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.
Folk-rooted and folk-branched reviews, commentaries, radio playlists and suggestions from veteran music journalist and broadcaster Mike Regenstreif.
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – October 14, 2025: The Dutchman and Other Songs of Michael Smith
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.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – August 5, 2025: Songs of Steve Gillette and John Stewart
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.
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – January 7, 2025: Remembering Josh White, Jr. , Alan Senauke and David Mallett
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.
Thursday, February 23, 2023
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday February 28, 2023: A Tribute to Josh White
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.
Josh White was a highly influential blues, folk and jazz singer and guitarist. He made his first recordings in 1928 at about age 14 or 15 and his 1944 recording of “One Meatball” was the first song by a male, African American artist to sell a million copies. Josh White was honored earlier this month by Folk Alliance International with its Legacy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Saturday, September 10, 2022
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday September 13, 2022: Songs of Gordon Lightfoot
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.
Friday, December 10, 2021
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday December 14, 2021: Remembering Bill Staines (1947-2021)
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.
CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and https://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.
This episode of Stranger Songs was prerecorded at home and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/54514.html
Theme: Remembering Bill Staines (1947-2021). Bill Staines was a folksinger, a songwriter, a colleague and a friend since 1970. Bill died on December 5, 2021 from an aggressive cancer at age 74.
The previously announced theme, “The Folk Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Branches of Folk Music,” has been rescheduled to the January 4, 2022 edition of Stranger Songs.
Bill Staines- Happiness Is
Somebody Blue (Champlain)
Bill Staines- Rye Whiskey Joe
Bill Staines (Evolution)
Bill Staines- Ballad of the Maples
Third Time Around (Catfish)
Mason Daring & Jeanie Stahl- The Boats They Come and the Boats They Go
The Early Years (Daring)
Nanci Griffith- Roseville Fair
One Fair Summer Evening (MCA)
Paul Mills- A Place in the Choir
Unreleased – used with permission
Bill Staines- Jubilee
The Whistle of the Jay (Folk-Legacy)
Mike Regenstreif & Bill Staines (1993)
Bill Staines- The Black Fly Song
Just Play One Tune More (Folk-Legacy)
Bill Staines- Early Morning Rain
Looking for the Wind (Red House)
Bill Staines- Rompin’ Rovin’ Days
Journey Home (Red House)
Bill Staines- The Piney Wood Hills
Journey Home (Red House)
Bill Staines- The French Girl
Beneath Some Lucky Star (Red House)
Bill Staines- Eyes to Eyes
Sandstone Cathedrals (Mineral River)
Jerry Jeff Walker- Flowers in the Snow
Navajo Rug (Rykodisc)
Priscilla Herdman- The Faith of Man
Darkness into Light (Flying Fish)
Bill Staines- Sueño
Sandstone Cathedrals (Mineral River)
Josh White, Jr..- Bridges
Live (Silverwolf)
Priscilla Herdman- Lovers and Losers
Forgotten Dreams (Flying Fish)
Bill Staines- My Sweet Wyoming Home
Miles (Mineral River)
Jeanie Stahl & Bill Staines- Music to Me
Mysteries (Daring)
Eve Goldberg- Crossing the Water
Crossing the Water (Borealis)
Mara Levine- River
Jewels and Harmony (Mara’s Creations)
Bill Staines- Traveling Shoes
Tracks and Trails (Philo)
Next week: A Stranger Songs Christmas
Find me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/mikeregenstreif
And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif
--Mike Regenstreif
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday June 1, 2021
Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.
CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and https://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.
This episode of Stranger Songs was prerecorded at home and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/52165.html
Theme: The Third Stranger Songs Fantasy Concert, a whole show of music recorded live in concert. We will have a “Stranger Songs Fantasy Concert” on our first show of every month until it’s safe for us to return to live music in person.
Josh White, Jr..- Say a Prayer for a Stranger
Live at the Raven Gallery (Silverwolf)
Ronny Cox- Hot Water Cornbread
Live at the Kitchen Sink (Ronny Cox)
Kate & Edith- Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor
Live at Kelso Hall (Kate & Edith)
Corin Raymond & The Sundowners- Postcard from Winnipeg
Paper Nickels (Local Rascals)
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| Rosalie Sorrels & Mike Regenstreif (1993) |
Diana Jones- Better Times Will Come
Live in Concert (Proper)
Judy Collins- Four Strong Winds
Living (Elektra)
Rosalie Sorrels- Then Came the Children
Then Came the Children (Green Linnet)
Perla Batalla- Bird On a Wire
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (Verve Forecast)
Leonard Cohen- Suzanne
Live in London (Columbia)
Noel Paul Stookey- Not That Kind of Music
Just Causes (Neworld)
Pete Seeger- L’Internationale
Singalong, Sanders Theatre, 1980 (Smithsonian Folkways)
Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band- When the Saints Go Marching In
Live in Dublin (Columbia)
Hans Theessink & Blue Groove- I Shall Not Be Moved
Live (Minor Music)
Guy Clark- Dublin Blues
Songs and Stories (Dualtone)
Bonnie Dobson- Bonnie’s Blues
At Folk City (Prestige)
Missy Burgess- Time
Missy Burgess with The Blue Train Live (Missy Burgess)
The Band- The Weight
Stage Fright: 50th Anniversary Edition [Live at the Royal Albert Hall, June 1971] (Capitol)
Wynton Marsalis Septut featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama- The Last Time
United We Swing: Best of the Lincoln Center Galas (Blue Engine)
Stephane Grappelli & David Grisman- Swing 42
Live (Warner Bros.)
Next week – Thinking About Elvis
Find me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/mikeregenstreif
And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif
--Mike Regenstreif
















