*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
Gifted singer Emmylou Harris takes a new trip down old country roads as the self-searching “Red Dirt Girl.” We speak with her about growing up between South and North, her days on the road with Gram Parsons, and her atmospheric music today. Also, the purposefully unrooted band Yo La Tengo of Hoboken, New Jersey tracks their 15 years of luminous music and improvisatory life.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
Discover the missing link between bluegrass and rock ‘n roll in Buster Pack’s 1952 “Indian Boogie,” recorded for Rich-R-Tone two years before Elvis Presley’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” In the Dawn of the Bluegrass era segment, visit 1949 for Flatt & Scruggs’ Cincinnati sessions on Mercury, Mac Wiseman with the Blue Grass Boys, and Carl Story’s debut release — “My Lord Keeps a Record.” Other highlights include live tracks from Bill Keith & Jim Rooney (1963), Tex Logan at Newport (1965), Bill Monroe at Bean Blossom (1973), and Ron Thomason’s sales pitch for thought repellant hats (2005). A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, hosted by Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - The Steeldrivers Live
They’ve been called intense, dark, poetic, dangerous and … inescapably human. They play new music with that old-time intensity and feeling. And they’ve concocted a sound quite their own—kind of like Bill Monroe saying howdy to Bob Seger and Joe Cocker. The SteelDrivers, driven by Chris Stapleton’s fiery vocals, will be doing the live thing in honor of their self-titled Rounder debut.

Bluegrass Review
This week’s show opens with songs of treachery. Then we clear the deck for our Gem of Bluegrass which focuses on Earl Scruggs, who rescued the banjo from oblivion and made it the signature sound of bluegrass music. Then we play some of Earl’s great arrangements. In the second half of the show, it’s a couple of twin banjo selections, followed by some important new bluegrass.

Bluegrass Signal
The Stairwell Sisters, from the San Francisco Bay Area, play some of their infectious brand of old time music live on Bluegrass Signal, and provide a preview of their forthcoming CD, “Get Off Your Money.” Their social consciousness runs through their music, and musical influences range from African to blues to Tangle Eye to masters like Tommy Jarrell, Bascom Lamar Lundsford, and the Stripling Brothers.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Songs of wartime separation start us out and conclude with a joyful reunion between Rose Maddox and a sailor. The fox outruns the hounds for awhile, and the Louvins, Coopers, McReynolds, Carters, Carvers, Johnsons, Stonemans and Lillys help fill out the rest of our time. Obsolete Music is nothing if not family friendly.

*etown
The BoDeans (Sammy Llanas and Kurt Neumann) return to etown after nine years. Their set includes a new song or two, plus an old favorite, performed in a rare acoustic duo configuration. Then, Over the Rhine (married couple Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist) along with their band, bring their brilliantly written tunes to the stage. And Doug Fine, author of Farewell My Subaru, talks about the challenges of ‘greening’ his life in order to live in a more sustainable way. Plus, there’s a motivated e-chievement award winner from Monona, Wisconsin, who traveled to etown to tell us her story ‘in person’.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard, Sunday 3 a.m. (5/18), Friday 6 p.m. LIVE

Foster’s Corner, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (5/25)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Featuring Duncan Sheik, The Cat Empire, Antje Duvekot, Jeff Daniels, Catie Curtis. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
This week, Mike Kear features a brand new CD from a legend in the bluegrass world - Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press has a new CD out called Bluegrass Melodies. Mike plays some cuts from the CD and talks a little about the project. Also on the show this week - Hot Rize, Seldom Scene, Blue Highway, Wayne Taylor, Dailey and Vincent, and a song that’s causing a sensation in Australia amongst families who have a teenager in the house. Listen for “Sorta Dunno Nothin’”. It’s another big show from Australia - so don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Guitar player, Moondi Klein

Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for Tom Cat Reeder. He’ll be LIVE in the studio on Friday, May 16th at 6 p.m. ET and rebroadcast in the Open Mic time slot throughout the week. Call 202.885.8860 during his show to make a request.

Old Time Jam
Hubie plays a varied selection of songs and tunes by such old time artists as Bruce Molsky, Norman & Nancy Blake, the Canote Brothers, Alan Jabbour, Laura Boosinger & Wayne Erbsen, Palmer & Greg Loux, the Troublesome Creek String Band, and a band named for Tillie, the groundhog, plus lots more.

Special Programming
Starting things off, Phil Nusbaum discusses Earl Scruggs on Gems of Bluegrass. Following that, Jen Hitt and Trevor Whitney present some live tracks from MerleFest 2008. To round out the hour we’ll hear The Lovell Sisters play music and chat with host, Echo Propp.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
This week we’ll honor the contributions of gospel writer and singer Dottie Rambo (composer of over 2,000 songs) who died in a bus crash near Springfield, MO early last Sunday morning on Mother’s Day, May 11th.
We’ll hear several of Dottie’s songs as recorded by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the Isaacs, Tommy Webb, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Cardinals among others. Keep your song books handy for the old hymns that will precede Dottie’s songs at the beginning of the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Words and Music
Uncover musical connections with Stevenson, Yeats, Scott and other literary figures, in the company of Bonnie Rideout, Loreena McKennitt, Battlefield Band and Jean Redpath.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

Please note two changes for Sunday, May 11th:
Bluegrass Signal will be aired at 6 p.m. ET
Special Programming - Sound Sessions with Jean Ritchie will be aired at 10 p.m. ET

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
The musical and cultural meanderings of the Mississippi River, from exploration and trade to romance. Jazz, ragtime, and levee work-songs along with blues, rockabilly, gospel, and country. Guests include the late Memphis soul man Rufus Thomas and ethnomusicologist David Evans, speaking about influential Delta guitarist Charley Patton. Also, we visit a river barge pilot rolling on the river.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
Visit 1948 in the Dawn of the Bluegrass Era segment, where you’ll hear some of Flatt & Scruggs’ first records, Ralph Stanley’s transition from two-finger to three-finger banjo, and Bill Monroe’s only known recording from that year. Knoxville was an early bluegrass hotspot; featured artists associated with that city include Ray Atkins, Jethro Burns, Red Rector, Carl Sauceman, Carl Story, Tater Tate, Jake Tullock, the Webster Brothers, and a little-known song by Knoxville nurse/songwriter Ruby Moody. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, hosted by Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent Live
We’ll be chatting with the founders of one of Bluegrass-dom’s hottest new groups, two guys that give new meaning to the phrases “close harmony,” “spine-tingling” and “tough edged.” And two guys, that above everything else, know how to have fun. Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent will be joining us live to help give their self-titled debut disc the pomp, circumstance and level of national euphoria it deserves.

Bluegrass Review
On this week’s Gem of Bluegrass, we take a look at the evolution of bluegrass murder songs. Our view includes very old and very new songs. Also, we talk to Tom Rozum. Tom is best known for his partnership with Laurie Lewis, but he has had a lot of interesting experiences in the world of music. We talk to him about some of them. Plus, make sure you catch the progressive acoustic hammered dulcimer piece on today’s show.

Bluegrass Signal
Mac Martin has been playing bluegrass since the late ‘40s, and has led The Dixie Travelers since 1954 — which makes him one of the most enduring presences in the music. On the occasion of his 83rd birthday, Bluegrass Signal presents a conversation with and an overview of the music of Mac Martin, including a number of classics from 1968-72, a few “brother duets,” and a couple songs recorded live with the California Travelers on a recent NorCal tour. Mac Martin is, indeed, still “Travelin’ On!”

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Wilma Lee & Stoney, Lester & Earl, the Blue Sky Boys, Hank Williams and Washington Phillips are only a few of the stellar artists who join Dick in wishing you a happy Mother’s Day!

*etown
In this encore airing, we welcome back legendary folkie and an etown favorite, singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith, with her long-time band. Also on the show is an impressive young talent, Paris-based singer/songwriter, Piers Faccini. Faccini calls on hosts Nick & Helen Forster and the etones to back him up some of his tunes. Plus, there is an outstanding e-chievement award story from Portland, Oregon that you won’t want to miss, this week, in etown.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Tom Cat Reeder Show, Sunday 3 a.m. (5/11), Friday 6 p.m. LIVE

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (5/18)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Featuring Peter Case, Le Trio Joubran, Storyhill, Band of Heathens, and Comparsa.

Music from Foggy Hollow
This week, Mike Kear features 2:10 Train – a new CD from Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein (Rebel). He plays some of the music and talks about the artists. Also there’s new music from IIIrd Tyme Out, Blue Highway, The Baker Boys, The Gibson Brothers and lots more. Erio Meili from Sao Paulo plays a classic from Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and when he looks back 5 years, Mike plays an amusing dig at Billy Ray Cyrus from Australia’s Dead Ringer Band. And that’s only scratching the surface of another packed program. Don’t miss it!!

Musician Tip - Mandolin player for the Infamous Stringdusters, Jesse Cobb

Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for old-time band, The Freighthoppers as well as Author of “Beach to Bluegrass,” Joe Tennis. The Freighthoppers and Joe Tennis visited host Carol Beaugard on Lonesome Pine RFD in the studios earlier this month for some conversation and live music.

Old Time Jam
Old-time music, like the people who made it, is close to nature. This explains why so many tunes have animals in their names. Hubie King takes this as his theme this week and plays a whole menagerie of animal tunes. Such artists as The Double Decker String Band, Alan Jabbour, Ken Perlman, Dave Bing, David O’Dell, Diane Jones, Reed Martin, the Hoover Uprights, Mike Seeger, the Run of the Mill String Band, and lots of others, play tunes about cows, horses, ducks, chickens, mules, skunks, monkeys, dogs, “yowes” (or ewes), raccoons, and you-name-’em kinds of creatures. Tune in and be part of the fun.

Special Programming
Join host Sam Litzinger and Smithsonian Folkways archivist Jeff Place for another Sound Sessions from Smithsonian Folkways, this time featuring folk singer, Jean Ritchie. More information on the music played in this program is available from Smithsonian Folkways.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
In recognition of Mothers Day we’ll have a generous serving of inspirational songs honoring mother, mama, and momma. Many are emotional and some are sad but all are tributes to those wonderful women who are the reason we’re here. Don’t forget your song book for the old hymns that start the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Welsh Roots
Check out some of the emerging roots music from Wales with established and emerging artists, including master of the Welsh triple harp Robin Huw Bowen, vocal duo Ember, Rag Foundation and Welsh folk fusion group Ffynnon.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.
Hear more about author David Dunaway and his biography of the legendary Pete Seeger, “How Can I Keep from Singing”.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
This week feel the Pan-Latin vibe with guests Flaco Jimenez and Eddie Palmieri. San Antonio native and king of the conjunto accordion, Jimenez recalls his father’s influence on his playing. And NuYorican jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri talks about reshaping Latin bands with his La Perfecta group in the early 1960s. Plus, hear how Latin music influenced American roots rock, jazz and even Cajun music.

Banks of the Ohio - All new program!
In the Modern Roots segment, we visit 1998 and quote media coverage from that year referring to bluegrass as both “conservative” and “cool.” Featured are inter-generational performances from 1998 by Doc Watson and Ronnie McCoury, Ralph Stanley and Vern Gosdin, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. The storms must be over, because a number of rainbow songs crept into the show (Riley Puckett from 1927, Josh Graves from 1962, Ted Lundy from 1975, Jimmy Martin from 1976, and the Persimmon Sisters from 2007). A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, hosted by Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Our Town
We’ll be taking a close hard, penetrating look at some of the many colorful towns that dot the high lonesome landscape. The Rarely Herd, Rustler’s Moon, Kane’s River, New Dominion Bluegrass Boys and Art Stevenson will all be in tow for a ride into and out of such fabled places at Steel Town, Boom Town, Heartbreak Town, Lonesome Town, Log Town and Our Town.

Bluegrass Review
On our Gem of Bluegrass, we meet more memorable folks. This time, the focus is on the poor folks we meet in bluegrass songs. Later, we talk to Bull Harman. Listening to him play, you might not guess that he was inspired by a famous rock and roll band, but it’s true! Bull plays just a little out-of-the-box, and he demonstrates some of his original approaches during an interview with us.

Bluegrass Signal
Fiddler Blaine Sprouse recently moved to California, so this week’s Bluegrass Signal is an overview of his music with Bill Monroe, The Osborne Brothers, Jim & Jesse, The Dreadful Snakes, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Hazel Dickens, Livewire, and The Cluster Pluckers. There’s also a set of tunes Blaine recorded with his inspiration and mentor, Kenny Baker.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Ernest Tubb, Bessie Smith, Hank Williams and Jimmy Murphy sing the blues, Georgia Slim and Howdy Forrester play twin fiddles, Earl Scruggs, Frank Jenkins and Bascom Lamar Lunsford pick the banjo–who could ask for more? Obsolete Music might not keep us young, but it helps us treasure the years.

*etown - Big Head Todd & The Monsters return to etown!
Now a quartet, the band rocks the house with an energetic set of tunes new and old, all featuring Todd Park Mohr’s exceptional guitar licks. Also back in etown is Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, who, along with her husband and musical partner Colin Cripps, play some pared down versions of her well-crafted songs (some of which are backed up by Nick Forster and the etones). Plus, there’s an energetic and extremely dedicated ‘in person’ e-chievement award winner who shares her story with us… all for you, in etown!

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Bill Miller Show, Sunday 3 a.m. (5/4)

The Tom Cat Reeder Show Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (5/11)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Featuring Tim Finn, Otis Taylor, Grant Lee Phillips, Patty Larkin, Joe Rathbone. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
This week, Mike Kear features a new gospel release from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver called “Help Is On The Way”. Mike plays several songs from the CD and talks about the band and its members. Also on the show, new music from Luke McNight & Thunder Road, the Earl Brothers, Bobby Osborne & Rocky Top X-Press, The Seldom Scene, The Gibson Brothers and plenty more. As usual its a big show, so don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Kathy Mattea

Open Mic
Its festival season and one of the best festivals in D.C. during the summer is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. We’ll hear performances from 2006 and 2007 by folksinger Maria Dunn, John Wort Hannam, and the bluegrass band, No Speed Limit. Highlights from the 2008 festival will be broadcast in July.

Old Time Jam
Hubie plays a variety of songs and tunes, many of which we haven’t heard here before. The artists include newcomers The Lonesome Sisters, The New Roanoke String Band, Christian Wig, Mark Olitsky, Dave Rice and Fred Goodnight. Veterans Paul Brown; Cathy Fink; The Hoover Uprights; the Double Decker, Double Eagle and Troublesome Creek String Bands; Gandydancer; Travis and Trevor, the Stuart Brothers; the Ill-Mo Boys and the Hushpuppies all give encore performances.

Special Programming
Starting things off, Phil Nusbaum discusses some well-known bluegrass “characters” on Gems of Bluegrass. Following that, Katy Daley is joined by the recently retired guitar player from the Country Current, Wayne Taylor. To round out the hour we’ll hear Kathy Mattea talk in-depth about her career and her new album, Coal.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Just good bluegrass gospel music this week - some old and new from artists such as Doyle Lawson, Bill Monroe, Carl Story, Forbes Family, and Doc Watson. And of course we’ll be able to sing along to the old hymns which include “Rock of Ages,” “Shall We Gather at the River,” and “Pass Me Not.”

*Thistle and Shamrock - Raise Your Voice
Solo singing is revered in traditional circles, but layers of harmony and massed voices create stunning arrangements of traditional and folk song. Add your voice to the choruses with choirs from Scotland and Brittany and some of your favorite bands in fuller voice.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.
Mary Cliff talks with Author David Dunaway about his biography of the legendary Pete Seeger, “How Can I Keep from Singing”.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - Gulf Coast Blues and More: Barbara Lynn & Belton Richard
Tune in for the words and music of two storied Gulf South artists. First up, the Empress of Gulf Coast Soul, Barbara Lynn, of Beaumont, Texas. Ms. Lynn recalls her days as the Black Elvis, playing left-handed guitar and penning and recording her own first-person paeans of love lost. Accordion player, Belton Richard talks about bringing his mix of Cajun and country to dancehalls across the region and remembers his swamp pop days with the Musical Aces. Plus two hours of swampy blues, sultry country and more.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
From mountain fiddle tunes to Sacred Harp hymns, Victorian parlor ballads to folksinger/songwriters, from honky tonk country to the Beatles, bluegrass has absorbed a wide variety of songs and styles which are covered in the first half hour. During the “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment, visit 1947 and hear Bill Monroe’s classic band, his brother Charlie with Ira Louvin, the Stanley Brothers’ earliest sounds, New Englanders Jerry and Sky, Kentucky’s James & Martha Carson, and the Bailey Brothers of Happy Valley, Tennessee. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Donna Ulisse & Friends Live
She sang “Take This Hammer” on stage with a bluegrass band at the age of three. Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys played at her wedding (to Ralph’s cousin, Rick Stanley), opening the reception with a rousing rendition of “Little Maggie.” She’s got bluegrass in her blood and it shows in her soulful singing and brilliant songwriting. Donna Ulisse and friends, Andy Leftwich (fiddle and mandolin), Andy Hall (dobro), Keith Sewell (guitar), David Pomeroy (bass) and Rick Stanley (vocals), will be appearing live in celebration of Donna’s killer debut, When I Look Back.

Bluegrass Review - Modern songwriting
Many songwriters today are seeking new forms of expression in songs. Our Gem of Bluegrass notes a few current directions. Plus, we play a few new, hard-hitting songs. Later, we have a conversation with songwriter Becky Buller, who plays us a few of her new songs.

Bluegrass Signal - 10 years of European World of Bluegrass
This week Peter Thompson returns to the other side of the puddle for highlights from the new 2-CD release on Strictly Country, “10 Years of European World of Bluegrass.” Eight of the bands included on the live recordings (from 1998-2007 EWOB Festivals) featured on this show include musicians from the Czech Republic; there are also groups from Italy, The Slovak Republic, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Germany, and Ireland. Sources for covers range from Bobby Osborne to Sting, and the many originals include two sung in native languages. Visit www.ewob.eu for information about the album and the festival, which takes place this year May 1-3 in Voorthuizen, Netherlands.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Obsolescence opens with a few Woody Guthrie songs, followed by a Mind Your Own Business medley. In the second hour, guitar songs and guitar displays, featuring Maybelle Carter, Hank Snow, Blind Blake and Merle Travis.

*etown - Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Béla Fleck
etown turns 17 years old this week and celebrates with a classic, broad mix of music that is wildly diverse yet closely connected… Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Béla Fleck (banjo), Casey Driessen (fiddle) and Ben Sollee (cello) cross global and cultural lines while remaining firmly rooted in the traditions of Appalachian American music. Vusi Mahlasela, simply known as “The Voice” in his home-country, South Africa, is celebrated for his distinct, powerful voice and his poetic, optimistic lyrics. His songs of hope connect Apartheid-scarred South Africa with its promise for a better future.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

Foster’s Corner Sunday 3 a.m. (4/27)

The Bill Miller Show, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (5/3)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m. Tom Cat Reeder guest hosts Monday 4/28

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Carolina Chocolate Drops,Claire Lynch Band, Cherryholmes, Kane Welch Kaplan, Bare Bones

Music from Foggy Hollow with Mike Kear - - ANZAC Day
April 25th is ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand, and on Music from Foggy Hollow, Mike Kear has a special show, featuring music relating to soldiers and war. He remembers those who have fallen and sacrificed for our good, and in particular concentrates on the WWI battle of Villers-Brettaneau, a tiny village in France that was a watershed in Australian history, and which has its 90th anniversary on ANZAC Day 2008. There are many bluegrass songs on this theme, new and old, and Mike plays as many of them as he can fit into the show.

Musician Tip - guitar player, Wayne Taylor

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for more 40th anniversary programming. Join Bill Foster for a two-hour feature on Buzz Busby, one of the founding fathers of Washington, DC bluegrass. We’ll play some of Buzz’s tunes and hear an interview with the mandolin-player that originally aired on WAMU in 1975.

Old Time Jam
Highlights: This week Hubie plays songs and tunes that, unlike many offerings, really do have some relation to the Civil War. Soldiers’ marching songs and camp music, Lincoln’s assassination, battles, generals and enlisted men - all figure in this musical time-traveling history in Old Time music.

Special Programming
Starting things off, Phil Nusbaum discusses some well-known bluegrass “characters” on Gems of Bluegrass. Following that, Katy Daley is joined by the recently retired guitar player from the Country Current, Wayne Taylor. To round out the hour we’ll hear Kathy Mattea talk in-depth about her career and her new album, Coal.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
This week we’ll hear several selections from the new DVD/CD live concert release by long time Stained Glass Bluegrass favorites, the Lewis Family and the Easter Brothers which features Jeff & Sheri Easter as well. And keep the old hymns books handy for singing along with the hymns that start the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - John Doyle
Guitar master, singer, producer John Doyle is one of the most versatile artists in Irish music. Find out about his signature rhythmic guitar style, how he develops his irresistible arrangements and his life as a transplanted Dubliner in the musical mountain town of Asheville North Carolina. Music from Solas, Liz Carroll, Tim O’Brien, John’s dad Sean Doyle and from his solo albums, John Doyle himself.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - Fire and Water
Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock joins us to talk about keeping his hardcore jazz credentials while breaking the pop barrier with “Watermelon Man.” Hancock recalls famous associations with Miles and more, including those on his recent Record of the Year, River: the Joni Letters, a collection of Joni Mitchell tunes. Plus the four faces of New Orleans’ Mount Rushmore–Art, Aaron, Charles and Cyril–the Neville Brothers. Since 1954, when Brother Art hit with the ultimate carnival classic “Mardi Gras Mambo,” the Nevilles have been on the scene, solo or as a group. We’ll hear their legacy of soul, funk and R & B as the brothers tell us how it all came to pass, and how the legacy lives on in the next generation with Ivan and Ian Neville.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
Visit 1946 during the “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment; featured are earliest recordings of the classic bluegrass band (Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Chubby Wise, and Howard Watts). You’ll also hear women who influenced and made bluegrass in its earliest years: Cousin Emmy, the Poe Sisters, Wilma Lee Cooper, Hazel Dickens, Alice Gerrard, Grace French, and Jeannette Cooke. “Walls of Time To Come” includes music from Japan and Mexico. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Crossroads
No place in BluegrassLand is more shrouded in mystery and controversy than the fabled “Crossroads.” With the help of the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, Sammy Shelor, Doyle Lawson and the Lonesome River Band, we’ll indeed be traveling to the intersection of Highways 49 & 61 in Clarksdale, Mississippi as well as to Brice’s Crossroads, Logan’s Crossroads and the Crossroads Bar.

Bluegrass Review - Modern Songwriting
Many songwriters today are seeking new forms of expression in songs. Our Gem of Bluegrass notes a few current directions. Plus, we play a few new, hard-hitting songs. Later, we have a conversation with songwriter Becky Buller, who plays us a few of her new songs.

Bluegrass Signal - Sugar Hill Ramble
This week, Peter Thompson samples the “Americana Masters” series recently released by Sugar Hill Records. This show features the bluegrass artists in this series — Nashville Bluegrass Band, Peter Rowan, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Lonesome River Band — as well as some highlights from the new compilation, “Absolutely Bluegrass Vol.1.” This set includes several interesting collaborations: between Marty Stuart & Doc Watson, Tim O’Brien & Del McCoury, and Jerry Douglas (who’s all over this show) & Alison Krauss.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
This week, Vern and Ray show why California bluegrass fans hold them in awe, raw fiddlers (including Cajun music giant Dennis McGee) show why they deserve respect, the Titanic sinks again, and we enjoy brief appearances by Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, the Coopers, Uncle Dave, and the Stanley Brothers. Obsolete Music just gets older every week.

*etown with Nick Forster
etown welcomes two first-time visitors for this week’s broadcast. First, New Zealand singer-songwriter Tim Finn takes the stage sharing new tunes as well as a song or two from his old band days with the group Split Enz. Nick & Helen Forster and the etones back Tim up, instrumentally and vocally, in fine style. Also with us is Ky-Mani Marley, the second youngest of Bob Marley’s children. He and his band treat our listeners to his special blend of world, hip-hop, blues, rock, and reggae sounds. And another extremely dedicated and inventive e-chievement award winner shares his experience with us… all for you, in etown!

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard Sunday 3 a.m. (4/20)

Foster’s Corner, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (4/27)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Marc Cohn, Bill Evans Soulgrass w/Sam Bush & Richard Bono, Jeremy Fisher, Kelly Sweet, and Amy Correia. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow with Mike Kear

Musician Tip - old-time guitar player, John Schwab

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for more 40th anniversary programming. Join Bill Foster for a two-hour feature on Buzz Busby, one of the founding fathers of Washington, DC bluegrass. We’ll play some of Buzz’s tunes and hear an interview with the mandolin-player that originally aired on WAMU in 1975.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie plays a variety of instrumental tunes by folks like Pete Sutherland, James Bryan, The Ill-Mo Boys, Paul Brown, Bruce Molsky and Dan Levenson, balanced with songs by the Hushpuppies, Hawker and Justice, Greg Clark, the Georgia Mudcats, Laura Boosinger, and others.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
This week we’re joined by a new voice on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country, Trevor Whitney. Trevor and Jen Hitt will highlight the artists performing at MerleFest 2008.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
This week we’ll hear some more songs from both Larry Sparks and Doyle Lawson’s new CDs as well as some old favorites, including Clyde Moody in an early 1940’s recording with Bill Monroe. And of course - don’t forget the old hymns to start the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Thistlepod Follow-up
Hear the full tracks of some of the recent previews and debuts from our popular podcast.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - Divas?

What comes to mind when you hear the word Diva? We’ll explore the meaning - and the sound - of that feminine term through our music mix, and through interviews with some high-minded women who give the word a good name: Bonnie Raitt, Abbey Lincoln and young chanteuse Norah Jones. Plus songs with men and women weighing in on the topic from Louis Jordan, Memphis Minnie, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and more.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
The “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment highlights 1945 and Bill Monroe’s first recordings for Columbia. The late Bobby Thompson, a brilliant and prolific banjoist, is featured on eight tracks recorded between 1956 and 1971. And don’t miss an amazing tape from 1962 that fades between simultaneous radio broadcasts of the Stonemans and Red Allen & Frank Wakefield. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Donna Hughes Band Live
She’s one of the genre’s most expressive singers and poignant songwriters, an original 21st century bluegrass voice crying in the wilderness. From Trinity, NC, the Donna Hughes Band—Tim Tew (dobro), Rebecca Frazier (guitar), John Frazier (mandolin), Gina Britt (bass), and Thomas Wyrot (banjo)—will be our special guests. Plus, we’ll be making a beeline to the new bluegrass CD bins sifting out what’s hot from what’s not.

Bluegrass Review
Bill Bolick, the only remaining Blue Sky Boy died in mid-March, 2008. We take the occasion to highlight the achievements of the Blue Sky Boys on the Gem of Bluegrass. Later on the show, we talk to John Reischman, leader of the Jaybirds from British Colombia. Also on the show, we listen to important new groups who are pushing the bluegrass envelope.

Bluegrass Signal - Up A Creek
This week, Peter Thompson is up a creek. There are several renditions of creek-ish tunes by Jimmy Martin, Earl Scruggs, Clarence White, Watson/Blake/Rice, and The Roadoilers, plus songs from creek-ish bands based in NorCal (Adobe Creek, Bean Creek, Mossy Creek) and elsewhere (Nickle Creek, Polecat Creek, Spring Creek).

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Rare tracks from blind Kentucky fiddler Ed Haley, Jab Jones plays blues piano and Memphis jug, a few red hot tenor guitarists, great hymns from the Louvins, Eddy Arnold and Dan Pickett, and lots of others who get a chance to shine on this week’s Obsolete Music Hour.

*etown with Nick Forster
For this encore broadcast, etown welcomes Calexico, the Tucson-based eclectic rockers led by Joey Burns and John Convertino. They spin tunes influenced by spaghetti westerns, surf, twang and 50’s jazz, sprinkled with just the right amount of southwestern spice. Then, Nick & Helen Forster and the etones take the stage with Dave Alvin, as he swings back to etown in support of his CD, Songs from California Songwriters. He puts his own unique spin on songs written by a group of writers as diverse as Jackson Browne, Kate Wolf, and Brian Wilson. It’s etown, bringing you another fine hour of great music, engaging conversation, and, as always, an amazing e-chievement award story.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Tom Cat Reeder Show Sunday 3 a.m. (4/13)

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard, Tuesday 12 p.m. LIVE, Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (4/13)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Featuring Little Big Town, Catherine Russell, Larry Keel Band, Davisson Brothers Band, and Rose Cousins.Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
This week, Mike Kear plays the 30 hottest songs in the world of bluegrass, according to Bluegrass Unlimited magazine’s April survey, and features the Gibson Brothers new CD, Iron and Diamonds (Sugar Hill). With all that there’s barely room for the weekly segment from Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s a fun-filled how again this week, only a bandicoot would miss it!

Musician Tip - Ike Sheldon fromThe Wilders

Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for multi-instrumentalist and founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band John McEuen. John visited host Carol Beaugard on Lonesome Pine RFD in the WFDU studios earlier this month for some conversation and live bluegrass.

*Old Time Jam

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Starting things off, Phil Nusbaum highlights the Blue Sky Boys on Gems of Bluegrass. Following that, Old time banjo player and NPR newscaster, Paul Brown, visited our studios recently along with guitar player John Schwab. They sat down with Hubie King to chat and play some tunes.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Bob has returned from a recent tour of some of the WWII battlefields and thus he’ll salute our veterans and current service members and families with related gospel numbers. We’ll also hear some more selections from Doyle Lawson’s new all gospel CD as well as some of those favorite old hymns.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Thistlepod Follow-up
Hear the full tracks of some of the recent previews and debuts from our popular podcast.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - Jews & Blues
Explore the connection between the wail of the cantor and the slide of a blues note–where jazz and swing meet the klezmorium. Legendary R&B producer and mensch Jerry Wexler recalls how a self-described “Jew boy from Washington Heights” came to work with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Dylan. Banjo player, and author Henry Sapoznik talks about going from old time country back to the music of his roots, klezmer. Plus jazz-inflected Yiddish swing, Old Testament musical object lessons in reggae, and more.

Banks of the Ohio
1944 is the featured year in the “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment. You’ll hear a complete radio show from Charlie Monroe & his Kentucky Pardners, with young Lester and Gladys Flatt. Four numbers span Peter Rowan’s career, including 1965 and 1999 versions of “Walls of Time.” And you won’t want to miss Mac Wiseman’s indescribable “Rocky Top Slide” with the GroovGrass Boyz. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - The Dappled Grays Live
We’ll be spending some quality live time with the bluegrassical pride of Atlanta, Georgia. A band that snaps, crackles and pops with stunning vocals and instrumental pyrotechnics and probably the only band in the history of bluegrass to ever take its name from an Alexander Dumas novel. From Chapter 47 of The Count of Monte Cristo, The Dappled Grays will be ganging around the microphones.

Bluegrass Review
This week’s Gem of Bluegrass discusses bluegrass bands playing country songs, and why. And, we play a few great bluegrass treatments of country songs. We sample the music of a few new groups pushing the bluegrass envelop and listen to a few great “hook” tunes. (The lyric “hook” is the most catchy part of the lyric, and is supposed to grab the listner’s ear.) Plus, we talk to Alan Munde, a great banjo composer, about his composing.

Bluegrass Signal - What’s Goin’ On: Musical Previews
This week Peter Thompson samples some recent acquisitions: one great reissue (Larry Richardson & The Blue Ridge Boys), new releases by a few bands you might (or might not) have heard (Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Sawmill Road, Balsam Range, Widow Maker), and solo outings from Heather Berry, Paul Craft, Ray Bierl, Si Kahn, and Otis Taylor.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
In the first hour, Bill Monroe “finds her name” written in several places. Then multiple aspects of love are followed by cautionary tales starring the monkey and baboon. In hour 2, a few train songs and some pop tunes that turned country. Stellar appearances by Mr. Monroe (five times!), Mac Wiseman, Hogman Maxey, Johnnie & Jack (three times!), Hobart Smith, the Stanley Brothers, Jesse James (the other Jesse James), Wade Mainer, and a cast of dozens. Obsolescence has never been more potent!

*etown with Nick Forster
It’s etown ‘on-the-road’ in Fort Collins, Colorado, with The Subdudes and The Roches. The Subdudes share a set of Americana roots-rock songs that feature their signature three-part harmonies. Then, sisters Maggie, Terre & Suzzy–The Roches–hit the stage with their warm wit, unique lyrical style, and tight sibling harmonies. Hosts Nick & Helen Forster partner with both artists for a one-of-a-kind etown finale you won’t want to miss! Also, hear the story of a dedicated e-chievement award winner, who joins us ‘in person’ all right here in etown.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Bill Miller Show Sunday 3 a.m. (4/6)

The Tom Cat Reeder Show, Tuesday 12 p.m. LIVE, Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (4/13)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m.LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Larry Groce hosts Suzanne Vega, Justin Currie, Mary Gauthier, Ingrid Michaelson, Moya Brennan, Matt Nathanson. Playlist

Music from Foggy Hollow
The first hour and a half of this week’s show is programmed by regular listener, Tina Buchanan from Virginia. She’s learning to play mandolin and in a short time has learned a LOT about bluegrass music. Mike plays her selections and talks to Tina about the songs and why she chose them. You can see Tina’s selections on the show’s web site. Also, Mike Kear features the long-awaited CD from the Seldom Scene, “Scenechronized” (Sugar Hill). Mike plays some of the songs on the album and talks about the background to one of the most innovative and respected bands in the bluegrass world. All this plus the other regular features of the show. It’s a HUGE program this week, so don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Casey Driessen

Open Mic
On March 28th the Larry Stephenson Band appeared at Cherrydale United Methodist Church in Arlington, Virginia. Larry was joined by Kyle Perkins on bass, Kristen Scott Benson on banjo, Josh Williams on guitar, and Jason Barie on fiddle. We’ll hear the two hour performance in its entirety.

*Old Time Jam
Old time banjo player and NPR newscaster, Paul Brown, visited our studios recently along with guitar player John Schwab.
They sat down with Hubie King to chat and play some tunes.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Starting things off, Phil Nusbaum discusses bluegrass interpretations of country songs on Gems of Bluegrass. Following that, Katy Daley takes a look at the bluegrass curriculum at Denison University. To round out the hour we’ll hear how The Wilders are redefining the murder ballad with their new 5 part piece, “Sittin’ on a Jury.”

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Bob will be away this Sunday but he’s prepared a new program that includes some long standing favorites, some of the newer releases and of course a few of your favorite old hymns - so keep those hymn books handy.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Songs of Robert Burns
Hear a variety of artists in the intoxicating embrace of the Scottish bard’s songs, including Rod Paterson, Dougie MacLean and Eddi Reader.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
This weeks’ American Routes hits the road in story and song. We visit with country singer and songwriter Rosanne Cash about life in a musical family, living in Nashville and her recent release, Black Cadillac. And join Nick as he rides the rails. It’s a trip on the City of New Orleans train with the singer that made it famous, folk hero Arlo Guthrie. Plus two hours of the traveling blues, as well as country, jazz, rock and soul and more.

Banks of the Ohio
Ten Jimmy Martin recordings from the beginning to the end of the Sunny Mountain Boys include live cuts from 1960 and 1973. Hear eight more of the late Hall of Fame member’s numbers by the top bluegrass artists of today. 1942 is the featured year in the “Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” segment, including a complete Roy Hall & the Blue Ridge Entertainers radio program from WDBJ, Roanoke. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - January, February & March, 1968
We’ll be hurtling back through time and high-lonesome space to those halcyon days of yore — specifically, January, February and March, 1968 when, among other things: Flatt and Scruggs, Reno & Harrell and Bill Clifton appear on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine in successive months; The Sawtooth Mountain Volunteers, an Oregon based band, dress up in “Bonnie & Clyde”-like outfits and pick “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and “Birdie” during halftime at ABC’s basketball “Game of the Week” between UCLA and Oregon State; Flatt & Scruggs take their first trip to Japan, prompting Earl to say, “I don’t know whether I want to go to Japan or not. Over there a ‘banjera’ is an outhouse;” Kenny Baker rejoins Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys; and new albums from J.E. Mainer, Don Reno & Benny Martin, the Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe appear on record store shelves.

Bluegrass Review
Every generation has a small group of pickers who not only define their era, but shape the future. Our Gem of Bluegrass focuses on one of them: Chris Thile, the great mandolin player. Then, we talk with one of the great banjo creators, Alan Munde.

Bluegrass Signal - What’s Goin’ On: Musical Previews
This week Peter Thompson presents mostly music from the west coast, including bands that feature old time music (The Roadoilers), old time/bluegrass fusion (John Reischman & the Jaybirds), trad grass (The Mighty Crows and Carolina Special), original grass (Alhambra Valley Band), and party grass (Belle Monroe & Her Brewglass Boys). Additional music from west coast visitors The Infamous Stringdusters, Bluegrass Brothers, and Jim Hurst.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Bob Osborne’s first records from 1950, Gene Autry sings the blues, a couple of 1920s jug bands, a Yiddish dance tune that broke the ethnic barriers, a Mississippi Delta classic that Howlin’ Wolf inherited from Tommy Johnson (remember TJ in O Brother, Where Art Thou?), and surviving treasures from Blue Ridge, the 1950s western North Carolina bluegrass label.

*etown with Nick Forster
The Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Shawn Mullins is back in etown! He performs both favorite hits and brand new tunes, backed up by Nick & Helen Forster and the etones. Sharing the etown stage is living legend Puerto Plata (aka Jose Manuel Cobles), an 84-year-old singer and guitarist from the Dominican Republic now living in the U.S. He introduces us to an acoustic style rarely heard outside of his native country. And former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter shares some compelling opinions and insights about Iraq.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

Foster’s Corner Sunday 3 a.m. (3/30)

The Bill Miller Show, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (4/6)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. - LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show - Katy’s back from Nashville!

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage

With Host Larry Groce featuring Regina Spektor, Asleep At The Wheel, Matt White, the subdudes, and They Might Be Giants. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
Mike Kear features Blue Highway’s new CD “Through The Window Of A Train” (Rounder) this week on Music from Foggy Hollow. He plays a few tracks from the CD and talks about the band and the music. Also plays lots of other new music, becuase it seems almost every band is releasing new CDs right now. Also on the show, a look back 5 years at what was on the show back then, and a selection from the Sao Paulo Bluegrass Association. It’s another big show you would be a wombat to miss!

Musician Tip - Larry Stephenson

Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for Cherryholmes and David Davis and the Warrior River Boys. Both groups visited host Carol Beaugard on Lonesome Pine RFD in the WFDU studios earlier this month for some conversation and live bluegrass.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie plays sample selections from several CDs just received, containing a mix of old-time band instrumentals and some sentimental harmony singing. Artists heard will include the Hoover Uprights, the Double Decker String Band, the Ill-Mo Boys, Ann and Phil Case, Don Pedi, Greg Clark, the New North Carolina Ramblers, John Hoffman and Mac Benford, and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Bob Webster talks with Lou Reid, Jen Hitt reviews the bluegrass featured at SXSW 2008, and we hear the Punch Brothers recent appearance on the NPR program, All Things Considered.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
In addition to some of your favorite old hymns, we’ll hear several selections from the new all gospel recording “Help Is on the Way” by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.

*Thistle and Shamrock
Patsy Seddon is one of Scotland’s best-known harpers, celebrated for her innovative work with The Poozies and Sileas. Fiona joins Patsy for a chat recorded live at the Perthshire Amber Festival.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
Body, soul and Earth are rejuvenated at this special time of year when winter turns to spring. Spend some of it with Virginia-based gospel group the Paschall Brothers who perform an in-studio, a cappella set. Then meet Charlie Louvin, who along with brother Ira made up the Louvin Brothers. Famous for their familial harmonies as much as for their hellfire and brimstone tunes like “The Drunkard’s Grave,” and “Satan is Real,” Charlie recalls the brothers’ heyday and talks about getting his second wind as a performer. And take a ride with Shreveport, Louisiana’s Santa Maria Produce Company in their trucks covered by hand painted reproductions of da Vinci’s Last Supper and other religious iconography.

Banks of the Ohio
We go to 1941 this week for 10 songs from the dawn of the bluegrass era. Other highlights include a cool Joe Val solo from 1963; Ralph’s “John Henry” from the Stanley Brothers’ first college concert (Antioch, 1960); pioneer bluegrass diva Gloria Belle singing and playing twin banjo (1967); and a 2003 mandolin summit with Ricky Skaggs, Ron McCoury, Doyle Lawson, and Marty Stuart. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Anne And Pete Sibley Live
Our special guests are a husband and wife duo that have been singing together since they first met in high school choir. Their harmonies are warm, tight and soulful; and their performances simple, poignant and unforgettable. From Jackson, Wyoming, Anne & Pete Sibley will be ganging around the microphones live. We’ll also be hot on the trail of the latest from The SteelDrivers, Dailey & Vincent, Andy Falco, the Faris Family, Monroe Crossing and Ernie Thacker & Route 23.

Bluegrass Review
On our Gem of Bluegrass, the Country Gentlemen was a band that shook up bluegrass. Originally leaning on traditional music, they became allied with the folk revival, and introduced new song types into bluegrass. But because their music style stretched the bounds of the bluegrass idiom only a little, they were accepted, and made great contributions. Later in the show, we speak with Monroe Crossing fiddler and songwriter, Lisa Fuglie. Plus, we play a set of recent and compelling songs relating to the conflict between North Vietnam and the United States.

Bluegrass Signal
This week Peter Thompson samples some recent acquisitions: one great reissue (Larry Richardson & The Blue Ridge Boys), new releases by a few bands you might (or might not) have heard (Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, Sawmill Road, Balsam Range, Widow Maker), and solo outings from Heather Berry, Paul Craft, Ray Bierl, Si Kahn, and Otis Taylor.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
A show for the season featuring classic Easter songs like I’ll Have a New Body by Hank Williams, and Didn’t They Crucify My Lord? from the Blue Sky Boys.

*etown with Nick Forster
North Mississippi Allstars return to etown! The trio shakes the house this week with an energetic set of driving blues-rock tunes. Then, making his first visit to etown, it’s singer-songwriter and unique blues guitarist and harmonica player, Ray Bonneville. Nick & Helen Forster and the etones partner up on some of Ray’s fine songs. And there’s another extremely dedicated e-chievement award winner who shares his experience with us — all for you, in etown!

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard, Sunday 3 a.m. (3/22)

Foster’s Corner, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (3/22)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. - LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m. Katy Daley will be away at Leadership Bluegrass this week. Bob Webster will host her show Monday-Wednesday and Tom Cat Reeder will host her show on Thursday and Friday.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Rebroadcast from June, 2007 featuring Irma Thomas, Tim & Mollie O’Brien, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Jesse Winchester, and Campbell Brothers. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
It’s another big show with Mike Kear this week. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder are releasing a project of traditional bluegrass songs, with the catchy title of “Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass, Tribute to 1946 and 1947. Mike Kear features this CD this week, playing several cuts from the album, and talking about some of the songs on it. Also, he plays lots of new music, some that you’ll know and love too, and of course the regular segments from Sao Paulo, and looking back at what was on the show five years ago. Don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Banjo player and NPR newscaster, Paul Brown.

Open Mic - The Tom Cat Reeder Show LIVE 3/21, 6-8 p.m.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie King pays tribute to the influential Carter Family this hour with a selection of their songs, performed by a variety of Old Time artists,including Norman and Nancy Blake, Tim and Mollie O’Brien, Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin, the Stairwell Sisters and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Bob Webster talks with Lou Reid, Jen Hitt reviews the bluegrass featured at SXSW 2008, and we hear the Punch Brothers recent appearance on the NPR program, All Things Considered.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
This week will be the annual Easter program. All songs will be associated with the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ. The old hymns that begin the third hour will also be related to this season, so have those hymn books close by.

*Thistle and Shamrock - In Full Voice
Voices of Celtic song are traditional, contemporary, harmonious, a capella, rousing, soothing. From the tradition-bearers to the singer-songwriters, enjoy the range of voices on The Thistle & Shamrock this week, with new releases from Kate Rusby, Michael Black, Sylvia Barnes, Luka Bloom and Karine Polwart. This full hour of strong voices says it all: traditional and contemporary song is thriving.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - Don’t Scandalize My Name
From Pretty Polly and Poor Ellen Smith to Lil’ Liza Jane and Old Joe Clark, this American Routes deals with the nomenclature of music. We’ll chat with a man many of you might know and learn what it’s like to grow up as John Smith. Plus, the San Antonio native and leader of the barnstorming 1950’s band Mando & the Chili Peppers tells us how he took a turn from Tejano music to rock n’ roll and ended up in Las Vegas with a stage name that stuck. And learn more about Jody, that shadowy figure that’s got your girl and gone.

Banks of the Ohio
You’ll hear some lesser-known songs about trains (”CNR Special,” “Ridin’ the L&N”) and both the downsides (”Philadephia Lawyer,” “Knoxville Girl,” “Stay Away From Me,” “Ghost of Eli Renfro”) and upsides (”Going Down the Country,” “Bluebirds are Singing,” “Gonna Have Love”) of country love. In the second half hour, nine songs from 1940, including three of Bill Monroe’s very first recordings with the Blue Grass Boys. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - That High Lonesome Sound
We’ll be making another trek through the Motherland where freedom and the banjos ring, where we’ll be scrutinizing the many indigenous sounds thereof. Peter Rowan, Jack Tottle, Special Consensus, Rambler’s Choice, Mark Newton and Becky Schlegel will be bringing us the sound of the mountains, winter, rain, heartache, the lonesome whistle, goodbye, silence, and, of course, that high lonesome sound itself.

Bluegrass Review
Merle Travis was an electric guitarist who has left a great footprint in bluegrass music. Our gem of bluegrass focuses on him today. Later on the show, we talk to Jim Hurst, an all around force on the guitar.

Bluegrass Signal - Happy Birthday, David Davis
Feb. 16th was David Davis’ birthday, and Peter Thompson celebrated it on Bluegrass Signal with a survey of David’s music with The Warrior River Boys over the past 20 years. David is a noteworthy keeper of the traditional bluegrass flame, and the show includes selections from the recent Rebel releases, the Rounder sides of the ’90s, the Old Homestead sessions of the ’80s, and some of Ray Davis’ classic basement recordings. Happy Birthday, David Davis!

*The Dick Spottswood Show

*etown with Nick Forster
Critically-acclaimed and magnetic Joan Osborne returns to etown with some exciting new songs in this encore broadcast. She also shares some old favorites, delivered powerfully and passionately as only she can do. She rocks out with Nick & Helen Forster and the etones as her back up band, along with her pal, Andrew Carillo. And Henry Butler brings his superb New Orleans tinged piano mastery back to etown. etown engages you this week with an hour of eclectic sounds and an energetic e-chievement award winner!

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Tom Cat Reeder Show, Sunday 3 a.m. (3/16)

The Old Home Place, Tuesday 12 p.m. - LIVE, Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (3/22)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. - LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
A rebroadcast from May, 2007 featuring Joan Osborne, Nellie McKay, David Bromberg & The Angel Band, Toby Lightman, The Roches. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow with Mike Kear

Musician Tip - stay tuned for Musician Tips that Jen Hitt recorded at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for A Prairie Home Companion, broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, with special guests, the self-described “mother” of Bluegrass, Mr. Sam Bush, and the valedictorian of an Angel Choir, singer-songwriter Suzy Bogguss. Also, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith, The Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band with Rich Dworksy, John Niemann and Joe Savage. All this, plus the News From Lake Wobegon.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie King pays tribute to the influential Carter Family this hour with a selection of their songs, performed by a variety of Old Time artists,including Norman and Nancy Blake, Tim and Mollie O’Brien, Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin, the Stairwell Sisters and the Mill Run Dulcimer Band.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Join host Sam Litzinger and Smithsonian Folkways archivist Jeff Place for another Sound Sessions from Smithsonian Folkways, this time featuring folk singer and political activist, Pete Seeger. More information on the music played in this program is available from Smithsonian Folkways.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Sunday, March 16th is Palm Sunday and thus featured songs will help us set the mood for next Sunday’s annual Easter Program. Be prepared to sing along to some of the old hymns that open the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Tucked Away in Ireland
While contemporary Celtic musicians are often interested in forging a global fusion, some traditionalists are striving to preserve distinct regional voices. Hear excerpts from flute player Cathal McConnel’s collection of old County Fermanagh field recordings and more Irish gems from forty years of fiddle recordings captured in County Leitrim. We also find time to unearth hidden treasures from as far afield as Cornwall and Scotland..

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

Sunday, March 9, 2008 is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. Bluegrass Breakdown will not be heard on Sunday. We apologize for any inconvenience.

*American Routes
Tune in and rock the blues with two guitar men who do it with great authority. First up is Arkansas wild man and original Sun Records rockabilly Sonny Burgess who still tears it up, playing his hits “We Wanna Boogie,” “Red-Headed Woman” and others well into his seventies. And hear a live set from the great New Orleans bluesman and human jukebox Snooks Eaglin, recorded onstage at his home base, the famous Rock and Bowl nightclub, where one can do either of those, or both, at the same time. Feel the beat in blues, jazz, Western swing and more with a music mix designed to rock your blues away.

Banks of the Ohio
Featured in the second half hour is the first known recording of Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (”Mule Skinner Blues,” live at the Grand Ole Opry) and eight other songs from 1939. More program highlights include Bill Keith and Jim Rooney at Club 47 in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1963); rare early recordings by the Stoneman Family, Joe Isaacs, Rubye Davis, and Del McCoury; and the Dillards’ unforgettable “What’s Time To a Hog?” (1973). A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Honi Deaton & Dream Live
She’s one of the fieriest singers, engaging stage personalities, prolific songwriters and brightest stars in all of high, blue and lonesome-dom. From Suwannee, GA, Honi Deaton & Dream will be rocking around the microphones live in celebration of the group’s “Chasin’ Dreams” outing. We’ll also be sauntering down to the new bluegrass CD bins where we’ll be having a close encounter of the high lonesome kind with the latest from the Dixie Beeliners, Alan Munde, Andy Hall, The Gibson Brothers and Donna Hughes.

Bluegrass Review
Uncle Dave Macon was one of the great early stars of country music. It wasn’t till he was over 50 that he became a professional musician. A singular stylist, Macon was one of the early Grand Old Opry entertainers who entertained with he wit and showmanship. Later on the show, we present a hefty dose of songs about crime and prison.

Bluegrass Signal - Rounder Newbies & IBMM Films
This week Peter Thompson surveys some of the recent releases from Rounder, with music by The SteelDrivers, Rhonda Vincent, Daily & Vincent, and Blue Highway (thanks again for your support of the Winter Membership Campaign). There’s also music by some of those featured in recent films done for the International Bluegrass Music Museum: Vern Williams, the Goins Brothers, Ola Belle Reed, and Jake Quesenberry.

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Little Sadie, Poor Kelly, and Poor Ellen contribute to a Deadly Medley in hour one. A second medley highlights contributions from a forgotten 19th century African American songwriter who bequeathed several classics to country music in the 1920s.

*etown with Nick Forster
Returning to etown for this week is New England singer-songwriter Dar Williams. She’s a favorite of etown audiences, and her set in this week’s episode demonstrates why. Sharing the bill are indie rockers, Spoon. The Austin, Texas band has been compared to Sonic Youth and the Pixies, but their music is more than an equation. Also this week is author and journalist Harvey Wasserman, who discusses current events and his work. Plus, there’s a singular story of community action and impact from this week’s e-chievement award winner, right here in etown.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Bill Miller Show, Sunday 3 a.m. (3/9)

The Tom Cat Reeder Show, Tuesday 12 p.m. - LIVE, Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (3/16)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. - LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

LIVE The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

LIVE The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
A rebroadcast from May, 2007 featuring Judy Collins, Mavis Staples, Lucy Kaplansky, Todd Snider, and Lori McKenna.

Music from Foggy Hollow
Music from Foggy Hollow was a surprise for Mike Kear this week, as it will be for you. At the top of the show, Mike threw a pair of dice and got 4, so for the whole show played track 4 of all the albums he played. It’s scientific programming at its best, and Mike had no idea what was going to be played at the outset of the show. Listen to hear how it turned out - it came out better than you might think! It’s another big show, so don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Cedar Hill’s fiddle player, Lisa Ray

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for A Prairie Home Companion, broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, with special guests, the self-described “mother” of Bluegrass, Mr. Sam Bush, and the valedictorian of an Angel Choir, singer-songwriter Suzy Bogguss. Also, The Royal Academy of Radio Actors: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith, The Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band with Rich Dworksy, John Niemann and Joe Savage. All this, plus the News From Lake Wobegon.

*Old Time Jam
Hubie King tours the States whose names appear in Old-Time tune titles. Starting in the southeast, we move toward the prairies and jump to California. Does this reflect gradual settlement and then the Gold Rush of 1849? We’ll hear from artists like Mike Seeger, the Bing Brothers, Cathy Fink, John Hartford, and more.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Join host Sam Litzinger and Smithsonian Folkways archivist Jeff Place for another Sound Sessions from Smithsonian Folkways, this time featuring folk singer and political activist, Pete Seeger. More information on the music played in this program is available from Smithsonian Folkways.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Joe Isaacs, the patriarch of The Isaacs group that we enjoy each Sunday, wrote some 125 songs, of which 80 or so have been recorded by The Isaacs, including the popular “I Pressed Through the Crowd.” The Isaacs will be in the spotlight on this week’s program and keep those old hymn books close by for a few favorites to start the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - New From Ireland
We hear the full tracks of some of the Irish music recently excerpted on our new releases podcast, Thistlepod.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes - New York II: Beat of the Boroughs
Sit in with Seleno Clarke as he hosts a Sunday night Hammond B-3 organ jam at the Harlem American Legion Hall. Pick and grin downtown in Washington Square Park as country comes to the city for a reunion of bluegrass musicians from the 1950s and 60s. Then it’s up to the South Bronx to trace Latin music from Mambo to Hip-Hop. Plus music from and about the city from John Coltrane, Bob Dylan and other musicians that called New York home.

Banks of the Ohio
This week’s “Pre-Dawn of the Bluegrass Era” features music from 1938, much of it recorded over four historic days in Charlotte, NC. Other highlights you won’t want to miss are Larry Lee’s back-to-back bluegrass (1956) and rockabilly (1959) versions of “Bitter Feelings,” a live duet from Bea Lilly and Bill Monroe (1963), and Ricky Skaggs’ debut playing a diesel bus as a bluegrass instrument on “Hold Whatcha Got” (1988). A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Tim Carter
He’s daring, he’s a monster banjo player, gifted singer-songwriter, talented recording engineer and all round nice guy. And that’s just the half of it. Tim Carter and the boys — his brother Danny on guitar; and adopted brothers Ross Sermons on the bass; Tim May on the dobro & mandolin; and Tim Lorsch on the fiddle — will be doing the live thing in celebration of Tim’s sparkling solo debut, “Bang Bang.”

Bluegrass Review
Bluegrass story songs are the topic of discussion on this week’s show. We talk to banjoist Jon Eric of Iowa City who plays for us on the acoustic and electric banjos.

Bluegrass Signal with Peter Thompson
This week’s show was originally broadcast on Groundhog Day, so there are a number of versions of “Ground Hog,” from the old time styles of Tommy Jarrell, Mike Seeger, and Doc Watson, to the bluegrass of The Dillards, Red Allen & Frank Wakefield, Hylo Brown, and Jim Mills, to the whatever of Homer & Jethro. There are also a few musical previews of the annual San Francisco Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival, again ranging from old time (Freight Hoppers, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Stairwell Sisters) to bluegrass (Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Town Mountain, Spring Creek) to whatever (Jimbo Trout & the FishPeople).

*The Dick Spottswood Show
The Monroe brothers, Jim and Jesse, and Skip James escort us through the graveyard, and we linger with Skip to enjoy his recently remastered first recordings from 1931. Then we visit Hawaii and other exotic locales with music from both natives and wannabes, and enjoy some guitar and banjo tunes from Sylvester Weaver, including an early hit that later became “Steel Guitar Rag.”

*etown with Nick Forster
Rickie Lee Jones, makes her way back to the etown stage for her fourth visit. In this encore broadcast, she shares some newer music along with select tunes from her catalog amassed over a career of nearly 30 years. Also, singer-songwriter Chris Smither. Incorporating lyrics drawn from modern poets and humanist philosophers, Chris shares some solo tunes and also gangs up with Nick & Helen Forster and the etones for a fine, full band performance. We’ve got captivating music and conversation along with an outstanding e-chievement award story you won’t want to miss, all this week, in etown.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

Foster’s Corner, Sunday 3 a.m. (3/2)

The Bill Miller Show, Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (3/9)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m., Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.

*Mountain Stage
Rebroadcast from May, 2007 featuring Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, the Cowboy Junkies, Eric Bazilian & Rob Hyman, Martin Sexton, and Bend Arnold.

Music from Foggy Hollow
This week Mike Kear features the Dixie Bee-Liners and their new CD called “Ripe” (Pinecastle). He plays songs from the album and talks a bit about the band and some of the songs. Also appearing in the show are songs from Australian trio The McClymonts, and a short tribute and song from Smoky Dawson, the legendary country and western singer who died this week. At 94 years of age, Smoky was still performing and producing his radio show. It’s another big show, you’d be a wombat to miss it!

Musician Tip - Bass player, Barrett Smith

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for Carol Beaugard of Lonesome Pine RFD. Carol and Tony Trischka discuss his recent IBMA awards, Grammy nominations, and “Territory,” his upcoming release on Smithsonian Folkways. The two are also joined over the phone by Judy Thompson, widow to the late banjo player Bobby Thompson, and reminisce over the gifted and influential musician.

*Old Time Jam
This week, Hubie King hosts a platter party, a mix of instrumentals and vocals. He’ll introduce new artist Kate Lissauer along with Ragged but Right and a new duet-singing role for banjoist Arnie Naiman and spouse Kathie Reid Naiman. Who knew? Joe Herrmann plays a unique three finger syncopated banjo style, with Cathy Fink and Bruce Molsky team up for a banjo-fiddle duet. Roustabout is better than they sound, and Dirk Powell, Paul Brown, Brad Leftwich, Gandydancer and lots of others round out an hour of toe-tapping tunes.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
You’ll tune in for the music and stay for the stories of Alan Jabbour, an enthnomusicologist and old time fiddler, who served as the director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress from 1976-1979. Alan was a founding member of the Hollow Rock String Band and is credited for inspiring a whole new generation of old time musicians. Alan talks about music with Hubie King and shares some of the songs he learned from his mentor, Virginia fiddler Henry Reed. Pull up a chair and enjoy a very special edition of Old Time Jam, featuring songs like Over the Waterfall, Flying Cloud Cotillion, and Turkey in the Straw.

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Doyle Lawson has contributed many songs to our bluegrass gospel collection, including being a Kentucky Mountain Boy with J. D. Crowe, a Country Gentlemen and leader of his own band Quicksilver. This week we’ll focus the spotlight on many of Doyle’s contributions to our listening enjoyment as well as a few songs from the old hymnals.

*Thistle and Shamrock - The Witness
Jamie Jauncey’s novel The Witness is set in the Scottish Highlands at a time when people are caught up in a bloody conflict over who should own the land. Fiona talks with Jauncey about the role of music in his story.

LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes at the Movies, starring John Waters and Les Blank
Cut a rug on the red carpet with two filmmakers who always put music in a starring role. Director of Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, Cry-Baby and many more, John Waters joins us to talk about his obsession with 1950’s R&B and rock. Documentarian Les Blank recalls working with American Routes marquee names Lightnin’ Hopkins, Clifton Chenier and Dizzy Gillespie.

Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
Nine songs from 1937 are featured in the second half hour. You’ll also hear bluegrass covers of music by the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Modest Mouse, and Marvin Gaye, and some truly wonderful rare recordings requested by and provided by listeners. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Bluegrassizing Country #1s: 1975-1977
We’ll be diving head first into Country waters and checking out what some of bluegrassdom’s finest have done with some of the tunes that hit #1 on the Billboard Country charts in the mid-seventies. High Strung, the Shady Creek Outlaws, and IIIrd Tyme Out will be bluegrassizing Willie, Waylon, Don, Micky, Sugar and Dolly.

Bluegrass Review
American ballads today on our Gem of Bluegrass? Americans love to sing about natural disasters and train wrecks. Then we talk to Kim Fox, known as the great songwriter in 3 Fox Drive (formerly the Fox Family). Backstage a couple of months ago, she shared some of her songs with us. Also, we’ll continue presenting bluegrass songs with a rock and roll attitude.

Bluegrass Signal
This week Peter Thompson explores the phenomenon of bluegrass on Saturday night. The show is inspired by “Bluegrass Saturday Night” from Rhonda Vincent’s new album, and includes other appropriate songs by Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, The Osborne Brothers, Ted Lundy, Bob Paisley & the Southern Grass, Big Country Bluegrass, Dudley Connell & Don Rigsby, Marty Raybon & Full Circle, and others. (Bluegrass Signal is, indeed, heard on Saturday nights on KALW)

*The Dick Spottswood Show
Live bluegrass excerpts from the Newport Folk Festival in the ’60s precede an all star lineup of Obsolete favorites, including many heard directly from pre-war, pre-owned original and highly authentic 78 rpm discs. Ignore them at your peril!

*etown with Nick Forster
etown welcomes back the rockin’ song-centric jam band from upstate New York, moe. They heat up the etown audience on a cold winter’s day with a fantastic set of tunes. Then, it’s the return of the lovely Pieta Brown (the ultra talented daughter of singer-songwriter, Greg Brown). This exceptional young songwriter is accompanied by the quirky and extraordinary guitarist, Bo Ramsey; Nick & Helen Forster and the etones join in on a tune or two, as well. Tune in this week for fantastic music and an inspiring and very moving e-chievement award winner, in etown.

LIVE Friday Night Free for All - 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

The Old Home Place with Lisa Kay Howard, 2/24

Foster’s Corner Tuesday 12 p.m., Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (3/2)

The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m., Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.

The Katy Daley Show Mon-Fri, 7-10 a.m.

The Lee Michael Demsey Show Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard
Live Performance by the Claire Lynch Band.

*Mountain Stage
Rebroadcast from April, 2007 featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Holmes Brothers, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Dale Ann Bradley, and Howie Beck. Playlist.

Music from Foggy Hollow
Mike Kear introduces the first guest programmer: The Chairman selects the music for the first hour of the show, and is in the studio to introduce her selections and talk a little about why she picked the ones she picked. Also, the new CD from Wayne Taylor, “Dear Mom” is featured, with Mike and the Chairman playing nearly half the album. Plus a look at what they were doing in Sao Paulo a decade ago, and it’s a big show. Don’t miss it!

Musician Tip - Tony Trischka

Open Mic
This week we open the mic for Carol Beaugard of Lonesome Pine RFD. Carol and Tony Trischka discuss his recent IBMA awards, Grammy nominations, and “Territory,” his upcoming release on Smithsonian Folkways. The two are also joined over the phone by Judy Thompson, widow to the late banjo player Bobby Thompson, and reminisce over the gifted and influential musician.

*Old Time Jam
You’ll tune in for the music and stay for the stories of Alan Jabbour, an enthnomusicologist and old time fiddler, who served as the director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress from 1976-1979. Alan was a founding member of the Hollow Rock String Band and is credited for inspiring a whole new generation of old time musicians. Alan talks about music with Hubie King and shares some of the songs he learned from his mentor, Virginia fiddler Henry Reed. Pull up a chair and enjoy a very special edition of Old Time Jam, featuring songs like Over the Waterfall, Flying Cloud Cotillion, and Turkey in the Straw.

LIVE The Ray Davis Show Sunday 10a.m.- 1 p.m., Mon-Fri, 3-6 p.m.

Special Programming
Jen Hitt and Echo Propp interview singer and songwriter Kristin Andreassen, member of the band Uncle Earl. Kristin joined us in studio during the Friday Night Free for All on February 15th. Danny & Neil Knicely backed her up on some tunes from her solo album, Kiss Me Hello.

Also, Bob Edwards interviews the Seldom Scene’s Ben Eldridge, Dudley Connell, and Fred Travers about their latest album on Sugar Hill Records, “Scenchronized.”

LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
Tune in this week for a second helping of old favorites suggested by listeners who participated in the recent Winter Membership Campaign. We’ll enjoy some of the more current releases as well and keep those old song books close by for singing along with the old hymns at the beginning of the third hour.

*Thistle and Shamrock - Easy Does It
It’s not all high-energy reels and jigs, this Celtic music business. Kick back with some soothing voices - Maire Brennan, Dougie MacLean, and some free-spirited instrumentals - William Jackson, Michael McGoldrick.

*Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.
In the 3rd hour Mary airs the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Radio Special, “Raising Sand.”

*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series

*American Routes
Working class, self-styled and always opinionated, the late King of Bluegrass Jimmy Martin talks guitar-picking, hunting dogs and the Opry. And singer of songs, Percy Sledge recalls going from hospital orderly to Atlantic Records soul singer with “When a Man Loves a Woman.”

Banks of the Ohio
In the second half hour, hear 10 songs from 1936 that all pointed in the direction of bluegrass. There are also a couple of rousing Rose Maddox vocals, a classic Country Gentlemen song that has never been issued on CD, and some great live music from the Stanley Brothers (1960), Flatt & Scruggs (1963), the Stoneman Family (1964), the Lilly Brothers & Don Stover (1967), and Rhonda Vincent (2005). A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, with host Fred Bartenstein.

Bluegrass Breakdown - Carry On
We’ll be examining the concept of carriage from a high lonesome perspective. With the invaluable guidance of The New Tradition, Dan Tyminski, Dave Evans, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Reno & Smiley, Bill Clifton and Bradley Walker, we’ll be carried away, carried back and carried home while carrying memories, traditions, promises and crosses.

Bluegrass Review
Ballads a