A summer diversion at WHUS - 5/11/2012

The Summer Broadcast Schedule at WHUS has officially begun, even if "official" Summer won't start for another several weeks.  As you've likely heard us say, we have to apply for our timeslot for Bluegrass Cafe three times a year, and I'm happy to tell you that our show time will remain the same -- 4-7PM on Sundays. 

Lots of times during the summer schedule, with many of the student DJs gone for the summer break, the Program Director has a tough time finding enough bodies to fill all of the timeslots.  To help solve this problem, some DJs "double-up" on shows.  I had considered the idea of doing a summer show -- maybe playing a bit of BG mixed in with some classic country music, or something like that.  On my application, I wrote that I might be available to do a second show, but I didn't really commit.  Well, long story short is that I've been assigned a second show on Friday mornings from 8-10AM.  After a talk with the Program Director, we've come to an understanding that I probably won't be doing this "extra" shift all summer, but I must confess, I had a pretty fine time doing the "bonus" show this morning.  Will I keep doing it for a bit?  Really not sure, but we'll keep you informed...

Anyhow, there were LOTS of birthdays and anniversaries and other important things to spotlight this morning.  For birthdays, we celebrated both Maybelle Carter and the recording date of one of her most recognizable tunes, "Wildwood Flower."  Both events happened on the very same date:  Maybelle born on May 10, 1909 and "Wildwood Flower" recorded by the Carter Family for the first time on May 10, 1928. 

I couldn't let the day pass without playing a few songs from the Singing Ranger, Hank Snow.  Born in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, Canada on May 9, 1914, Clarence Eugene Snow overcame a pretty miserable childhood to become Canada's most famous export to the Country Music World.  This Country Music Hall of Famer made 840 recordings between 1936 and 1985, 85 of which made the Billboard Country Music charts.  We played five of Hank's tunes on the show today, including one of his earliest recordings made in 1936, a duet record with the angel-voiced Anita Carter, and the song that made Hank Snow a bona fide Country Music Star in the U.S.A. in 1950:  "I'm Movin' On."

On May 11, 1979, the Bluegrass world lost one of its most distinct voices:  Lester Flatt.  Many years later, Claire Lynch wrote and recorded a song with her memories of where she was that day, and simply titled it, "The Day That Lester Died."  This was a song that absolutely begged to be played today...and so it was.

There was one fun track today, too, this time from Merle Haggard's live LP from 1970, "The Fightin' Side Of Me." This was Haggard's heyday, and the album gives a good overview of his show, with a few Haggard hits, as well as a couple of songs from the Strangers and Haggard's wife, Bonnie Owens. One of the fun cuts on the record, though, is Hag's impersonations of Marty Robbins, Hank Snow, Johnny Cash, and Buck Owens. Some of 'em are pretty close, and the audience certainly ate 'em up.

Everett Lilly (with mandolin) second from left

It seems like there have been almost too many reasons for us to have tribute shows on Bluegrass Cafe in recent months, and sadly, that pattern will not be broken this week.  The younger of the two Lilly Brothers, Everett Lilly, died this past Tuesday at his home in West Virginia.  The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover get a whole lot of credit for bringing BG music to New England back in the early 1950s, as they had a "regular" gig at Boston's Hillbilly Ranch from 1952 until 1970.  Among those influenced by the Lillys:  Joe Val, Peter Rowan, Bill Keith, and countless others.  I would imagine you'll hear Jim play a whole bunch of music from the Lilly Brothers & Don Stover on Sunday, and don't be surprised to also hear at least a tune or two from Kenny Roberts -- a yodeling legend who died in Massachusetts on April 29th.  We played music from each of these gentlemen today, but be sure to join Jim for more on Sunday afternoon.

Amy


SONG/PERFORMER/ALBUM/LABEL

• Muleskinner Blues / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Live At Mechanics Hall / Acoustic Disc
• This Morning At Nine / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek
• The Young Fisherwoman / Country Gentlemen / Folk Session Inside / Copper Creek
• Matterhorn / Eddie & Martha Adcock with Tom Gray / Many A Mile / Patuxent Music
• Wildwood Flower / Carter Family / Anchored In Love / Rounder
• Remembrance Is A Golden Chain / Heather Berry & Tony Mabe / The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show / Mountain Fever Records
• Can You Hear Me Now / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver / More Behind The Picture Than The Wall / Rounder
• Worried Man Blues / Carter Family / Johnny Cash At Madison Square Garden / Columbia Legacy
• The Day That Lester Died / Claire Lynch / Crowd Favorites / Rounder
• I'll Never Shed Another Tear / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / The Mercury Sessions / Mercury
• I Got A Gal Waitin' For Me / Charlie Monroe & the Kentucky Pardners / Early Country Radio / JSP Records
• We'll Meet Again Sweetheart / Charlie Monroe & the Kentucky Pardners / Early Country Radio / JSP Records
• How Will I Explain About You? / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / The Essential Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Legacy
• Devil Woman/I'm Movin' On/Folsom Prison Blues/Jackson/Orange Blossom Special/Love's Gonna Live Here / Merle Haggard / The Fightin' Side Of Me / Capitol
• Lonesome Blue Yodel / Hank Snow / The Singing Ranger / Living Era
• Down The Trail Of Achin' Hearts / Hank Snow with Anita Carter / I'm Movin' On / Proper
• One More Ride / Hank Snow / The Goldrush Is Over / Bear Family
• My Nova Scotia Home / Hank Snow / RCA Country Legends / RCA
• I'm Movin' On / Hank Snow / The Essential Hank Snow / RCA
• Truck Driver's Queen / Spinney Brothers / Memories / Mountain Fever Records
• Face The Music / Too Blue / Trouble WithThe Grey / Self-Produced
• I Can't Like Myself / Gibson Brothers / Ring The Bell / Compass Records
• Lula Wall / Tennessee Mafia Jug Band / Screams From The Holler / Self-Produced
• In My Dear Old Southern Home / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / Bluegrass At The Roots / Smithsonian Folkways
• Why Don't You Tell Me So / Lilly Brothers & Don Stover / On The Radio, 1952-1953 / Rounder
• No More The Moon Shines On Lorena / Everett Lilly / Everett Lilly & Everybody & Their Brother / Swift River Music
• Chime Bells / Kenny Roberts / Indian Love Call / Starday
• My Blue Tears / Dolly Parton / Box Set Sampler / Legacy
• You Tried To Ruin My Name / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Rounder
• Sea Of Regret / Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs / Second Generation / Rebel
• Johnson Mountain Chimes / Johnson Mountain Boys / Walls Of Time / Rounder
• Polka On The Guitar / Don Reno / The Golden Guitar Of Don Reno / King