All times listed are Eastern Time
*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series
*American Routes - Xmas with Diana Krall and the Heath Brothers
There’s no place like home for the holidays. Our guests for this holiday version of American Routes wax nostalgically in words and music. Jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall recalls her childhood on Vancouver Island and how those traditions are being carried on in her own home today. Jimmy and Tootie Heath of the Heath Brothers reminisce about a life in jazz and late brother Percy. Baby, it’s cold outside. Stay in, snuggle up and enjoy.
Banks of the Ohio with George McKnight
Bluegrass Breakdown – A Midwinter’s Eve
You’ll swear you can hear the crackling of the hay in the manger and angels singing praise when Nathan Clark George, Mark Stoffel and Ross Sermons gang around the microphones to bring us ancient tones, old world traditions and the joy of the season.
Bluegrass Review - Holiday bluegrass
Bluegrass Signal - Yule Tunes
An all-instrumental celebration of the season, the better to aid and abet your wrapping and last-minute shopping. The (mostly) standards are played by Tony Williamson, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Tom Rozum, Ricky Skaggs, Dix Bruce, and even a few non-mandolinists like Craig Smith, Tony Trsichka, Dan Crary, and the “Christmas Grass” crew. Ho-ho-ho & merry, merry to you and yours from producer/host Peter Thompson.
*The Dick Spottswood Show
Special music for the season, from Hank Snow, the Louvin Brothers, the Roaring Lion, Johnnie & Jack, the Isaacs, Bill Monroe, and other enduring Obsolete Music stalwarts. You won’t hear them on loudspeakers in the mall–aren’t you glad we have BlueGrassCountry? Merry Christmas!
*etown
Etown and hosts Nick & Helen Forster travel to the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, for a special road show taping. Martin Sexton returns to celebrate a new album, dishing out his own brand of funky soul singing and energetic performing. The wonderfully multi-cultural Ozomatli is back in Etown, too, with fantastic music and intriguing conversation about their recent travels and tours. We also have an inspiring ‘in person’ E-Chievement Award that will get you in the mood for the holidays. Tune into to Etown this week for a holiday-tinged show of exciting music and enlightening conversation.!
Friday Night Free for All Friday 8 p.m. ET
The Tom “Cat” Reeder Show - Sunday 3 a.m. (12/21)
The Old Home Place - Tuesday 12 p.m. LIVE, Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (12/28)
The Gary Henderson Show Saturday 8-11 a.m. LIVE, Monday 12 p.m., Friday 12 a.m.
The Katy Daley Show Monday-Friday 7-10 a.m. ET LIVE
The Lee Michael Demsey Show Saturday 11a.m.-2p.m., Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET LIVE,
Lonesome Pine RFD with Carol Beaugard, Mon. 12 a.m., Wed. 9 p.m.
*Mountain Stage
Featuring Little Big Town, Catherine Russell, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Rose Cousins, and Davisson Brothers Band.
Music from Foggy Hollow
It’s Christmas time in Foggy Hollow too, as Mike Kear runs a special Christmas show. He talks about what a Christmas is like in the heat of summer, some of the traditions of Christmas in his part of the world, and plays a lot of Christmas songs. There are traditional bluegrass Christmas songs and Carols, and some new ones. Also Mike plays some Australian bluegrass songs, that reflect how different Christmas is in times of drought and stinking hot summer days. As always, it’s a packed show – packed as a kangaroo’s pouch. Don’t miss it.
Musician Tip – we’re taking a break from Musician Tips during the holidays – Go practice!
Open Mic
This week we Open the Mic for a sampler of our rotating programs. From noon – 3 p.m., ET Tuesdays, we feature a different show each week. The programs debut on a Tuesday and then are rebroadcast at midnight (EST) the following Thursday, and at 3 a.m. (EST), Sunday. We’ll hear half hour segments of The Bill Miller Show, Foster’s Corner, The Old Home Place, and The Tom Cat Reeder Show.
Old Time Jam
Hubie King salutes the spirit of Old Time Christmas with two versions of the dance tune “Breakin’ Up Christmas.” This was a term for the two weeks of dance parties hosted at homes in communities in the nineteenth century in celebration of the Holiday, the only one of the agricultural year in many areas. The show begins with an older performance of it by the Camp Creek Boys, featuring Fred Cockerham and Kyle Creed on fiddle and banjo, and a newer version by Dirk Powell’s band is the closing theme. In between these is a potpourri of tunes evoking the party mood of this time of year.
The Ray Davis Show Mon-Fri 3-6p.m., Sunday 10am-1pm
Special Programming
Beginning in January, Old Time Jam with Hubie King will be heard 3 times per week: Monday at 6 p.m. ET, Thursday at 6 a.m. ET and Friday at 8 p.m. ET. To give you a taste of the programming Hubie has to offer we’ll hear the recent Jam he had with Appalachian-style banjo player and ballad singer, Diane Jones.
LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
This edition features the annual all-Christmas program of Stained Glass Bluegrass classics and favorites. We’ll enjoy Grandpa Jones’ recitation of “The Christmas Guest” as well as the rare “Holiday Religion” classic by Reno & Smiley and the “Last Christmas Tree” by Delia Bell & Bill Grant. A couple of carols during the old hymns portion of the show date to the 12th and 13th centuries. Here’s wishing every listener a joyous and happy Christmas season.
*Thistle and Shamrock – Midwinter Sun
Hear music that ushers the sun through the shortest days of the year and upholds the ancient spirit of Yule.
LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.
This week we’ll hear Christmas music, Chanukkah music and Winter solstice music. Also a selection of tunes by British guitarist Davy Graham, who died this week. You may remember the tune “Anji” from its recording on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence” LP.
