*denotes part of our Roots and Branches series
*American Routes – Get Rhythm: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
It’s a two-hour tribute in song and story to the Man in Black. We’ll hear from his family, friends and associates on the contradictions–preacher, outlaw, loving family man, rockabilly rebel–that made the man. Voices include Rosanne Cash; son John Carter Cash; sister Joanne Yates; bassist and original member of the Tennessee Two Marshall Grant; guitarist Johnny Western; producer Rick Rubin; long time manager Lou Robin; writer and critic Michael Streissguth; and of course Johnny Cash.
Banks of the Ohio (a rebroadcast)
Famous bluegrass singing commercials include Fortune Feeds (Jim & Jesse, 1962) and Martha White Flour (Rhonda Vincent, 2001). Early recordings made at state universities include Bill Clifton’s “Down Where the River Bends” (1954, UVA) and Sid Campbell’s “This Morning at Nine” (1962, OSU). Bluegrass from 1962 is featured in the third half hour, and traditional sounds from China and Japan enter bluegrass in the sixth half hour. A production of the International Bluegrass Music Museum, hosted by Fred Bartenstein.
Bluegrass Breakdown – Tall Timber
We’ll be donning our Stetson hats, hopping aboard the non-air conditioned hillbilly R-Stream and cruising Bluegrassland in search of tall things. Northern Lights, the Bluegrass Album Band, the Virginia Squires, the Country Gentlemen, the Harmons, the G2 Bluegrass Band and John Hartford will be along with tall mountains, tall pines, tall bottles, tall grass, tall cotton, tall buildings and tall dark strangers.
Bluegrass Review
Early in the show we play recent war-related songs. Possibly because of the war in Iraq, it seems that the trickle of bluegrass songs addressing war has widened. On the Gem of Bluegrass, we comment on the aesthetic and business dimensions of Osborne Brothers harmony. In the second half of the show, we present our interview with banjoist Mark Johnson whose instrumental music is inspired by people he knows. The chow closes with recent bluegrass occupational songs.
Bluegrass Signal - Musical Previews, part 1
Musical previews of upcoming area events, with bluegrass from High Country, Dark Hollow, Mighty Crows, RoseBud Blue, and Highway One, and old time music from the Mt. Diablo String Band, Benton Flippen, Rayna Gellert, Sheila Kay Adams, Foghorn Duo, Paul Brown, Evo Bluestein, and the Stairwell Sisters.
*The Dick Spottswood Show
Bill Monroe shared the spotlight with several Blue Grass Boys on their pioneering 1940-1 sessions, and their contributions are still worth a listen. They even sent Bill out for coffee before joining Arthur Smith for an incendiary two-fiddle “K.C. Stomp.” Arthur gets his own medley that includes a a tribute from a youthful Glen Campbell. There’s some mid-19th century pop songs that survived to become country classics, two Tin Pan Alley tunes transformed by Mac Wiseman, some ragtime, down home blues, gospel harmonies too. Not to brag, you understand, but it really is a pretty good show–that is, if you can stand the Obsolescence!
*etown
etown taped this week’s show at the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan, and features the return of Michael Franti & Spearhead, who get the overflowing etown crowd on their feet, AND hosts Nick & Helen Forster dancing and singing! Patterson Hood & John Neff of the Drive-by Truckers take the stage to share music and conversation. Nick also interviews noted climate expert Dr. Stephen Schneider and activist and environmentalist Winona LaDuke. Plus, a young e-chievement award winner joins us in person to tell us about a successful grassroots river clean up project he’s created. Don’t miss this week’s music and information-packed etown radio show!
LIVE Friday Night Free for All 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET
Foster’s Corner, Sunday 3 a.m. (9/14)
Starting the second hour of Bill’s show, he will be playing a 20-minute interview with Carlton Haney and Jimmy Martin that was recorded by Carole Flake in 1995 at the Big E in Owensboro, KY during IBMA’s World of Bluegrass. In the interview you will hear Carlton discuss how he came to meet and work with Bill Monroe and how he (Carlton) started one of the first bluegrass festivals. You will also hear Carlton’s Pythagorean Theory of Bluegrass time and instrumentation as Bill Monroe ‘invented’ it. The highlight is Jimmy Martin trying to get a word in during Carlton’s talk.
The Bill Miller Show Tuesday 12 p.m. , Thursday 12 a.m., Sunday 3 a.m. (9/21)
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 Galactic, John Jorgenson Quintet, Jimmy LaFave, Jesse Harris, and Ruthie Foster. Playlist.
Music from Foggy Hollow
This week Mike Kear‘s featuring a new CD from Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad. It’s a gospel record with the snappy title “Pickin’, Praisin’ & Singin’: Hymns From The Mountain” and Mike plays several cuts from it during the show. Also on the show, new music from Crowe Brothers, Melonie Cannon, Lonesome River Band, Canada’s Janet McGarry and Hard Ryde, Cherryholmes, J D Crowe & the New South, Cadillac Sky, Valerie Smith and Becky Buller, Big Country Bluegrass, Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs and others. As if all this isn’t enough, there’s the regular segment from Sao Paulo in Portuguese and as usual Mike looks back at what he was playing on the show five years ago. It’s another packed show, so don’t miss it!
Musician Tip – Dale Ann Bradley
Open Mic
To get you excited for the 2008 IBMA Awards, we’re rebroadcasting the 2007 IBMA Awards Show recorded at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 4th . Mandolin player Sam Bush hosts the awards with performances from Tony Trischka, the Infamous Stringdusters, Cherryholmes, and Bradley Walker.
Old Time Jam
Hubie King showcases a variety of bands playing dance tunes, mixed with songs and a little history of both. One set features tunes and songs saluting girls from Texas.
Special Programming
Host Bob Webster reviews the individual and group talents of the North Carolina based band, Balsam Range. Plus we’ll hear an encore presentation of Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck. Lee Michael Demsey talks with the band and we hear tunes previously unaired from this July 2008 studio session. And of course, Phil Nusbaum brings us his weekly installment of Gems of Bluegrass.
LIVE Stained Glass Bluegrass Hosted by Bob Webster
In recognition of the September 13th birthday of the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe, we’ll enjoy several of his spiritual numbers recorded over his career. We’ll also hear selections from the new live recording of Laurie Lewis. The old hymns portion of the program will kick-off the third hour with a new recording by Ricky Wasson (from the J. D. Crowe & New South band) of the old song “Father Along.”
*Thistle and Shamrock – Thistleradio Poll Runner-up: New Gaelic Voices
Explore the branches of contemporary song sprouting from the roots of ancient vocal traditions.
LIVE *Traditions with Mary Cliff, Saturday 2-6 p.m.
