas Tornados Amazon

Americana Covers 2022

We’re taking a bit of a break to pull the covers out. A lot of the covers we’ll be sharing today come from recent years and cut a broad swath through the past, with a special emphasis on ‘modern sounds’ including new wave, country and rock covered by some of the modern Americana performers that you hear on KOWS Community Radio’s Blue Moon Americana each week (and mornings at 5). Tune in for Jason Isbell, Bill Kirchen, Carrie Rodriguez, Sarah Jarosz, Nick Lowe, and a host of others. A fun run of sounds this morning as we kick off spring with fresh Americana covers.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Solid Air Spirit In The Sky Sonoma County Covers Project Amazon
2Pete Yorn They Don't Know They Don't Know Amazon
3The Teskey Brothers Never Tear Us Apart Never Tear Us Apart (Single) Amazon
4Sarah Jarosz I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For / my future Amazon
5Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Driver 8 feat. John Paul White Georgia Blue Amazon
6Mo Kenney Yer So Bad Covers Amazon
7Anna Elizabeth Laube Time To Move On Annamania Amazon
8The Band of Heathens featuring Robert Ellis Walls Remote Transmissions Vol 1 Amazon
9Carsie Blanton Party at the End of the World Party At The End of the World (Single) Amazon
10The Dead South People Are Strange Easy Listening For Jerks Part II Amazon
11The WildRoots 01 634-5789 WildRoots Sessions Vol. 1 Amazon
12The Grand Southern The Boys of Summer Don't Say Anything Amazon
13Clint Roberts Just Like Heaven Rose Songs Amazon
14Puss N Boots Joey Sister Amazon
15Tyler Ramsey Back On The Chain Gang Found a Picture of You Amazon
16Vandoliers I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) (Single) Amazon
17The Revenue Man (What's So Funny About) Peace, Love and Understanding 25 Years Behind Amazon
18Carrie Rodriguez Big Love Love and Circumstances Amazon
19Nick Lowe Here Comes That Feeling Lay It On Me Amazon
20Bill Kirchen Shelly's Winter Love (feat. Nick Lowe & Paul Carrack) The Proper Years Amazon
21Dylan LeBlanc Expecting to Fly Pastimes Amazon
22Britta Phillips I Am a Child Cinnamon Girl – Women Artists Cover Neil Young for Charity Amazon
23Yonder Mountain String Band Ever Fallen In Love Black Sheep Amazon
24Dwight Yoakam Train in Vain Under the Covers Amazon
25The Dandy Warhols Hells Bells EMI Film & TV – Covers (Disc 2) Amazon
26The Shootouts I Wanna Dance With Somebody Don't Bring Me Down (Single) Amazon

Remembering John Prine

This week, we pay a long overdue tribute to John Prine while celebrating the 75th year of his birth which came up on the calendar this week. One of the losses that reverberates among us all is the loss of John Prine to COVID in April, 2020, at the beginning of this long and painful pandemic. We’re paying our tributes at the same time that a his label Oh Boy Records releases Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows, Volume 2, a collection of Prine covers that hits the marks and follows the first volume, released over ten years ago. Our show will feature a chronological look back at the legacy of this national treasure, a songwriter whose bite followed along on the arc of his storytelling that looked into matters of the human heart. We’ll hear covers from Nanci Griffith, Yarn, and a few others but we’ll follow the path along John’s career in performances especially selected for a two hour journey of John’s music.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Joan Baez Hello In There Diamonds & Rust Amazon
2Justin Townes Earle Far From Me Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Amazon
3Sturgill Simpson Paradise Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 Amazon
4John Prine Donald And Lydia John Prine Live Amazon
5John Prine Sweet Revenge Great Days: The John Prine Anthology Disc 1 Amazon
6John Prine The Great Compromise Great Days: The John Prine Anthology Disc 1 Amazon
7John Prine He Was in Heaven Before He Died Great Days: The John Prine Anthology Disc 1 Amazon
8John Prine If You Don't Want My Love Bruised Orange Amazon
9Yarn Christmas in Prison Stray Dog Christmas Compilation Amazon
10John Prine The Sins of Memphisto The Missing Years Amazon
11Nanci Griffith Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness Winter Marquee [Live] Amazon
12John Prine Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian German Afternoons Amazon
13John Prine Lulu Walls German Afternoons Amazon
14John Prine Lake Marie Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings Amazon
15John Prine In Spite Of Ourselves In Person & On Stage Amazon
16John Prine Dear John (I Sent Your Saddle Home) In Spite Of Ourselves Amazon
17John Prine Glory of True Love Fair & Square Amazon
18John Prine Who's Gonna Take The Garbage Out (Featuring Iris Dement) For Better, Or Worse Amazon
19John Prine Summers End The Tree of Forgiveness Amazon
20John Prine The Lonesome Friends Of Science The Tree Of Forgiveness Amazon
21John Prine Caravan Of Fools The Tree Of Forgiveness Amazon
22John Prine When I Get To Heaven The Tree Of Forgiveness Amazon
23Fiona Prine/John Prine My Happiness For Better, Or Worse Amazon
24John Prine I Remember Everything I Remember Everything Amazon
25Bonnie Raitt Angel from Montgomery Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 Amazon