Bluegrass Show February 21, 2009

New Camptown Races - Frank Wakefield (INTRO)

Set 1
McKinley's March - Bill Monroe
Texas Gallop - Bill Monroe, Traditional
Road of Life - Bill Monroe, Stauffer, Virginia
It's Me Again Lord - Bill Monroe, Rambo, Dottie
Beyond the Gate - Bill Monroe, Landers, Jake
I Will Sing for the Glory of God - Bill Monroe, Logan, Benjamin F.
Kentucky Waltz - Bill Monroe
The Girl in the Blue Velvet Band - Bill Monroe, Carlisle, Cliff
Lonesome Moonlight Waltz - Bill Monroe
Tallahassee - Bill Monroe
Get Up John - Bill Monroe

Set 2
Man of Constant Sorrow - Soggy Bottom Boys
Body and Soul - Del and Ronnie McCoury
Grand Ol Opry - Jimmy Martin and NGDB
Charlie He's a Good Ol Man - Uncle Earl
Down the Dixie Line - LeRoy Troy
Flannery's Dream - John Hartford
Flash Flood - Tut Taylor

Set 3
Golden Vanity - Arthur Smith
Skyline Drive - Don Reno TN Cutups
Cripple Creek - Lester Flatt and Nashville Grass
Somebody Touched Me - Carl Story and his Ramblin Mountaineers
Whiskey Before Breakfast - Ramona Jones
I'm ON My Way to the Old Home - Bill Monroe
Dark as a Dungeon - Merle Travis
Mother Maybelle - Johnny Cash and Nashville Grass
Hornpipe Medley (Sailor's/Durang's/Rickett's/Fisher's) - Buddy Spichers
Bluebirds are Singing for Me - Osborne Brothers and Mac Wiseman
Randy Lynn Rag - Wynn Osborne

Set 4
I've Always Been a Rambler - Grayson and Whitter
I Wish I Was A Mole in the Ground - Bascom Lamar Lunsford
Down on Penny's Farm - Bentley Boys
The Wagoner's Lad - Buell Kazee
No Depression in Heaven - Carter Family
Nine Pound Hammer - Acoustic All-Stars
Dixie Breakdown - Northern Lights w/ Vassar Clements
Carry Me Across the Mountain - Dan Tyminski

Set 5
Teach Your Children - Country Gentlemen
Deep Well of Sadness - Ralph Stanley and Jim Lauderdale
Soldier's Joy - Muleskinner (feat. Clarence White)
Wild Bill Jones - Allison Krauss feat Dan Tyminski
Virginia - Frog Holler

Set 6
I KNow You're Married (but I Love You Still) - Bluegrass Sessions
Charmin Betsy - Snuffy Jenkins
False Hearted Lover's Blues - Ralph Stanley

Why Me - Kris Kristofferson with A Krauss and V Gill
This Old Road - Kris Kristofferson
Pilgrim's Progress - Kris Kristofferson
The Last Thing To Go - Kris Kristofferson
Wild American - Kris Kristofferson
The Burden of Freedom - Kris Kristofferson

Mostly Folk Playlist, February 15, 2009

Host: Howard Jack

Yarn, "Tennessee," Yarn
Camille West, "The Audit," Diva's Day Off
Kris Kristofferson, "In the News," This Old Road
Arnet Gutshall, "Georgia Mules and Country Boys," Too Old to Die Young -
The Life and Times of Music Man Arnet Gutshall
Still on the Hill, "Willie's Walls," Ozark
Whitetop Mountain Band, "The Hard Working Miner," Loafer's Dream
Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, "Rank Strangers," The Golden West
Tommy Sands with Moya and Fionan, "Rambling Wild & Free," Let the Circle
Be Free
The Younger Sister Band, "Goodbye, NY," The Lady Wins Again
Jacob Johnson, "Treat Her Right," Est. 1986
Coco & Lafe, "Snow," Cafe Loco
Tom Rush, "River Song," What I Know
Danny Schmidt, "Grampa Built Bridges," Instead the Forest Rose to Sing
Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, "Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still," You Don't
Have to Like Them Both
Jorma Kaukonen, "Been So Long," River of Time
Tim Buckley, "Song to the Sea," The Dream Belongs to Me - Rare and
Unreleased Recordings 1968/1973
Mimi & Richard Farina, "Children of Darkness," Mimi & Richard Farina -
The Complete Vanguard Recordings
Judy Henske, "High-Flying Bird," Judy Henske and High-Flying Bird
Guy Davis, "Steamboat Captain," Sweetheart Like You
Jeremy Wallace Trio, "Casey Jones," Suicide Suitcase
Beaucoup Blue, "Whistle, Whistle," Free to Fall
Kelly Joe Phelps, "Train Carried My Girl from Town," Shine-Eyed Mister Zen
Kim Simmonds, "North Country Town," Out of the Blue
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, "Moving to the Country," A Night in Woodstock
Ruthie Foster, "Joy on the Other Side," The Truth According to Ruthie Foster
Paul Reddick, "Every Temptation," Sugar Bird

Bluegrass PLaylist February 7, 2009

1st Set
New Camptown Races - Fran Wakefield (intro)
Girl in the Blue Velvet Band - Bill Monroe (live)
Whitewater - Bluegrass Sessions (live)
Working Man's Blues - Acoustic Blue
Jack Dringo - Knob Lick Upper 10,000
Tennessee - Jimmy Martin Tribute (JD Crowe)
Vasser's Fiddle Rag - Old and in the Gray
Banks of the Ohio - Frank Wakefield
That's History - Free Range Pickin'
Sourwood Mountain - Rafe Stefanini (background music)

2nd Set
Raised by a Railroad Line - Seldom Scene
Breaking New Ground - Seldom Scene
If You Ever Changed Your Mind - Seldom Scene
Dont Bother With White Satin - Seldom Scene
The Promise - Jimbo Waleym (local song - written by Mike Tirella)
The Road is a Lover - Allison Krauss and Union Station
Nine Pounf Hammer - Kentuck Colonels
Waiting for the Robert E Lee - Will Keys
Elhorn Riodge - Lonesome Sisters
Banjo Boy Chimes - Dan Paisley and Southern Grass
Greasy Wagon - Jeremy Stephens (background music)

3rd Set
Hang My Hat #1 - Hunger Mountain Boys
Hacksaw - Hunger Mountain Boys
I Dont Want Your Ramblin Letters - Hunger Mountain Boys
Brakeman's Blues - Bill Monroe (live)
I Have Lived Alot In My Time - Bill Monroe (live)
Mystery Train - Crooked Jades
Deep River Blues - Doc Watson and Tony Rice
Purple Heart - Red Allen
The Old Cross Road - Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen
Family Business - Dyer Switch Band
Little Liza - Rafe Sefanini (back ground music)

4th Set
Flannery's Dream - John Hartford
Grandmammy Look at Uncle Sam - John Hartford
The Squirrel Hunters - John Hartford
Fiddler's Roll Call>Down Yonder - Bill Monroe (live)
Swing Low Sweet Chariot - Bill Monroe (live)
Bully - Cabin Fever Band
Love of the Mountains - Arnet Gutshall
Hogeyed Man - Rafe Stefanini (background music)

5th Set
The Country Blues - Dock Boggs
Hard Luck in Heaven - Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands (Scott Huffman vocals)
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Del McCoury Band
Ophelia - Gibson Brothers
One Step Closer to the Grave - Gibson Brothers

Announcements

6th Set
Dont Forget the Coffee Billy Joe - Gibson Brothers
The Barn Song - The Gibson Brothers
The Cold Hard Facts of Life - Bill Anderson
Lincoln's Funeral Train - Norman Blake and Tony Rice
Dim Lights and Thick Smoke - Rick Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

Outro - Black Mountain Rag - Allison Krauss and Union Station
Will the Circle be Unbroken - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Maybelle Carter, Roy Acuff, Jimmy Martin and Doc Watson

Mostly Folk playlist, February 1, 2009

Host: Sonny Ochs

Artist/ Song/ CD or LP

Echo Hunters/ Ain't Life Sweet/ Cabin Fever
Lui Collins/ Swimming to the Other Side/ Leaving Fort Knox
Joe Jencks/ St. Christopher/ What Kind of Brother
Stephanie Bettman/ The Letting Go/ Get Close To Me
Pat Donohue/ It Could Be Worse/ Profile
Aengus Finnan/ Rollin' Home/ Northwind
Dave Van Ronk/ He Was a Friend of Mine/ Dave Van Ronk Folksinger
Loreena McKennitt/ Huron "Beltane" Fire Dance/ Folkscene Collection Vol 3
John Stewart/ New Orleans/ The Day the River Sang
Bruce Springsteen/ Erie Canal/ The Seeger Sessions
Cris Williamson/ Waterfall/ The Changer & the Changed
Holly Near/ When Do We Rest/ Edge
Sammy Walker/ Superstitions Mine/ Misfit Scarecrow
Dave Rowe/ Four Green Fields/ Big Shoes
Small Potatoes/ 1000 Candles, 1000 Cranes/ Waltz of the Wallflowers
Bob Gibson/ Start the Parade/ Stops Along the Way

When Rev. Lowery did his bit on black brown and white, I remembered that I had played that song on my show a few times in the past. Looked at my old play lists and there it was!!!

Jane Sapp/ Black Brown & White Blues/ Carry It On
Josh White Jr./ Southern Exposure Blues/ House of the Rising Son
Mavis Staples/ Eyes on the Prize/ We'll Never Turn Back
Odetta/ This Little Light of Mine/ Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
Len Chandler/ To Be a Man/ To Be a Man

Tom Rush/ All a Man Can Do/ What I Know
Jorma Kaukonen/ There's a Bright Side Somewhere/ River of Time
Beaucoup Blue/ Oh America/ Free To Fall
Crabtree & Mills/ Ballad For Lee/ Freedom
Guy Davis/ Steamboat Captain/ Sweetheart Like You
Margret Roadknight/ Amazing Grace/ Women 'n Blues
Tommy Sands/ The People Have Spoken/ Let the Circle Be Wide
Treasa Levasseur/ Big Fat Mouth/ Low Fidelity
John McCutcheon/ Closing the Bookstore/ Supper's on the Table
Ben Bedford/ Mother Jones on the Line/ Land of the Shadows
Maria Dunn/ How Do You Do 1935/ We Were Good People
Chuck Brodsky/ Old Song Handed Down/ Two Sets
Camille West/ Viagra in the Water/ Diva's Day Off
Tanglefoot/ Roll on Jamaica/ Agnes on the Cowcatcher
David Ferrard/ Hills of Virginia/ Broken Sky
Limeliters/ The Power & the Glory/ Until We Get It Right

An introduction to American folk music

What is folk music?

Sometimes people ask, "What is folk music?" I think there is some confusion because there are really two (at least) different meanings of the term.

1. Traditional folk music: Folk music is music made by the folks, that is, by ordinary people rather than by professional musicians. In the past, people would sing as they worked. Also, when they relaxed in the evening, they had no TV or computer, so they made their own entertainment by singing, playing musical instruments, and telling stories. We don't do that much any more, but we do still sing in some situations, such as with children, around campfires, and at church. When we do this, we are continuing our culture's folk music.
2. Folk music as a genre: There is a musical genre we now call folk music because it grew out of traditional folk music. I take a cultural view of this genre, defining it as having a particular history, representing a particular community, and expressing particular values. While musical styles within folk are somewhat varied, for the most part the folk genre uses acoustic instruments. In this article, I'll tell you more about folk music as a genre.

A brief history of folk music

The development of folk music as a genre in the United States included the following highlights during the first half of the 20th century. (This is just a nutshell version, and doesn't really do it justice.)

• A band called the Carter Family performed and recorded many folk songs. Many later folk musicians learned songs from the recordings of the Carter Family.
  
• Folklorists, including John and Alan Lomax, traveled around the U.S. recording people performing traditional music, in order to preserve the culture.
• Huddie Ledbetter, known as Lead Belly or Leadbelly, was an African American musician. The Lomaxes found him when they were collecting songs in prisons, helped him get released, and took him north to share his music.
• Woody Guthrie, profoundly influenced by the struggles of the Depression, traveled around the country hopping freight trains, and wrote and performed songs. One of his best known songs is "This Land is Your Land."
• A group called the Weavers helped popularize folk songs, including songs they learned from the Carter Family, Lead Belly, and Woody Guthrie. They had some hits, including "Good Night Irene," which they learned from Lead Belly, but their success was cut short when they were blacklisted as suspected communists. Their most famous member, Pete Seeger, has been a major force in folk music for decades, and sang Woody Guthrie's song "This Land is Your Land" at Barack Obama's inaugural concert.

The 1960's brought the folk revival. Many musicians drew on the influences of those listed above. The Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Janis Ian, Donovan, the Byrds, and others became household names. WRPI is honored to have Sonny Ochs, sister of 60's musician Phil Ochs, as one of our DJs.

As time marched on, folk music as a genre went one direction, while popular music went a different direction. The folk music genre is still very much alive, but it is no longer widely known.

The culture and values of today's folk music community

The genre of American folk music has evolved within a certain community which holds particular values. Growing out of its origins in traditional music, the folk genre emphasizes a grassroots perspective. At concerts, audience members are often encouraged to sing along. Folk musicians dress in ordinary clothes, go by ordinary names, and often chat with audience members during intermissions. Songs often talk about family, rural living, and nature. The folk community is predominantly liberal, using music as a tool for social change is a major theme in the folk community. Many songs address topics such as war, peace, poverty, labor unions, racial equality, and the environment. As with most genres, there are some songs about love or heartbreak, but these songs do not predominate, and love songs are often about long-lasting love rather than new love. There are also many songs on a wide range of other topics, including trains, sailing, pirates, cats, frogs, coffee, potatoes, avocados, garlic, the internet, duct tape, Jack and Jill, and Ampere's law.

Varieties of folk music

The stereotype of a folk musician today is a singer-songwriter who plays the guitar. Others know folk music through O Brother Where Art Thou or Nickel Creek. Folk music is all these things and more. Folk includes bluegrass, Celtic, and French Canadian music. Some songs have influences from jazz, blues, gospel, swing, country, or rock. In addition to a guitar, you may hear a banjo, mandolin, dobro, ukelele, cello, bodhran, pennywhistle, drum, bagpipe, organ, piano, glockenspiel, or concertina. I even have one album which credits someone for creating sound using a sewing machine. There are young bands such as the Mammals, the Duhks, Crooked Still, Ollabelle, the Wailin' Jennies, and Uncle Earl who bring their modern youthful energy to traditional music. Musicians such as the Indigo Girls, Lucy Kaplansky, Dar Williams, Rufus Wainwright, and Teddy Thompson are closer to rock or indie music. You can hear songs of rural mountain life from Christopher Shaw and Bridget Ball, Peggy Lynn, Dan Duggan, and Dan Berggren. Humorous songs are performed by Christine Lavin, Camille West, Lou and Peter Berryman, and the Arrogant Worms. These musicians are just the tip of the iceberg. Tune into the Mostly Folk Show on Sundays 6-8pm and the Bluegrass Show on Saturdays 7-10am to hear more.

Mostly Folk Playlist, 1/18/09

Host: Howard Jack

Beaucoup Blue, "C.C. Rider," Out of the Woodwork
Bill Staines, "Music to Me," Tracks and Trails
Dan Berggren, "Whistleblower," Fresh Territory
Taj Mahal, "Slavedriver," Mo' Roots
The Kim & Reggie Harris Group, "Heaven Is Less Than Fair," Music & the
Underground Railroad
Bob Dylan, "No More Auction Block," The Bootleg Series, Volumes 1 - 3
(Rare and Unreleased)
Sweet Honey in the Rock, "Wade in the Water," Live at Carnegie Hall
Joe & Eddie, "The Drinking Gourd," There's a Meetin' Here Tonight - The
Best of Joe & Eddie
Woody Guthrie, "Harriet Tubman's Ballad," Long Ways to Travel
Corey Harris, "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning," Between Midnight
and Day
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, "Titanic Epic," Treasures and Tears
Jack Landron, "Father's Grave," Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
Mimi & Richard Farina, "Michael, Andrew & James," Mimi & Richard Farina -
The Complete Vanguard Recordings
Si Kahn, "I Have Seen Freedom," I Have Seen Freedom
The Fairfield Four, "My God Called Me This Morning," Standing in the Safety
Zone
The Pointer Sisters, "Yes, We Can Can," The Pointer Sisters
James Taylor, "Shed a Little Light," New Moon Shine
The Neville Brothers,"Amazing Grace," Live on Planet Earth
Bob Marley, "Redemption Song," Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & the
Wailers
The Refugees, "Fishin' in the Dark," Unbound
Coco & Lafe, "Cambridge Underground," Cafe Loco
Harry Manx & Friends, "Take This Hammer," Live at the Glenn Gould Studio
Paul Reddick, "Climbing Up the Hill," Sugar Bird
Notorious, "Sarah Jane," Elkins

Mostly Folk playlist, January 4, 2009

Host: Sonny Ochs

Artist/ CD/ Title
Terri Hendrix/ I Found the Lions/ The Ring
Billy Jonas/ This We Know/ Get Real
Wishing Chair/ Family Man/ The Ghost of Will Harbut
Harry Manx/ Taking It To the Streets/ Jubilee
The Rowan Brothers/ I'll Be There/ Now & Then
Penny Lang/ I Have Been Living With the Blues/ Penny Land & Friends Live
Joel Mabus/ Spoon River & You/ Golden Willow Tree
Christine Lavin/ Wind Chimes/ Sometimes Mother Really Knows Best
Ken Whiteley/ That's When I Need a Song/ One World Dance
David Francey/ Red Winged Blackbird/ Torn Screen Door
Treasa Levasseau/ Low Fidelity/ Low Fidelity
Les Barker/ The Phoenix/ Up the Creek Without a Poodle
The Weavers/ Goodnight Irene/ Troubadours of Folk Era Vol. Three
Josh White Jr/ My Grandmother's House/ Delicate Balance
Diana Jones/ Cold Grey Ground/ My Remembrance of You
Magpie/ Wash Our Spirits Clean/ In This World
Lowen & Navarro/ Writing on the Wall/ Folk Scene Collection
Harmonious Wail/ Dark Eyes/ Gypsy Swing
Pat Wictor/ That's the Way It's Gonna Be/ Sunset Waltz
Kim & Reggie Harris/ All My Relations/ In the Heat of the Summer
Laura Bird/ When It Comes My Time/ The Water In Between
Greg Greenway/ Standing on the Side of Love/ Standing on the Side of Love
John Forster/ In the Closet/ Helium
Cosy Sheridan/ Happiness Is Waiting/ Eros
Tanglefoot/ Secord's Warning/ The Music in the Wood

Reflection on war segment - so powerful to listen to!!!

Grit Laskin/ The End of a Pointed Gun/ Unabashedly Folk
Tom Pacheco/ Memorial Day/ Best of Tom Pacheco Vol. 1
Eric Andersen/ White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land/ The Street Was Always There
Faith Petric/ Grandma's Battle Cry/ Faith's Favorites
John Flynn/ No More War/ Two Wolves

Mavis Staples/ Eyes on the Prize/ We'll Never Turn Back
David Roth/ Streets of London/ More Pearls
Susan Werner/ Our Father/ The Gospel Truth
Camille West/ Getting Raptured/ Diva's Day Off
Magpie & Kim & Reggie Harris/ How Long/ Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
Nickel Creek/ Sweet Afton/ Nickel Creek
Pat Humphries/ Hands/ What's That I Hear
Jon Vezner/ Who Am I Gonna Be/ We Remember
Bob Gibson/ How Could You Do This To Me/ Stops Along the Way
Kathy Mattea/ Coal Tattoo/ Coal
Tom Rush/ Circle Game/ Troubadours of Folk Era Vol %2o
Magpie & Kim & Reggie Harris/ How Long/ Freedoms Is a Constant Struggle