Playlist: The Moonshine Show - 30 November 2008

Today's show was a rollicking ride (in part because I needed to switch studios mid-show in order to conduct a phone interview and without anyone else in the station to help me out). The centerpiece was a 15-minute phone interview with the great Laurie Lewis, who told us about her Thanksgiving and show last night at the Freight & Salvage, a new solo recording project and her upcoming East Coast tour. (She hits the Emelin Theatre in Mammaroneck, New York, on Friday night and also stops in Wilmington, Delaware; East Hartford, Connecticut; and Schenectady, New York.) We gave away two more pair of tickets to see the Seldom Scene at B.B. King's next Sunday, and we wrapped up with some super-fast Buzz Busby mandolin and then a classic John Hartford cut.

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The Moonshine Show - 89.9 WKCR-FM, NYC
Sunday 30 November 2008 - 10 a.m. to Noon
Host: Matt Winters

Seldom Scene; "Rollin' and Tumblin'"; _Scene It All_ (Sugar Hill)

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The Goins Brothers; "Nine Pound Hammer"; _Take This Hammer_ (Rebel LP)

The Johnson Mountain Boys; "John Henry, The Steel Drivin' Man"; _The Johnson Mountain Boys_ (Rounder LP)

The Bluegrass Album Band; "Lonesome Wind Blues"; _Volume Four_ (Rounder LP)

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Cherryholmes; "Devil in Disguise"; _Don't Believe_ (Skaggs Family)

John Lawless; "The Guilty Pig"; _Five & Dime_ (Copper Creek)

Chatham County Line; "Saro Jane"; _Route 23_ (Yep Roc)

Peter Rowan; "I'm Just a Used to Be"; _The First Whipporwill_ (Sugar Hill)

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Seldom Scene; "Hometown Blues"; _Scenechronized_ (Sugar Hill)

Seldom Scene; "She's More to Be Pitied"; _Like We Used to Be_ (Sugar Hill)

Pine Mountain Railroad; "I Heard the Bluebirds Sing"; _Alone with Forever_ (Steeltown)

Old & In the Way; "Wild Horses"; _Breakdown_ (Acoustic Disc)

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Dry Branch Fire Squad; "Goin' Up on the Mountain"; _Golgotha_ (Rounder LP)

Chris Coole; "Hail Against the Barndoor"; _Old-Time Banjo Festival_ (Rounder)

Ginny Hawker; "Long Black Limousine"; _Letters from My Father_ (Rounder)

Rhys Jones & Christina Wheeler; "Grub Springs"; _Starry Crown_ (Vigortone)

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Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands; "99 Year Blues"; _The Golden West_ (Hightone)

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LIVE Phone Interview with Laurie Lewis

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Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands; "Before the Sun Goes Down"; _The Golden West_

Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum; "Alaska"; _Guest House_ (Hightone)

James Alan Shelton; "Road to Columbus"; _Half Moon Bay_ (Rebel)

Larry Sparks; "Don't Neglect the Rose"; _Bound to Ride: The Best of..._ (Rebel)

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Ralph Stanley with Gillian Welch; "Gold Watch and Chain"; _Clinch Mountain Country_ (Rebel)

Ralph Stanley II; "Jealousy"; _Stanley Blues_ (Rebel)

Alan Munde; "Sally Goodin'"; _Festival Favorites Revisited_ (Rounder)

The Reno Brothers; "I Love You"; _Acoustic Celebration_ (Pinecastle)

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James King; "Saginaw, Michigan"; _The Bluegrass Storyteller_ (Rounder)

Buzz Busby; "Mandolin Tango"; _Going Home_ (Starday) [X2]

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John Hartford; "Bye-Bye"; _Morning Bugle_ (Rounder)

The Impressive Tony Trischka

Rumor has it that Tony Trischka made an appearance at Andy Statman's show at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research yesterday evening before heading over to Joe's Pub to play his own show! Trishcka wins this week's Urban Road Warrior Award.

Rumor further has it that when Tony took the stage with Andy, he was greeted with a loud request for "Dueling Banjos."

Playlist: Womenfolk (November 23, 2008)

Sunday Jonatha Brooke called in for a live conversation about her new Woody Guthrie inspired project called The Works. We played some cuts from the album and gave away some tickets to her December 1st show at the Guthrie Theater. If you missed the show, you can hear the archived version here.

Next Sunday tune in for my annual "Home & Hearth" special, celebrating food, family and the home place. Norah Rendell & Brian Miller will join us in the studio to play some Irish music and give us a sneak peak of our next Womenfolk concert on December 7th. Hope you have a wonderful holiday and that you and your family tune in for this special Thanksgiving themed Womenfolk!

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WOMENFOLK (November 23, 2008)
Hosted by Ellen Stanley.
Fresh Air Community Radio, KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis/106.7 FM St. Paul
Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
*New Releases
**Womenfolk Theme Song


**Kris Delmhorst / Everything Is Music / Strange Conversation / Signature Sounds


Anais Mitchell / Your Fonder Heart / The Brightness / Righteous Babe
*Anais Mitchell & Rachel Ries / Come September / Country e.p. / Righteous Babe


*Molly Venter / Happier Now / Love Me Like You Mean It / Pavilion Entertainment
Kasey Chambers / Stronger / Wayward Angel / Warner Bros.


Lynn Miles / You’re Not Coming Back / Unravel / True North
Cheryl Wheeler / Lighting Up the Mighty Mississippi / Sylvia Hotel / Philo


[Womenfolk Find - Featured Artist of the Month]
Emily Kurn / Mississippi Moon / Things Change / Self
Dixie Chicks / Long Time Gone / Home / Columbia
*Kate Campbell / Fordlandia / Save the Day / Large River Music


*Nikki & The RueMates / New Bumble Bee / We All Live Together / Self
Gillian Welch / Honey Now / Hell Among the Yearlings / Almo
Lucinda Williams / Circles and X's / Little Honey / Lost Highway


[Behind Twin Cities Women’s Calendar]
Patty Larkin / Bound Brook / La Guitara / Vanguard
Memphis Minnie / Let's Go to Town / La Guitara / Vanguard
*Jonatha Brooke / My Battle / The Works / Bad Dog Records


*Jonatha Brooke / Little Bird / The Works / Bad Dog Records
*Jonatha Brooke / You'd Ought to Be Satisfied / The Works / Bad Dog Records


[Live Interview with Jonatha Brooke]


*Jonatha Brooke / Sweetest Angel / The Works / Bad Dog Records
The Story / Love Is More Thicker Than Forget / Grace in Gravity / Green Linnet


Kris Delmhorst / Water, Water / Strange Conversation / Signature Sounds


*Ellis / City on Fire / Music to Life Finalist Showcase 2008/2009 / Public Domain Foundation
Kate McDonnell / Fires / Where the Mangoes Are / Appleseed


*Lucy Kaplansky / Manhattan Moon / Road Trip: American Singer Songwriters / Feed Them With Music

I Want to Play in Alison's Band

On yesterday's show, I played Charlie Sizemore's song "Alison's Band" as part of a brief birthday tribute to the singer and guitarist who first entered the bluegrass world as a member of Ralph Stanley's Clinch Mountain Boys (following on the heels of the classic line-up that featured Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs).

The song, which was nominated for Song of the Year at the IBMA this year, is a ton of fun -- about wanting to be a member of the best-selling band in bluegrass history.

Take it away, boys:

Playlist: The Moonshine Show - 23 November 2008

I thought that it was a pretty fun and exciting Moonshine Show yesterday!

We started off with a seasonally appropriate tune, and then we played some music from Tony Trischka, who be appearing on Tuesday night at Joe's Pub in support of his excellent CD Territory on the Smithsonian Folkways label, and then we also played music from Laurie Lewis, who appears at the Emelin Theatre on December 5th, and the Seldom Scene, who will be at B.B. King's on December 7th. (We gave away a pair of tickets to the Seldom Scene show and will have two more pair for giveaways next Sunday!)

Then we turned things over to our intern Logan, who gave us a lesson on the mandolin technique of Bill Monroe. I played some music featuring Charlie Sizemore, who was celebrating his 48th birthday. Our other intern -- and now licensed WKCR programmer -- Jeff programmed two sets of ballads. And then we wrapped up the show with a couple of bluegrass classics: "Viva Las Vegas" and "Superfreak."

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The Moonshine Show - 89.9 WKCR-FM, NYC
Sunday 28 November 2008 - 10 a.m. to Noon
Host: Matt Winters (with Logan Ledger and Jeff Kandel)

David Grier; "Turkey in the Straw"; _I've Got the House to Myself_ (Dreadnought)

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Tony Trischka; "Molly and Tenbrooks"; _Territory_ (Smithsonian Folkways)

Dan Crary; "Salt Creek"; _Bluegrass Guitar_ (Sugar Hill)

David Grisman Bluegrass Experience; "Rock Hearts"; _DGBX_ (Acoustic Disc)

Blue Highway; "Some Day"; _Lonesome Pine_ (Rebel)

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Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands; "Live Forever"; _The Golden West_ (Hightone)

Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum; "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes"; _Guest House_ (Hightone)

Seldom Scene; "Mama Tried"; _Scenechronized_ (Sugar Hill)

Seldom Scene; "Walking the Dog"; _Scene It All_ (Sugar Hill)

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[Logan's Mandolin Set I]

Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys; "Letter from My Darling"; _1950-1958_ (Bear Family)

Nashville Bluegrass Band; "Baby Blue Eyes"; _My Native Home_ (Rounder LP)

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[Logan's Mandolin Set II]

Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys; "Monroe's Hornpipe"; _1950-1958_

Mike Compton; "Old Mountaineer"; _Stomp_ (Acoustic Disc)

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[Charlie Sizemore - b. 23 November 1960]

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys; "Somebody Loves You, Darling"; _Lonesome and Blue_ (Rebel LP)

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys; "The Family Who Prays"; _Child of the King_ (Rebel LP)

The Charlie Sizemore Band; "Devil on a Plow," "Alison's Band"; _Good News_ (Rounder)

Charlie Sizemore; "Me and Jesus"; _The Story Is... The Songs of Tom T. Hall_ (Rebel)

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[Jeff's Old-Time Death Ballads Set I]

Paul Joines; "Hanging of Georgie," "Green Willow Tree"; _Ballads and Songs of the Blue Ridge Mountains: Persistence and Change_ (Asch LP)

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[Jeff's Old-Time Death Ballads Set II]

Bob Baker and the Pine County Boys; "Snow Dove"; _Mountain Music Bluegrass Style_ (Folkways LP)

Buell Kazee; "Wagoner's Lad"; _Anthology of American Folk Music_ (Smithsonian Folkways)

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Dailey & Vincent; "Sweet Carrie"; _Dailey & Vincent_ (Rounder)

James Reams, Walter Hensley and the Barons of Bluegrass; "Wild Card"; _Wild Card_ (Mountain Redbird)

The Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show; "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone"; _In Full Color_ (Rebel)

Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice; "You Let the Dog Off the Leash"; _Blue Side of the Blue Ridge_ (Rebel)

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Bill Christophersen; "East Tennessee Blues," "The Flood of '57"; _Hell & High Water_ (self-released)

Silk City; "Think It Over One Time"; _Time_ (Sliced Bread)

The Grascals; "Viva Las Vegas"; _The Grascals_ (Rounder)

Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby; "Superfreak"; _Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby_ (Legacy)

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Dry Branch Fire Squad; "A Distant Land to Roam"; _Thirtieth Anniversary Special_ (Rounder)


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Next Week: We'll talk with Laurie Lewis about her December 5th appearance at the Emelin Theatre in Mammaroneck.

I Bless Lorraine...

Ben calls the following soon-to-be-seasonally-appropriate video to our attention:



The real action highlight comes at about 2:00 in.

It's related to a previous post here.

Why I Love Iowa

So last week I went to play my second Mother Banjo show in two months in the great state of Iowa. I was reminded how much I love our neighbor to the south. Here are a few reasons why:

1) People there are generous. All the Iowans I've met tip musicians and baristas well, support homegrown talent, buy music and art and invite you to be a part of their communities, even if they know you are just passing through.

2) The audiences in big and small towns are fantastic--enthusiastic, engaged and participatory. I was blown away by my first show in Iowa. I played in Spencer at Shaky Tree Coffee, and the packed house started singing and clapping with "Wade in the Water" without any invitation. Incidentally, they had rhythm and nice singing voices.


3) Iowa is home to many great music venues like the legendary Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake and the Ritual Cafe in Des Moines, where I played last week. The Ritual has great food (try the sandwiches!) and is run by two very cool women. The Shaky Tree in Spencer, Iowa (pictured here) is a great coffee shop, music venue and art gallery. This unique space was started by singer-songwriter and painter Chad Elliott. It is a cozy place that brings together the community and invites a variety of touring musical talent.

4) It produces great writers and musicians--Greg Brown, Dave Moore, The Pines, Joe & Vicki Price, Radoslav Lorkavic and my pal Chad Elliott.

5) It is not Illinois. No offense to all the lovely people I know in Illinois, but driving through your state sucks. As soon as you cross into the state, you're hit up with a hefty toll, huge gas prices, congested traffic, constant construction and awful roads (where exactly do those tolls and gas taxes go anyway?). Obviously there are great things about Illinois--Lake Michigan, Chicago, our next President, the home to the great blog songs: illinois--but driving through it is not recommended.

6) It is politically engaged. As the home to the first caucus of every presidential campaign, Iowa is interested in getting to know our future leaders and takes the job of selecting their favorite candidate seriously.

7) Its evocative rural landscape has inspired many great songs--Dar Williams' "Iowa," Susan Werner's "Barbed Wire Boys" and countless Greg Brown tunes.

8) It's close to Minnesota!

Playlist: Womenfolk (November 16, 2008)

We welcomed Mary Everest in to the studio to play live and talk about the benefit event happening this Saturday at the 331 Club. If you missed it, check out the archived edition here.

This Sunday tune in for a conversation with Jonatha Brooke about her new collection of Woody Guthrie songs and her December 1st show in Minneapolis!

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WOMENFOLK (November 16, 2008)
Hosted by Ellen Stanley.
Fresh Air Community Radio, KFAI 90.3 FM Minneapolis/106.7 FM St. Paul
Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
*New Releases
**Womenfolk Theme Song


**Kris Delmhorst / Everything Is Music / Strange Conversation / Signature Sounds


*Annnabelle Chvostek / The Sioux / Reslience / Borealis
*Rosalie Sorrels / Starlight on the Rails / Strangers in Another Country: The Songs of Bruce “Utah” Phillips / Red House


Polecat Creek / Leaving Eden / Leaving Eden / Self
Anais Mitchell / Mockingbird / Hymns for the Exiled / Waterbug
*The Weepies / Little Bird / Hideaway / Nettwerk


[Womenfolk Find - Featured Artist of the Month]
*Emily Kurn / Hotel Room / I’m Just Like You / Self
*Erica Wheeler / Apache Motel / Good Summer Rain / Blue Pie Music


*Lucy Kaplansky / Ten Year Night / Red House 25: A Silver Anniversary Retrospective / Red House
*Lucy Wainwright Roche / Chicago / 8 More / Self
Dar Williams / Iowa / Out There Live / Razor & Tie
*Catherine MacLellan / The Long Way Home / Church Bell Blues / True North


[Behind Twin Cities Women’s Calendar]
Kaki King / Kewpie Station/Steamed Juicy Little Bun / Everybody Loves You / Velour


Kaki King / Carmine St. / Everybody Loves You / Velour
*Eliza Gilkyson / Rare Bird / Beautiful World / Red House
*Anne Heaton / Where Your Scar Is / Blazing Red


*Cherryholmes / Goodbye / Cherryholmes III: Don’t Believe / Skaggs Family Records
*Rachel Ries & Anais Mitchell / Grace the Day / Country e.p. / Righteous Babe
Heather & the Barbarians / Driving / Tell Me Tonight / Self


[Live in the Studio: Mary Everest]
Mary Everest / Phoebe, My Dear
Mary Everest / A Human Being


Eliza Blue / Bethlehem / Screen Doors & Back Doors / Lucky Micah Records

Leonard Bernstein and Janis Ian

Peter Matthews over at Feast of Music has been spending a lot of time celebrating the Leonard Bernstein centennial.

This past Saturday, he attended Bernstein Discovery Day at Carnegie Hall. As he reports, one of the guests included was Janis Ian.

They also managed to snag singer-songwriter Janis Ian, who apparently interrupted her own tour to talk about her 1967 Omnibus appearance at the age of 16, at which she was invited by Lenny to perform her hit single "Society's Child": a controversial song about an interracial romance that resulted in wide censorship and vicious attacks against Ian. Lenny didn't care about any of that: all he heard was a brilliant, groundbreaking song that incorporated both complex classical techniques and the latest innovations in electronics and pop. In other words, the kind of song that deserved to be heard on primetime national television.

Ian credits her entire career to the appearance, during which Lenny was clearly moved by her precocious ability:

"How did you ever write such a thing at such a young age?" he asked in the clip, holding her hand. "I congratulate you on what I'm certain will be a long and brilliant career."

Article on Bluegrass in New York

The Christian Science Monitor has a nice piece on Sheriff Uncle Bob's jam session down at the Grizzly Pear (on MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village):

Noam Pikelny likes the openness of the culture here, too. Considered one of the best banjo players of his generation, Mr. Pikelny recently relocated to the city after having lived in Colorado and Nashville. “It was mind boggling,” he recalls of his first encounter with the Sheriff’s jam. “There’s nothing like that in Nashville. All the great jams there happen behind closed doors.”

The Moonshine Show gets a passing reference:

Still, New York isn’t Nashville, Tenn. The city hasn’t supported a country music station since the 1980s and features only one bluegrass radio program, which broadcasts from Columbia University.

And has since 1963!

(Thanks to Orrin Star for pointing this one out.)