WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS
July 13, 2014
HOST: Ron Olesko

Two musical “families” were showcased on today’s show, the Ramones and the Seegers.

Starting a show with a memorial tribute to a member of the seminal punk band the Ramones might seem odd for a folk radio program, unless you knew Tommy Ramone.

Tommy Ramone passed away on July 11. While most people will remember Tommy Ramone as the original drummer for the seminal punk band the Ramones, Tommy’s life in music had many facets. Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1949, Thomas Erdelyl was a recording studio engineer before he joined the influential band. His credits include assistant engineer to Jimi Hendrix for the album Band of Gypsys. It was planned that he was going to be the manager for the Ramones, but in 1974 he was drafted by the other members of the group to become their drummer. Tommy was not only their drummer, but he also co-produced the first three albums for the Ramones. Their music was influential on the blossoming punk scene, and while Tommy was the last surviving member of the original group, the music they created continues to make an impact on alternative music. Tommy left the band in 1978 to concentrate on producing.

Around 2000, Tommy and his partner Claudia Tienan began exploring traditional music and started performing as Uncle Monk, an acoustic duo with deep roots in the bluegrass and old timey styles, but with a touch of punk sensibility that was surprisingly natural. “There is a similarity between punk & old time music,” Tommy was quoted, ” both are home brewed as opposed to schooled, both have earthy energy, and there is a certain cool in old time music that is found in the best alternative acts.” The duo recorded one album and gave numerous performances, including a 2010 appearance at the international Folk Alliance conference in Memphis.

While Uncle Monk never reached the same plateaus traversed by the Ramones,Tommy and Claudia did open the eyes and ears of many – the Ramones crowd who became curious about this new venture, and ardent old-timey purists who could see how the style could be a living tradition (if they approached with an open mind.) In addition to playing some Uncle Monk songs, I also shared a few cover versions of Ramones classics. (Tell me – should we be calling them “cover” songs? Wouldn’t that make all folk songs “cover” songs?)

Today’s show also featured music from the Seegers – Pete and his step-sister Peggy. We shared selections from the new tribute CD from Wepecket Island Records, “For Pete’s Sake” and discussed SeegerFest, a celebration of the llife, music and spirit of the late Pete and Toshi Seeger that was taking place in the Hudson Valley and New York City. The magnificent celebration was organized by Pete and Toshi’s grandson, Kitama Cahill-Jackson. As for Peggy Seeger, I was thrilled to share a sneak preview of her brand new CD “Everything Changes.” The music and spirit of the Seegers certainly spread through the show as their influence on the folk community is vast.

www.seegerfest.org

Was it strange to feature music of Ramones and the Seegers in the same show? Obviously not, if you heard the program. Back in 1945 Pete Seeger and his friends founded an organization called People’s Songs, built to “create, promote and distribute songs of labor and the American people.” The organization also created a booking agency, and the idea was that it would include not only traditional folk artists, but musicians and artists of various styles and disciplines in order to bring together a shared culture and purpose. It is my hope that listeners understand that message and could see the connections during today’s show. At the very least, I hope everyone enjoyed the songs!

(Tune in to TRADITIONS every Sunday from 2pm to 5pm Eastern Time over WFDU-FM 89.1 in the NYC/Northern New Jersey area, or on the web at www.wfdu.fm. On-demand streams of shows, including this one, are archived for two weeks HERE. A Sing Out! Radio Partner.)

ARTIST Tune / Song
ALBUM LABEL – Website
2pm
Theme: HARVEY REID “Dirty Dish Rag”
Solo Guitar Sketchbook    Woodpecker Records – www.woodpecker.com
UNCLE MONK “Coming Around the Bend”
Uncle Monk    self – www.unclemonk.com

UNCLE MONK “Walking Bandit”
Uncle Monk    self – www.unclemonk.com
DUST BOWL CAVALIERS “I Wanna Be Sedated”
Volume Two: Flowers and Gasoline    self – www.dustbowlcavaliers.com
LOWEN AND NAVARRO “Blitzkrieg Bop”
Hogging the Covers   self – www.lowenandnavarro.com
THEA GILMORE “Don’t Come Close”
Loft Music    Alliance – www.theagilmore.net
UNCLE MONK “Heaven”
Uncle Monk    self – www.unclemonk.com

LOU DOMINGUEZ “Record Store”
We the People    self – www.loudominguez.com
ROD MACDONALD   “Big Time Record Contract”
Later That Night    Blue Flute Music – www.rodmacdonald.net
THE LORDS OF LIECHTENSTEIN “A Silly Little Song”
Girlz (with a ‘z’)    self – www.thelordsoflichtenstein.com

BROTHER SUN “I Ain’t Got No Home”
Some Part of the Truth   self – www.brothersunmusic.com
JOHN FLYNN “Like Woody Done”
Poor Man’s Diamonds    self – www.johnflynn.net
WOODY GUTHRIE “People’s Songs Hootenanny”
Woody at 100    Smithsonian Folkways – www.folkways.si.edu

ROBIN SPIELBERG    “Sweet Betsy From Pike”
Sea to Shining Sea: A Tapestry of American Music    self – www.robinspielberg.com

3pm
PETER AND MARY ALICE AMIDON “What a Wonderful World”
A Song in My Heart    self – www.amindonmusic.com

THE YANKS “The Haymaker”
Haymaker    self – www.yanksband.com
EMILY SMITH “Clerk Saunders”
Echoes    Whitefall Records – www.whitefallrecords.com, www.emilysmith.org
SEAN TYRRELL   “Noreen Brawn”
Moonlight on Galway Bay    self – www.seantyrrell.com
LONG TIME COURTING “Maggie Dean”
Alternate Routes    self – www.longtimecourting.com
HANNEKE CASSEL “Dot the Dragons’s Eyes”
Dot the Dragon’s Eyes    self – www.hannekecassell.com

JAMES TAYLOR “O What a Beautiful Morning”
Other Covers    Sony
MICHAEL COONEY “Thyme It is A Precious Thing”
Live at Caffe Lena    Tompkin’s Square – www.tompkinssquare.com, www.caffelena.org

EDIE CAREY AND SARAH SAMPLE “Turn Around”
‘Til the Morning    Groundloop Records – www.ediecarey.com, www.sarahsample.com
TOM PRASADA-RAO “The Blessing”
Click: Songs By Neale Eckstein & Friends   Fox Run – www.foxrun.org

ANDREW CORBETT “Rainy Day People”
Moments of Grace   self – www.andrewcorbett.info
DAVE RUDOLF “Angel From Montgomery”
Dave Rudolf’s Acoustic Live    self – www.daverudolf.com

4pm
PEGGY SEEGER  “Go to Sleep”
Everything Changes    Signet Music – www.peggyseeger.com
PEGGY SEEGER “Do You Believe in Me?”
Everything Changes    Signet Music – www.peggyseeger.com
PEGGY SEEGER “Everything Changes”
Everything Changes    Signet Music – www.peggyseeger.com

JIM MCGRATH “Guantanamera”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com
RIK PALIERI “Letter to Eve”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com
LAUREN SHEEHAN “Living in the Country”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com
DALE ROBIN GOODMAN “Get Up and Go”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com
RANDY BURNS “I Come and Stand” For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com
M.S.G. ACOUSTIC BLUES TRIO “We Shall Overcome”
For Pete’s Sake: A Tribute    Wepecket Island Records – www.wepecket.com

CONOR GARVEY “Red Winged Blackbird”
Where Ocean Meets Land    self – www.connorgarveysongs.com
THE KENNEDYS “Half A Million Miles”
Half A Million Miles    Appleseed Recordings – www.appleseedrec.com, www.kennedysmusic.com
THE SEA THE SEA “In the Dark”
Love We Are We Love self – www.theseathesea.com

PETE SEEGER “Five Fingers”
The Rainbow Quest    Smithsonian Folkways – www.folkways.si.edu
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Ron Olesko
WFDU-FM
1000 River Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
www.wfdu.fm

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