“Pills of White Mercury” (Unfortunate Rake, Part One)

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Murder ballads help us chart the frontiers of our empathy. They provide the chance to connect emotionally with victims and villains; sometimes with sympathy, sometimes with revulsion. Through them, we inhabit the perspectives of the dead and dying, witnesses and bystanders, and often the poor souls who, … Continue reading →

Folkfinds: Fernando Gonzalo and John Eagle’s “1936”

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[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/125090120″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /] Hailing from Barcelona, singer-songwriter Fernando Gonzalo is a long way from the US but fell in love early with American country-folk styles. His own recordings aim for a sound and imagery that is … Continue reading →

Podcast: Louisiana
Episode #15-30 | airing 7-22-15

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This week we begin a two week visit to Louisiana. Our first program focuses on classic Louisiana music and a trip to The Crescent City of New Orleans. Louisiana is a melting pot of many musical traditions. This week we’ll … Continue reading →

You Can’t Win a Race with a Cannonball: Goya, Guernica & My Son John

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A dillar a dollar a ten o clock scholar blow off his legs and then watch him holler. — Dalton Trumbo: Johnny Got His Gun  I saw it. — Francisco Goya Bayonet and Musket In 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte launched a … Continue reading →

Folkfinds: John Delk’s “A Gallon At A Time”

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[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/196310379″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /] Tennesseean John Delk only began recording his songs within the past few years, but we’re lucky he did. The region around his home features heavily in his songs, but perhaps surprisingly he avoids … Continue reading →

Podcast: The Midwest, Part 2
Episode #15-29 | airing 7-15-15

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This week we conclude our Summer travels through the Midwest on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine-Midwestern Routes Pt. 2. These programs are dedicated to the master folksinger Art Thieme who passed on May 26. We’ll hear some of the best … Continue reading →

Getting Ready for Camp – Summersongs 2015

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& WFDU-FM’s Traditions Playlist for July 12, 2015 Confession time. I never went to summer camp as a kid. My close friends in the neighborhood never attended either. While we had a great time making up our own activities on … Continue reading →