Blues Moon Radio Interview with Roy Rogers Tuesday, July 12, 2011

I'm excited about tonight's show... we were honored to be asked to interview Roy Rogers by the fine folks at Blind Pig Records, who bring us so many great artists. Roy collaborated with The Doors' keyboardist, Ray Manzarek, for Translucent Blues, which is decidedly a departure from straight Blues, but one I think Blues and Rock fans alike will enjoy.

Roy and I chatted about his roots and early beginnings, and started our interview - off the record - talking about his name and the inevitable associations with Roy Rogers, the singing cowboy. Interestingly, my show co-host, RockyDawg-BluesDefender, who is usually silent in the recording studio, barked up a storm during our interview - in such a way that I had to decide between his "voice-over" staying on or losing some great content by Roy. The singing cowboy Roy had a German Shepherd named Bullet, and I cannot help but find the humor in the fact that the only time my German Shepherd interrupted a recording was for Roy Rogers, the Blues slide guitar legend. I probably should have distinguished the two for RockStar... :) I expect he thought he was just sayin' "howdy" to Bullet's Dad! I'll do better with my prep in the future, but enjoy the barking... and Roy's response.

The show will kick off with some music with a theme of leaving; we'll try to fit in some birthday tributes and we'll hear from Roy and from the new CD, as well as from some of his biggest influences - Bo Diddley, Robert Johnson and  John Lee Hooker (he produced four of The Hook's albums, btw, and knew him well - perhaps we can chat with him more about those experiences another time).

The show starts at 6, and the interview will air around 7 p.m. EDT/USA - in most countries that is -5 GMT.

You can tune in at http://wusc.sc.edu - then follow the link in the top left quadrant of your screen - tune in early to get a slot - sometimes we hit our streaming limit pretty early. It's an alternative station, and the show before mine has some interesting music; the show after mine features covers of famous songs done in interesting new ways so stay tuned after I sign off and make a night of it!

Blues Moon Radio Playlist for May 17, 2011

Tonight's Blues Moon Radio show will be on from 6-9 p.m. (we have an extra hour in summer!).

Themes are:

More Robert Johnson - his music and influences

Summer and floods - our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the flooding

May concerts, festivals, events and birthdays - Lots to celebrate

And in my hip pocket is a collection of Art songs. Songs by Bluesmen named Art, Arthur, etc. We might not get there - got a lot of music to get through - but I'm armed for bear.

Tonight after the gig, Utopia's Blues Jam; remember Sunday nights at The House in Five Points and Ott Saloon in Lexington on Mondays... every other Wednesday is the Sparkle City Jam at Decisions, where they also hold an acoustic jam on Mondays (again, check those venues before you go).

Next Tuesday we will feature - live in our studio - Laurence Luckyman Beall - and if you are not a fan yet, it is only because you have yet to hear him sing! Very excited about his appearance... don't miss it!

The playlist will post here as we go along - so refresh your browser to get the updates during showtime.

Enjoy!
Your hosts,
Clair DeLune and RockyDawg - Blues Defender (inspiration and backbone of the whole effort).

Playlist:
Marcia Ball - Eugene
Blind Willie McTell - Southern Can is Mine
Guitar Welch - Bad Luck Blues
John Cephas and Phil Wiggins - Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad

Bob Margolin - All You Left Behind
Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie - North Memphis Blues
L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson - Pinetop's Boogie Woogie*
   * if you want to read a great (warning - it's a tear-jerker) tribute to Pinetop, check out Bob Margolin's goodbye to him in the Blues Beat column of Blues Revue magazine (subliminal message: subscribe!):
     http://bluesrevue.com/2011/03/blues-beat-the-pinetop-perkins-tribute-3-25-11/ 

And now for the second half of the Robert Johnson commemoration/tribute:

Robert Johnson - Love In Vain b/w Dust My Broom
Alan Lomax introduces David Honeyboy Edwards
David Honeyboy Edwards - When I Came to Memphis b/w Rocks in My Pillow

Elmore James - Standing at the Crossroads
Robert Lockwood, Jr. - Rambling on My Mind
Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters - Spoonful

Lightnin' Washington and Group - Great God A'mighty (Long Hot Summer Days)
Biscuit Miller - Summertime Blues
Charley Patton - Some Summer Day
Clyde Hill and Group - Long Hot Summer Days
Billie Holiday - Summertime
JJ Grey and Mofro - Slow, Hot and Sweaty

Charley Patton - High Water Everywhere Pts 1 and 2
Blind Lemon Jefferson - Rising High Water Blues
Fats Noel - High Tide
Johnny Shines - Too Wet to Plow

Nicole Hart - Higher Ground
Blind Lemon Jefferson - Rising High Water Blues
Jack Kelly and South Memphis Jug Band - Highway No. 61 Blues
Buster Carter; Preston Young - A Lazy Farmer Boy
James Cotton - Cotton Crop Blues

The Delta Flyers - Dockery Farm
Freddie Vanderford - Parchman Farm
Rory Block - County Farm Blues
Lightnin' Hopkins - Tim Moore's Farm

Ray Charles - Rockin' Chair Blues


Tommy Johnson - I want someone to love me b/w Lonesome Home Blues

Jackie Brenston - Leo the Louse

Good night!~ Thanks for listening... go see some live music this weekend... :)