In Pennsylvania, where I grew up, every wedding reception or activity featured a polka band. Most kids in the 1960s would rather be anywhere else than sitting with your parents and listening to this “uncool” music. Leap forward to the 1970s when Cajun and Zydeco music along with conjunto sounds became very popular many minds were changed and all of a sudden the accordion was cool. Since 1989, June has been designated as National Accordion Awareness Month and this week on the show, we’ll explore many styles of accordion music. We’ll hear Charm City Junction, Flaco Jimenez, Sharon Shannon, John Kirkpatrick with Richard Thompson and many more. We’re squeezing bellows … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

LISTEN:

Artist / “Title” / CD / Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle /
              Smithsonian Folkways
Jeremiah McLane / “Gigue du Plateau” / Freetown / Epact
Tim & Mollie O’Brien / “Away Out On The Mountain” / Away Out On The Mountain / Sugar Hill
Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys / “Angeline the Baker” / Pretty Peggy / Navigator
Lou and Peter Berryman / “Walking with Roget” / The Universe in Examples / Cornbelt
Charm City Junction / “Jig for Annie-Fort Smith Breakdown” / Duckpin / Self Produced

Tom Sullivan / “The Dreadnaught” / Classic Maritime Music / Smithsonian Folkways
Snowflake Trio / “Butterfly-Gudmunddansen” / Sun Dogs / TA:LIK
The Red Clay Ramblers / “Cotton Eyed Joe” / Live / Self Produced
Jeremiah McLane / “Lumley Beach” / Freetown / Epact

Feufollet / “Cette Fois” / Two Universes / Feufollet Records
Sharon Shannon / “Bungee Jumpers” / Out the Gap / Compass
Jayme Stone / “Hallelujah / Jayme Stone’s Folklife / Borealis

Flaco & Max / “La Mucura” / Legends & Legacies / Smithsonian Folkways
Daddy Squeeze & the Doctor / “Stone’s Rag” / You Better Mind / Prairie Dog
Richard Thompson / “Tear Stained Letter” / Hand of Kindness / Hannibal
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle /
              Smithsonian Folkways