88.1 KDHX Saint Louis

The usual Back Country suspects, with an emphasis on new music this week.

A song to note the birthday of Ralph Peer, the architect of The Bristol Session--the Big Bang of Country Music--which took place from July 25-August 5, 1927. This was recorded August 2nd.

Still missing Tom T., who passed away less than two years ago. Robert Bowlin plays fiddle, mandolin and acoustic guitar on this album.

Mac co-wrote this one with Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz, and the three co-produced this album, recorded over 9 Sundays at Mac's home just two years before he died at age 93.

I first heard this title track on Steve Goodman's second album back in 1972. Another great album from Michael Cleveland,

A fine rendition of a Steve Earle song by one of the best of a generation of rock and roots musicians.

Peter Cooper covers Kristofferson with the incomparable Lloyd Green. Kristofferson based the song on a scene from the classic John Ford 1940 film "The Grapes of Wrath".

This song tells the story of a barnstorming team of black ballplayers based in Elizabethton, TN. There are some fascinating songs informed by history on this fine album.

Dom Flemons' new album features good songwriting and musicianship from this veteran of The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Regular listener James requested this song, from the RCA label in 1951. Johnnie & Jack and Hank Snow both began employing a rhumba beat in some of their recordings at about the same time.

Sideman Jimmy Capps played with The Louvin Brothers and others, and many times he played on more than 500 recordings each year.

Waylon and Jessi cover Buck Owens on this expanded edition of the first million-selling record in country music history. Happy 80th birthday on Thursday to Jessi Colter.

Bill has recorded several Dylan songs on his albums, this one twice, as he included it on one of the Twangbanger releases.

Sunday morning is always such a sobering time in country songs.

Gloria has never been to prison except vicariously, through songs of artists like Paycheck, Haggard and Earle, all of whom she references here. She and Michael Bauermeister are at McKelvey Vineyards in New Haven tomorrow at 2PM and they're at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Friday at 6:30PM

Leo Kottke will play the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville tomorrow night, getting underway at 8 o'clock.

Molly Tuttle and her fine band are at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO tomorrow night for an 8PM show. We'll send this one out to Fred Gumaer, who was messing around Nashville this past week, including taking a turn on the drum kit at the Bluebird.

Matt in Columbia, MO requested some Dwight and I chose his cover of the Joe and Rose Lee Maphis honky tonky anthem. It's been six-plus years since we've had a new studio album from Dwight, the longest stretch of his career. You can catch Dwight Yoakum with Aaron Lewis at the Ozarks Amphitheater in Camdenton, MO next Friday at 7PM

From the Bruce Robison-produced tribute album to Willie comes Sheryl Crow's cover of one of Willie's earliest and oft-covered songs.

Willie's latest album covers the songs of Harlan Howard. Harlan put it on a 1961 album and two years later Patsy Cline sang it at her last recording session.

Rodney Crowell and Rosanne were married when he produced this for her 1981 album, "Seven Year Ache". Yes, that's the instantly recognizable electric guitar of Albert Lee.

Veteran musician and songwriter Kip Loui has a fine new album out, featuring some of the best St. Louis musicians around. Available on Bandcamp. Kip's going to pay us a visit on next week's show to talk about his latest project.

From Dan's new album. He's playing all over Texas these days.

Wylie covers this Butch Hancock song on his latest release. It was the first track on Butch's 1978 debut, "West Texas Waltzes & Dust-Blown Tractor Tunes".

This 1946 Victor recording features jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams' all-female band, consisting of Mary Lou, Marjorie Hyams on vibraphone, June Rotenberg on bass, Rose Gottesman on drums and Mary Osborne on vocal and some very tasty guitar licks.

Rose included this composition of Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes" on her debut release after moving to Texas. Grimes played with Art Tatum, Billie Holiday and Charlie Parker, among many others.

Rose Sinclair and Sophia Johnson are the principals in Ida Red, and as the album title and liner notes confirm, they were influenced by Mary Lou Williams' Girls Band in making this album. This is an original composition.

Rose's latest release further refines her concept of "cocktail steel" by including this Wes Montgomery composition. A couple by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Cindy Walker and Errol Garner's "Misty" among the offerings here.