Category Archives: Mountain Music

Dead Roots

While the lyrics and music of Robert Hunter took the Grateful Dead into remarkable directions, codifying their place among the bands of the latter half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century, by the time they reached their peak their roots were already firmly established. Their early music was clearly anchored in the sounds of tradition, reaching from the Appalachians to the Texas Gulf Coast. We’ll hear early (and contemporary) performances that inspired the band with songs of Blind Willie Johnson, Red Allen, The Mississippi Sheiks, Henry Thomas and Obray Ramsey. The landscape we’ll traverse includes blues, gospel, hillbilly, and folk…no Dead music, only music that served to inspire. This week on Sonoma County Community radio.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1David Grisman/Jerry GarciaBeen All Around This WorldBeen All Around This WorldAmazon
2Dave Van RonkHang Me, Oh Hang MeDave Van RonkAmazon
3Obray RamseyRain And SnowBest Of The TroubadoursAmazon
4Vince Martin & Fred NeilI Know You RiderTear Down The Walls/Bleecker & MacDougalAmazon
5Henry ThomasDont Ease Me InRagtime Texas Complete Recorded Works 1927-29Amazon
6The Memphis Jug BandOn The Road AgainTimes Ain't Like They Used To Be – Volume 1Amazon
7The Memphis Jug BandStealin' Stealin'Memphis Jug Band Vol. 2 (1928-1929)Amazon
8Cannon's Jug StompersViola Lee BluesFirst Time I Met the Blues (When the Sun Goes Down series)Amazon
9Hammie NixonViola Lee BluesLiving Country Blues: An Anthology Disc 3Amazon
10The Monroe BrothersRosa Lee McFallEarly Blue Grass MusicAmazon
11Prairie RamblersDeep Elem BluesWhite Country Blues (1926-1938)Amazon
12Mississippi SheiksSittin' On Top of the WorldColumbia Records' 125th Anniv.Amazon
13Roscoe HolcombSittin' On Top of the WorldClassic Piedmont Blues from Smithsonian FolkwaysAmazon
14Dillard ChandlerRain and SnowClassic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian FolkwaysAmazon
15The ChieftainsRain And SnowDown The Old Plank Road: The Nashville SessionsAmazon
16Gus Cannon's Jug StompersMinglewood BluesBob Dylan Presents: Cover to Cover – The OriginalsAmazon
17Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, et. al.New Minglewood BluesJug Band ExtravaganzaAmazon
18Blind Willie JohnsonNobody's Fault But MineVarious Artists: Bob Dylan – Cover To Cover – The Originals VOL. 2 [Disc 3]Amazon
19Sister Rosetta TharpeNobody's Fault But MineThe Great Gospel WomenAmazon
20Rev. Pearly BrownNobody's Fault But MineYou're Gonna Need That Pure ReligionAmazon
21Lightnin' HopkinsSee That My Grave Is Kept CleanThe Real Blues Brothers Vol. 2Amazon
22Lightnin' HopkinsOne Kind FavorJake Head BoogieAmazon
23Memphis SlimNext Time You See MeThe Greatest Hits OfAmazon
24Bob DylanJack-A-RoeWorld Gone WrongAmazon
25Joan BaezJack-A-RoeRare, Live & Classic [Box] (3 of 3)Amazon
26The Sunshine BoysWhat's the Matter With Deep ElemThe Western Swing: Doughboys, Playboys, and Cowboys – Oakie Boogie [Disc 4]Amazon
27Red AllenDeep Elem BluesThe Folkways Years 1964 – 1983Amazon
28The Light Crust DoughboysSittin' On Top Of The World1936-1941Amazon
29Dock WalshIn The PinesIn The Pines – Tar Heel Folk Songs And Fiddle Tunes – Old-Time Music Of North Carolina 1926-1936Amazon
30John SebastianMinglewood BluesChasin' Gus' GhostAmazon

The Document Label

Get your morning cuppa roots sounds with a look at the record label whose catalog is overflowing with some of the most important recordings of the 20th century. From the birth of the blues to the birth of jazz; from the earliest gospel jubilee sounds of the deep South to the the electrifying sacred steel sounds of the late century; from the hillbilly string bands to the hokum sounds of the urban South…it’s all there. Document Records has amassed one of the world’s most revered collections of Americana out there and you can tune into Sonoma County community radio for a sampler of the music that has survived the century’s shift in technology , infiltrated our culture, and influenced performers to this day.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Frank HutchisonStackalee [Vocal]Worried Blues [Disc 1]Amazon
2Frank HutchisonThe DealOld Time Music From West VI : Old-Time Music From West VirgiAmazon
3The Allen BrothersSkipping And FlyingAllen Brothers Complete Recorded Works Vol. 1Amazon
4Sam McGeeBuck Dancer's ChoiceComplete Recorded Works 1926-34Amazon
5Georgia Yellow HammersWhite LightningThe Georgia Yellow Hammers And Associates Vol. 4 "White Lightning – 1929-1931Amazon
6Kirk & Sam McGheeBrown's Ferry BluesComplete Recorded Works 1926-34Amazon
7Charley JordanJust A SpoonfulCharley Jordan Volume 1 1930-1931Amazon
8Blind Willie McTellSearching The Desert For The BluesBill Wyman's Blues Odyssey [Disc 1]Amazon
9Peetie WheatstrawKind-Hearted BluesToo Late, Too Late, More Newly Discovered Titles And Alternate Takes. Vol. 4Amazon
10Barbecue BobBarbecue BluesBarbecue Any Old Time – Blues From The Pit 1927-1942Amazon
11Frankie 'Half-Pint' JaxonCome On Mama, Do That DanceBill Wyman's Blues Odyssey [Disc 1]Amazon
12Blind Arvella GrayHave Mercy, Mr. PercyBlues From Maxwell StreetAmazon
13Charlie SpandAin't Gonna Stand For That (Pm 12856, 15454–)The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 2 (1928-1932)Amazon
14Leroy CarrDon't Start No Stuff1934-1941Amazon
15Laura RuckerSt. Louis BluesFemale Blues Singers Vol. 13 R/S (1921-1931)Amazon
16Rosa HendersonDon't Advertise Your Man (Take A)Vol. 2-Vocal Blues & JazzAmazon
17Memphis MoseHear Me Beefin' at YouGeorgia Tom – Complete Recorded Works Vol. 1 (September 1928 – 5 February 1930)Amazon
18Butterbeans and SusieElevator Papa, Switchboard MamaPlease Warm My Weiner (Old Time Hokum Blues)Amazon
19Big MaceoWon't Be A Fool No MoreBig Maceo Vol. 2 "Big City Blues" (1945 – 1950)Amazon
20Tampa RedLet Me Play With Your PoodleRude DudesAmazon
21Nora and DelleGet Away From My WindowJazzin' The Blues Vol. 3Amazon
22W.C. HandySt. Louis BluesJazzin' the BluesAmazon
23Cleo BrownI'll Take The South (You Take The East, Take The West, Take The North)Complete Recorded Works (March 1935 – June 1935)Amazon
24The Harlem HamfatsShe's Trickin' MeHarlem Hamfats Vol. 1 1936Amazon
25Babe WallaceGit It ('Cause I Love To See You Wid It)Jazzin the Blues Vol. 5 (1930 – 1953)Amazon
26Rev. Lonnie FarrisA Closer Walk To TheeElectric / Slide Guitar GospelAmazon
27Rev. Utah SmithI Got Two WingsElectric / Slide Guitar GospelAmazon
28Sister O. M. TerrellThe Bible's RightCountry Gospel 1946-1953Amazon
29Sister Rosetta TharpeMy Journey to the SkyMighty Day – 25 Gospel GreatsAmazon
30Sister Goldia HaynesTravelingGreat Gospel Performers: Complete Recording Sessions in Chronological Order, 1937-1950Amazon
31Rev. Robert BallingerThis TrainMighty Day – 25 Gospel GreatsAmazon

Clouds & Silver Linings

Clouds & Silver Linings
Clouds & Silver Linings

The past few months have been brutal for democracy. There is no silver lining in sight but this week’s music will nonetheless feature some songs of hope: our theme is one of clouds and silver linings. It’s meant to give a two hour break (if that’s at all possible) to the malevolent stewing cauldron that is brewing in the most sacred halls of our democracy. We’ll discard with the political music this week and simply ride a topical wave featuring a blend of jazz, country, gospel, rock, and pop. Tune in for music from Van Morrison, The Sons of the Pioneers, George Gershwin, Dave Van Ronk, and Pops Staples…to name but a few…this week on Sonoma County community radio.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Jimmy MartinPray The Clouds AwayJimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys 1954-1974 [Disc 2]Amazon
2Bill CoxThe Clouds Gwine Roll Away78sAmazon
3Doc & Merle WatsonThe Clouds Are Gwine to Roll AwayOn StageAmazon
4Hylo BrownClouds Gonna Roll AwayLegends & Tall TalesAmazon
5Delmore BrothersGod Put a Rainbow in the CloudsHillbilly Boogie BestAmazon
6Dave Van RonkClouds (From Both Sides Now)A Chrestomathy [Disc 1]Amazon
7George GershwinKickin' The Clouds AwayThe Platinum CollectionAmazon
8Annette HanshawThere Must Be a Silver LiningThe Personality Girl, Vol. 3, 1926-1928Amazon
9Jim HallLook for the Silver LiningComplete Jazz GuitarAmazon
10Dave BrubeckLook For The Silver LiningTime Signatures: A Career RetrospectiveAmazon
11Marion HarrisLook For The Silver Lining50 #1 Hits Of The '20s & '30sAmazon
12Django ReinhardtCloudsThe Classic Early Recordings In Chronological Order [Disc 1]Amazon
13Django ReinhardtLiza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)1944-1946Amazon
14Maurice ChevalierSweeping the Clouds AwayMaurice Chevalier: The Greatest HitsAmazon
15Johnny Hamp And His Kentucky SerenadersUp In The CloudsJohnny Hamp at ArchiveAmazon
16The Louvin BrothersYou'll Meet Him In The CloudsClose Harmony [Disc 6]Amazon
17Alison KraussCloudy DaysEvery Time You Say GoodbyeAmazon
18Sons of the PioneersCottage in the Clouds1941 vol 1 (Warped 4108)Amazon
19Johnny RayThe Little White Cloud That CriedMagic MomentsAmazon
20Red Norvo Trio, George Shearing QuintetMidnight on Cloud 69Midnight on Cloud 69Amazon
21The Blind Boys Of AlabamaGod Put A Rainbow In The CloudI'll Find A WayAmazon
22Pops StaplesHope in a Hopeless WorldFather FatherAmazon
23MoonaliceSilver LiningDave's Way Vol 4Amazon
24First Aid KitMy Silver LiningStay GoldAmazon
25Simon & GarfunkelCloudyOld Friends Disc 2Amazon
26Laurie Lewis & Kathy KallickFlying CloudSing The Songs Of Vern & RayAmazon
27Hank SnowThe Boogie Woogie Flying CloudSouthern CannonballAmazon
28Bonnie RaittSilver Lining [Radio Edit Version]The Best of Bonnie Raitt on Capitol 1989-2003 [US]Amazon
29Rilo KileySilver LiningThe Craft of Music, Vol. 2Amazon
30Bunch Of Kids/Eddie Hodges/Frank SinatraHigh HopesSinatra 80th: All the Best Disc 2Amazon

Celebrating the Circle

Celebrating the Circle
Celebrating the Circle

This week, Dave Stroud revisits the seminal release of 1972 that brought together multiple generations of musicians, introducing a new generation of listeners to their music and, in some cases, to each other. Will The Circle Be Unbroken was a concept made real by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, then a “bunch of long-haired West Coast boys” (as Roy Acuff would describe them) and the talent that they were able to muster would influence country, bluegrass, and rock for decades to come. In addition to the big names of decades before them like Roy Acuff, Maybelle Carter, and Jimmy Martin, the Dirt Band would bring together lesser known names like Vassar Clements, Norman Blake, and Oswald Kirby to make an album that is as fresh and listenable today as it was then. We’ll feature tracks from the album alongside some of the original performances by these legendary masters.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWill the Circle Be UnbrokenWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
2The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandI'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue EyesWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
3Carter Sisters/Mother Maybelle CarterFair and Tender LadiesKeep on the Sunny Side: Her Life in Music Disc 1Amazon
4Maybelle CarterThe Storms are on the OceanFriends Of Old Time Music [Disc 1]Amazon
5Mother Maybelle & The Carter SistersWIldwood FlowerThe Winding StreamThe Carters, The Cashes And The Course Of Country MusicAmazon
6The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWreck on the HighwayWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 1Amazon
7Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain BoysWreck On The HighwayThe Essential Roy AcuffAmazon
8Roy AcuffPins & Needles (In My Heart)King of Country Music [Disc 3] : Fireball MailAmazon
9The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandPins and Needles (In My Heart)Will the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
10Jimmy MartinSunny Side Of The MountainJimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys 1954-1974 [Disc 3]Amazon
11The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandSunny Side of the MountainWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 1Amazon
12Jimmy MartinYou Don't Know My MindJimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys 1954-1974 [Disc 2]Amazon
13Jimmy MartinOcean Of DiamondsJimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys 1954-1974 [Disc 1]Amazon
14The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandNine Pound HammerWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 1Amazon
15Merle TravisNine Pound HammerAmerican Roots- A History Of American Folk Music [Disc 3]Amazon
16Merle TravisDark As a DungeonBob Dylan Presents: Cover to Cover – The OriginalsAmazon
17Merle TravisI Am A PilgrimThe Best of Merle TravisAmazon
18Doc Watson/Merle WatsonBlack Mountain RagBlack Mountain RagAmazon
19Doc Watson/Merle WatsonDown YonderBlack Mountain RagAmazon
20The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandDown YonderWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
21The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandLonesome Fiddle BluesWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
22Earl Scruggs/Foggy Mountain Boys/Lester FlattNashville Skyline RagThe Essential Earl Scruggs (2 of 2)Amazon
23Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & The Foggy Mountain BoysEarl's Breakdown [78rpm Version]16 Biggest HitsAmazon
24Hank WilliamsWait For The Light To ShineLost Highway December 1948 – March 1949Amazon
25Leon PayneLost HighwayCountry & Western Hit Parade 1948Amazon
26The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandLost HighwayWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
27The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandI Saw the LightWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 1Amazon
28Hank WilliamsI Saw The LightHank Williams – A Country Legend (3)Amazon
29The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandHonky Tonk BluesWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
30The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandOrange Blossom SpecialWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon

Field Recording Covers

Field Recording Covers
Field Recording Covers

Coming up on our last live show of May, what better way but to dig just a little bit deeper into some of the field recordings of the first half of the 20th century that found popularity in the country, blues, and popular charts. Some of these songs had the ‘right’ rhythm or struck a chord with the message they sent. While most were traditional pieces by the time the musicologists had arrived with their primitive recording machines, others were original and told just the right story. We’ll hear Eric Clapton, Aaron Copland, B.B. King, and Tom Waits right alongside the originals done by Smith Casey, Gwen Foster, Belton Reese, and Ora Dell Graham.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Warner Williams With Jay SummerourWorried Life BluesBlues HighwayAmazon
2Thomas "Jaybird" JonesWorried Life BluesField Recordings, Vol. 3: Mississippi (1936-1942)Amazon
3David EdwardsWorried Life BluesLibrary of Congress Alan Lomax CollectionAmazon
4Eric Clapton & B.B. KingWorried Life BluesRiding With The KingAmazon
5Agustus "Track Horse" HaggertyHattie GreenTexas Field Recordings – 1934-1939Amazon
6George Hamilton IVAbileneClassic CountryAmazon
7Rouse BrothersMy Family CircleClassic Field RecordingsAmazon
8The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWill The Circle Be UnbrokenAppalachian Stomp: Bluegrass ClassicsAmazon
9Ace Johnson w/L. W. GoodenMama Don't Low No Swingin' Out In HereField Recordings Vol. 6: Texas (1933-1958)Amazon
10Doc WatsonMama Don't Allow No MusicMemoriesAmazon
11W. M. SteppBonapartes RetreatCountry & Western, Vol.2 [Disc 1]Amazon
12Aaron Copland, London Symphony Orchestra & William WarfieldRodeo – Four Dance Episodes (Instrumental): IV. HoedownCopland Conducts Copland (Expanded Edition)Amazon
13Dock ReedDown on MeField Recordings, Vol. 4: Mississippi & Alabama (1934-1942)Amazon
14Big Brother & the Holding CompanyDown on MeRock: Train Kept a Rollin' Disc 1Amazon
15Ozella JonesPrisoner BluesField Recordings, Volume 7 : FloridaAmazon
16Fiona AppleCriminalTidalAmazon
17Smith CaseyEast Texas RagTexas Field Recordings – 1934-1939Amazon
18Tom WaitsThe Soul Of A ManGod Don't Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie JohnsonAmazon
19Johnnie BarfieldEverybody's Tryin' To Be My BabyClassic Field RecordingsAmazon
20Carl PerkinsEverybody's Trying To Be My BabyDixie FriedAmazon
21Gwen FosterHow Many Biscuits Can I Eat?Classic Field RecordingsAmazon
22Mac WisemanHow Many Biscuits Can You EatSings Old Time Country FavoritesAmazon
23Belton ReeseBile Dem Cabbages DownField Recordings – Vol 9 – Georgia, SC, NC,Virginia, Kentucky (1924-39)Amazon
24Doc WatsonBoil Them Cabbage DownMilestonesAmazon
25Smith CaseyWest Texas BluesTexas Field Recordings – 1934-1939Amazon
26John JacksonWest Texas BluesFront Porch BluesAmazon
27Ora Dell GrahamShortenin' BreadField Recordings, Vol. 3: Mississippi (1936-1942)Amazon
28Lee DorseyShortnin' BreadThe Ep Collection…PlusAmazon
29John DudleyCool Drink Of Water BluesParchman Farm: Photographs And Field Recordings: 19471959Amazon
30Vassar ClementsCool Drink of WaterLivin' with the BluesAmazon
31Capitol City Laundry QuartetEzekiel Saw The WheelField Recordings Vol. 12: Virginia & South Carolina (1936-1940)Amazon
32Louis ArmstrongEzekiel Saw De WheelLouis And The Good BookAmazon
33Doyle Lawson/Doyle Lawson & QuicksilverEzekiel Saw the WheelSchool of Bluegrass Disc 1Amazon
34James Shorty, Viola James, And CongregationJesus On The Main LineSounds of the South [Disc 3] – Negro Church Music & White SpiritualsAmazon
35Ry CooderJesus On The MainlineParadise And Lunch (Remaster 2013)Amazon

Waltzes, Polkas, and Two-Steps

Waltzes, Polkas and Two-Steps
Waltzes, Polkas & Two-Steps

It’s all about the traditional and popular dance music celebrated in the song of the past century. The show opens with the recognition of folk dance’s lineage, those ancestral elements that inhabit a very large part of our need to communicate and celebrate as a society. Most of the early rhythms we’ll hear to start the show are a blend of ancestral folk but we’ll also share the sound of popular dance. Tune in for country, pop, and folk sounds including cajun sounds from Michael Doucet, old-timey guitar and fiddle sounds of Darby and Tarlton, Tejano polka from Flaco Jimenez, and plenty more waltzes, polkas, and two steps.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1The Morrison Twin Brothers String BandOzark WaltzArkansas at 78 RPM: Corn Dodgers & Hoss Hair PullersAmazon
2Tom Darby & Jimmie TarltonAlto WaltzDarby & Tarlton – Disc A (Atlanta 1927-29)Amazon
3Pee Wee KingTennessee WaltzCountry & Western Hit Parade 1948Amazon
4BeauSoleilCajun Midnight WaltzThe Mad ReelAmazon
5Texas TroubadoursGardenia WaltzAlmost To Tulsa: The InstrumentalsAmazon
6Ernest TubbWaltz Across TexasErnest Tubb: The Definitive CollectionAmazon
7Junior BrownMy Baby Don't Dance To Nothing But Ernest Tubb12 Shades of BrownAmazon
8Louise Massey & The WesternersSqueeze Box PolkaCountry & Western, Vol.2 [Disc 5]Amazon
9Flaco JiminezTico Taco PolkaBuena Suerte, SeqoritaAmazon
10Merle Travis & Joe MaphisBeer Barrel PolkaCountry Guitar GiantsAmazon
11Doyle Lawson/Doyle Lawson & QuicksilverPolka on the BanjoSchool of Bluegrass Disc 1Amazon
12Spade Cooley & the Western Swing Dance Gang Feat. Tex WilliamsCowbell PolkaShame On YouAmazon
13Arthur SmithRock And Rye PolkaHere Comes the Boogie ManAmazon
14The Collins KidsRock And Roll PolkaHop, Skip & Jump [Disc 1]Amazon
15Buck OwensBuck's PolkaBuck 'Em: The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)Amazon
16The Hot FrittatasIl Pensiero PolkaWhat's Next ?Amazon
17R. Crumb And His Cheap Suit SerenadersLa Gima PolkaSinging In The BathtubAmazon
18Chet AtkinsNew Spanish Two StepGuitar Legend – RCA Years (Disc 2)Amazon
19Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-RollersBeau's Cajun Two StepBeau Jocque BoogieAmazon
20Doug KershawMamou Two-StepThe Best Of Doug KershawAmazon
21Byrd MooreFavourite Two StepGennett Old Time Music 1927-34Amazon
22Zydeco ForceShaggy Dog Two-StepAlligator Stomp 5: The Next GenerationAmazon
23Clifton ChenierLouisiana Two StepLouisiana Blues and ZydecoAmazon
24Paul Whiteman & His OrchestraCharleston [1925]The Charleston EraAmazon
25Aiken County String BandCharleston Rag (1927)Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time, And End Time Music, 1923-1936Amazon
26Sons of the PioneersSquare DanceSongs of the Prairie – CD4Amazon
27Red FoleySugarfoot Rag Square DanceHillbilly Fever [Disc 3]Amazon
28Chet AtkinsCosmic Square DanceChet Picks On The GrammysAmazon
29Johnnie Lee WillsSquare Dance BoogieThe Western Swing: Doughboys, Playboys, and Cowboys – Oakie Boogie [Disc 4]Amazon
30Freeny's Barn Dance BandMississippi Square Dance – Part 2The Cornshucker's Frolic Vol. 1: Downhome Music And Entertainment From The American CountrysideAmazon
31Wanda, Ruth NealRound Town GirlsFlowers In The WildwoodAmazon
32Blue Ridge HighballersRound Town GirlsLead Kindly LightAmazon
33Doc Watson/Merle WatsonGuitar PolkaBlack Mountain RagAmazon

Higher Power Country Gospel

Higher Power
Higher Power

We visit the classic sounds of country and bluegrass with thematic overtones of gospel. The love of country music often had its roots in a performer’s childhood memories of community church and the sound that would evolve from country and bluegrass provided a tone that grew from those memories…with a tenor that could easily echo the word’. The greatest of them elevated their popularity with their flock by invoking the name of that higher power of God and church in the community of bluegrass: The Stanley Brothers, Mac Wiseman, Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson, and even country groups like the The Louvin Brothers and The Whitstein Brothers made gospel a core of their repertoire.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1The Louvin BrothersThere's A Higher PowerSatan Is RealAmazon
2The Whitstein BrothersWay Up On The MountainSing Gospel Songs of the LouvinsAmazon
3Fern JonesI Do BelieveThe Glory RoadAmazon
4Kitty WellsI Heard My Saviour CallDust on the Bible (1959)Amazon
5Kitty Wells(I've Got My) One-Way Ticket to the SkyDust on the Bible (1959)Amazon
6Milton EstesHish! Somebody's Calling My NameFavorite Sacred SongsAmazon
7Brother Claude ElyFare You WellSatan Get BackAmazon
8King's Sacred QuartetteTurn Your Radio OnHeartwarming Gospel – 18 Best of King GospelAmazon
9J.E. MainerWorkin' On A BuildingHeartwarming Gospel – 18 Best of King GospelAmazon
10The Carter FamilyGod Gave Noah The Rainbow SignJubilation! Great Gospel Performances: Vol. 3: Country GospelAmazon
11The Carter FamilyOn My Way To Canaan's LandTake Me To The WaterAmazon
12The Delmore BrothersThe Wrath Of GodFavorite Sacred SongsAmazon
13The Stanley BrothersOver the Glory Land16 Greatest Gospel HitsAmazon
14The Stanley BrothersMy Lord's Going To Set Me FreeHymns & Sacred SongsAmazon
15Mac WisemanI'm Using My Bible For A Road MapGrassroots To BluegrassAmazon
16Mac WisemanDust On The BibleGrassroots To BluegrassAmazon
17Ricky SkaggsHallelujah I'm ReadyFamily And FriendsAmazon
18The Johnson Mountain BoysSpringtime in GloryStained Glass Hour: Bluegrass and Old-Timey Gospel MusicAmazon
19Doyle Lawson & QuicksilverJesus Gave Me WaterJubilation! Great Gospel Performances: Vol. 3: Country GospelAmazon
20George Jones & Tammy WynetteLet's All Go Down To The RiverJubilation! Great Gospel Performances: Vol. 3: Country GospelAmazon
21Moore & NapierGathering In The SkyHeartwarming Gospel – 18 Best of King GospelAmazon
22Elvis PresleyI'm Gonna Walk Dem Golden StairsHe Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley Disc 1Amazon
23Willie NelsonSweet Bye and ByeOld Time ReligionAmazon
24Johnny CashUnclouded DayVoice of the Spirit, Gospel of the SouthAmazon
25Chuck Wagon Gang/The JordanairesDown the Road70th AnniversaryAmazon
26The Corley FamilyWay To Glory Land (1929)Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time, And End Time Music, 1923-1936Amazon
27The Corley FamilyGive The World A SmileDown In The Basement: Joe Bussard's Treasure Trove Of Vintage 78s: 1926-1937Amazon
28Anonymous (Knight Home-recording Disc)Beautiful Mansions of Gold…I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My TracesAmazon
29Ex-Governor Alf. Taylor's Old Limber QuartetBrother Noah Built an Ark…I Listen to the Wind That Obliterates My TracesAmazon
30Marty Stuart and His Fabulous SuperlativesLong Walk to HeavenSaturday Night / Sunday MorningAmazon
31Elvis PresleyWorking on the BuildingAmazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Songs Disc 1Amazon
32Willie and Bobbie NelsonI'll Fly AwayFarther AlongAmazon
33Buddy HollyTrue Love WaysFrom the Original Master TapesAmazon

Back Country Blues

Back Country Blues
Back Country Blues

Our show features the sounds of the acoustic country blues. We’ll hear from early century greats like Jim Jackson, Luke Jordan, Geeshie Wiley, and Gus Cannon’s Jug Stompers. There will also be a little help from some contemporaries who were their influence by this music. Get ready for some deeper sounds from Daddy Stovepipe, Papa Charlie Jackson, and Frank Stokes to round things out on a chilly evening in the North Bay on Sonoma County community radio.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Taj MahalFishin' BluesThe Best Of Taj MahalAmazon
2John SebastianJug Band MusicChasin' Gus' GhostAmazon
3Cannon's Jug StompersBring it with You When You ComeGood For What Ails You (2) Music Of The Medicine Shows 1926-1937Amazon
4Cannon's Jug StompersGoing To GermanyThe Rose Grew Round The BriarAmazon
5Dick JusticeLittle LulieOld Time Music From West VI : Old-Time Music From West VirgiAmazon
6Dick JusticeBrown Skin BluesHillbilly BluesAmazon
7Geeshie WileyLast Kind WordsMississippi MastersAmazon
8Geeshie Wiley and Elvie ThomasPick Poor Robin CleanMississippi MastersAmazon
9Luke JordanPick Poor Robin Clean (Eng 16 Aout 1927 Charlotte)Rough Guide To The Blues SongstersAmazon
10Tommie BradleyNobody's Business if I DoGood For What Ails You (2) Music Of The Medicine Shows 1926-1937Amazon
11Mississippi John HurtPraying On The Old Camp GroundAvalon Blues: The Complete 1928 OKeh RecordingsAmazon
12Mississippi John HurtFrankieAvalon Blues: The Complete 1928 OKeh RecordingsAmazon
13Mississippi John HurtLet the Mermaids Flirt With MeThe Library of Congress Recordings, Vol. 1 (Disc 1)Amazon
14Frank StokesHow LongBefore The Blues: Early American Black Music Scene (Vol. 2)Amazon
15Frank StokesI Got MineGood For What Ails You (2) Music Of The Medicine Shows 1926-1937Amazon
16Henry ThomasBull Doze BluesRoots of RockAmazon
17Luke JordanChurch Bell BluesBill Wyman's Blues Odyssey [Disc 1]Amazon
18Long "Cleve" Reed and Little Harvey Hull ' Down Home BoysOriginal Stack O' Lee Blues (BP 8030, BP8030B)The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 1 (1917-1927)Amazon
19Long "Cleve" Reed and Little Harvey Hull ' Down Home BoysMama You Don't Know How (BP 8030, BP8030A)The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 1 (1917-1927)Amazon
20Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi SarahBurleskin' BluesBlues From The Vocalion VaultsAmazon
21Daddy Stovepipe & Mississippi SarahThe SpasmGood For What Ails You: Music Of The Medicine Shows 19261937Amazon
22Sweet Papa StovepipeAll Birds Look Like Chicken To MeCluck Old HenAmazon
23Pink AndersonHe's In the Jailhouse NowGospel, Blues, and Street SongsAmazon
24Will BennettRailroad BillRough Guide To The Blues SongstersAmazon
25Henry Thomas " Ragtime Texas"Railroadin' SomeGood For What Ails You: Music Of The Medicine Shows 19261937Amazon
26Rory BlockRailroadin' SomeGone Woman Blues: The Country Blues CollectionAmazon
27Papa Charlie JacksonDrop That SackPapa Charlie Done Sung That Song – [Disc 2]Amazon
28Papa Charlie JacksonSkoodle-Um-SkooPapa Charlie Jackson Vol. 3 (1928 – 1934)Amazon
29Jim JacksonI Heard the Voice of a PorkchopGood For What Ails You (2) Music Of The Medicine Shows 1926-1937Amazon
30Jim JacksonJim Jackson / Jim Jackson" Kansas City Blues, Pt. 1Blues Classics: '27_'69 [Disc 1]Amazon
31Jim JacksonLove Sick BluesJim Jackson Vol.2Amazon
32Geeshie WileySkinny Leg BluesThe Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of [Disc 2]Amazon

Folk Songs of North America

Folk Songs of North America
Folk Songs of North America

Folk Songs of North America was first published in 1960. Compiled by Alan Lomax (with melodies transcribed by Peggy Seeger), it featured traditional music organized by locale and topic. The anecdotes provided by Lomax and others were culled from both the oral and transcribed traditions of those who listened and performed. Deeper Roots goes deeper and features sets organized by topical pieces outlined in the book. Performers of the early century are featured including Dock Boggs, David McCarn, Gid Tanner, the Carolina Tar Heels, and The Bently Boys. We’ll also feature a handful of mid-to-late century performers to cap things off. Join Dave Stroud for another two hours of the last century of America’s music on Sonoma County’s newest member-supported radio voice, KWTF 88.1 FM, streaming to the world on kwtf.net.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Alan LomaxBlack Is The Color Of My True Love's HairBallad Operas-Martins & The CoAmazon
2Dock BoggsCumberland GapBound For GloryAmazon
3Kelly HarrellI Wish I Was A Single Girl AgainArchive.orgAmazon
4Pat CarrollsSingle GirlSongcatcherAmazon
5The Haden TripletsSingle GirlThe Haden TripletsAmazon
6Jimmie DriftwoodRattlesnake SongAmericana, Vol. 1Amazon
7Joan BaezJohn Riley [*]Joan Baez [Bonus Tracks]Amazon
8The StonemansShady Grove20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection – Best Of BluegrassAmazon
9Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass BoysSally GoodinBill Monroe: AnthologyAmazon
10Andy GriffithCindyShouts The Blues And Old Timey SongsAmazon
11Earl Scruggs/Foggy Mountain Boys/Lester FlattCripple CreekThe Essential Earl Scruggs (2 of 2)Amazon
12Gid Tanner & His Skillet LickersCripple CreekAnd The Skillet Lickers Vol. 1Amazon
13Coot Grant and Socks WilsonUncle Joe (Pm 12833, 349-A)The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume 2 (1928-1932)Amazon
14The Bently BoysDown On Penny's FarmAnthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 1B: BalladsAmazon
15David McCarnCotton Mill ColicGastonia Gallop – Cotton Mill Songs & Hillbilly Blues 1927-1931Amazon
16Jimmy MartinRoll on Buddy, Roll OnFirst Time TogetherAmazon
17Lonzo and OscarLast Ole Dollar1947-1950 (Warped 4741)Amazon
18Darby & TarltonBirmingham Jailcompliments of grimriper2u@yahoo.comAmazon
19Slim WhitmanDown In The ValleyCountry Greats #2Amazon
20Darby & TarltonRising Sun BluesDarby & Tarlton [Disc 3]Amazon
21Don Reno/Red SmileyMule Skinner BluesTogether AgainAmazon
22Merle TravisDark As A DungeonHot Pickin' [Disc 1]Amazon
23Bill MorrisseyPay DayAvalon Blues: A Tribute To Mississippi John HurtAmazon
24Carolina Tar HeelsPeg And AwlThe History Of Country & Western Music – Vol. 2Amazon
25Etta Baker & Taj MahalJohnson BoysEtta Baker With Taj MahalAmazon
26Kossoy Sisters Featuring Erik DarlingThe Wagoner's LadBluegrass RootsAmazon
27Richard HawleyWho's Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet?Coles CornerAmazon
28The Whitstein BrothersI'm TroubledOld Time DuetsAmazon
29Rosanne CashFair And Tender LadiesSongcatcherAmazon
30Flatt & ScruggsOn Top of Old SmokeyEarl Scruggs: His Family and Friends/Nashville AirplaneAmazon
31Kelly Harrell & The Virginia String BandCharles GiteauAnthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 1B: BalladsAmazon
32Bobby BareTom DooleyDarker Than LightAmazon
33Carolina Chocolate DropsTom DulaDona Got A Ramblin' MindAmazon
34Doc WatsonOmie WiseThe Best of Doc Watson: 1964-1968Amazon
35Ernest V. Stoneman & Sweet BrothersJohn HardyMy Rough And Rowdy Ways: Early American Rural Music. Badman Ballads and Hellraising Songs, Vol. 1Amazon

Songs of A.P. Carter

He grew up with music, learning to plan violin at a young age in Poor Valley, Virginia (now known as Maces Springs), sang in a church choir and helped his uncle, Flanders Bays, who ran a mobile music school in Scott County. He would go on to form one of the seminal country music groups of the day with his wife Sara and her cousin Maybelle. Their musicianship was remarkable but the song-writing was what set them apart, the compositions by A. P. Carter representing a treasury of classic folk, sentimental pop, cowboy songs, gospel favorites, and original love songs. While there may be little doubt as to whether all songs that carried his name were original, his treatment (and that of the Carter Family group) were without peer. Tune in this Friday night for music featuring performers covering A.P. Carter songs, including The Delmore Brothers, Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men, Charlie Louvin, Ashley Monroe, and a host of others.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Ralph StanleyWorried Man Blues [Album Version]A Distant Land To Roam: Songs Of The Carter FamilyAmazon
2Rosanne CashThe Winding StreamThe Winding StreamThe Carters, The Cashes And The Course Of Country MusicAmazon
3John PrineLulu WallsGerman AfternoonsAmazon
4The Carter FamilyLulu WallsCan The Circle Be UnbrokenAmazon
5The Carter FamilyMy Texas GirlCan The Circle Be UnbrokenAmazon
6Carter Sisters/Mother Maybelle CarterFoggy Mountain TopKeep on the Sunny Side: Her Life in Music Disc 1Amazon
7Osborne BrothersYou Are My FlowerHillbilly FeverAmazon
8Flatt & ScruggsYou Are My Flower [Album Version]'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered: The Essential Flatt & ScruggsAmazon
9Charlie HadenOh Take Me BackCharlie Haden Family & Friends – Rambling BoyAmazon
10Ricky Skaggs & The WhitesWill My Mother Know Me ThereStrings And Things: The Best in Bluegrass Vol. 1Amazon
11Ashley MonroeThe Storms Are On The OceanOrthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions RevisitedAmazon
12The Delmore BrothersThe Storms are on the OceanClassic Cuts CD D – Atlanta 1940, New York 1940-41Amazon
13Gene AutryI'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blues EyesThe Essential Gene Autry 1933-1946Amazon
14Red AllenI'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue EyesI Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow: Songs of the Carter FamilyAmazon
15Mac WisemanJimmy Brown The NewsboyTime-Life's Treasury Of Bluegrass [Disc 1]Amazon
16Roy ClarkJimmy Brown, the NewsboyThe Roy Clark AnthologyAmazon
17Charlie LouvinMy Texas GirlCharlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster SongsAmazon
18Ralph StanleyDistant Land To Roam [Album Version]A Distant Land To Roam: Songs Of The Carter FamilyAmazon
19The Carter FamilyA Distant Land To RoamThe Carter Family 1927 – 1934 [Disc 2]Amazon
20Dave Alvin & the Guilty MenEngine 143Public Domain: Songs from the Wild LandAmazon
21The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWabash CannonballWill the Circle Be Unbroken [Bonus Tracks] Disc 2Amazon
22The Carter FamilyHello Central! Give Me HeavenThe Carter Family: 1927-1934 [Disc 5]Amazon
23Sister Bessie Griffin w/Brownie McGeeHeaven's RadioPowerhouse GospelAmazon
24The Swan Silvertones, The Staple Singers, The Pilgrim TravelersWill The Circle Be UnbrokenThe Swan Silvertones 1946-1951Amazon
25George Jones/Staples, Pop And MavisWill the Circle Be UnbrokenMy Very Special Guests [Bonus Tracks] Disc 1Amazon
26The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandWill The Circle Be UnbrokenJubilation! Great Gospel Performances: Vol. 3: Country GospelAmazon
27The Carter FamilyBeautiful Brown Eyes & Sweet FernOn Border Radio – 1939 – vol. 1Amazon
28Jorma KaukonenSweet FernAin't In No HurryAmazon
29Loretta LynnWildwood FlowerAnchored In Love: A Tribute to June Carter CashAmazon
30Norman & Nancy BlakeThe Sunny Side of LifeStrings And Things: The Best in Bluegrass Vol. 1Amazon
31Norman BlakeFifty Miles of Elbow RoomOld TiesAmazon
32Emmylou HarrisHello Stranger (Remastered LP Version)Luxury Liner [Remaster]Amazon