Category Archives: Oldies

Backbeat ’50

It’s a 1950 heatwave of rhythm and blues sounds this morning on Deeper Roots. We’ll move away from anything that might be polite or polished and turn our attention to the sweat-soaked, neon-lit world of rhythm and blues, a sound that was the early morning thunder and lightning just ahead of the dawn of rock ‘n roll. We’re focusing on the year 1950 where jump blues started to grow teeth — where the saxophones were honking, the backbeats hitting harder, and indie labels from Memphis to LA were capturing lightning in a bottle. From the smoky corners of the Delta to the high voltage clubs of the North, we’re digging deep into the crates for the some pounding rhythms from Dave Bartholomew, Julia Lee, Bull Moose Jackson, Jimmy McCracklin as well as Buddy and Ella Johnson…oh, and some Tiny Bradshaw’s Breaking Up The House. As Chuck Berry pointed out: “…it’s got a backbeat, you can’t lose it, any old time you use it”.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumYearStart At
1Sister Wynona CarrDon't Miss That TrainDragnet For Jesus195000:00
2Buddy & Ella JohnsonWalk the Chalk LineRhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll/Volume 2 [Disc 7]195005:22
3Ella JohnsonNo More LoveVoodoo Voodoo: Feisty Fifties Females195007:56
4Jimmy McCracklinRockin? All Day (a/k/a Rockin? and Reelin?)Electric Blues?Part 1: Beginnings 1939-1954195010:56
5Bull Moose JacksonBig Fat Mamas Are Back In Style AgainBull Moose Jackson 1947-1950195013:34
6Cleo BrownRoll It BoogieBoogie Woogie Gals – 1939-57195015:54
7Eunice DavisRock Little DaddyBoogie Woogie Gals – 1939-57195025:17
8Austin McCoyHappy Pay Day Part 1More Mellow Cats & Kittens195027:46
9Lucky Millinder & His Orchestra w/Myra JohnsonSilent GeorgeRisque Rhythm: Nasty 50s R&B195030:56
10Jewel King3×7=21Get Hot Sleazy Rhythm & Blues Vol. 3195033:32
11Jewel KingI Broke My Mother's RuleGettin' Funky [Disc 4]195036:04
12Julia LeeCan't Get Enough Of That StuffKansas City Star [Disc 5]195038:17
13Violet HallHe's An Ivory Beating Baby (On The Baby Grand)Boogie Woogie Gals – 1939-57195041:16
14Johnnie BrownI'm Gonna Stop (Foolin' Around)Jumpin' The Blues:MCA Label(ACE CD)195048:49
15Tiny BradshawBreaking Up the HouseBreaking Up the House [Disc 2]195051:12
16Tiny BradshawWell Oh WellBreaking Up the House [Disc 2]195053:51
17Wynonie HarrisI Want To Love You BabyAll She Wants To Do Is Rock195056:29
18Dave BartholomewAin't Gonna Do It (Rest Of My Life)Gettin' Funky [Disc 2]195059:21
19Connie JordanI'm Gonna Rock (Till My Rocker Breaks Down)Jumpin' The Blues:MCA Label(ACE CD)19501:07:07
20Ruth BrownI'll Wait For YouMiss Rhythm Greatest Hits And More Disc 119501:09:52
21Ivory Joe HunterWe're Going to BoogieRhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll Vol 2 [Disc 13]19501:12:25
22King PerryEverything's Gonna Be Alright TonightVarious Artists: Rhythm & Blues Goes Rock & Roll/Volume 2/[Disc 1]19501:15:25
23Gene PhillipsWomen Women WomenHot R&B and Cool Blues 1946-5219501:17:46
24Erline HarrisJump And ShoutGet Hot Sleazy Rhythm & Blues Vol. 319501:20:35
25Percy MayfieldStrange Things HappeningPoet of the Blues19501:25:26
26The RobinsIf It's SoThe Dawn Of Doo-Wop Vol. 4: Doo-Wop Dancin'19501:28:12
27The DominoesChicken BluesThe Dawn Of Doo-Wop Vol. 4: Doo-Wop Dancin'19501:31:14
28H-Bomb FergusonRock H-Bomb RockStompin' 1419501:34:02
29Roy Brown & His Mighty Mighty MenLove Don't Love NobodyOriginal Blues/Greatest Hits19501:36:10
30Little Esther & Mel Walker w; Johnny Otis OrchestraCupid's BoogieRoots of Rock 'n' Roll – Rough and Rowdy Vol. 319501:38:51
31The RavensMy Baby's GoneOKeh Rhythm & Blues19501:41:24
32The Three RiffsCherry In My Lemon And LimeHot Harmony Groups 1932-1951: Vol 1: That's the Rhythm19501:44:09
33Harry Van WallsTee-nah-nahAtlantic Rhythm & Blues: 1947-1974 [Disc 1]19501:46:34
34Fats DominoHey La Bas BoogieGettin' Funky [Disc 3] – The Hitmakers19501:53:53
35Fats DominoThe Fat ManGettin' Funky [Disc 3] – The Hitmakers19501:56:14

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.ArtistTitleAlbumYearStart At
1Sister Rosetta TharpeTrouble In My MindGospel Blues – the Very Best Of200800:00
2Louis ArmstrongNobody Knows De Trouble I've SeenLouis And The Good Book193805:34
3Sam CookeNobody Knows the Trouble I've SeenThe Man Who Invented Soul [Box Set] (4 of 4)196308:34
4The Whitstein BrothersI'm TroubledOld Time Duets198912:04
5Sam Cooke And The Soul StirrersI'm So Glad (Trouble Don't Last Always)The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 2]195514:42
6The Harlem HamfatsI'm In So Much Trouble NowHarlem Hamfats Vol. 3 1937-1938200517:53
7Fats DominoBad Luck and TroubleFats Domino Out of New Orleans196126:02
8Mavis Staples Levon HelmTrouble In My MindCarry Me Home202228:38
9Lee HazlewoodTrouble Is A Lonesome Town400 Miles From L.A. 1955-56195633:33
10Kay StarrI'm The Lonesomest Gal In TownCapitol Collectors Series194735:47
11The ModernairesIt's A Lonesome Old Town (When You're Not Around)The Complete Modernaires On Columbia Vol 2 (1946-1947)194738:30
12Jimmie DavisLouisiana Hayride IntroAt the Louisiana Hayride Tonight (Disc 9)201746:03
13Jimmie DavisPi-Rootin' AroundNobody's Darlin' But Mine: 1928-1937193747:13
14Scott Miller & the CommonwealthDrunk All Around This TownReconstruction200749:57
15Wayne HancockLife's Lonesome RoadA-Town Blues200152:32
16Rick NelsonLonesome Town (Unreleased)Legacy [Disc 1]195854:08
17Happy Valley BoysHomecoming Time In Happy ValleyClassic Field Recordings19401:01:08
18Tom T. HallHomecoming (Single Version)The Definitive Collection: Tom T. Hall20061:03:54
19Josh RitterHomecomingSermon on the Rocks20151:07:00
20Bob Dylan & The BandKickin' My Dog AroundThe Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1120141:12:19
21Gid Tanner & The Skillet LickersYa Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Aroun'Various Artists: Bob Dylan – Cover To Cover – The Originals VOL. 2 [Disc 2]19261:15:00
22Leon Chappel(I'm A) Long Gone DoggieAutomatic Mama19511:17:42
23Betty Hall JonesThis Joint's Too Hip For MeJumpin' Like Mad: Cool Cats & Hip Chicks Non-Stop Dancin' [Disc 1]19491:25:17
24Julia LeeTell Me DaddyThe Essential Julia Lee Vol 119481:27:47
25Mabel ScottWailin' DaddyRhythm'n'blues Nasty20051:30:34
26Etta JamesTell MamaBlues Classics '27_'69 [Disc 3]19671:33:17
27The Shangri-LasI'm BlueMyrmidons of Melodrama19651:35:34
28Willy DeVilleI'm Blue So BlueUnplugged in Berlin20111:38:58
29Dan PennBlues Of The Month ClubSmoke Filled Room20261:42:52
30Willie NelsonAm I BlueNite Life: Greatest Hits & Rare Tracks (1959-1971)19641:47:26
31Billie HolidayAm I Blue?The Quintessential Billie Holiday Vol. 9 (1940 – 1942)19411:53:54
32Julie LondonI Must Have That Man!Wild Cool and Swingin'19991:56:40

Country Shed Shakers

This week’s show peels back the velvet curtain of the Golden Age of Country music and introduces some lower chart shed shakers from the outskirts of Nashville. While the charts were full of polished crooners and weeping violins, there was a different sound brewing in and around the perimeter—a raw, frantic energy that didn’t belong in a ballroom. These are the tracks that blurred the line between the honky-tonk and the garage. We’ll deliver the distorted side of that golden age with some familiar names (Buck Owens, Jerry Reed, Johnny Bond) and some of those who were lost to those dusty Ernest Tubb Record Shop dollar bins (Eddie Zack, Jimmy Swan, Benny Barnes), all  in a package meant to get those fingers poppin’. Hope you can join us for some gritty, low-fi country vibes.

No.ArtistTitleAlbum
1Luke Wills' Rhythm BustersShut Up And Drink Your BeerStompin' Singers & Western Swingers ([Disc 3] It Ain't Far To The Bar)
2Luke Wills' Rhythm BustersHigh Voltage GalStompin' Singers & Western Swingers ([Disc 3] It Ain't Far To The Bar)
3Sheb WooleyMule BoogieCountry & Western Nuggets
4Smokey Hogg And His GuitarCrawdadRhythm & Western Volume 1 – When Two Worlds Collide
5Billy StrangeHell TrainHillbillies In Hell (Country Music's Tormented Testament 1952-1974)
6Hawkshaw HawkinsWaitin' for My BabyCountry & Western Nuggets
7Bobby LordNo More No More No MoreCountry & Western Nuggets
8Buck OwensHot DogBound for Bakersfield 1953-56
9Wanda JacksonHot Dog! That Made Him MadQueen Of Rockabilly
10The HurricanesPistol Packin' MamaRhythm & Western Volume 1 – When Two Worlds Collide
11Johnny BondSomebody's Pushin'Put Me To Bed
12Jerry ReedWhen I Found YouCountry & Western Nuggets
13Jerry ReedMister WhizzCountry & Western Nuggets
14Eddie ZackI?m Gonna Roll and RockCountry & Western Nuggets
15Jimmy MurphySixteen Tons Rock `n? RollCountry & Western Nuggets
16Jimmy SwanCountry Cattin?Country & Western Nuggets
17Johnny BondLonesome TrainPut Me To Bed
18Skeets McDonaldI Got A New Field To PlowSkeets McDonald – One Classic Album & Singles Collection
19Dusty PayneMy Walkin' ShoesThe Other Side of Bakersfield Vol. 2; 1950s & 60s Boppers and Rockers from 'Nashville West'
20The Farmer BoysSomehow Someway SomedayThe Other Side of Bakersfield
21Billy WalkerI've Got Leavin' On My MindWhirlpool – Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight
22Jimmie PetersRhythm of LoveCountry & Western Nuggets
23Titus TurnerA Knockin' At My Baby's DoorRhythm & Western Volume 1 – When Two Worlds Collide
24Dave RichTuggin? At My Heart StringsCountry & Western Nuggets
25Freddie HartHeaven Only KnowsCountry & Western Nuggets
26Faron YoungHoney StopCountry & Western Nuggets
27Benny BarnesKing for a DayCountry & Western Nuggets
28Ferlin HuskyWang Dang DoCountry & Western Nuggets
29Little Jimmy DickensHey Ma (Hide the Daughter)Country & Western Nuggets
30Dave RichBurn On Love FireCountry & Western Nuggets
31Lee BondsHome ComingCountry & Western Nuggets
32Johnny DavidRace With The DevilHillbillies In Hell (Country Music's Tormented Testament 1952-1974)
33Steve BledsoeBang Bang You're DeadHillbillies In Hell – Country Music's Tormented Testament (1952-1974) The Final Chapter
34Jimmie Pearson And The Melody MakersNobody CaresHillbillies In Hell – Country Music's Tormented Testament (1952-1974) The Final Chapter
35Cowboy CopasBury Me Face DownHillbillies in Hell Country Music?s Tormented Testament Volume 5
36Black Jack WayneRed Silk Stockings and Green PerfumeCountry & Western Nuggets
37Mel TillisYou Are The ReasonCountry & Western Nuggets
38Rink HardinWhat Did I DoCountry & Western Nuggets
39Wynn StewartBig Big LoveCountry & Western Nuggets

King Cole Covers

Nat King Cole’s transition from a respected jazz pianist to a mainstream icon was a perfect storm of technical brilliance, a groundbreaking vocal style, and a persona that radiated “suave sophistication.” While jazz purists sometimes lamented his move toward pop, it was his ability to blend jazz’s complexity with pop’s accessibility that made him a household name. He delivered hit after hit with a penchant for candidates (or entries from) the Great American Songbook. With this in mind, we’ll take this week’s show in an direction that honors the songs he became most famous for…from Bobby Troup’s Route 66 to Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life…covered by others including some rocking tributes, some ballads in the style of country and bluesy soul numbers from Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. We don’t stop there.  Join Dave Stroud for another celebration from a hundred years of America’s music

No.ArtistTitleAlbum
1Tiny BradshawStraighten Up and Fly RightBreaking Up the House [Disc 1]
2The Andrews SistersStraighten Up and Fly RightGolden Age of the Andrews Sisters [Disc 1]
3Oscar Brown Jr.Straighten Up And Fly Right [Album Version]Sin & Soul… And Then Some
4Bobby DarinNature BoyAs Long As I'm Singing: The Bobby Darin Collection [Disc 2]
5Aaron NevilleNature BoyNature Boy: The Standards Album
6Madeleine PeyrouxSmileHalf The Perfect World
7Jimmy DuranteSmileAs Time Goes By: Best of
8Chuck BerryRoute 66Cars
9Asleep at the WheelRoute 66The Best of Asleep at the Wheel
10Wayne NewtonL-O-V-EWild Cool & Swingin'
11Natalie ColeL-O-V-EUnforgettable: With Love
12Charley PrideRamblin' Rose20 Classics
13Slim WhitmanRamblin' RoseAll-Time Greatest Hits Vol 2
14Raul MaloRamblin' RoseQuarantunes
15Brenda LeePretendThis Is Brenda
16Carl MannPretendThe Forgotten 45s 1957-1959 (CD3)
17Dinah WashingtonUnforgettableJazz 'Round Midnight: Dinah Washington
18Peggy LeeUnforgettablePeggy Lee – The Marvelous Miss Lee
19Jimmy WakelyMona LisaThe Collection 1940-53 CD2
20Carl MannMona LisaWhere Rock Was Born
21The Neville BrothersMona LisaFiyo on the Bayou
22Marvin GayeToo YoungBallads
23Frankie LaineToo YoungI Hear Music
24Linda RonstadtLush LifeRound Midnight [Disc 2]
25Sammy Davis Jr.Lush LifeI've Gotta Be Me: The Best Of Sammy Davis Jr.
26Little Joe CookI Love You for Sentimental ReasonsPeanuts and Other Delicacies: The Little Joe Cook Story (1951-1962)
27Sam Cooke(I Love You) For Sentimental ReasonsGreatest Hits
28Raul Malo(I Love You) For Sentimental ReasonsThe Nashville Acoustic Sessions
29Ray NobleThe Very Thought of YouLove Is the Sweetest Thing(Disc 2)
30Nancy WilsonThe Very Thought Of YouLady Sings The Blues [Disc 1]
31Leon RedboneSweet LorraineAny Time
32Frank SinatraSweet LorraineReprise Collection [Disc 4]
33Nat King ColeThe Frim Fram SauceJumpin' Like Mad: Cool Cats & Hip Chicks Non-Stop Dancin' [Disc 1]
34Nat King ColeParadiseThe Very Thought Of You

Berry Covers

This week’s episode finds the heart of rock ‘n roll; that recipe of a rhythm and blues with just the right pinch of just about everything else. Chuck Berry’s legacy stands as one of the most important stories in rock ‘n roll’s 75 or so years. His music, particularly in those early years, was covered ad nauseum but it was always done best in an artist’s own voice. Why? Because the music speaks for itself. We’ll share music from Sleepy Labeef to Nina Simone, Linda Ronstadt to Peter Gammons (!), and Conway Twitty to the late, great John Hammond. Covers include You Never Can Tell, Sweet Little Sixteen, Nadine, and No Money down with another dozen, all honoring the King (or is it the Prime Minister) of Rock ‘n Roll whose 100th birthday will be celebrated later this year.


No.ArtistTitleAlbum
1Aaron NevilleYou Never Can Tell
2Peter GammonsCarol
3Tom Petty & The HeartbreakersAround and Around (Live at the Fillmore 1997)
4Nina SimoneBrown Eyed Handsome Man
5Lyle LovettBrown Eyed Handsome Man
6Elvis PresleyMaybelline
7Marty RobbinsMaybelline
8Hard Working AmericansSchool Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)
9Elvis PresleyMemphis Tennessee
10George BensonMemphis Tennessee
11Angela StrehliYou Never Can Tell
12Emmylou HarrisYou Never Can Tell
13George Thorogood & The DestroyersNo Particular Place To Go
14Jerry Lee LewisRoll Over Beethoven
15Sleepy LabeefRoll Over Beethoven
16Buck OwensJohnny B. Goode
17Tom Petty & The HeartbreakersJohnny B. Goode (Live at the Fillmore 1997)
18Arlen RothSweet Little Sixteen
19Jerry Lee Lewis; Ringo StarrSweet Little Sixteen
20Ronnie Wood with his Wild FiveRock 'n' Roll Music (featuring Imelda May)
21Linda RonstadtBack In The U.S.A.
22Reckless KellyBack In the USA
23Kevin RussellNadine
24John HammondNadine
25John HammondNo Money Down
26Duane AllmanNo Money Down
27Conway TwittyReelin' and Rockin'
28Johnnie AllanPromised Land
29The BandPromised Land
30Ronnie Hawkins & The HawksThirty Days
31Jeff LynneLet It Rock
32DionSweet Little Rock and Roller (Album)

Swingin’ Out West

We’re going to take another journey through those dusty, neon-lit archives of Western swing, a genre that famously thumbed its nose at musical boundaries. While the “King” Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys rightly claim the throne, the true soul of the movement lives in the smaller, rowdier units that blurred the lines between Appalachian fiddling, big band jazz, and low-down blues. For our listeners, we’re looking past the “San Antonio Rose” to the grit of the lower Great Plains. We’ll be digging into the deep-cut recordings that highlight the genre’s technical audacity, exploring a sound that kept the dance halls jumping through the Depression proving that Western swing was always much more than just “hillbilly jazz”—it was a revolution you could dance to.

No.ArtistTitleAlbum
1Pee Wee KingBirmingham BounceRompin' Stompin' Singin' Swingin'
2Moon MullicanGrandpa Stole My BabyHillbilly Bop 'n' Boogie: King/Federal Roots of Rockabilly 1944 – 56
3Hank PennyWildcat MamaThe Western Swing: Doughboys Playboys and Cowboys – Oakie Boogie
4Bill HaleyRovin' EyesFrom Western Swing to R-O-C-K (1): Rocket 88
5The Hi-FlyersHi-Flyer StompWestern Swing: Hot Hillbilly Jazz & Blues – 1935-1947
6Milton Brown & His Musical BrowniesRight or WrongWestern Swing Chronicles Vol. 1: Milton Brown & His Musical Brownies
7Bob Wills & His Texas PlayboysNew San Antonio RoseThe King Of Western Swing-25 Hits 1935-1945
8Hank PennyYou Can't Pull The Wool Over My EyesStompin' Singers & Western Swingers ([Disc 4] Saturday Night Rag)
9Bob Wills & His Texas PlayboysSnatchin' and Grabbin'Boot Heel Drag: The MGM Years [Disc 2]
10Johnny Lee Wills And His BoysLet Me BeMore Ballroom Kings
11Tommy DuncanWho Drank The Beer (While I Was In The Rear)Swinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys: The West Coast Indies
12Skeets McDonaldScoot Git And BegoneSwinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys
13Sons Of The WestSally's Got A Wooden LegSteelin' It: The Steel Guitar Story
14Dickie McBride And The Villiage BoysTulsa TwistHillbilly Fever! Vol. 1: Legends Of Western Swing
15Roy HogsedCocaine BluesSwinging Hollywood Hillbilly Cowboys
16Johnny Lee WillsRag MopThe History Of Country & Western Music – Vol. 16
17Bill Haley with the SaddlemenDance with a Dolly (With a Hole in Her Stocking)From Western Swing to R-O-C-K (2): Rock the Joint
18Bill Boyd's Cowboy RamblersMama Don't Like No MusicSaturday Night Rag 1934-1936 Vol. 1
19Wade Ray with Noel BoggsIt's All Your FaultHeroes Of Country Music Vol 1: Legends Of Western Swing
20Speedy West & Jimmy BryantTwo Of A KindSwingin' On The Strings: The Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant Collection Volume 2
21Hal Lone Pine & His MountaineersHoney Honey MineMore Ballroom Kings
22Spade Cooley & His Orchestra feat. Tex WilliamsDetourThat's What I Like About The West
23Spade Cooley & the Western Swing Dance Gang Feat. Tex WilliamsOne Sweet Letter From YouShame On You
24Hank Penny & Jaye P. MorganYou Played On My PianoCrossroads In Cowtown
25Texas Jim Robertson & His Panhandle PunchersJaw Jaw Yap Yap YapMore Ballroom Kings
26Tex AtchinsonYou Don't Do Right By Me AnymoreKings Of Western Swing Vol. 2
27Moon MullicanBottom Of The GlassThe Very Best Of
28Billy Jack Wills & His Western Swing BandTroubles (Those Lonesome Kind)Hillbilly Fever! Vol. 1: Legends Of Western Swing
29Les PaulSan Antonio RoseSwing West – vol 2 – Guitar Slingers
30Asleep at the WheelIda RedA Tribute To The Music Of Bob Wills (Dance Versions)
31Asleep at the WheelMy Baby Thinks She's a TrainBack to the Future Now Live at Arizona Charlie's Las Vegas
32Buddy Emmons; Ray Pennington; Swing Shift BandI Built a WallSwingin' by Request
33Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite BoysMusic To Her EarsSwingin' West
34Kevin RussellMilk Cow BluesCountry Swing
35Freddy FenderPlease Mr. SandmanVoices of America

Women’s History Month

This week we celebrate Women’s History Month the way we know best — by following the music. For more than a century, women have shaped the sound of America’s story. They didn’t just sing the songs — they wrote them, bent them, electrified them, sanctified them, and sometimes had to fight just to be heard over them. From the tent shows and juke joints of the 1920s to arena stages and global spotlights, women have carried rhythm, blues, gospel, country, rock, pop — and the truth — on their shoulders. Tune in this coming Friday morning for a journey that begins at the foundation. Before rock and roll. Before crossover radio. When the blues was still carving its name into shellac and history. We’ll then make our way into the genres of jazz, country, rock, and gospel where women’ influenced the deeper roots of American music and you find their fingerprints everywhere — in the blues phrasing, in the gospel shout, in the country confession, in the pop hook, in the rock-and-roll roar.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Ma RaineyMa Rainey's Black BottomMa RaineyAmazon
2Keb' Mo' Featuring Rosanne CashPut A Woman In ChargePut A Woman In ChargeAmazon
3Bessie Smith & Louis ArmstrongSt. Louis BluesI Heard It On NPR: Shake These BluesAmazon
4Memphis MinnieMe And My Chauffeur BluesBill Wyman's Blues Odyssey [Disc 2]Amazon
5Ethel WatersHeat WaveEthel Waters 1929 -1939 (feat. Duke Ellington & Benny Goodman)Amazon
6Billie HolidayGod Bless The ChildLady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia 1933-1944 [Disc 10]Amazon
7Ella FitzgeraldGoody, Goody75th Birthday Celebration [Disc 2]Amazon
8Dinah WashingtonWhat a Diff'rence a Day MakesThe Essential Dinah Washington: The Great SongsAmazon
9Jimmie GrierThe Object Of My Affection50 #1 Hits Of The '20s & '30sAmazon
10Ivie AndersonIt Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)An Introduction To Ivie AndersonAmazon
11Tommy Dorsey, The Pied Pipers, Jo StaffordEmbraceable YouI Got Rhythm: The Music of George GershwinAmazon
12Sister Rosetta TharpeRock MeOxford American 10th Anniversary Southern Music CD [Disc 2] "Past Masters" [2008]Amazon
13Mahalia JacksonMove On Up A Little Higher, Pt. 1Good News (Vol 3) Get Away JordanAmazon
14Nina SimoneSee Line WomenThe Ultimate Nina SimoneAmazon
15Betty CarterOpen the DoorAmerican BeautyAmazon
16Judy GarlandZing Went The Strings Of My HeartYour Hit Parade – 1943Amazon
17Sarah VaughanI Feel So SmoochieSeptember SongAmazon
18Kay StarrRock and Roll WaltzYour Hit Parade – 1956Amazon
19Peggy LeeSugar (That Sugar Baby O' Mine)The Capitol Collector's SeriesAmazon
20Katie ShoreYou're From TexasIt's All Her Fault: A Tribute To Cindy WalkerAmazon
21Mother Maybelle CarterKeep on the Sunny SideAsh Grove (Live April 20, 1963)Amazon
22Patsy ClineWhy Can't He Be YouThe Patsy Cline CollectionAmazon
23Kitty WellsIt Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk AngelsAmerican Roots Music (Disc One-Country)Amazon
24Dolly PartonJoleneCountry Music: A Film By Ken Burns – The Soundtrack [Disc 2]Amazon
25Loretta LynnShe's Got YouClassic Country 1975-1979 [Disc 2]Amazon
26Wanda JacksonFunnel Of LoveQueen Of RockabillyAmazon
27Etta JamesCome What MayThe Complete Modern & Kent Recordings 1Amazon
28Aretha FranklinThink30 Greatest Hits [Disc 1]Amazon
29Ruth BrownMama, He Treats Your Daughter MeanRuth Brown: The Definitive Soul Collection [[Disc 1]]Amazon
30The CrystalsDa Doo Ron RonThe Best Of The CrystalsAmazon
31LaVern BakerJim Dandy (Japan 2012 Remaster)Atlantic Rock & RollAmazon
32Carole KingI Feel the Earth MoveA Natural Woman: The Ode Collection (1968-1976) (1 of 2)Amazon
33Joni MitchellChelsea MorningHitsAmazon
34Joan BaezFarewell, AngelinaBaez Sings DylanAmazon
35Emmylou HarrisIf I Could Only Win Your LoveFifty Years Of Hits – Vol 5Amazon

The Hijacked Jukebox

Join Dave Stroud for a look at a fascinating, if somewhat cringey, slice of music history, where white cover versions of black R&B nuggets were whitewashed across the pop charts in the 1950s. While the ‘cover version’ was a standard industry practice, so were the ‘sanitized’ versions of R&B hits by black artists that made them more ‘palatable’ for white radio audiences, spotlighting white artists while the original creators stayed in the shadows. It’s certainly something that could be the topic of numerous Deeper Roots episodes but we’ll limit our scope to a two hour exploration, measuring the original against the cover. On one side of the house we’ll hear from Fats Domino (a popular source for the practic), Big Joe Turner, The Moonglows and a handful of others. The other side of the house has the names of Pat Boone, Art Mooney, The Fontane Sisters and others among the dubious roster ‘favorites’. Radio and media helped to democratize the landscape but today’s parallels with the frothing ‘look over thereness’ of right wing hate is unmistakable and hard to ignore. It was George Santayana who observed that “those who do not learn from history, are bound to repeat it.“

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1The Fontane SistersHearts Of StoneVintage Music " Vols 3 & 4Amazon
2The JewelsHearts of StoneDoo Wop Box Disc 1Amazon
3The Fontane SistersRock LoveThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
4Lula ReedRock LoveRhythm & Western Volume 4 – I Hang My Head and CryAmazon
5Eileen BartonFujiyama MamaThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
6Annisteen AllenFujiyama MamaFrom the GhettoAmazon
7The Crew CutsSh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)Magic Moments: Best Of 50's Pop (Disc 2)Amazon
8The ChordsSh-BoomGlory Days Of Rock 'N' Roll: Doo-Wop [Disc 1]Amazon
9The McGuire SistersSincerelyMagic Moments: Best Of 50's Pop (Disc 2)Amazon
10The MoonglowsSincerelyPure R&B: Vol. 1- Got My Mojo Workin [Disc 2]Amazon
11The Crew CutsDon't Be AngryHigh School FavoritesAmazon
12Nappy BrownDon't Be Angry [1955 Version]Down In The Alley – The Complete Savoy Singles A's & B'sAmazon
13The Fontane SistersPlease Don't Leave MeThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.3Amazon
14Fats DominoPlease Don't Leave MeRock And RollinAmazon
15Pat BooneThe Fat ManThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
16Fats DominoThe Fat ManMartin Scorsese Presents The Blues: Piano Blues – A Film By Clint EastwoodAmazon
17Pat BooneLong Tall SallyThe London American Story Disc 1Amazon
18Little RichardLong Tall SallySpecialty Profiles: Larry WilliamsAmazon
19Art MooneyTutti FruttiThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
20Little RichardTutti FruttiLoud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s [Box] Disc 3Amazon
21Johnnie RayFlip Flop And FlyThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
22Big Joe TurnerFlip Flop And FlyBig Joe Turner: The Definitive Blues Collection [[Disc 2]]Amazon
23Bill Haley & His CometsShake, Rattle and RollFrom The Original Master TapesAmazon
24Big Joe TurnerShake, Rattle & RollLoud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s [Box] Disc 1Amazon
25Teresa BrewerTweedle DeeThe Best Of Teresa BrewerAmazon
26LaVern BakerTweedlee DeePure R&B: Vol. 5- Pioneers [Disc 2]Amazon
27Gale StormWhy Do Fools Fall in LoveThe London American Story Disc 1Amazon
28Frankie Lymon & The TeenagersWhy Do Fools Fall in LoveGems from the Columbia Vaults, Pt. 1Amazon
29Georgia GibbsDance With Me HenryGeorgia Gibbs Greatest HitsAmazon
30Etta JamesThe WallflowerThe Best of Etta James [EMI-Capitol Special Markets]Amazon
31Jean DinningBo DiddleyThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
32Bo DiddleyBo DiddleyPure R&B: Vol. 2- Somethings Got a Hold on Me [Disc 2]Amazon
33The HilltoppersTeardrops From My EyesThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
34Ruth BrownTeardrops From My EyesRuth Brown: The Definitive Soul Collection [[Disc 1]]Amazon
35Jaye P MorganBaby Don't Do ItThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.3Amazon
36The 5 RoyalesBaby Don't Do ItThe Complete Singles 1952-1962Amazon
37Perry ComoKo Ko MoThey Tried To Rock – The Popsters Vol.4Amazon
38The FlamingosKo Ko MoThe Best Of The FlamingosAmazon
39Ricky NelsonI'm Walkin'Legacy [Disc 1]Amazon

Mid-Century Modern Jazz

Blue and cool is the mood as we spin the dial back to the 1950s — a decade of chrome, tailfins, Cold War tension, Beat poetry, and late-night cigarette smoke curling toward the ceiling of a dimly lit club. Beneath the middle class culture of the day, there was a restless heartbeat of jazz. This was the era when bebop matured into cool, hard bop caught fire, and modal explorations began reshaping the language of improvisation. Artists like Miles Davis refined understatement into revolution, John Coltrane stretched harmony toward spiritual searching, Thelonious Monk bent notes and expectations alike, and Ella Fitzgerald turned the human voice into a virtuosic instrument. Jazz in the ’50s wasn’t background music — it was conversation, protest, poetry, and possibility. Dave’s selected some important landmarks and deep tracks that take you into those dusty digital bins of jazz and improvisation this morning on Deeper Roots.

No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1George Shearing Quintet Feat. Nancy WilsonLullaby Of BirdlandThe Swingin's Mutual!Amazon
2Charlie ParkerBlues For AliceConfirmation: The Best Of The Verve YearsAmazon
3Charlie ParkerAu PrivaveConfirmation: The Best Of The Verve YearsAmazon
4Horace Silver & The Jazz MessengersDoodlin'Ken Burns Jazz [Disc 4]Amazon
5Sal SalvadorRound TripCapitol Jazz 50th Anniversary Collection [Disc 3]Amazon
6The Modern Jazz QuartetDjangoDjangoAmazon
7Chet BakerMy Funny ValentineCloser Than A Kiss: Crooner ClassicsAmazon
8Erroll Garner TrioMistyYour Hit Parade – 1954Amazon
9Clifford Brown & Max RoachI Get A Kick Out Of YouKen Burns Jazz [Disc 4]Amazon
10Sonny RollinsSt. ThomasSaxophone ColossusAmazon
11Sonny RollinsOleoPrestige Profiles BonusAmazon
12Eddie HeywoodSoft Summer BreezeGreat Instrumental Hits Of The 50s-80s (10 Songs)Amazon
13Thelonious MonkNice Work If You Can Get ItThe Original Jazz Masters Series – Vol. 4 [Disc 5]Amazon
14Count BasieLi'l Darlin'Ken Burns Jazz: Count BasieAmazon
15Lee MorganI Remember CliffordSide ManAmazon
16John ColtraneBlue TrainBlue TrainAmazon
17Cannonball AdderleyDancing In The DarkSomethin' ElseAmazon
18Johnny HodgesSatin DollBlues A PlentyAmazon
19Miles DavisBlue in GreenKind of BlueAmazon
20Charles MingusGoodbye Pork Pie HatMingus Ah UmAmazon

Party Goin’ On

Spring’s just around the corner but we’re all holding out with rain, wind and more California sunshine in our forecast until then. Don’t you think that this might call for a party? Well, some of us do and we’re going to mix up the country with the blues, the rock with the rockabilly, and the brassy with the sass as we prepare for the holiday known as President’s Day. I suppose the toddler in the basement wants that named after him, too. Can someone explain the rules of common decency and sense to President McFuddlepants? Please. I beg of you. We’ll leave him out of the party today, though, as we hang in there with a delicious spread of the very best music from the past century, including Mitty Collier, Dr. John, Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, John Fogerty and Elvin Bishop. We’ll also hear from a local favorite, Doug Blumer and The Bohemian Highway, with a reminder that “The Party’s At Our House”.



No.ArtistTitleAlbumBuy
1Marty Stuart and His Fabulous SuperlativesSad House Big PartySaturday Night / Sunday MorningAmazon
2Roque BañosParty at the RestaurantSexy BeastAmazon
3Dr. JohnParty HellfireThe Best Of The Parlophone YearsAmazon
4Amos MilburnHouse Party (Tonight)Amos Milburn RocksAmazon
5Amos MilburnLet's Have A PartyABC Of The Blues Vol 30Amazon
6Hugo and LuigiRockabilly PartyThe Forgotten 45s 1957-1959 (CD1)Amazon
7Eddy "The Chief" ClearwaterParty at My HouseMean Case of the BluesAmazon
8Jesse AllenLet's PartyStompin' 34Amazon
9Sam CookeHaving A Party100 Northern Soul ClassicsAmazon
10Mink DeVilleParty GirlsCabrettaAmazon
11Helena FergusonWhere Is The PartyDave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures – Vol. 5Amazon
12Claudine ClarkParty LightsThe Best Of The Girl Groups, Vol. 1Amazon
13Tammi TerrellTwo Can Have A PartyCome On And See Me: The Complete Solo CollectionAmazon
14Mitty CollierMy PartyTalking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961-1968Amazon
15Lesley GoreIt's My Party20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Lesley GoreAmazon
16Charlie Wilson & His Hayloft GangThe Beer Party (1933)Work Hard, Play Hard, Pray Hard: Hard Time, Good Time, And End Time Music, 1923-1936Amazon
17Dale WatsonPity PartyThe Best of the HighTone YearsAmazon
18Don GibsonGive Myself A PartyThe Complete Recordings 1952-1962Amazon
19Doug Blumer And The Bohemian HighwayThe Party's At Our HouseDoug Blumer And The Bohemian HighwayAmazon
20Charline ArthurI'm Having A Party All By MyselfWelcome To The ClubAmazon
21Wanda JacksonThere's A Party Going OnThere's A Party Goin' OnAmazon
22Elvin BishopParty Till The Cows Come HomeTulsa ShuffleAmazon
23Whitney RoseThe Last PartyHeartbreaker of the YearAmazon
24Merle HaggardGoin' Away PartyUnforgettableAmazon
25Rosanne CashI Don't Want To Spoil The PartyHits: 1979-1989Amazon
26Porter WagonerThe Party & Dolly Parton1967-1968 (Warped 6797)Amazon
27John FogertyGarden Party (With Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt)The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides AgainAmazon
28Charlie Faye & The FayettesYou Gotta Give It up (Party Song)The Whole ShebangAmazon
29The Jades with the Pacer's MusicThe Big Beach PartyBanana Split for My BabyAmazon
30AnnetteBeach PartyCowabunga! The Surf Box Disc 3Amazon
31The Super StocksMuscle Beach PartySurf Route 101Amazon
32Fats DominoWhat a PartyMy Blue Heaven: The Best of Fats DominoAmazon
33Smiley LewisCaldonia's PartySmiley Lewis Vol 1Amazon