Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – March 31, 2026: A Tribute to Buddy Holly

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU, 93.1 FM, in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

This episode of Stranger Songs was recorded and can be streamed on-demand, now or anytime, by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/74747.html

Theme: A Tribute to Buddy Holly (1936-1959).

Buddy Holly, who grew up in Lubbock, Texas, was one of the great artists of early rock ‘n’ roll. Tragically, he lost his life at the tender age of 22 on February 3, 1959 in a small plane crash that also claimed Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, an event that Don McLean referred to as “the day the music died,” in his song, American Pie.

Buddy Holly- Peggy Sue

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Serena Ryder- It Doesn’t Matter Anymore

If Your Memory Serves You Well (EMI)

The Beatles- Words of Love

Beatles for Sale (Parlophone)

Buddy Holly- Fool’s Paradise

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Natalie Merchant- Learning the Game

Rarities 1998-2017 (Nonesuch)

The Rolling Stones- Not Fade Away

GRRR! (ABKCO)

Buddy Holly- Rock Around with Ollie Vee

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Linda Ronstadt- It’s So Easy

Simple Dreams: 40th Anniversary Edition (Elektra/Rhino)

David Olney with Daniel Seymour- Everyday

Nevermore: The Final Live in Holland Sessions II (Strictly Country)

Buddy Holly- Look at Me

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Nanci Griffith & The Crickets- Well… All Right

Not Fade Away (remembering Buddy Holly) (MCA)

Nanci Griffith & The Crickets- Heartbeat

The Crickets & Their Buddies (Sovereign Artists)

Buddy Holly- Rock Me My Baby

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Elvis Presley- (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care

Elvis Presley Sings Leiber & Stoller (RCA/Legacy)

Jenny Whiteley- Raining in My Heart

Forgive or Forget (Black Hen Music)

Buddy Holly- Modern Don Juan

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

The Crickets- The Real Buddy Holly Story

The Crickets & Their Buddies (Sovereign Artists)

Jim Wurster- Rave On

Transcendental Inclinations (Y&T Music)

Buddy Holly- I’m Lookin’ for Someone to Love

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

John Prine & The Crickets- Oh Boy

The Crickets & Their Buddies (Sovereign Artists)

Carolyn Hester- Lonesome Tears

From These Hills (Road Goes On Forever)

Buddy Holly- Listen to Me

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Linda Ronstadt- That’ll Be the Day

Hasten Down the Wind (Elektra)

Nanci Griffith with The London Symphony Orchestra- Tell Me How

The Dust Bowl Symphony (Elektra)

Buddy Holly & The Hollies- Peggy Sue Got Married

Not Fade Away (remembering Buddy Holly) (MCA)

Mary Chapin Carpenter & Kevin Montgomery- Wishing

Not Fade Away (remembering Buddy Holly) (MCA)

Los Lobos- Midnight Shift

Not Fade Away (remembering Buddy Holly) (MCA)

Buddy Holly- I’m Gonna Love You Too

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Chuck WIllis- It’s Too Late

Stroll On: The Chuck Willis Collection (Razor & Tie)

Madeleine Peyroux- Changing All Those Changes

The Blue Room (Decca)

Buddy Holly- Reminiscing 

The Buddy Holly Collection (MCA)

Next week: Songs of Phil Ochs.

--Mike Regenstreif

Anne Hills – The Things I Notice Now: Anne Hills Sings the Songs of Tom Paxton

ANNE HILLS

The Things I Notice Now: Anne Hills Sings the Songs of Tom Paxton

Appleseed

annehills.com

The Things I Notice Now: Anne Hills Sings the Songs of Tom Paxton is the second excellent tribute album to Tom Paxton in less than two years and if I hadn’t reviewed Tim Grimm’s Thank You Tom Paxton in 2011, I’d want to begin this review of Anne Hills’ tribute album with the story of how Tom propelled me into my life in folk music, back in the late-1960s, when I was 14 or 15 (you can read the story and the review of Tim's album at this link).

Anne is about the same age as me and discovered Tom’s music at about the same time. We also both began working with Tom at about the same time in the early-1980s. I began producing annual concerts for Tom in Montreal and Anne began singing with him on records and on stage. She sings harmonies on a bunch of Tom’s albums and they briefly joined forces with the late Bob Gibson to form a trio called Best of Friends.

In 2001, Anne and Tom did an excellent CD of duets called Under American Skies. 2001 was the second of the two year stint that Robert Resnik and I booked and programmed the Champlain Valley Folk Festival in Burlington, Vermont and I made sure both Tom and Anne were at the festival so that I could program an Under American Skies concert with the two of them. It was a highlight of the festival.

And now Anne has recorded this wonderful set of a dozen Tom Paxton songs – some dating back to the 1960s, one heard for the first time here. Three of the tracks are duets with Tom.

The album opens with a jazzy version of “The Things I Notice Now,” the title track from one of Tom’s albums from the late-’60s, featuring some really nice piano playing by co-producer Scott Petito (who plays various instruments throughout the album) and a trombone solo and fills by Chris Brubeck, a classmate from the days Anne first discovered Tom’s songs. The track sets a high standard that is matched on each of the 11 songs that follow.

While it’s had to pick favorites, a few of the others would include “Mother,” a poignant song sung from the perspective of woman addressing the birth mother she never knew (as much as I like Tom’s version, this is a song that is even more compelling when sung by a woman); “Dogs At Midnight,” which paints a sad picture of a coal mining town and the slow death that is a consequence of miners’ breathing coal dust; and “Time to Spare,” a look back to youth and the changes the years bring.

The three duets with Tom are “Early Snow,” which reflects on an increasingly disappearing way of life; “Hold On To Me, Babe,” of the most beautiful of Tom’s early love songs; and “When Princes Meet,” an allegorical ballad about princes and kings who make wars and the poor men who must fight them. While the song dates from the time of the Vietnam War, and was certainly inspired by that war, it could well be about almost all of the wars that have been fought over the centuries.

The new song, “Redemption Road,” is a beautiful winter-of-life song that weds Tom’s lyrics to Geoff Bartley’s lovely melody. Geoff recorded it as an instrumental, just called “Redemption,” on his album, Blackbirds in the Pie.

Tom's catalog is among the deepest of any songwriter I know (and I know more than a few). So deep that Anne’s album has no songs in common with Tim Grimm’s tribute from last year, while the gorgeous love song, “Every Time,” is the only song in common with Carolyn Hester’s A Tom Paxton Tribute from 1999.

Pictured: Mike Regenstreif, Anne Hills and Tom Paxton at the 2001 Champlain Valley Folk Festival.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. www.facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

In Praise of Tom Paxton, Part 1

Folk Roots/Folk Branches with Mike Regenstreif is now a 30-minute feature frequently heard occasionally on CKUT, 90.3 FM in Montreal.

Visit the Folk Roots/Folk Branches blog at http://frfb.blogspot.com/.

Thursday March 5, 2009

In Praise of Tom Paxton, Part 1

This was the first of three Folk Roots/Folk Branches features in praise of Tom Paxton.

Tom performs Sunday April 26 at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, his first Montreal concert since his regular sold-out concerts at the Golem in the 1980s. Call Hello Darlin’ Productions at 514-524-9225 for tickets or information. Tom is one of the all-time greatest folk-based singer-songwriters, and one of my all-time favourite performers. Definitely a don’t miss concert.

MIKE REGENSTREIF- commentary 1

MARA LEVINE- The Last Thing on My Mind
Mara’s Gems (Mara Levine)
JUDY COLLINS- My Ramblin’ Boy
Judy Collins 3 & 4 (The Judy Collins Concert) (Wildflower)
NANCI GRIFFITH w/CAROLYN HESTER- Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound
Other Voices / Other Room (Elektra)

MIKE REGENSTREIF- commentary 2

Many years ago, Tom wrote a series of three beautiful songs that I’ve always loved about a woman named Annie. They’re such vivid songs and the Annie character seemed so real that I once asked Tom about her. Tom’s a friend of mine and I knew how deeply committed he’s always been to Midge, his lovely wife, so I was pretty sure that Annie wasn’t a real person. Tom confirmed that Annie was, indeed, fictional.

TOM PAXTON- Has Annie Been in Tonight?
Up & Up (Mountain Railroad)
TOM PAXTON- When Annie Took me Home
Even a Gray Day (Flying Fish)
TOM PAXTON- Annie’s Going to Sing Her Song
Even a Gray Day (Flying Fish)

MIKE REGENSTREIF- commentary 3

A few weeks ago, the Grammy Awards gave Tom a Lifetime Achievement Award for the tremendous body of work that he’s produced over the past 45 or so years. Tom has never been one to rest on his laurels and continues to write great songs. His 2008 album, Comedians and Angels, was also nominated for a Grammy.

TOM PAXTON- Comedians and Angels
Comedians & Angels (Appleseed)

MIKE REGENSTREIF- commentary 4

For more on Tom Paxton, visit http://tompaxton.com/.

Folk Roots/Folk Branches is now a blog featuring Mike Regenstreif’s playlists, CD and DVD reviews, news and commentaries.

http://frfb.blogspot.com/