Station Archive

Women have been an important part of Jug Band Music since Sara Martin in 1924. In honor of Women’s History Month, we'll take a look at the history of Jug Band Music and the importance of women's contributions from Sara Martin to Rhiannon Giddens. Pictured is an illustration of Lizzie Douglas (1897-1973), also known as "Memphis Minnie," who has been described as the most popular female country blues singer of all time. She transcended both gender and genre. Her recording career reached from the 1920s heyday of country blues guitar to cutting early electric sides in 1950s Chicago studios. Show host Wayne, a founding member of the California Jug Band Associaton and a member of its Board of Directors, has been hosting "Sounds So Sweet" at KDRT since 2007.

Jake Xerxes Fussell has a great new cover of the neo-traditional, Prohibition-era ballad "Copper Kettle." Authorship of this song -- recorded by many, perhaps most memorably by Joan Baez -- is an enigmatic, almost gumshoe-like tale in itself. We won't tell that tale, but you can learn all you might want to know in Ross Altman's "Folkworks" blog. 

Also on today's show: new music from Jon Boden, Lau, Andrew Marlin, and the Paul McKenna Band. And Brother Bill delves into '70s Brit folk rock with tracks from Jade, Magna Carta and others.

Photo: Brian Stansberry, copper moonshine still