Sometimes Folk

Bill Wagman explores an eclectic range of music, including traditional folk of the British Isles and the U.S, contemporary singer/songwriters on both sides of the Atlantic, and American roots music and some of its lesser-known offshoots. Tune in for a great music mix!

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Live Wednesday 10am-12pm
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The Folk Brothers for Sept. 8, 2021: Folk musicians strike back

Many Folk/Americana musicians -- like those featured on today's show -- have never shied away from calling out hypocrisy and injustice. Jackson Brown has long championed the anti-war movement. Iris DeMent (pictured here) advocates for women's rights. And Jason Isbell has challenged the intolerance and ignorance of many country music fans: recently he has advocated for proof of vaccinations to attend his live perfromances. Also on today's show, new music from Spiers and Boden, Adam Holmes, The Faux Paws, and a 50-year-old classic track from Lindisfarne.

The Folk Brothers for Sept. 1, 2021: Musical happenings at Ruhstaller Farm

In the first half of the show, we featured new music from Watchhouse, I See Hawks In LA, Big Red Machine and Dean Owens, as well as a classic track from The Young Tradition. The morality tale "Lyke Wake Dirge" is the subject of the most recent episode of the innovative podcast "Old Tunes Fresh Takes."

Then we spoke with Joe and Pamela Gregg Craven about their efforts to help (re)foster community through the musical events they have been organizing at Ruhstaller, a new hop farm in Dixon. Currently the Cravens are bringing music to Ruhstaller on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays -- see the farm's upcoming events.

The Folk Brothers for Aug. 25, 2021: The Irish-Americana connection

The Irish (and British) love for Americana music (i.e. North American country, folk, and blues) has deep roots, stretching back to waves of immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries. Young Cork-based singer-songwriter John Blek (pictured here) recorded his 2019 album "Thistle and Thorn" in studios in Clonakilty, Ireland as well as Lousiville, Ky. The latter sessions -- which featured co-vocals from Joan Shelly -- produced the song "The Body," featured on today's show.

And Don Everly -- who died this week at 84 -- and his brother Phil were beloved on those shamrock shores: we also featured their version of "Rose Connolly" (aka "Down In The Willow Garden") as recorded for the great 1991 BBC box set "Bringing It All Back Home."

Also on today's show: new music from Amanda Anne Platt and The Honeycutters, Joshua Burnside and Laura Quirke, A.J. Lee and Joaquin Cooder. And much more!

The Folk Brothers for Aug. 18, 2021: Remembering Nanci Griffith

She was a brilliant songwriter and song interpreter who helped define the Americana genre. Steeped in the traditional folk tradition of her parents' generation -- by artists like Odetta, Malvina Reynolds, and Pete Seeger -- her artistic vision was strongly influenced by "outlaw" Texas singer-songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Her songwriting and vocal collaborations were far-reaching. On today's show we merely scratched the surface of her work with tracks from the Chieftains, John Prine, Tom Russell, and Eric Taylor.

The Folk Brothers for Aug. 11, 2021: Remembering Gary Lee Yoder

Although best known for his work with '60s psychedelic rock bands Oxford Circle and Blue Cheer, Davisite Gary Lee Yoder knew his way around folk-rock and Americana music. On today's show, we played some rare covers and original tracks from a live performance at the Davis Odd Fellows Hall in May, 2015, recorded by KDRT's own engineering genius and Live Tracks host, Jim Buchanan. Also: new music from Ciaran Cooney, Staran, Band Of Burns, Richard Thompson, and Mark Stuart.

The Folk Brothers for Aug. 4, 2021: British folk songs of political reform

Long-time Davisite and traditional folk singer, Dick Holdstock, has written a book about the spread of broadside ballads as agents of political reform in 18th and 19th century Britain. On this week's show, we celebrate the publication of Dick's book with ballads sung by Chumbawamba, Maggie Holland, The English Country Blues Band, The Waterboys and others. Also: new music from Skipper's Alley, Show Of Hands, John Spillane, Watchhouse, and Vincent Neil Emerson.

The Folk Brothers for July 28, 2021: The new faces of Irish folk

A quiet revolution of Irish folk music is stirring amongst young acoustic bands (like Lankum and Skipper's Alley) as well as from singer-songwriters (like Declan O'Rourke, Joshua Burnside and John Spillane) and singers of traditional ballads. On today's show, we highlight three such singers: Dublin's John Francis Flynn, County Armagh's Dani Larkin, and Santa Cruz transplant Amelia Baker. The latter (pictured here), trading under the name Cinder Well, has just released a stark and beautiful, pandemic-inspired album titled No Summer.

Also on today's show: new music from Sharon Shannon, JP Harris, Joe Danks, Logan Ledger, Jenny Reynolds, Bella White and Barbara Bergin. And classic tracks from The Incredible Band and Mike Beck.

The Folk Brothers for July 21, 2021: Remembering Bill Morrissey

For the 10th anniversary of his death, we remember one of New England's finest singer-songwriters (and novelists). Bill Morrissey left behind a dozen albums in a recording career that stretched from 1984 to 2007. On today's show, we remember Bill through his music and the lens of fellow songwriters Marc Erelli and (the late) Eric Taylor. Bill Morrissey died on July 23, 2011, in a motel room in Dalton, Georgia, while on a short tour of the South.

Also on today's Folk Brothers: new music from Rachel Baiman, Watchhouse, I See Hawks In LA, and WB Yeats poems set to music!

The Folk Brothers for July 14, 2021: When bluegrass fiddle went rock and roll

The Rolling Stones' hit single "Honky Tonk Woman" was countrified for inclusion on the band's 1969 Let It Bleed  LP. Gram Parsons -- who had just left The Flying Burrito Brothers to pursue his solo career -- told his pal Keith Richards to ask a young bluegrass musician named Byron Berline to add a fiddle track. Berline -- who had already done stints with Bill Monroe, The Dillards, and was preparing to join the Burritos -- recorded his part on the sidewalk outside of Elektra's Hollywood studio, picking up the iconic traffic sound used in the final mix. He went on to have a distingished career in the world of bluegrass, rock, country and Americana music, and passed away this past Saturday at 77.

Also on today's show: new tracks from Joe Troop, Slaid Cleaves, Dawn Riding, I See Hawks in LA. And so much more!

The Folk Brothers for July 7, 2021: Los Cenzontles and friends

Oakland's Los Cenzontles is more than an award-winning band: It's a grassroots, artist-driven organization sharing the roots of Mexican culture through classes, events, and performances. This week we present music from the band as well as from some of its many musical collaborators, including Linda Rondstat -- whose support of Los Cenzontles is featured in the current documentary "Linda and The Nightingales" -- Jackson Browne, Joel Rafael, and Joe Troop (founder of Che Apalache and appearing at Ruhstaller Farm on July 18).  Also: New music from I See Hawks In LA, Billy Strings and Del McCoury, Diana Jones, and Peter Bruntell. 

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Comments

Davis resident, Dave Nachmanoff is an award-winning singer-songwriter and renowned guitarist.  He tours nationally and internationally as a solo act, as well as valued accompanist to Al Stewart.  Over the many years he has resided in Davis, Dave has been a generous supporter of this community.  In a rare local appearance, Dave will be doing a benefit concert on December 12th for Yolo Food Trucks who are raising the funds to purchase a new refrigerated truck.   Dave will be joining the Folk Brothers live in the KDRT studio between 10 and 11 AM on Wednesday, Dec. 9th.   He’ll bring his guitar, play some songs, talk about his storied musical career, and tell us why we heard him singing in Starbucks across North America last month. Please join us!

 

 

Submitted by Peter Schiffman on Wed, 12/02/2015 - 11:13am

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