A HEADS UP FOR MAY 20

The heads up is for TRADITIONS:

Gospel music is something that has a great appeal to me and, I believe, to our audience. There is a White Gospel genre and there is a Black (African American) genre. The crossover artist in all this is Elvis Presley.

If you tune in on Sunday you will hear the two different influences and how they differed---and also, later, blended. To some extent. You will hear the White Gospel of salvation as evinced by Roy Acuff and Hank Williams.

Which will lead us into the world of people like these:
The Dixie Hummingbirds---together now for over 75 years.

Then there is always the glorious voice of Paul Robeson and the songs of freedom that will be given to us by Kim and Reggie Harris.

The program will have a lot more, including a some old favorites and some wonderful new material. A few surprises as always.

The Gospel portion will air in the 4 PM hour. Here is a trivia query---in what category did Elvis Presley receive his only Grammys. The first 3 respondents that respond on this website will get a randomly selected CD.

The Heads Up for SUNDAY SIMCHA: Comedy Corner should prove to be a highlight of this program. Though, admittedly, the music and artists featured will be of great interest. Including a little contest---any ideas how to alliterate the title for Trivia on Sunday Simcha. Let me know. We have Traditions Trivia for the other program. What about this---how about Sunday Simcha Sechel? If you can come up with a winner you can get a CD.

Finally, the book about Steve Goodman is issued and the author will be with me shortly. You can get this book now at your favored bookseller. Featuring over 1,000 interviews, a CD, and brilliant writing about an artist who, as he said to me, don't know about him but do know of him. Hopefully this book will change that. So many people know "City of New Orleans" and do not know that the greatest RR song ever written was by Steve Goodman. The song, if you listen carefully to the words, is a metaphor about Steve Goodman and the nation.

In our interview you will also hear of John Denver's recording prior to Arlo Guthrie's and of Denver's claim to partial authorship. Great story.

That interview will be on TRADITIONS---with Steve Goodman music from the CD that comes with the book. So---if you are male---get an athletic supporter--if female--I have no advice. It is a very heavy and worthwhile tome.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS UPDATES

Scrolling on the right you will find the videos updated on a fairly regular basis. Say, about once a week. The same will be true on THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER (which you can access by clicking on the right of this page). There the videos will be on the left and will also be updated fairly regularly. Mayor LaGuardia is now gone and you can enjoy some time with Harry Chapin.

As you probably know by now BROTHER THEODORE is featured on this page this week and a film of his life will soon be released. The Filmmaker will be joining me on TABLETALK once that memorable event occurs.

A Few Program Updates

TRADITIONS: Some upcoming guests, which I have announced earlier are as follows:

LAURIE LEWIS on June 5. Laurie will be performing some older pieces and some new ones from her brand new CD.

MODERN MAN on TBA. The very dignified gentlemen will be joining me probably in June to try to hide the fact that they have a new CD being issued. Sort of like commemorative postage stamps. Time for collectors to rejoice.

CLAY EALS is the author a new biography---a long overdue comprehensive biography of STEVE GOODMAN. The book will be available by the end of June and the author will be my guest on TRADITIONS . The book comes complete with a CD of tribute songs to Steve Goodman and some interviews with him. In addition there are interviews with John Prine, Leo Kotke, Arlo Guthrie, Steve Goodman's classmate---Hillary Rodham Clinton, and, you know, the famous many others.

The exact date of this interview will be posted shortly. This is an alert that this book is well on its way now to being available.

TABLETALK: In the very near future a film on the life and times of BROTHER THEODORE will be released. The filmmaker will be joining me at that time to talk of THEODORE and also the film. That is anticipated for late June or early July airing.

For a little taste of BROTHER THEODORE and not Oleum Canus (his family's product) some clips of him will be on this page by Sunday Evening. This will replace Pete Seeger for the moment on this page. You will be able to see Pete Seeger again at a later time.

A reminder that to view the video and not just hear audio scroll to the top of the page after clicking on the frame you want to see.

THE ALMOST DAILY ROOSTER has some new videos for you enjoyment and edification as well. Just click on it. Let it be known if you are edified---if not perhaps you are billified or some other fied.

An Addition You Will Enjoy

Perhaps I should have shown a crystal set. In biblical terms Crystal Sets begat classic radio which begat classic TV which begat crap TV which now begat Internet Videos. I believe that is a quote from Bill Hahn 13:1 of a testament no one ever heard of.

The new means of communication and narrow focusing of it is a long way from the days of B/W TV when the announcer held up a hand lettered sign about next days limited and pathetic programs. Also a far cry from the halcyon days of radio entertainment which is now replaced---with the exception of one or two places (OK WFDU and NPR)--with canned schlock and sometimes abusive and insulting schlock.

The new means are truly an amazement and something that now makes us all journalists but also makes one wonder about the truth. The nice part is that it allows for some nice features to be shared with others. This is what I have tried to do now on this site---and on The Daily Rooster.

Scroll down on the right side and see some Memorable Moments via You Tube. They will be updated on a regular--but not a daily-basis. You will see this on The Almost Daily Rooster as well. Shortly there will be different ones each site.

A usage hint. If you just want the audio you can hear it by clicking on the picture of the frame you want. If you want to see the video merely scroll to the top of the screen once you hear the audio and the video will be playing there. Enjoy some memories and sometimes some newer material. Hopefully some surprises will be coming on a fairly frequent basis.

As to the picture at the top of the beauty from the 1950s. We could do a whole riff on obesity since the advent of remote controls for TV. At least Mr Couch Potato had to put the beer down for a moment to walk over to the TV to change the channel from NBC to The Dumont Network back in those days. Now he just sits there with his remote and he still cannot find The Dumont Network---but he can find hundreds of other channels. Is there a Beer Channel? If not yet there will be.

Merry Month of May Memories and Mentions

If April Showers bring the May Flowers then, I suppose, after all the inundation in April we should soon be in a wilderness. But May also brings us more.

Happy Birthday wishes ---and I am late on this--to Pete Seeger (5/3). A true icon of more than just "folk" music. His activism and creativity in involving multitudes is the most impressive thing. Music, as he has said, is the universal language but he speaks it to us to do more than show a musical skill or embellish some old "front porch" song. His constant dedication all these years to this wonderful age he has achieved is something to marvel and celebrate.

This is a picture of him in a much earlier time---around 1956. Nice artifact from--credits now--Wikipedia. Look closely at the image and look at the center of the picture. Yes---Eleanor Roosevelt. The first female (unofficial) President---in many a person's mind.
The other birthdays celebrated at this time were not as noteworthy. For one there is your less than humble author (5/2)

and an old friend and performer who you may have heard years back on WFDU--Jon Stein (5/3). Of more import is the great singer, actor, and man of so many varied talents and humanity pictured below:

















Theodore Bikel (5/2) now 83 years of age. Still, happily, going strong.

We leave this area blank to admire talent of such long standing.

Moving on, let us now make mention some of the newer people that have given us some wonderful new products of their talents. We start with Work O The Weavers . Their newest CD is a delight and it was a pleasure and honor to debut it on both TRADITIONS and SUNDAY SIMCHA. It covers the music that is traditional, some later Jewish melodies, and, above all, songs that hope for peace. All done in a style that would make The Weavers proud. As has been shown by the comments of Pete Seeger and Fred Hellerman. WE'RE STILL HERE is the name of this brilliant new piece that they have given us. I suppose the best thing that can be said is that while exploring new territory the tradition of The Weavers truly lives on with this amazingly talented group that emulates but does not imitate. That is a big distinction. They honor them and capture their spirit.


Another new work that should be mentioned is one that I am not ready yet to tell you of----the madcaps will be joining me soon to talk of it. Suffice it to say your sides will ache and 911 may have to be called.

On a more serious note I would recommend a few pieces of work that are truly worthwhile to add to your collection and they will be attributed to your interests in either TRADITIONS or SUNDAY SIMCHA:

George Burns I Wish I Were 18 Again (Traditions/Sunday Simcha)

Debbie Friedman One People (Sunday Simcha)

John Prine Standard Songs For Average People (Traditions)

Mike Stevens/David McLean Old Time Mojo (Traditions)

There are many more worthwhile artists to appreciate and they will be covered at a later time. Meanwhile--stay tuned for the news of upcoming guests, features, and visit that Old Rooster---for other topics.

Some Upcoming Appearances and A Few Other Bits of Minutae

First, my thanks to those of you who visited the The Almost Daily Rooster site recently. The last entry was something I feel strongly about and is better published there than here. Hopefully you agreed. If not it is perfectly understandable. Leave any comments you like.

The May 6 SUNDAY SIMCHA program has a surprise or two. One is a piece you were not, I think, expecting. We will have a contest to see if you can recognize the person doing the piece. Tune in to hear it. The rules are (for a randomly selected CD) an e mail with the performer's name must be rcvd. prior to posting the playlist on this website. Basically, that means prior to the end or Sunday May 6.

Thanks to you who wrote some e mails supporting my stand on not playing Jackie Mason on the program. There are just some things that are too far over the top in bad taste to warrant such artists air-time. It is not censorship. It is merely a host's decision on what is good taste and what is not.

TRADITIONS on May 6 will also have a few interesting artifacts as always. While I do not plan on any guests this Sunday---lots of music that will present some new material and also re-visit some people who, while they were played plentifully when the CDs were new have not been played in a while.

If you have any requests just e mail me in advance.

A brief update now on some future guests---- Toward the end of May Modern Man plans to visit us on the occasion of a brand new CD to be released. Their 3d. The former Testostertones are in rare firm. This CD mixes their brilliant comedy material with some nice balladry.

The picture is from their appearance on April 28 at Bodles Opera House. That is Deborah Holland with them for the finale. She was with us on April 22.

I also have to thank them for the kind birthday wishes and cake there and I did make my wish. While I did not reveal it I have to say the George Wurzbach was wrong when he said "...you did not get it---David is still here".

At the beginning of June A visit by Laurie Lewis is anticipated along with some live music by her and some of her band.

Laurie's latest CD is a great mix of Bluegrass and some "folk" oriented material that blends it all. She is also a person that you will find of great interest ---not in the Police sense--with her varied interests and activities.

Finally, if you click on the right side of the screen check out some of the new photos that have been added to the Rogues Gallery.