Sunday, June 28, 2009

6/28/09 Playlist

1. Tim Grimm: So It Goes (Holding up The World), Vault www.timgrimm.com
2. Sally Barris: Tears of Joy (Restless Soul), Wrensong www.sallybarris.com
3. Ben Bedford: Fisher's Hill (Land of The Shadows), Hopeful Sky www.benbedford.com
4. Colleen McFarland: Drowning the World (Let It Shine), 9th Child www.colleenmcfarland.com

5. David Wilcox: Dream Again (Open Hand), What Are Records www.whatarerecords.com
6. Blame Sally: Vera Chiesa (Night of 1000 Stars), self www.blamesally.com
7. Brooks Williams: Lightning [Going Back to Texas] (The Time I Spend with You), Red Guitar Blue Music www.brookswilliams.com
8. Cosy Sheridan: Row (Eros), Wind River www.folkera.com/windriver

9. Putnam Smith: (Goldrush), Itchy Sabot www.putnamsmith.com
10. Danielle Talamini: No One to Me (The Road Rises), Lone Apple www.danielletalamini.com
11. Craig Bickhardt: This Old House (Brother to The Wind), Stone Barn www.craigbickhardt.com
12. Sarah Jarosz: Come On up to The House (Song Up in Her Head), Sugar Hill www.sarahjarosz.com

13. Merlin Snider: The First 25 Years (Right Here), Barking Dog www.merlinsnider.com
14. Amy Speace: The Weight of The World (The Killer in Me), Wildflower www.amyspeace.com
15. Jeff Black: Round and Around (Mining), download www.jeffblack.com
16. Denice Franke: Brand New Sky [Sweet Magnolia] (Gulf Coast Blue), Certain Records www.denicefranke.com

17. Kerry Grombacher: Will Cowboy for Food (Riding for The Brand), self www.kgrombacher.com
18. Eilen Jewell: One of Those Days (Sea of Tears), Signature Sounds www.signaturesounds.com
19. Richard Shindell: Get Up Clara (One of These Days), Signature Sounds
20. Kris Delmhorst: Heavens Hold the Sun (Shotgun Singer), Signature Sounds

21. Jeffrey Foucault: Unwed Fathers (Shoot the Moon Right Between the Eyes), Signature Sounds
22. Sweetback Sisters: Red Shoes Blues (Chicken Ain't Chicken), Signature Sounds

23. Red Hen: Too Late for The Bacon (Crossing), Red Hen http://www.janerothfield.com/jane/bands/red-hen-band/
24. Kelly Carmichael: Richland Woman Blues (Queen Fareena), Dogstreet www.dogstreetrecords.com
25. Still on The Hill: Willie's Wall (Ozark: A Celebration in Song), self www.stillonthehill.com

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Donna Hebert's "In Full Bloom," self www.fiddlingdemystified.com

26. Jim Photoglo: Jesus Saves (Is It Me?), Grifftone www.jimphotoglo.com
27. Lori Lieberman: New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Gun Metal Sky), Drive On www.lorilieberman.com
28. The Amity Front: Wrap Me in The Dawn (Border Towns), self www.theamityfront.com
29. Albert & Gage: If I Die Tomorrow (Dakota Lullaby: The Songs of Tom Peterson), Moon House www.albertandgage.com

30. Matt & Shannon Heaton: Lily of The W est (Lovers' Well), self www.mattandshannonheaton.com
31. Tom Rush w/Emmylou Harris: Too Many Memories (What I Know), Appleseed www.appleseedmusic.com
32. The Greencards: The Avenue (Fascination), Sugar Hill www.sugarhillrecords.com
33. The Brainstormers: Poor Man's Troubles (The Brainstormers), self www.brainstormermusic.com
34. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House www.redhousemusic.com

Susan Werner on Weekend Morning Edition

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106013342

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Playlist for a fill-in on Bullet-Proof Radio, 6/24/09

Filling in on "Bullet-Proof Radio" (alt-indie) for "Kevlar" on WHUS 91.7 [www.whus.org] on Wednesday June 24, 2009, 6 - 8pm.

1. The Victor Mourning: Zachariah (Fire Fire Demos), Backwoods Modern http://www.thevictormourning.com/
2. Neko Case: Prison Girls (Middle Cyclone), Anti- http://www.nekocase.com/
3. Gideon Freudmann: Tryptophan (Sonic Surf), Octagon http://www.cellobop.com/
4. Joe Pug: Hymn #35 (Nation of Heat EP), self http://www.joepug.com/

5. Bat for Lashes: Siren Song (Two Suns) (download)
6. Hoots and Hellmouth: Ne'er Do Well (The Holy Open Secret), MAD Dragon http://www.maddragonrecords.com/
7. Ensemble / Guangji Kindergarten: Little Birdie (Afterquake), self http://www.afterquakemusic.com/
8. Trent Wagler / Jay Lapp: Whistle Blows (Adrienna Valentine), self http://www.trentwagler.com/

9. Sarah Jarosz: Shankill Butchers (Song Up in Her Head), Sugar Hill http://www.sarahjarosz.com/
10. I See Hawks in L.A.: Keep It in A Bottle (Hallowed Ground), Big Book http://www.iseehawks.com/
11. Kim Richey: First Light (A Case for Case), Hungry for Music http://www.hungryformusic.org/
12. The Felice Brothers: Ambulance Man (Yonder Is The Clock), Team Love http://www.team-love.com/

13. Anna Dagmar: Can We Be Old Friends? (Let the Waves Come in Threes), self http://www.annadagmar.com/
14. Ethan Miller & Kate Boverman:Come Home (If All the Land Would Rise), Riot Folk http://www.riotfolk.org/
15. Naomi Sommers: February (Gentle As the Sun), American Melody http://www.naomisommers.com/
16. Still on The Hill: Sleepless (...Chaos & Calm), self http://www.stillonthehill.com/
17. Ben Sollee: A Few Honest Words (Learning to Bend), Thirty Tigers http://www.bensollee.com/

18. Sometymes Why: Aphrodisiaholic (Your Heart Is A Glorious Machine), Signature Sounds 2019 http://www.signaturesounds.com/
19. David Stoddard: New Music on The Radio (radio edit - Hesselville), self
20. Todd Snider: Money, Compliments, Publicity (radio edit -- The Excitement Plan), Yep Roc 2202
21. Sarah Jarosz: Long Journey (Song Up in Her Head), Sugar Hill http://www.sarahjarosz.com/

22. Roy Zimmerman: Buddy Can You Spare A Trillion Dollars (download). self http://www.royzimmerman.com/
23. Austin Lounge Lizards: Too Big To Fail (download), self
24. Paranoid Larry: Stimulate THIS (The Struggle for Existence), Prove It Music http://www.paranoidlarry.com/

25 & 26. Matraca Berg, Gretchen Peters, Suzy Bogguss: Camille & Wild Horses (The Sewanee Sessions), 15 Bottles http://myspace.com/winewomen

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Dave Van Ronk's (and others) arrest record from the Stonewall Uprising!

The New York Times posts this:

Police Records Document Start of Stonewall Uprising

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/police-records-document-the-stonewall-uprising/?hp

Paul Stamler, the folk DJ who posted the article to the Folk DJ-L, says "I once asked Dave about his arrest at the Stonewall riot, which surprised me a bit since he's straight. "Oh, this was the Village; they couldn't have a riot without me," was his reply."

Sunday, June 21, 2009

6/21/09 Playlist

1. Grace Griffith: Summertime (Grace), Blix Street G2 10028 www.blixstreet.com

Fathers about kids:
2. Calaveras: Driving Him Away (Green Girl), self www.calaverassongs.com
3. Greg Brown: Daughters (Iowa Waltz), Red House 1 www.redhouserecords.com
4. John McCutcheon: Room at The Toop of The Stairs (Supper's on The Table ... Everybody Come In), Rounder www.rounder.com
5. Loudon Wainwright III: Bein' A Dad (Little Ship), Virgin 44879

Kids about fathers:
6. Judy Collins: My Father (Forever: An Anthology), Elektra
7. Ewan MacColl: My Old Man (Black and White: The Definitive Collection), Green Linnet 3058
8. Iris DeMent: Time to Cry (My Life), Warner Bros 45493
9. Ronny Cox: Happy Father's Day (Songs...with Repercussions), WindRiver 4042 www.folkera.com/windriver

Yesterday was World Refugee Day:
10. Anne Hills: Exile (Bittersweet Street), Redwing 5402 www.annehills.com
11. David Ferrard: Dmitri's Pocket Radio (Broken Sky), Flamingo West www.davidferrard.com 12. Crabtree & Mills: We Sailed Away (Freedom), Free & Easy www.joannecrabtree.com/crabreee&mills
13. Peter Bellamy: Exile Song (Wake The Vaulted Echoes), Free Reed 14

New:14. Euphonia: Cotton-Eyed Joe (The Old Jawbone), self www.sylviaherold.com
15. Kerry Grombacher: Valley of Shadows (It Sings in The Hi-Line), self www.kgrombacher.com 16. Lawrence Blatt: Orange Blossom Honey (The Color of Sunshine), self www.lawrenceblatt.com 17. Putnam Smith: Carlos the Mechanic (Goldrush), Itchy Sabot www.putnamsmith.com

For the protesters in Iran:
18. Eliza Gilkyson with John Doe: Chimes of Freedom (Misfits), Realiza www.elizagilkyson.com 19. Sweet Honey in The Rock: Step by Step (Where Have All the Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger), Appleseed 1024 www.appleseedmusic.com
20. Mahalia Jackson: We Shall Overcome (Freedom: Songs from The Heart of America), Columbia Legacy
21. Joanna Cazden: Tienanmen Square/The Rights of Man (Living Through History), Ursa Major

More from fathers:
22. Collin Raye: I Think about You (I Think about You), Epic
23. Jim Henry: Baby's Coming Home (Jacksonville), Signature Sounds1230 www.jimhenry.net 24. Guy Davis: Midnight Lullaby (Down at The Sea Hotel), The Secret Mountain www.thesecretmountain.com
25. Jim Photoglo: Daddy's Lullaby (Is It Me?), Grifftone www.grifftone.com

I watched "The Duchess" the other night, and this song, about women, historically, having no control over their lives, reminded me of the movie.
26. Pierce Pettis: Farewell (That Kind of Love), Compass 4496 www.compassrecords.com

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Lawrence Blatt's "The Color of Sunshine," self-released www.lawrenceblatt.com

More about fathers:
27. Johnsmith: Father's Day (Gravity of Grace), Blue Pine http://johnsmithmusic.com
28. Dave Moore: A Little Hey Dad (Over My Shoulder), Red House 34 www.redhouserecords.com
29. Greg Brown: Billy from The Hills (Slant 6 Mind), Red House 98
30. Chris Smither: Father's Day (Leave the Light On), Signature Sounds 2001 www.signaturesounds.com

New and new-ish:
31. Euphonia: Let the Bullgine Run (The Old Jawbone), self www.sylviaherold.com
32. Pierce Pettis: Pastures of Plenty (That Kind of Love), Compass www.compassrecords.com 33. Betty Soo: What We've Got (Heat Sin Water Skin), self www.bettysoo.com
34. Lee Murdock: Eight Bells (The View from The Harbor), Depot 031 www.leemurdock.com
35. Lindsay Mac: His Dreams (Stop Thinking), self www.lindsaymac.com
36. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House 174 www.redhouserecords.com

Links with Frequent Updates about Iran

About new technology making it hard to keep events secret, Ariana Huffington says:

This week's events in Iran have been a defining moment for new media. The people tweeting from demonstrations and uploading video of bloody violence taken with their camera phones have been able to tell a powerful story, in real-time, and circumvent the efforts of the mullahs to control the media and the flow of information. Social networking, often derided as the public preening of people with too much time on their hands, has been transformed into an indispensable tool for organizing and keeping the world informed. You know that journalism's tectonic plates have shifted when the State Department is asking Twitter to postpone shutting down for scheduled repairs so that the on-the-ground citizen reporting coming out of Iran could continue uninterrupted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

New York Times:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/sunday-updates-on-irans-disputed-election/

Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/

All can be refreshed for updates.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase Finalists

From Anne Saunders, Artistic and Publicity Director:

The following 24 artists listed in alphabetical order are confirmed for this year's Falcon Ridge/Grassy Hill Emerging Artist Showcase from 501 total applicants. They will appear on our mainstage Fri July 24 from noon to 4:30P. Order of appearance will be posted on our website shortly. (www.FalconRidgeFolk.com)

A.J. Roach & His Strange Pilgrims - NYC
Aiden James - Philadelphia PA
Alastair Moock -Medford MA
Angelo M. - Lancaster PA
Bread and Bones - Ripton VT
Calaveras - Lafayette CA
chuck e. costa - New Haven CT
Claudia Nygaard - Nashville TN
Colleen Kattau & Some Guys - Cortland NY
Coyote Grace - Santa Rosa CA
Danielle Miraglia - Somerville MA
Driftwood Fire - Fort Collins CO
Emily Elbert - Boston MA
Jenny Goodspeed - Ashfield MA
John Elliott - Los Angeles CA
K.C. Clifford - Oklahoma City OK
Kelleigh McKenzie - Rosendale NY
Liz Longley - Downingtown PA
Mary Bragg - Brooklyn NY
Nels Andrews - Brooklyn NY
Robyn Landis - Vashon WA
Sean Rowe - Albany-NY
Swing Caravan - Northampton MA
The Brilliant Inventions - Atlanta GA

Our thanks for a wonderful job to this year's judging committee, Sarah Craig from Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs NY, Richard Cuccaro editor/publisher of Acoustic Live in NYC and Cliff Seltzer from Gold Mountain Entertainment in Nashville.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Roy Zimmerman's new song "Summer of Loving"

June 12 is "Loving Day," the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Loving v. Virginia. Richard and Mildred Loving were an interracial couple who BROKE THE LAW by daring to GET MARRIED.

Roy recorded his new Mamas'N'Papas-style song (VERY summer of love-ish!) with Laura Love, John McCutcheon, Sandy O at Freight & Salvage in San Francisco.

"...Uncle Sam ain't no bigot .... no more...."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQWrasoNS24

6/14/09 Playlist

1. Buck Mountain Band: Oklahoma Waltz (Chicken in the Snowbank), Bent Trees 208 www.buckmountainband.com
2. David Dodson: Clean Up Time (Goldenrod), Blue North 102 Grovest33@version.net
3. Ruthie Foster: Up Above My Head (The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster), Blue Corn Music www.bluecornmusic.com
4. Ronny Cox: Grapes on The Vine (Songs ... with Repercussions), Wind River 4042 www.folkera.com/windriver

5. Mavis Staples: Touch My Heart (Touch My Heart), Sugar Hill 1081
6. Hoots and Hellmouth: Family Band (The Holy Open Secret), MAD Dragon www.maddragonrecords.com
7. The Refugees: You Plant Your Fields (Unbound), Wabuho www.therefugeesmusic.com
8. David Wilcox: Modern World (Open Hand), What Are Records www.whatarerecords.com

9. Dar Williams: Holly Tree (Promised Land), Razor & Tie
10. Ed Pettersen: June 1945 (Folk & Acoustic Sampler), Split Rock www.edpettersen.com
11. Gretchen Peters & Tom Russell: Wolves (One to The Heart, One to The Head), Scarlet Letter www.gretchenpeters.com
12. Adam Michael Rothberg: Live Every Day (Another Spin), self www.adamr.net

13. Vienna Teng: In Another Life (Inland Territory), Rounder / Zoe www.rounder.com]
14. Tom Rush: All A Man Can Do (What I Know), Appleseed 1115 www.appleseedmusic.com
15. Carrie Rodriguez: El Salvador (She Ain't Me), EMI www.manhattanrecords.com
16. Paul Rishell & Annie Raines: Old Man Mose (A Night in Woodstock), Mojo Rodeo www.paulandannie.com

The other night I watched "Enemy of The State," a 1998 film which predicted warrantless surveillance of civilians -- quite prescient!
17. Chuck Brodsky: Dangerous Times (Color Came One Day), Waterbug www.chuckbrodsky.com
18. Roy Zimmerman: Hello NSA (Faulty Intelligence), Metaphor www.royzimmerman.com

It's Flag Day, 232 years after the flag's adoption:
19. John McCutcheon: Our Flag Was Still There (download), self www.folkmusic.com
20. Cher: The Star Spangled Banner (Sing America), Save America's Treasures / Warner Bros
21. Johnny Cash: Ragged Old Flag (Johnny Cash's America), Legacy / Columbia
22. Dan Bern: The Torn Flag (My Country II), Messenger www.danbern.com
23. John Prine: Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Any More (John Prine), Atlantic

24. Ensemble: Dream Seek (Afterquake), Afterquake www.afterquakemusic.com
25. Patty Griffin: Making Pies (1000 Kisses), ATO www.pattygriffin.com
26. Cliff Eberhardt: The High Above and The Down Below (Red House Records 25th Anniversary Tour, Vol 2), FestivaLink www.festivalink.net
27. Buddy & Julie Miller with Emmylou Harris: The Selfishness in Man (Written in Chalk), New West www.newwestrecords.com

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Nina Gerber's "Not Before Noon," Goatscape www.ninagerber.com and ending with Lucy Kaplansky: Workin' in Corners

Some people don't think as well of others as they do of themselves and their own:
28. Chuck McCabe: Partisan Polka (Creatures of Habit), Woodshed www.chuck-mccabe.com
29. Todd Snider: Betty Was Black and Willie Was White (Happy to Be Here), Oh Boy www.ohboy.com
30. Nanci Griffith: The Loving Kind (The Loving Kind), Rounder www.rounder.com
31. John Prine: People Puttin' People Down (Great Days: The John Prine Anthology), Rhino

Some of those people have guns....
32. David Zink: Damn That Gun (Pyro), Papa's Moon
33. Steve Earle: The Devil's Right Hand (Copperhead Road), UNI / MCA
34. Joe Ely: Put Down the Gun (A Case for Case: A Tribute to The Songs of Peter Case), Hungry for Music www.hungryformusic.org

35. John McCutcheon: One Thin Swimsuit (Signs of The Times), Flying Fish
36. Michelle Shocked: Cancer Alley Rap/Wade in The Water (To Heaven U Ride), Mighty Sound www.michelleshocked.com
37. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House 174 www.redhouserecords.com

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Kenny Rankin dies in Los Angeles

Kenny Rankin dies at 69; singer-songwriter's long career almost defied categorization

A well-regarded guitarist, he wrote the hit song 'Peaceful' for Helen Reddy and played in Bob Dylan's backup band on the influential 1965 album 'Bringing It All Back Home.'

By Jon Thurber, June 9, 2009

Kenny Rankin, a singer-songwriter and musician whose song "Peaceful" was a hit for Helen Reddy and who had popular covers himself of a pair of Beatles hits, has died. He was 69.

Rankin died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The cause of death, according to his management company, was lung cancer, which was diagnosed three weeks ago.

His career, which spanned more than five decades, almost defied categorization. A well-regarded guitarist, he played in Bob Dylan's backup band on the influential 1965 album "Bringing It All Back Home." He also spent several years on the road opening for comedian George Carlin.

the rest is at
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-kenny-rankin9-2009jun09,0,5347669.story

Monday, June 8, 2009

6/7/09 Playlist

A long show tonight, extended until midnight so as to fill in for absent colleagues.

1. Sloan Wainwright: There But for Fortune (Rediscovery), Derby Disc http://www.sloanwainwright.com/
2. Loudon Wainwright III: (Recovery), Yep Roc 2181 http://www.yeproc.com/
3. Christine Lavin: Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind (I Don't Make This Stuff Up...), Yellow Tail http://www.christinelavin.com/
4. Alastair Moock: Fortune Street (Fortune Street), CoraZong http://www.moock.com/

5. Terri Hendrix: Bring 'Em All In (Left Over Alls), Wilory http://www.terrihendrix.com/
6. Tony McManus: The Maids of Mitchelstown (The Maker's Mark: The Dream Guitar Sessions), Compass http://www.tonymcmanus.com/
7. Eilen Jewell: One of Those Days (Sea of Tears), Signature Sounds http://www.eilenjewell.com/
8. Paul Reddick: Climbing up The Hill (Sugar Bird), NorthernBlues http://www.northernblues.com/

Honky-tonk rules!
9. Wayne Hancock: Driving My Young Life Away (Viper of Melody), Bloodshot http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/
10. Girl Howdy: My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You (Girl Howdy at Rhythm & Roots), FestivaLink http://www.festivalink.net/
11. David Serby: For Cryin' Out Loud (Honkytonk and Vine), Harbor Grove http://www.davidserby.com/

12. Colleen McFarland: Drowning the World (Let It Shine), 9th Child http://www.colleenmcfarland.com/
13. Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women: River under The Road (Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women), Yep Roc http://www.yeproc.com/
14. Laurie McLain: Somewhere in Kentucky (Ascend), self www.myspace.com/lauriemclain
15. Freddy Fender: The Gardens (Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to Chris Gaffney), Yep Roc http://www.yeproc.com/

Thematic similarity:
16. Cheryl Wheeler: Pointing at The Sun (Pointing at The Sun), DIAS http://www.diasrecords.com/
17. Eliza Gilkyson: Is It Like Today (Paradise Hotel), Red House http://www.redhouserecords.com/
18, Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen: The Kid with The Comic Book (Being There), Compass Rose http://www.compassrosemusic.com/

North Korea and Iran are messing around with bombs -- wanting to play with the big boys, I guess:
19. Tom Lehrer: We Will All Go Together When We Go (An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer), Reprise
20. The Kingston Trio: Merry Minuet (...from the "Hungry i"), Capitol LP
21. Dean Stevens: Wise Men in White Lab Coats (Eyes of Wonder), Volcano dean@deanstevens.com

Poor white males, they're the most oppressed group in the U.S. -- at least according to Rush et al...
22. Todd Snider: Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White American Males (East Nashville Skyline)
23. Ned Massey: Angry Old White Man (Blood Ties), self http://www.nedmassey.com/
24. Todd Snider: This Land Is Our Land (Songs for The Daily Planet)
25. Susan Werner: My Strange Nation (download)
26. Will Kimbrough: Act Like Nothing's Wrong (Americanitis), Daphne http://www.willkimbrough.com/
27. Richard Thompson: Pharoah (Amnesia), Capitol http://www.richard-thompsonmusic.com/

Connecticut's legislature passed the bill to abolish the death penalty, but Governor Rell vetoed it:
28. Nanci Griffith: Not Innocent Enough (The Loving Kind), Rounder http://www.rounder.com/

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Tony McManus's "The Maker's Mark: The Dream Guitar Sessions," Compass

Don't Ask Don't Tell....
29. The Prince Myshkins: Let Me Into the Military (Shiny Round Object)
30. John McCutcheon & Si Kahn: Let's Keep It Straight (Signs of The Times), Flying Fish

31 & 32. Mother Banjo / Ellen Stanley (at The Space 6/9): This Fall & Revival Train (The Sad and Found), So Low http://www.motherbanjo.com/

Wandering through the music:
33 & 34. Richard & Linda Thompson: The Sun Never Shines on The Poor & A Heart Needs A Home (Hokey Pokey), Hannibal
35. Iris DeMent: Wasteland of The Free (The Way I Should), Warner Bros.
36. Kieron Means: One More Mile (Far As My Eyes Can See), Fellside http://www.fellside.com/
37. Chumbawamba: Walking into Battle with The Lord (A Singsong and A Scrap), Trade Root http://www.traderootmusic.com/

Nanci’s first song is about LBJ, second one is about Townes van Zandt:
38 & 39. Nanci Griffith: Cotton's All We Got & Up Against the Rain (The Loving Kind), Rounder http://www.rounder.com/
40. Steve Earle: Marie (Townes), New West http://www.newwestrecords.com/

Two new downloads:
41. Austin Lounge Lizards: Too Big to Fail
42. Christine Lavin: Too Old for The Bee

The June 8 & 15 New Yorker has an article about panthers in New Jersey:
43. Michael Smith: Panther in Michigan (Michael Smith Love Stories), Flying Fish

Reuters says "Medical bills underlie 60 percent of U.S. bankruptcies (June 4, 2009)
44. Garnet Rogers: Election Night - North Dakota (At A High Window), Snow Goose Songs http://www.garnetrogers.com/
45. Ian Robb: They're Taking It Away (From Different Angels), Fallen Angle

46. Cheryl Wheeler: White Cat (Pointing at the Sun), DIAS http://www.diasrecords.com/
47. Todd Snider: Good Fortune (The Excitement Plan), Yep Roc http://www.yeproc.com/
48. Colleen McFarland: Fingers on the Buttons (Let It Shine), 9th Child http://www.colleenmcfarland.com/
49. The Electric Trains: Texas 1947 (Roots Music Right on Track), self http://www.theelectrictrains.com/

Land Mines: Iraq halts cleanup even as toll rises:
50. Bernard Carney & Peter Grayling: Gardens of Death (No Time Like the Future), Tempo (Australia)

Still in the news:
51. James McMurtry: Cheney's Toy (Just Us Kids), Lightning Rod http://www.jamesmcmurtry.com/
52. The Foremen: Russian Limbaugh (Sing It Loud! Live at Luna Park)

They’re singing about coal:
53. Truckstop Souvenir: For the Coal (Under a Big Blue Sky), self http://www.truckstopsouvenir.com/
54. Kathy Mattea: Coal Tattoo (Coal), Thirty Tigers http://www.mattea.com/
55. Robin & Linda Williams: Blue Diamond Mines (Music of Coal: Mining Songs from the Appalachian Coalfields), Lonesome Pine http://www.musicofcoal.com/
56. Ralph Stanley & Dwight Yoakam: Miner's Prayer (Music of Coal)

57. Buskin & Batteau: Tonight We Are Everywhere (Red Shoes and Golden Hearts), Nouveau Retro http://www.buskinandbatteau.com/
58. Resentments: What Love Can Do (Roselight), Freedom Records http://www.freedomrecords.com/
59. Milton: Grand Hotel (Grand Hotel), Maggadee http://www.maggadee.com/
60. Ruthie Foster: Up Above My Head (The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster), Blue Corn Music http://www.bluecornmusic.com/
61. Joe Pug: Hymn #35 (Nation of Heat EP), self http://www.joepug.com/
62. Todd Snider: Vinyl Records (New Connection), Oh Boy http://www.ohboy.com/
63. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House http://www.redhouserecords.com/

Monday, June 1, 2009

New York Times article about Diana Jones

New York Times, May 31, 2009, Music

Folk Songs, It Turns Out, Were in Diana Jones’s Blood

By BILL FRISKICS-WARREN, NASHVILLE

DIANA JONES has been writing songs since she was 11, and she’s been studying people’s faces, as a portrait artist, for nearly as long. But it wasn’t until Ms. Jones, who was adopted as an infant, met her birth mother’s family and heard the folk songs they’d been singing for generations that she discovered her true artistic calling.

It was an unlikely transformation for a woman who was raised on Long Island and trained early on as a classical vocalist. Yet after finding her birth family in East Tennessee in the late 1980s, Ms. Jones discovered that she had an uncanny affinity for Appalachian music. Gradually she began claiming it as her own.

“Better Times Will Come” (Proper Records), her unvarnished new album, marks both the culmination of this process and the arrival of a fresh and distinctive voice. The music on the record is built around the familiar fiddles, mandolins and harmonies of rural Appalachia, and yet there’s no regionalism to speak of in Ms. Jones’s supple, loamy alto. She sings of the hard times, murderous urges and chilling loneliness that haunt the old Anglo-Celtic ballads but, with one exception, sets her plain-spoken narratives resolutely in the present. She approaches the mountain-ballad tradition not as a curiosity or antique but as a renewable vernacular that’s just as capable of speaking to the human condition now as it was 80 years ago.

The rest is at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/arts/music/31warr.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=diana%20jones&st=cse

5/31/09 Playlist

1. Girl Howdy: (Girl Howdy at Rhythm & Roots), FestivaLink www.festivalink.net
2. Bruce Cockburn: Wait No More (Slice O Life), Rounder www.brucecockburn.com
3. The Greencards: Fascination (Fascination), Sugar Hill 4052 www.sugarhillrecords.com
4. Malinky: Dark Horse on The Wind (Flower & Iron), Mad River 1013 www.madriverrecords.com

5. The Kennedys: Pete's intro to Dylan Fest / You Ain't Going Nowhere (The Kennedys Sing Bob Dylan), self "bootleg" www.kennedysmusic.com
6. Dave Alvin: Artesia (Man of Somebody's Dreams), Yep Roc 2198 www.yeproc.com
7. Blame Sally: Vera Chiesa (Night of 1000 Stars), self www.blamesally.com
8. Jim Henry: 1952 Vincent Black Lightning (King of Hearts), self www.jimhenry.net

9. Girlyman: Good Enough (Joyful Sign), self www.girlyman.com
10. James Gordon: The Moon Looks Like It's Crying (Nine Green Bottles), Borealis 182 www.borealisrecords.com
11. Laura Boosinger: Sail Away Ladies (Old Time Banjo Festival), Rounder 0584
12. Levon Helm: The Mountain (Dirt Farmer), Vanguard 79844

From "Music of Coal" from Lonesome Records & Publishing www.LPOY.org
13. The Carter Family: Coal Miner's Blues
14. Aunt Molly Jackson: Hard Times in Coleman's Mine
15. Ted Chestnut: He's Only A Miner Killed in The Ground
16. Nimrod Workman: Coal Black Mining Blues

17 & 18. Bu a (Wilde Auditorium 7/3): Brid Thomis Mlhruchadha & The Caladh Thaidhg Regatta medley (An Spealadoir / The Harvester), Mad River 1016 www.madriverrecords.com

19 & 20. Nanci Griffith: The Loving Kind & Money Changes Everything (The Loving Kind), Rounder 3275

21 & 22. Greg Greenway: Highway 4am & Sick and Tired (Standing on The Side of Love), Face www.greggreenway.com
23. Haale: Hastee (No Ceiling), Channel A Music www.haale.com
24. Wyatt Easterling: Where This River Goes (Where This River Goes), High Horse www.highhorserecords.com

Today is World No Tobacco Day:
25. Gob Iron: Nicotine Blues (Death Songs for the Living), Legacy

The Dreaded Folk Calendar over selections from Bodega's "Under the Counter," Mad River 1010 www.madriverrecords.com

I just started reading "Working Girl Blues: The Life & Music of Hazel Dickens:"
From her LP "Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People" on Rounder:
26 - 28. Tomorrow's Already Lost, Lonesome Pine Special, Lost Patterns

Today's the date of the original Memorial Day:
29. Ensemble: Rise and Stand (Songs for Our Soldiers), Elthon www.songsforoursoldiers.com
30. Robby Hecht: Along the Way (Late Last Night), self

From "Wilderness Plots," Rosehill Records www.wildernessplots.com:
31. Carrie Newcomer: Healing Waters
32. Tom Roznowski: Living Things

33. Ben Sollee: A Change Is Gonna Come (Learning to Bend), Thirty Tigers www.bensollee.com
34. Todd Snider: Dividing the Estate (Peace Queer), Aimless www.toddsnider.net
35. Todd Giudice: Put the Hammer Down (Little Known Secret), self
36. Eliza Gilkyson et al: Peace Call (Land of Milk and Honey), Red House 174 www.redhouserecords.com