Topical songs have been a major component of American folk music for many years. This week we’ll hear some of the classic songs about warfare, railroads, coal mining and unions. Music from The Almanac Singers, Big Bill Broonzy, Guy Carawan, … Continue reading →
JUNIOR WELLS Southside Blues Jam Delmark 628 www.delmark.com A brilliant harmonica player and emotionally arresting singer, Junior Wells was mentored by the legendary diatonic harp maven Little Walter Jacobs and released his first album, … Continue reading →
THE VAGABAND Medicine for the Soul Eggsong 002 www.thevagaband.co.uk This is the sophomore project from the United Kingdom’s eight-piece, Norfolk-based, ensemble The Vagaband that is helmed by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jose McGill along with … Continue reading →
IAN ZACK Say No To The Devil: The Live and Musical Genius of Rev. Gary Davis University of Chicago Press www.press.uchicago.edu When someone like Bob Dylan says he’s “One of the wizards of modern … Continue reading →
JORMA KAUKONEN Ain’t In No Hurry Red House 282 www.redhouserecords.com Jorma Kaukonen is really in a serene place in his life now. He gets out and plays live as much as he wants to, … Continue reading →
GURF MORLIX Eatin’ At Me Rootball www.gurfmorlix.com Gurf Morlix won mainstream recognition during his time as Lucinda Williams’ guitar player, musical director and producer. After they had a falling out over the band’s musical … Continue reading →
Twice in recent weeks I’ve delved into Hazel Dickens’s work to find songs that walk the line between life and death in America’s coal fields. “Black Lung” is no murder ballad, but we saw how it used Primitive Baptist singing … Continue reading →
WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS Playlist for February 22, 2015 With the annual WFDU-FM fund drive coming to an end, my co-host Bill Hahn and I shared a number of listener favorites and requests on this week’s broadcast. We aired these songs partially as … Continue reading →
Smithsonian Folkways is releasing a massive 5CD collection of the music of Leadbelly on February 24th. On this week’s edition we will listen to some of the songs on that great collection. We’ll also hear some classic renditions of Leadbelly … Continue reading →
WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS Playlist for February 15, 2015 Huddie Ledbetter, best known to the world as Lead Belly, passed away in December 1949, a few short months before the Weavers recording of his “Goodnight Irene” entered the Billboard best seller chart. … Continue reading →
