88.1 KDHX Saint Louis

Since it is Labor Day, right now, later in the program I'll have music which is topical to the labor movement.

Recorded 1935, with Slim on vocal, with fine backing by Charlie McCoy on guitar, and Jimmie Gordon on piano, recorded 1935.

Recorded 1939, it's straight-ahead boogie woogie piano by one of the grand masters of the art.

Recorded 1946, and it sounds as fresh as the proverbial daisy.

Jimmy Oden on Vocal, Sunnyland Slim on piano, Alex Atkins on alto sax, Robert Jr. Lockwood on guitar, Big Crawford on bass, an A list of musicians, recorded 1949.

So there's your daily dose of righteous jump blues, Speedy.

I had a request for this cut which was one of Gabriel's favorites. Glad to play it.

Let the topical labor music begin with Merle Travis. Two in a row he wrote and first recorded, reaching way back to his knowledge of the realities of coal mining from the Kentucky community where he grew up.

This and the last one have been extensively covered by musicians ever since Merle Travis made it possible for them to do so.

One more song written and first recorded by Merle Travis which will still be around 500 years from now. Tennessee Ernie Ford made it known around the world. And with this recording by St. Louis' Geyer Street Sheiks, Alice Spencer shows the sheer power and range of her vocal talent.

And I slid this one in fer fun.

If your memory is a little hazy on the topic of labor leader Mary Harris Jones, then this should quickly get you back up to speed.

Ed Becker, host of Songwriters Showcase on KDHX, and caretaker of the Mother Jones Monument in Mt. Olive Illinois, worked for twenty years to assemble this two CD compilation of music in tribute to Mother Jones.

Mother Jones was very much the activist in pushing back against the exploitation of children in the workplace, and organized a children's march to Theodore Roosevelt's home at Oyster Bay NY. And there was a photographer who documented many instances of the horrifying working conditions children were subjected to in factories and mines. Publication of these photos in newspapers and magazines, and actions such as Mother Jones', made the American public acutely aware of these deplorable conditions, leading to child labor laws.

This is a very old American song, with many different stories about its origin. Labor Day, for me, is not about Wall Street investment bankers. Instead, it is about those who do actual work that benefits us all: farm hands, ranch hands, factory workers, emergency first responders, nurses, nursing assistants, housekeepers, lab techs, respiratory therapists, bus drivers, truck drivers, grocery store workers....you get the point.

And I'm taking a brief break, here, from the Labor Day songs to play some blues by the Stones, who are set to perform in St. Louis at the Dome on Sept 26. This is an original song they wrote and recorded and released as the B side to the A side of "Mixed emotions" in 1989. Very good blues, so say I!

And this is one of the Stones' earliest records (1963), a cover of a Willie Dixon blues which the Stones knew from Muddy Waters' record of it. The Stones were soaked in the blues from the get-go, and deserve much credit for putting blues in the ears of people who were not hearing it.

Is it even necessary to explain a Merle Haggard song?

Or to explain this one?

It was nice of Ms Williams to include this extra on her remake of this album, and I never ever can get enough of her fascinating singing voice, just sayin'.

This is the first time I've ever played this on air, which was recorded 1947. It's a completely different song than the next one.

And for me, this song and recording is much better known, and definiitely goes into the classic category for truck songs. "Pour me another cup of coffee, for it is the best in the land...."

And an original from Mr. Kirchen.

I learn fascinating things when I prep music for broadcast. This was written by Cal Martin, and was recorded and released by four musical acts in 1952: Doye O'Dell, Sons of the Pioneers, Burl Ives, and Billy Strange, but I don't know who was first ; - )

This is a song about working, isn't it?