Diane Crumley's blog

Fans of The Grapevine are in for a treat when Rod, the host, interviews longtime local musician and concert organizer Billy Fairfield. No doubt those two can tell some fun local music yarns, but the conversation will include the well-loved Home for the Holidays concert that Billy organizes each year. The concert, held Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. this year in the Veterans Memorial Theatre, showcases nationally recognized local musicians. Proceeds go to the Davis School Arts Foundation to benefit Davis' public school music and arts programs. This year's lineup includes Joe Craven; Little Charlie Baty's Caravan; Rita Hosking & Cousin Jack; Chris Webster & Tracy Walton of Mumbo Gumbo in a trio with Bill Edward; White Ginger Lei, a 6-piece Hawaiian ensemble with Ray Elsie; Frank Fox's Holiday Doo-Wop; Voice of the Wood (Diana Craig & Heidi Bekebrede); the Davis High School Jazz Choir, and special guests. See more at www.billyfairfield.com

The December 1st Thursday Live! concert at the Odd Fellows Hall kicked off the holiday season with 8 local bands bringing their own special brand of "cheer". Selected songs from this live concert recording will air on the December 15th edition of Live Tracks, from 8-10pm. From Latin to Jazz, Klezmer to World Beat, Celtic to "Do Wop", it was there in all its diversity, and a good time was had by all!

Local bands included Tree-O, David Campos, Me & Him, Davis Klezmer Orchestra, Biscuits 'n Honey, Frankie & the Fabletones, Yolo Mambo, and Calvin Handy & the Jazz Patrol.

In honor of the beginning of the holiday season, Live Tracks' says thank you to Davis' musicians and re-airs a September salute that features live recordings of a variety of local favorites in the first hour, and an in-studio interview with Rita Hosking in the second hour. Rita had just released her latest CD "Burn" nine days before this interview, and spoke about the production of this CD with collaborators in Austin, as well as the creative process in general. She also plays live in the studio for a VERY special edition of Live Tracks.

KDRT will be on-hand for a LIVE broadcast of a very special concert at the Odd Fellows Hall, Thursday, Oct. 20th at 415 Second Street, 7-10pm. Barry "The Fish" Melton will be joined by his world-class, 60s-era, Bay-Area band as part of a fundraising effort to support an upcoming Habitat for Humanity house-building project in Brazil. Barry will be joined by his friends Peter Albin (Big Brother) on bass, Austin DeLone (Norton's Knockouts, Elvis Costello) on keyboards, Roy Blumenfeld (Blues Project, Seatrain) on drums, and Mike Hinton (Merl Saunders Rainforest Band) on guitar. As lead guitarist with Country Joe and The Fish, Barry Melton has played at rock's most iconic venues, including the Monterey Pop Festival (1967) and Woodstock-3 Days of Peace & Music (1969). Tickets for admission to the benefit concert will be available at the door, at Watermelon Music in Davis, and online from KDRT. Admission is $10; With a $15 donation, Barry Melton's latest CD, "Jamasutra" will be included with your admission.

KDRT congratulates award-winning singer/songwriter Rita Hosking on her recent release of her fourth full-length album titled "Burn". Hosking will be a special guest on “Live Tracks” this Thursday evening, between 9 and 10 p.m. The show will feature music from her new and previous albums, and local live performances recorded by the show’s host, Jim Buchanan. Rita will be asked about her experiences transitioning from Emerson Junior High School history teacher to full-time touring musician and winner of the Best Country Album for the 2010 Independent Music Awards. Hosking will also be appearing with her band, Cousin Jack at The Palms Playhouse, this Saturday, September 24th at 8 p.m. in a concert for friends and fans in celebration of the CD release. “Live Tracks” airs on KDRT 95.7 FM each Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m. and is rebroadcast Sunday, at 9 to 11p.m. and Mondays, 1 to 3 p.m.

Want to gear up for the fabulous, first annual Davis Music Fest this Sat. 6/25? The June 23rd edition of Live Tracks highlights the tight vocal harmonies of Misner & Smith, the heartfelt storytelling of Rita Hosking & Cousin Jack, and the infectious energy of the West Nile Ramblers---all of whom will be playing at the Odd Fellows Hall venue during the Davis Music Fest. Jim starts the show off with a set by Hardwater, who will be playing just prior to the festival at Rominger West Winery on Sat. from 1:30-5pm.

The City of Davis presents an all-ages concert this Friday, January 21st, 7:30 pm at the Veteran's Memorial Theatre. Headlining the event will be Hardwater, a popular local band that plays an eclectic mix of folk and roots, rock and blues. Hardwater has been a longtime supporter of KDRT and headlined the DMA 20th anniversary celebration, On the Backlot in 2008. The show will close with the Davis youth band Smack Jupiter, a lively group comprised of 7th and 9th graders.

Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the door. Tickets are available at Davis City Hall Community Services Department and at Armadillo Music, Avid Reader and Dimple Records. For additional information about the bands visit the City of Davis website at http://cityofdavis.org/cs/shows/hardwater.cfm

The current edition of “Davisville” is a rebroadcast of the program’s most popular show of 2009--an interview with Gene Parsons, a later member of the 1960s/70s rock band the Byrds.

Parsons, who lives in Mendocino County and played a show at the Palms in southeast Davis in the 1980s, sat for a phone interview with "Davisville" host Bill Buchanan in March. The program, aided by Byrds fans who learned about the interview via social media, logged several hundred downloads and listens before it was timed out of the KDRT archives in September.

“Davisville,” a talk show that largely focuses on Davis people, events and issues, is broadcast on Mondays at 5:30 p.m., and on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. New programs air every other week. The Parsons interview is dated Dec. 7, 2009, in the “Davisville” archives at KDRT.