IM: WHUSDJ
CURRENT SHOW
Connecticut Speedworld
If you look at the WHUS summer schedule, you'll see there are shows featuring all sorts of music -- everything from jazz to world, big band to the blues, folk to classic rock & roll from the 1950s, and more. One thing you really don't see or hear too much anymore is what I like to call REAL country music. I'll be honest -- I haven't listened to country radio since the "hat acts" of the 1990s were starting to become popular, and I dropped it all together when "Achy Breaky Heart" got really ridiculously popular. Country music was primarily what was played around the house when I was growing up, though -- one brother really liked Buck Owens, the other brother had quite a few Johnny Cash albums, and my father always enjoyed listening to Jim Reeves and Tennessee Ernie Ford. I listened to that music and probably enjoyed a whole lot of it, but it would take me a long, long time to really appreciate it.
These days, I find that I still enjoy listening to Buck, Cash, and Jim Reeves, but I also am fond of Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Carl Smith, Ray Price, Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff, Marty Robbins, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Johnnie & Jack, the Louvin Brothers...folks who just don't get a whole lot of airplay at WHUS (although I suspect you may be able to hear some of these performers from time to time on Johnny Timewarp's "Dark Side Of The Highway" program). On the "BG Cafe," I can't really get away with playing too much music from these classic country performers, although I can play lots of BG versions of some of their tunes. Whenever I get an opportunity to do a fill-in at WHUS, I ask the DJ who needs the fill-in if it's okay to play some REAL country music (with a bit of Bluegrass thrown in for good measure, of course). On Friday, I filled in for Dave Gosh's program called, "Viable Rhythms," but morphed the show into "Viable Classic-Country-with-some-BG Rhythms" for one day. Great fun.
Maybe I'll get to do another fill-in show or two this summer, but who knows?
Fill-in, 5/28/2010
* Dear Old Sunny South By The Sea / Jimmie Rodgers / The Essential Jimmie Rodgers / RCA
* When The Cactus Is In Bloom / Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys / Anthology / MCA
* The Prisoned Cowboy / Hank Snow / The Singing Ranger / Living Era
* Honeymoon On A Rocketship / Hank Snow / The Goldrush Is Over / Bear Family
* Making Believe / Kitty Wells / 20th Century Masters / MCA
* Cryin' Heart Blues / Johnnie & Jack / For Old Times Sake / Bear Family
* Trademark / Carl Smith / Let's Live A Little / Living Era
* Talk To Your Heart / Ray Price / I'll Be There: The Legend Begins / Country Stars
* Why Don't You Love Me / Hank Williams / Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Country Stars
* There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere / Elton Britt / Ridin' With Elton / Soundies
* Soldier's Last Letter / Ernest Tubb / The Definitive Collection / MCA
* Military Five String / Reno & Smiley / Sweethearts In Heaven / Bear Family
* More Than A Name On A Wall / Statler Brothers / Greatest Hits / Mercury
* Walk On By / Leroy Van Dyke / Billboard Top Country Hits, 1961 / Rhino
* I Heard The Bluebirds Sing / The Browns / The Complete Hits / Collectors' Choice Music
* A Hundred Years From Now / Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs / Radio Gems / no label
* Cajun Fiddle / Don Rich & the Buckaroos / Country Pickin' / Sundazed
* RV Blues / Smokey Greene / The Friendly Voice Of Smokey Greene / Pinecastle
* Rednecks, White Socks, And Blue Ribbon Beer / Johnny Russell / Rednecks, White Socks, And Blue Ribbon Beer / RCA
* There Stands The Glass / Webb Pierce / 20th Century Masters / MCA
* He'll Have To Go / Jim Reeves / RCA Country Legends / RCA
* Sweethearts In Heaven / Buck Owens & Rose Maddox / On The Bandstand / Sundazed
* A Man Like Me / Roger Miller / A Man Like Me / Bear Family
* Dang Me / Roger Miller / 20th Century Masters / Mercury
* Late For School / Steve Martin / The Crow / Rounder
* Mourning Dove / Steep Canyon Rangers / Deep In The Shade / Rebel
* The Boys Are Back In Town / Patty Loveless / Mountain Soul / Epic
* Ruby Ann / Marty Robbins / The Story Of My Life / Columbia Legacy
* Devil Woman / Spinney Brothers / Side By Side / Self-Produced
* Blue Kentucky Girl / Loretta Lynn / Country Music Hall Of Fame / MCA
* He'd Take Her Back Again / Gibson Brothers / Long Way Back Home / Sugar Hill
* The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago / Johnny Cash / Johnny Cash At San Quentin / Legacy
* The Fool / Nashville Bluegrass Band / Home Of The Blues / Sugar Hill
* Rockin' Alone / Everly Brothers / 36 All-Time Favorites / GSC Music