It has been a rough summer weather-wise for so many areas of the U.S. and around the world, from wind to fire to floods. Folk music bears the news and holds the memories of communities affected, so we’ll share some songs that have been inspired by troubled times. We’ll hear songs and tunes from Tom Rush, Trombone Shorty, Bob Franke and James McMurtry, who lends us the title for the program “When the Lines Go Down”. Folk music to remember and mourn … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

LISTEN:

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways
Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg & Edgar Meyer / “Why Don’t You Go Back in the Woods” /
              Skip, Hop & Wobble / Sugar Hill
Caroline Cotter / “Home on the River” / Home on the River / Self-produced
K C Groves / “Little Rain” / Happy Little Trees / Self-produced
Mudbone / “Muddy Water Blues” / Rivers / Last Honky Tonk
Tony Joe White / “Storm Comin’”/ Hoo Doo / Yep Roc

Johnny Cash / “Five Feet High and Risin” / Greatest Hits Vol.1 / Columbia
The Carter Family / “The Cyclone of Rye Cove” / In the Shadow of Clinch Mountain / Bear Family
Sam Kelly & the Lost Boys / “Crash on the Levee” / Pretty Peggy / Navigator
Trombone Shorty / “Hurricane Season” / Backatown / Verve Forecast
Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg & Edgar Meyer / “The Hymn of Ordinary Motion” /
              Skip, Hop & Wobble / Sugar Hill

James McMurtry / “Hurricane Party” / Just Us Kids / Lightning Rod
Susan J. Berman / “The Storm” / Nantucket Girl / Self-produced
Irma Thomas / “I Count the Tears” / After the Rain / Rounder
Tom Rush / “Wasn’t That A Mighty Storm” / Celebrates 50 Years of Music / Appleseed
Bob Franke / “The Great Storm is Over” / Fast Folk Music Magazine Vol.1 No.6 / Self-produced
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways