Friday, February 12
In 1970 Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys stumbled upon two teenaged musicians who knew the repertoire of the Stanley Brothers better than most. Stanley was impressed enough that he suggested the pair record an album of that music backed by his band. Those two upstarts, Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs, did exactly that the following year. They also recorded two more records with Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys.
Those are all collected on a new anthology titled The Complete Jessup Recordings Plus! Listen for selections from that release on this episode of the show as well as selections from Applewood Road, a collective of three female singer-songwriters who have just issued a record of acoustic songs cut on primitive recording equipment that spotlights the experience of hearing music live for the first time.
Saturday, February 13
It’s our Almost Valentine’s Day special with selections from Steve Vai, Stevie Wonder, Julie Miller and Lucinda Williams.
Monday, February 15
After a series of albums produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, soul/gospel/R&B legend Mavis Staples has returned to the studio with a new producer, singer-songwriter M. Ward. They’ve emerged with Staples’ strongest album to date, Livin’ On A High Note featuring 12 songs written especially for her by Valerie June, Nick Cave, Ward, and Neko Case. We’ll hear from that record as well as selections from Ashley Monroe’s 2015 album The Blade.
Tuesday, February 16
The Waco Brothers combine the energy and grit of punk rock with country music and early rock ‘n’ roll. Having recorded a series of acclaimed albums over the last two decades the band returns with Goin’ Down In History, a record that recalls classic rock bands such as The Faces as often as it does Bo Diddley, Johnny Cash and others. We’ll hear selections from that release on this episode as well as music from the latest by Field Music, Commontime.
Wednesday, February 17
The Psychedelic Swamp is the latest release from Dr. Dog, we’ll hear from that record on this episode of the show as well as music from Grateful Dead’s Europe ‘72 album.
Thursday, February 18
The Ghosts Of Highway 20 is the latest release by Lucinda Williams. With 14 songs spread across two discs, the album is a sprawling memoir of sorts as Williams writes about her life and the lives of others in several distinctly American locales. Listen for music from that release as well as selections from Chris Stapleton’s 2015 album Traveller.
Friday, February 19
It’s the return of Vinyl Friday with selections from Cozy Powell’s Over The Top LP as well as music from Yes’s Jon Anderson and others.
Saturday, February 20
Michael Monroe spent many years fronting the band Hanoi Rocks. Often mistaken for a heavy rock act, that band actually had more in common with the music of T. Rex and David Bowie than heavy metal. Monroe has had a successful career outside that band for many years now and in 2015 released the acclaimed album Blackout States which capitalizes on his abilities as a vocalist and songwriter. We’ll hear selections from that release on this episode as well as music from the 1984 release by Hanoi Rocks, Two Steps From The Move, which was produced by Bob Ezrin who’d previously worked with Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, and Lou Reed.
Monday, February 22
Listen for selections from John Moreland’s 2015 album High On Tulsa Heat as well as Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, also released in 2015.
