RagTag For the People
Book Value … Here is a present to the folk music community in honor of Pete Seeger’s Birthday (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014). A PDF version of my book – for free! More “RagTags” than you can shake … Continue reading →
Reaching New Audiences
& WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS Playlist for May 1, 2016 Since WFDU-FM held our February fund drive, I’ve been thinking about the future of radio and folk music. Not to worry, I’m fine. Even though the show did not do as well … Continue reading →
“Billy Paul” and the Elegist of Music City
Introduction Those of you who follow us on Facebook know that we often recognize artists’ birthdays. That’s mostly my work. With plenty of thinking about mortality in our blog posts, it’s worth celebrating the musicians that help us find our way … Continue reading →
Fired Up with The Evie Ladin Band
& WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS Playlist for April 24, 2016 One of the finest CD’s that I have received in recent months is Jump the Fire from the Evie Ladin Band. This new recording, the trio’s third release, captures the energy and … Continue reading →
Folkfinds: Rob Fong’s “Katy Hill”
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/181834312″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /] For those concerned about traditional music’s appeal to the youth today, this week’s Folkfinds is Rob Fong of Asheville, NC. Rob fell in love with Southern traditional music a few years ago and … Continue reading →
Podcast: Paradise
Episode #16-17 | airing 4-27-16
Sometimes the theme for a program comes right out of the headlines. The Peabody Energy Company has filed for bankruptcy. If you recall John Prine’s classic song Paradise refers to “Mr. Peabody’s coal train…”. This week we’ll hear some classic … Continue reading →
Podcast: Blues Evangelists
Episode #16-16 | airing 4-20-16
Occasionally a listener of the SORM will suggest a theme for a program. Sometimes they are way too broad a subject or entirely too personal but this time the suggestion was a fine one-Blues Evangelists. The Blues has always had … Continue reading →
Faster Folk
& WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS Playlist for April 17, 2016 Folk songs, once recognized as transmitted from generation to generation in an oral tradition, took on a new method of delivery during the folk revival. Songs would be written and tried out … Continue reading →
Chasing Omie: eighth blackbird and Bryce Dessner’s ‘Murder Ballades’
Murder Ballades I attended eighth blackbird’s performance of Bryce Dessner’s Murder Ballades few weeks ago, on Good Friday, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Matthew Duvall, eighth blackbird’s percussionist, had mentioned the performance on our Facebook page, and … Continue reading →
HACKENSAW BOYS: Charismo
Hackensaw Boys Charismo Free Dirt 0078 www.freedirtrecords.com Charismo is the first full album of new Hackensaw Boys music and material in about a decade, an exuberant album buoyed by the Hackensaw cheekiness that was … Continue reading →