Category Archives: Folk and Tradition

Let’s Live

This week we celebrate the simple joys that have always bound American music together. Deeper Roots travels back nearly a century—from the roaring jazz of Ethel Waters, Fletcher Henderson, and Coleman Hawkins to the contemporary wit of Kacey Musgraves—finding common threads of laughter, resilience, friendship, and the everyday pleasures that make life worth living. Along the way we’ll make a party heavy stop in New Orleans with Aaron Neville, Fats Domino, James Booker, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, and Art Neville, then head into the hills with bluegrass, country, and Appalachian traditions as the road we ride takes us from Oklahoma to Kentucky. With deep blues, gospel, western swing, big band classics, and timeless folk ballads all sharing the same stage, our show this week revels in music that reminds us there’s always another reason to celebrate the journey.

No.Artist Title Album Year Start At
1Aaron Neville Let's Live Treacherous [Disc 1] 1961 00:00
2James Booker Medley: Tico Tico / Papa Was A Rascal / So Swell When You're Well Classified 1982 05:29
3Dr. John Traveling Mood The Ultimate Dr. John 1987 10:18
4Fats Domino The Girl I Love [Version 2] This Is Gold Disc 1 2004 12:56
5Aaron Neville My True Story My True Story 2013 16:24
6Irma Thomas While the City Sleeps Time Is on My Side: The Best of Irma Thomas Vol. 1 1964 19:14
7Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie I'm Wild About My Stuff Flashbacks #1 Drug Songs 1917-1944 0 28:43
8Blind Boy Fuller Trucking My Blues Away No. 2 (take 2) Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order – Volume 2 (29 April to 12 July 1937) 1937 31:39
9Ollie Shepard King Of All Evil Vol. 2-1939-41 1939 34:23
10Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon Stewball Classic African-American Ballads (Smithsonian Folkways) 1959 37:04
11Angelic Gospel Singers with the Dixie Humming Birds One Day When the Moon Goes Down in the Valley of Time: African-American Gospel 1939-51 2013 40:35
12Rory Block Lord I Feel Just Like Goin' On I Belong To The Band: A Tribute To Rev. Gary Davis 2012 42:45
13Ethel Waters and Her Jazz Band Ev'rybody Mess Aroun Tight Women and Loose Bands 1921-1931 1926 52:04
14Cleo Brown Boogie Woogie Picking the Blues – Compiled By John Mayall – Boogie Woogie Pioneers 1935 54:46
15Benny Carter (With Lionel Hampton Orchestra) I'm in the Mood for Swing RCA Victor Jazz-The First Half-Century-The 30's 1938 57:08
16Coleman Hawkins Body and Soul RCA Victor Jazz-The First Half-Century-The 30's 1939 1:00:26
17Alan Lomax How Many Biscuits Can You Eat? Ballad Operas-Martins & The Co 0 1:07:53
18W. Lee & His Hillbilly Boys Please Pass The Biscuits Pappy Western Swing Chronicles Vol. 4 1933-1938 1938 1:08:37
19Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs 'How Many Biscuits' 1953-X6-XX Grand Old Opry 1953 1:11:11
20NRBQ Hot Biscuits and Sweet Marie Kick Me Hard 1979 1:11:31
21Kacey Musgraves Biscuits Pageant Material 2015 1:13:51
22Mazzy Star I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit Fade Into You (Single) 1994 1:17:02
23Joshua Hedley Fresh Hot Biscuits All Hat 2025 1:20:33
24Kenny Baker Monroe's Hornpipe Plays Bill Monroe 1977 1:26:09
25Jack Guthrie No Need to Knock on My Door Oklahoma Hills 1946 1:29:13
26Merle Travis Missouri The History Of Country & Western Music – Vol. 11 0 1:31:35
27Kentuckians Journey's End Keep on Going: The Rebel & Melodeon Recordings 2004 1:34:15
28Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Better Times A' Comin' Mark Twain: Words & Music [Disc 1] 2011 1:37:27
29Mac Wiseman It's Mighty Dark To Travel Grassroots To Bluegrass 1990 1:40:00
30Johnny Cash Thanks a Lot The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983 Disc 1 1958 1:42:36
31Jimmy Wakely Moon Over Montana Vintage Collections 0 1:45:10
32Leon Redbone Sweet Lorraine Any Time 2001 1:48:03
33Enric Madriguera B‚same Mucho The Minute Samba 1944 1:53:51
34The Dixie Cups Iko Iko The Big Easy 1965 1:56:59

Travelin’ Blues 2026

This Friday, Deeper Roots presents an encore broadcast from February 2020, exploring the rich intersection of gospel, blues, and tradition through the theme of the “Travelin’ Blues.” Whether the journey leads down the King’s Highway toward salvation or along a lonely back road toward temptation, we’ll steer clear of the toll roads and follow the winding paths where sacred and secular music have traveled side by side for generations. Along the way you’ll hear performances from Rory Block, Chris Smither, Eric Clapton, Freddie King, The Golden Gate Quartet, and many more. Originally conceived as the first installment in a series of programs about songs of the road, this episode explores highways and journeys through the language of the blues and gospel. Join us for two hours of American roots music where every mile has a story to tell.

No.Artist Title Album Year Start At
1Maria Muldaur Travelin' Shoes 1974 00:00
2Blind Sammie (Blind Willie McTell) Travelin' Blues 1929 05:42
3Taj Mahal Farther On Down The Road 2000 08:49
4Roland Stone Down The Road 1960 11:56
5Freddie Slack Down The Road 2003 14:15
6Eric Clapton Further On Down the Road 2013 20:57
7Chris Smither Look Down the Road 0 26:32
8Mattie Delaney Down The Big Road Blues 1930 29:06
9Unidentified Quartet I Look Down The Road And Wonder 2010 36:43
10The Golden Gate Quartet I Looked Down The Road And Wondered 1939 39:49
11Rory Block If You Haven't Any Hay Get On Down The Road 2014 44:12
12Paul Butterfield's Better Days Highway 28 1972 52:29
13Johnny Guitar Watson Highway 60 2006 55:28
14Lowell Fulson Highway 99 2008 57:47
15Gatemouth Moore Highway 61 Blues 2000 1:00:42
16Honeyboy Edwards Strollin' Down Highway 61 0 1:03:13
17Snooks Eaglin Traveling Mood 1995 1:08:42
18Doc Pomus Traveling Dog 1949 1:10:54
19Ella Johnson & Buddy Johnson Get On Down The Road 1958 1:13:19
20Ernie Andrews With Maxwell Davis Orchestra Travelin' Baby 1951 1:16:17
21Slim Gaillard & His Boogiereeners Travelin' Blues 1945 1:18:44
22T-Bone Walker Travelin' Blues 1950 1:21:44
23Smiley Lewis Lonesome Highway 2010 1:28:47
24Howling Wolf Driving This Highway 1952 1:31:00
25Freddie King Key To The Highway 1970 1:33:51
26Freddie King Living On The Highway 1971 1:37:11
27Little Walter Key To The Highway 0 1:41:20
28Eric Clapton Traveling Riverside Blues 2004 1:44:04
29Tommy McLennan Travelin' Highway Blues 1941 1:50:03
30Cripple Clarence Lofton Travelin' Blues 1939 1:52:58
31Eric Bibb/Rory Block/Maria Muldaur Travelin' Woman Blues 2004 1:55:03

Wake Up Everybody

Tomorrow isn’t a guarantee; it’s a promise we keep to one another. In times when the airwaves and headlines feel crowded with division, hatred, and the loud noise of demagoguery, all in reaction to barbarous and vile language from the highest quarters, the antidote has always been found in the music. This week on Deeper Roots, we are celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary by stepping directly into the storm with a playlist designed to uplift, fortify, and remind us of what’s worth fighting for.  Count on sounds from Gillian Welch, Willie Nelson, Sam Cooke, Chet Baker and a few dozen more as we dive deep into a century of American music, bringing you powerful songs of the spirit from the gospel canon alongside timeless anthems of resistance that call on us to rise above the attacks on our shared democracy. This isn’t just a look back at history—it’s a toolkit for the present.

No.Artist Title Album Year Start At
1Mahalia Jackson I Will Move On Up A Little Higher Folk Blues & Gospel: Will the Circle Be Unbroken 1999 00:00
2The Edwin Hawkins Singers I'm Going Through Oh Happy Day: The Best Of The Edwin Hawkins Singers 1969 08:19
3The Blind Boys Of Alabama I Shall Not Be Moved I'll Find A Way 2013 13:20
4Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder I Shall Not Be Moved Get On Board 2022 15:56
5Connie Smith Farther Along Connie Smith 1965-1966 2011 20:10
6Sam Cooke And The Soul Stirrers Farther Along The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 3] 1956 22:59
7Larry Campbell Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams 2015 30:59
8The Browns Fair and Tender Ladies Classics 1963-1964 (Warped 6384) 2010 34:59
9Willie Nelson Healing Hands of Time Wanted! The Outlaws [Bonus Tracks] 1996 37:25
10Elvis Presley (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) Elvis By The Presleys [Disc 1] 1957 39:39
11The Impressions Keep On Pushing Ultimate Collection: The Impressions 1964 42:58
12Joe Ely The Road Goes On Forever The Best Of Joe Ely 20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection 1992 50:29
13Sara Evans Born To Fly Laying Tracks 2003 54:56
14B.B. King & Dr. John There Must Be A Better World Somewhere Deuces Wild 1997 58:46
15The Bronzemen Hold On (Keep Yo' Hand On The Plow) The Bronzemen – Radio Transcriptions (1939) 1939 1:03:24
16Mahalia Jackson Keep Your Hand on the Plow The World's Greatest Gospel Singer 1954 1:10:33
17Sam Cooke A Change Is Gonna Come Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1960-64: 30 Amazing Stereo Hits 2016 1:12:58
18Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions People Get Ready Akeelah And The Bee (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2006 1:15:32
19Fats Domino Walking To New Orleans The Rock 'n' Roll Era: 1960 1960 1:18:08
20The Four Tops Reach Out I'll Be There The Classic Sixties: 1966 1966 1:20:02
21Ray Charles I Believe to My Soul Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection Disc 1 1997 1:22:58
22Keb' Mo' Wake Up Everybody Peace…Back By Popular Demand 2004 1:30:06
23The Staple Singers I'll Take You There I'll Take You There 1972 1:34:07
24Jo Stafford On The Sunny Side of the Street Candy 1944 1:37:14
25Chet Baker Look for the Silver Lining Chet Baker Sings 1956 1:40:07
26Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World Lifetime Of Romance: Falling In Love [Disc 2] 1967 1:42:44
27The Band The Weight Northern Songs – Canada's Best And Brightest 1968 1:44:59
28Sly & the Family Stone Everyday People Anthology 1981 1:52:11
29Bruce Springsteen Streets of Minneapolis Streets of Minneapolis – Single 2026 1:54:30

Trouble In Mind

Get ready for a deep dive into the last 100 years of America’s musical DNA. This week’s Deeper Roots is a ‘romp’ in the truest sense—a free form show celebrating the winsome, the lonesome, and everything in between. We’ve got a heavy-hitting lineup including Etta James, Jimmie Davis, and Billie Holiday, spanning the full spectrum of gospel, country, blues, and jazz. Dave’s been digging through the “digital crates” of the past century to bring you two hours of essential, sometimes irreverent, always authentic sounds. Whether the selections are wholesome or a bit rowdy, this episode runs the full gamut of the American songbook. Pull up a chair at the Deeper Roots dining hall this Friday morning on KOWS Community Radio—there is plenty of soul to go around.

No.Artist Title Album Year Start At
1Sister Rosetta Tharpe Trouble In My Mind Gospel Blues – the Very Best Of 2008 00:00
2Louis Armstrong Nobody Knows De Trouble I've Seen Louis And The Good Book 1938 05:34
3Sam Cooke Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen The Man Who Invented Soul [Box Set] (4 of 4) 1963 08:34
4The Whitstein Brothers I'm Troubled Old Time Duets 1989 12:04
5Sam Cooke And The Soul Stirrers I'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always) The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 2] 1955 14:42
6The Harlem Hamfats I'm In So Much Trouble Now Harlem Hamfats Vol. 3 1937-1938 2005 17:53
7Fats Domino Bad Luck and Trouble Fats Domino Out of New Orleans 1961 26:02
8Mavis Staples Levon Helm Trouble In My Mind Carry Me Home 2022 28:38
9Lee Hazlewood Trouble Is A Lonesome Town 400 Miles From L.A. 1955-56 1956 33:33
10Kay Starr I'm The Lonesomest Gal In Town Capitol Collectors Series 1947 35:47
11The Modernaires It's A Lonesome Old Town (When You're Not Around) The Complete Modernaires On Columbia Vol 2 (1946-1947) 1947 38:30
12Jimmie Davis Louisiana Hayride Intro At the Louisiana Hayride Tonight (Disc 9) 2017 46:03
13Jimmie Davis Pi-Rootin' Around Nobody's Darlin' But Mine: 1928-1937 1937 47:13
14Scott Miller & the Commonwealth Drunk All Around This Town Reconstruction 2007 49:57
15Wayne Hancock Life's Lonesome Road A-Town Blues 2001 52:32
16Rick Nelson Lonesome Town (Unreleased) Legacy [Disc 1] 1958 54:08
17Happy Valley Boys Homecoming Time In Happy Valley Classic Field Recordings 1940 1:01:08
18Tom T. Hall Homecoming (Single Version) The Definitive Collection: Tom T. Hall 2006 1:03:54
19Josh Ritter Homecoming Sermon on the Rocks 2015 1:07:00
20Bob Dylan & The Band Kickin' My Dog Around The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 2014 1:12:19
21Gid Tanner & The Skillet Lickers Ya Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Aroun' Various Artists: Bob Dylan – Cover To Cover – The Originals VOL. 2 [Disc 2] 1926 1:15:00
22Leon Chappel (I'm A) Long Gone Doggie Automatic Mama 1951 1:17:42
23Betty Hall Jones This Joint's Too Hip For Me Jumpin' Like Mad: Cool Cats & Hip Chicks Non-Stop Dancin' [Disc 1] 1949 1:25:17
24Julia Lee Tell Me Daddy The Essential Julia Lee Vol 1 1948 1:27:47
25Mabel Scott Wailin' Daddy Rhythm'n'blues Nasty 2005 1:30:34
26Etta James Tell Mama Blues Classics '27_'69 [Disc 3] 1967 1:33:17
27The Shangri-Las I'm Blue Myrmidons of Melodrama 1965 1:35:34
28Willy DeVille I'm Blue So Blue Unplugged in Berlin 2011 1:38:58
29Dan Penn Blues Of The Month Club Smoke Filled Room 2026 1:42:52
30Willie Nelson Am I Blue Nite Life: Greatest Hits & Rare Tracks (1959-1971) 1964 1:47:26
31Billie Holiday Am I Blue? The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 9 (1940 – 1942) 1941 1:53:54
32Julie London I Must Have That Man! Wild Cool and Swingin' 1999 1:56:40

Heavenly Day

It’s a free form morning as Dave once again digs out some favorites and some deep tracks from the last century of America’s music. He’ll be paying his respects to Doug Sahm’s keyboard master, Augie Meyers, while at the same time picking on some thematic tones, including that of heaven, an early century legend by the name of Lulu, early rhythm and western from 1950 as well as a collection of soul tracks that glistened in the winds from 1967. Tune in for The Ink Spots, Jimmy Newman, John Prine, The Castaleers and Fats Waller…a sampler from the past one hundred years. Free form mornings here on KOWS occur only once in a blue moon so you’ll want to be tuning in for more music discovery from all genre corners. You’re invited to come on up to the house where we’re ready, willing and waiting to entertain, putting the madness of a wannabe king behind you for a two-hour joyful jaunt where you’ll find three chords and the truth.

New Beginnings

This week’s Deeper Roots, our first show of 2026, is most appropriately built for fresh starts and open horizons—a musical reset button for the soul. Our Friday morning journey will wind its way across gospel, folk, jazz, swing, and Americana, all tied together by the promise of new beginnings and the belief that tomorrow can be better than today. You’ll hear voices of resilience and joy including The Staple Singers, poetic reinvention from Bob Dylan, the irrepressible optimism and swing of Louis Prima, the elegant, forward-moving guitar lines of Herb Ellis, and the border-crossing storytelling of Carrie Rodriguez. Settle in as we welcome brand new days with music that lifts spirits, opens doors, and reminds us that hope is always worth tuning in for. And you can do just that this Friday morning on KOWS.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Aretha Franklin A Change Is Gonna Come I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You Amazon
2Bruce Cockburn Sunrise on the Mississippi Dart to the Heart Amazon
3Norah Jones Sunrise Feels Like Home Amazon
4Louis Prima Until Sunrise Beepin' & Boppin' Amazon
5Frankie Newton & Orchestra The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise Swing Is Here / Small-Band Swing 1935-1939 Amazon
6The Midnight Minstrels There's a New Day Coming The Big Broadcast – Volume 5 Amazon
7Herb Ellis Sunrise Down Home Amazon
8Luther Dickinson Hurry up Sunrise Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook) Volumes I & II Amazon
9Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes Wake Up Everybody Sweet Soul Of The 70s: The Sounds Of Philedelphia Disc 1 Amazon
10Keb' Mo' Wake Up Everybody Peace…Back By Popular Demand Amazon
11Corinne Bailey Rae Put Your Records On 2007 Grammy Nominees Amazon
12Tracy Chapman New Beginning New Beginning Amazon
13Ruthie Foster Brand New Day Promise of a Brand New Day Amazon
14Esther Phillips With The Dixie Flyers Brand New Day (LP Version) Set Me Free Amazon
15The Staple Singers Brand New Day The Complete Stax/Volt Soul Singles, Vol.2: 1968-1971 [Disc 6] Amazon
16Jackie Lomax New Day Come And Get It – The Best Of Apple Records Amazon
17Pete Seeger Keep Your Eyes On The Prize [Album Version] Pete Seeger: A Link In The Chain Amazon
18Bruce Springsteen Eyes on the Prize We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions [DualDisc] Disc 1 Amazon
19Mavis Staples Eyes On The Prize (Cd) We'll Never Turn Back Amazon
20Carrie Rodriguez Eyes On The Prize Love and Circumstances Amazon
21Flock Of Dimes Awake For The Sunrise Country Roots Oxford American Southern Music Issue Vol. 24 Amazon
22Bob Dylan New Morning Chronicles, Vol. 1 Amazon
23Florence + The Machine Dog Days Are Over Lungs Amazon
24Carsie Blanton Hope After the Revolution Amazon
25Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces Country: The American Tradition [Disc 2] Amazon
26Elvis Presley There's a Brand New Day On the Horizon Elvis Double Features: Love in Las Vegas + Roustabout Amazon
27Jackie DeShannon Put A Little Love In Your Heart It's My Party – The Great Girl Groups And Singers Of The 60's Amazon
28Curtis Mayfield We Got To Have Peace The Very Best Of Curtis Mayfield Amazon

Harmonica Legends

Got a harmonica romp through the past one hundred years of America’s Music this coming Friday morning. We’ll be following the harmonica’s journey along and across the American crossroads…one that began in the 19th century, when inexpensive German-made “mouth harps” made their way into the hands of soldiers, travelers, and rural families. Its portability and expressive bends made it a natural fit for early blues and country porch settings. From that country blues porch setting to the juke joints where electric blues, rock, soul, blues, and Americana meet and mingle. We’ll be opening the vaults for some classic tracks from the likes of Little Walter, DeFord Bailey, Mickey Raphael, Sonny Boy Williamson, Charlie Musselwhite, and a couple dozen others as we celebrate the “mouth harp” for its blistering, distorted lead influencing generations of performers of all stripes. Drop in…we’d be glad to have you visit this Friday morning. 

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1DeFord Bailey Fox Chase Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 1] Amazon
2DeFord Bailey Davidson County Blues When The Sun Goes Down: Walk Right In – The Secret Story Of Rock & Roll Amazon
3Sonny Boy Williamson Your Funeral And My Trial His Best: Sonny Boy Williamson – The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection Amazon
4Slim Harpo Buzzin' [Single Version] The Best Of Slim Harpo Amazon
5Paul Butterfield Blues Band Shake Your Money Maker Blues Masters, Vol. 15: Slide Guitar Classics Amazon
6Junior Wells Messin' With The Kid Living The Blues – 1965 – 1969 Blues Classics Amazon
7Jimmy Reed Big Boss Man MOJO: Rock! Rock! Rock! Amazon
8Little Walter My Babe His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) Amazon
9James Cotton, Junior Wells, Carey Bell, Billy Branch Who Let's Dance: The Best Of Ballroom: Swing, Lindy, Jitterbug and Jive Amazon
10James Cotton Feat. Joe Bonamassa Cotton Mouth Man Cotton Mouth Man Amazon
11Taj Mahal Leaving Trunk The Best Of Taj Mahal Amazon
12Charlie Musselwhite Christo Redemptor Stand Back! Amazon
13Slim Harpo Baby Scratch My Back The Excello Singles Anthology Disc 2 Amazon
14Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Fox Chase – Mouth Organ The Long Road to Freedom: An Anthology of Black Music [Disc 3] Amazon
15Bill "Jazz" Gillum Don't You Scandalize My Name Jazz Gillum: Complete Recorded Works Vol.1 1936-49 Amazon
16Howlin' Wolf Moanin' At Midnight Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: The Road To Memphis Amazon
17Howlin' Wolf Smokestack Lightnin' Blowing The Fuse: 1956 Amazon
18Woody Guthrie Pastures Of Plenty American Roots- A History Of American Folk Music: [Disc 4] Amazon
19Jesse Fuller San Francisco Bay Blues Friends Of Old Time Music [Disc 2] Amazon
20Ramblin' Jack Elliott Roll On Buddy The Essential Ramblin' Jack Elliott Amazon
21Bob Dylan Blowin' In The Wind Sing America Amazon
22Charlie McCoy Orange Blossom Special The Real McCoy Amazon
23Norton Buffalo Eighteen Wheels Lovin' In The Valley Of The Moon Amazon
24Willie Nelson On the Road Again Revolutions of Time: The Journey 1975-1993 Disc 1 Amazon
25Bruce Channel Hey Baby (Delbert McClinton Harp) Don't Do It: The Smash Record Story 1961-1962 [Disc 2] Amazon
26The Fabulous Thunderbirds I Believe I'm In Love Essential Fabulous Thunderbirds Amazon
27Bob Dylan I Want You Blonde on Blonde Amazon
28Willie Nelson City Of New Orleans The Essential Willie Nelson Amazon
29Neil Young/Stray Gators Heart of Gold Harvest Amazon
30Ozark Mountain Daredevils If You Wanna Get To Heaven The Ozark Mountain Daredevils Amazon
31Bruce Springsteen The River Chapter & Verse Amazon
32Alfred Lewis Friday Moan Blues Harmonica Blues Amazon

Rhythm & Bayou Romp

The sounds of New Orleans carry a mood that’s both jubilant and deeply human; it dances and mourns in the same breath. It’s the sound of the street parade meeting the juke joint: syncopated, earthy, and alive with horns, piano rolls, and that unmistakable backbeat shuffle. Unlike the more urban polish of Chicago blues or the rural cry of the Delta, New Orleans R&B has always felt like a conversation between the sacred and the profane, where gospel chords meet barroom swagger. Just beyond the Crescent City’s lights, where the waters of the bayou take form, we’ve got the accordians and fiddles of the swamp, where there’s humor, head and heartbreak woven into the DNA of the deep South. It is joyous and haunted, elegant and raw, as well as endlessly resilient. The music of New Orleans inspired an ethos — that music could be communal, unrestrained, and celebratory no matter the hardship. It taught America how to dance through its troubles, to find rhythm in resilience, and to turn sorrow into sound that still shakes the rafters and demands a communal dance to this day. This week’s show raises the flag of the Crescent City and her environs with a rhythm and bayou romp!

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Roomful Of Blues New Orleans Best of Roomful of Blues The Alligator Records Years Amazon
2Rusty & Doug Kershaw Louisiana Man Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
3Jimmy Newman A Fallen Star Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
4Alvin Robinson Down Home Girl Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
5Joe Barry I'm a Fool to Care Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
6Rod Bernard Pardon Mr. Gordon Chess New Orleans [Disc 2] Amazon
7Barbara George I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) Highlights From Crescent City Soul: Sound Of New Orleans 1947-1974 Amazon
8Irma Thomas & Marcia Ball I Just Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino [Disc 2] Amazon
9The Hawketts Your Time's Up Chess New Orleans [Disc 1] Amazon
10Sugar Boy Crawford No More Heartaches Chess New Orleans [Disc 1] Amazon
11Clifton Chenier The Big Wheel (Squeeze Box Shuffle) Chess New Orleans [Disc 1] Amazon
12Clifton Chenier Calinda Destination New Orleans Amazon
13Bobby Mitchell I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 2] Amazon
14Fats Domino The Big Beat Fats Domino Out of New Orleans Amazon
15Dr. John Blue Monday Goin' Back To New Orleans Amazon
16Fats Domino What's Wrong Fats Domino Out of New Orleans Amazon
17Theryl De Clouet I Get Lifted A Celebration Of New Orleans Music To Benefit MusiCares Hurrincane Relief 2005 Amazon
18Sammy Naquin New Orleans Waltz Best of Cajun Instrumentals Amazon
19Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie Canaille Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans Amazon
20Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys La Crhve De Faim (Starvation 2-Step) Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans Amazon
21Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys New Orleans Beat La Toussaint Amazon
22Lil' Queenie & The Percolators My Darlin' New Orleans Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans Amazon
23Sunpie And The Louisiana Sunspots Bunny Bread Destination New Orleans Amazon
24Johnny Adams Release Me Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans Amazon
25Jimmy Clanton Another Sleepless Night Louisiana & The Old New Orleans Sound Amazon
26Jewel King 3X7=21 New Orleans R&B Outbreak Amazon
27Charles "Hungry" Williams So Glad You're Mine The History of New Orleans Rhythm & Blues [Disc 1] Amazon
28Archibald Stack O Lee Sound Of The City, The – New Orleans [UK] Disc 1 Amazon
29Great Day of New Orleans Singers You've Got To Be Modernistic Black American Choirs 1926-31 Amazon
30Great Day of New Orleans Singers Shout On Black American Choirs 1926-31 Amazon
31The Red Stick Ramblers Main Street Blues Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans Amazon
32Dirty Dozen Brass Band Mardi Gras In New Orleans A Celebration Of New Orleans Music To Benefit MusiCares Hurrincane Relief 2005 Amazon

John Prine 79

We lost John Prine to COVID in 2020. We’re going to celebrate his 79th birthday along with the rest of his fans this morning as two new movies are on the horizon at just the right time. The two movies differ in their angles: one being a new tribute produced by his wife Fiona Whelan Prine called “You Got Gold” and the other is one produced by the Hello In There Foundation called “How Lucky Can One Man Get” which has its first screening this month in Denver. With today being his birth date, we’ll be doing a few different takes on John’s career in music including a couple reminiscences from Todd Snider and Steve Poltz who delivers a delightful memory of a trip to the Disney Store with John. There’s a reason that John is considered an American music treasure: as a songwriter he has few peers with his straight-ahead and simple sensibility. He delivered the goods as well as any of the legendary humorists , and that includes Mark Twain. Drop on in for something special this Friday morning.

No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Sturgill Simpson Paradise Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 Amazon
2John Prine My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight Beautiful Dreamer: the Songs of Stephen Foster Amazon
3The Brother Brothers Dear John The January Album Amazon
4Kacey Musgraves Burn One With John Prine Demos Amazon
5John Prine Fish and Whistle Great Days: The John Prine Anthology Disc 1 Amazon
6Carsie Blanton Fishin' with You Fishin' with You – Single Amazon
7Brandi Carlile I Remember Everything Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine, Vol. 2 Amazon
8Steve Poltz A Trip To The Disney Store Steve Poltz Remembers Amazon
9John Prine Souvenirs Troubadours: Folk And The Roots Of American Music 4: 12 The Heartland And Canada Amazon
10John Prine/Iris Dement In Spite of Ourselves In Spite of Ourselves Amazon
11Justin Townes Earle Far From Me Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine Amazon
12Donnie Fritts The Oldest Baby in the World Lucky 13 Amazon
13John Prine Color of the Blues (feat. Susa For Better, Or Worse Amazon
14Tommy Prine Ships in the Harbor Ships in the Harbor – Single Amazon
15Tommy Prine Cash Carter Hill This Far South Amazon
16Todd Snider John Prine (Live) Live: Return of the Storyteller Amazon
17John Prine with Peter Cooper I Sang The Song Mac Wiseman – I Sang The Song Amazon
18Tammy Wynette Unwed Fathers Tears Of Fire: The 25th Anniversary Collection [Disc 3] Amazon
19Holly Williams/John Prine I'm Telling You For Better, Or Worse Amazon
20John Prine Kelsey Waldon Love At The Five & Dime More Than A Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith Amazon
21John Prine Summers End The Tree of Forgiveness Amazon
22Swamp Dogg Please Let Me Go Round Again (feat. John Prine) Sorry You Couldn't Make It Amazon
23Laurie Lewis Why'd You Have to Break My Heart_ (for John Prine) Trees Amazon
24John Prine That's the Way That the World Goes 'Round Great Days: The John Prine Anthology Disc 1 Amazon
25John Prine Hey Ah Nothin' Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Amazon
26John Prine I Remember Everything I Remember Everything Amazon
27Kris Kristofferson Jesus Was a Capricorn (Owed to John Prine) The Essential Kris Kristofferson Disc 2 Amazon

Back on the Farm 2025

The farmer, the farm, and songs of farming are at the core of this week’s theme show, an encore presentation from 2017. Whether the songs’ focus is that of the hard-working folk of the farm, the raw materials, or the nostalgic reminders of life on the farm, we’ll push forward the playlist plough and take you to the barn for an early morning celebration with performers including bluegrass from James King, gritty Americana from Levon Helm and Bill Neely, core country from Bobby Bare and Porter Wagoner, or maybe some field recordings from the 20s featuring the likes of the Carolina Tar Heels…all of this music going Back On The Farm.
No.Artist Title Album Buy
1Marty Stuart/Merle Haggard Farmer's Blues Country Music Amazon
2Freeman Stowers Sunrise On The Farm Sinners and Saints: Complete Recorded Works 1926-1931 Amazon
3Bill Frisell Farmer Disfarmer Amazon
4Levon Helm Poor Old Dirt Farmer Dirt Farmer Amazon
5Bill Neely Black Land Farmer 16 Down Home Country Classics Amazon
6James King Thirty Years of Farming Bluegrass Number 1's: A Collection of Chart-Topping Songs Amazon
7Junior Sisk with Becky Isaacs Bowman and Sonya Isaacs Yeary The Wheat Crop Mac Wiseman – I Sang The Song Amazon
8Lemuel Jones Po' Farmer (Poor Farmers) Field Recordings, Vol. 1: Virginia (1936-1941) Amazon
9Peter Rowan Let the Harvest Go To Seed Bluegrass Boy Amazon
10Carolina Tar Heels Got The Farm Land Blues Anthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 1B: Ballads Amazon
11Cisco Houston Farmer's Lament The Folkways Years: 1944-1961 Amazon
12J.E. Mainer & The Mountaineers (With Morris Herbert) Living On The Farm The Legendry J.E. Mainer, Volume 4 Amazon
13Walter Brennan Old Rivers Old Rivers Amazon
14The Bently Boys Down On Penny's Farm Anthology Of American Folk Music, Vol. 1B: Ballads Amazon
15Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur Down on Penny's Farm Penny's Farm Amazon
16The Four Wanderers Farmer's Life For Me Black Vocal Groups Vol. 9 (1929-1942) Amazon
17Ben & Ellen Harper Farmer's Daughter Childhood Home Amazon
18Bobby Bare The Farmer Feeds Us All Hard Time Hungrys Amazon
19Porter Wagoner The Farmer and the Lord 20 All-Time Greatest Hits Amazon
20Paula Brown Farm Hollers Hollerin' Amazon
21Warren Caplinger's Cumberland Mountain Entertainers McDonald's Farm (1928) Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time, And End Time Music, 1923-1936 Amazon
22Bubby Bishop I Want To Go Back To The Farm The Great Vintage Country Amazon
23Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) On A Little Two Acre Farm Dynamite Trail-The Decca Years, 1954-58 Amazon
24Goose Island Ramblers I Worked For a Farmer Polkabilly Amazon
25Buster Carter & Preston Young A Lazy Farmer Boy Before The Blues Vol. 3 Amazon
26Rosetta Howard Plow Hand Blues [Album Version] Roots 'N' Blues/The Retrospective 1925-1950 Amazon
27Roy Acuff & His Smoky Mountain Boys I'll Reap My Harvest In Heaven King of Country Music [Disc 3] : Fireball Mail Amazon
28Fiddlin' John Carson Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Them All [Remastered 2003] Poor Man's Heaven – Blues And Tales Of The Great Depression – When The Sun Goes Down Series Amazon
29Ray Wylie Hubbard After the Harvest Crusades of the Restless Nights Amazon
30Dry Branch Fire Squad Devil, Take The Farmer 481 Bluegrass Class of 1990 Amazon
31Glen Campbell Arkansas Farmboy Adios Amazon
32Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies When It's Harvest Time, Sweet Angeline Daddy of Western Swing, Vol. 4 : Keep a Knockin' Amazon
33Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs With Mother Maybelle Carter The Homestead On The Farm [Album Version] Songs Of The Famous Carter Family Amazon
34Walter Brennan Back To The Farm Old Shep Amazon