Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – April 23, 2024: Songs of Shel Silverstein

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/595/64883.html

Theme: Songs of Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)

Shel Silverstein – who died of a heart attack in 1999 at age 68 – was a renaissance man: an author, poet, cartoonist, singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright.

Shel Silverstein- Folk Singer’s Blues

Inside Folk Songs (Water)

Tom Paxton, Anne Hills & Bob Gibson- Sing for the Song

Best of Friends (Appleseed)

Bob Gibson- Whistlers & Jugglers

Makin’ a Mess: Bob Gibson Sings Shel Silverstein (Asylum)

Martin Simpson- In the Hills of Shiloh

Rooted (Topic)

Sarah Jarosz with Black Prairie- Queen of the Silver Dollar

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein (Sugar Hill)

Shel Silverstein- Bury Me in My Shades

Inside Folk Songs (Water)

John Prine- This Guitar is for Sale

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein (Sugar Hill)

The Irish Rovers- The Unicorn

The Best of The Irish Rovers (MCA)

Dr. Hook- Sylvia’s Mother

Gold (Crimson)

Johnny Cash- A Boy Named Sue

The Legend of Johnny Cash (American/Columbia/Legacy)

Shel Silverstein- 25 Minutes to Go

Inside Folk Songs (Water)

Gordon Lightfoot- On Susan’s Floor

Don Quixote (Reprise)

Bob Gibson- Stops Along the Way

Makin’ a Mess: Bob Gibson Sings Shel Silverstein (Asylum)

Lucinda Williams- The Ballad of Lucy Jordan

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein (Sugar Hill)

Papa John Kolstad & Wildman Mike Turk- Beans Taste Fine

Beans Taste Fine (Wampus Cat)

Shel Silverstein- Have Another Espresso

Inside Folk Songs (Water)

The Folk Legacy Trio- The Mermaid

Homecoming (The Folk Legacy Trio)

Rosalie Sorrels- You’re Always Welcome at Our House

Be Careful, There’s a Baby in the House (Green Linnet)

Shel Silverstein- Boa Constrictor

Inside Folk Songs (Water)

Nanci Griffith- The Giving Tree

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein (Sugar Hill)

Bobby Bare- Rosalie’s Good Eats Café

Bobby Bare Sings Lullabys, Legends and Lies (RCA)

Bob Gibson- Living Legend

The Living Legend Years (Bob Gibson Legacy).

Next week: Remembering Pete Seeger.

--Mike Regenstreif 

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday October 5, 2021: Songs of Autumn

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/595/53657.html

Theme: Songs of Autumn

Martin Simpson- October Song
Home Recordings (Topic)

David Mallett- Autumn
This Town (Vanguard)
Ian & Sylvia- Changes
Play One More (Vanguard)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle- Talk to Me of Mendocino
Tell My Sister: Kate & Anna McGarrigle (Nonesuch)
Jesse Winchester- Yankee Lady
Jesse Winchester (Stony Plain)
Sally Rogers & Claudia Schmidt- Who Knows Where the Time Goes
We are Welcomed (Pragmavision)

Terry Tufts- October Gold
Two Nights Solo (Borealis)

Laura Smith & Mike Regenstreif (2013)

Laura Smith- My Bonny
As Long As I’m Dreaming (Borealis)
Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy- White Swans and Black/Grey October Clouds
Two for the Early Dew (Shanachie)
Archie Fisher & Garnet Rogers- Waltz Into Winter
The Best Times After All: Live (Snow Goose Songs)
Joni Mitchell- Urge for Going
Archives – Volume 1: The Early Years (1963-1967) (Rhino)

Bill Garrett & Mike Regenstreif (2014)

Bill Garrett- Thanksgiving Eve
Seems to Me (Borealis)
Nanci Griffith- October Reasons
Poet In My Window (Philo)
Amy Speace with The Orphan Brigade- There Used to Be Horses Here
There Used to Be Horses Here (Windbone)
Nina Ricci- Goodbye Sandals, Hello Boots
Goodbye Sandals, Hello Boots – single (Nina Ricci)

Eva Cassidy- Autumn Leaves
Simply Eva (Blix Street)
John McCutcheon- Finally
Bucket List (Appalseed)
Sharon Goldman- Lone Black Crow
Every Trip Around the Sun (Sharon Goldman)
Steel Rail- Winter Wren
Coming Home (Crossties)
Vance Gilbert- The Day Before November
Good Good Man (Disismye Music)

David Broza- Autumn Longing
En Casa Limón (S-Curve)

Next week: Drinking Songs

Find me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday February 9, 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 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 – Episode #1 – was prerecorded at home and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/50779.html

Today’s show was inspired by the book, Leonard Cohen Untold Stories: The Early Years by Michael Posner, the first of what will be three volumes of Leonard Cohen’s untold stories. The Early Years covers Leonard Cohen’s life from childhood until 1970 and the songs and poems of Leonard Cohen on this show were all written during that period. Click here to read my review of Leonard Cohen Untold Stories: The Early Years. 

Leonard Cohen- fragment of The Stranger Song
Songs of Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy)
Martin Simpson- The Stranger Song
Vagrant Stanzas (Topic)

Nina Simone- Suzanne
To Love Somebody (RCA)
Leonard Cohen- Warning
Six Montreal Poets (Folkways)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle and Martha Wainwright- Winter Lady
Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (Verve Forecast)
Leonard Cohen- Stories of the Street
Songs of Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy)
Perla Batalla- So Long, Marianne
Bird on the Wire: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (Mechuda Music)

Leonard Cohen- fragment of The Stranger Song
Songs of Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy)

Tex König- Sisters of Mercy
Königsblende (Music Cellar)
Laura Love- Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye
Pangaea (Octoroon Biography)
Leonard Cohen- One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
Songs of Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy)

Reid Jamieson- Bird on the Wire
Dear Leonard (Reid Jamieson)
Leonard Cohen- The Sparrows
Six Montreal Poets (Folkways)
Judy Collins- Story of Isaac
Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (Elektra/Rhino)
Leonard Cohen- A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
Songs from a Room (Columbia/Legacy)

Perla Batalla- Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
Bird on the Wire: The Songs of Leonard Cohen (Mechuda Music)
Leonard Cohen- Les Vieux
Six Montreal Poets (Folkways)
Crowes Pasture- Tonight Will Be Fine
Edge of America (Crowes Pasture)
Leonard Cohen- The Old Revolution
Songs from a Room (Columbia/Legacy)

Judy Collins- Dress Rehearsal Rag
Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (Elektra/Rhino)
Laurie MacAllister- Famous Blue Raincoat
The Things I Choose to Do (Laurie MacAllister)
Jennifer Warnes & Leonard Cohen- Joan of Arc
Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen – 20th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory)

Leonard Cohen- fragment of The Stranger Song
Songs of Leonard Cohen (Columbia/Legacy)

Next week’s show falls on Mardi Gras Day (February 16) and the show will feature songs from or inspired by New Orleans – including some Mardi Gras songs.

Find me on Twitter. www.twitter.com/mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Saturday Morning with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Saturday September 14, 2019

Saturday Morning is an eclectic roots-oriented program on CKCU in Ottawa heard live on Saturday mornings from 7 until 10 am (Eastern time) and then available for on-demand streaming. I am one of the four rotating hosts of Saturday Morning and base my programming on the Folk Roots/Folk Branches format I developed at CKUT in Montreal.

CKCU can be heard at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and http://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.

This episode of Saturday Morning can be streamed on-demand at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/128/44679.html

Terri Hendrix- Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key

Talk to a Human: Project 5.3 (Wilory)

I was deeply saddened by the passing of Mitch Podolak on August 25. I first met Mitch in June 1974 and he told me he was starting a folk festival in Winnipeg. I didn't go to the first Winnipeg Folk Festival that summer but I was there many times through the 1970s and ‘80s. I shared friendship, many a meal, much music, and the occasional fierce argument with Mitch in many places over the years. His influence – like that of Estelle Klein – is felt every time I plan a radio show. Perhaps the most excited I ever saw Mitch at the Winnipeg Folk Festival was when Pete Seeger sang “L’Internationale.”

Pete Seeger- L’Internationale

Singalong, Sanders Theatre, 1980 (Smithsonian Folkways)

The Duhks- Pretty Boy Floyd/Stoney Point

Your Daughters & Your Sons (Sugar Hill)

The Small Glories- Winnipeg

Assiniboine & the Red (Red House)

Stan Rogers- The Mary Ellen Carter

Between the Breaks…Live! (Fogarty’s Cove/Borealis)

Martin Simpson performs Sunday, October 6, 8 pm, at Rosemount Hall, 41 Rosemount Avenue. Visit www.oldsod.ca for tickets or information.

Martin Simpson- Kimbie

Rooted (Topic)

Katie Dahl- Anna Lee

Wildwood (Leaky Boat)

Andy Antipin w/Sharon Katz & Mara Levine- I’m Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table

I’m Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table (Andy Atipin)

Blue Flame String Band- Blues Stay Away from Me

Blue Flame String Band (Flying Fish)

Nefesh Mountain performs Thursday, September 19 at Kehillat Beth Israel synagogue, 1400 Coldrey Avenue. They’ll be doing a family concert at 5:30 pm and an adult-focused all-ages concert at 7 pm. Call 613-728-3501 or visit https://kehillatbethisrael.shulcloud.com/form/nefesh-mountain.html for more info or tickets.

Nefesh Mountain- Halleluyah

Beneath the Open Sky (Eric Lindberg & Doni Zasloff)

Lynn Miles performs Saturday, September 21 at the Westboro Masonic Hall, 430 Churchill Avenue North. Visit www.rasputins.org for more info or tickets.

Lynn Miles- Million Brilliant

Downpour (Lynn Miles)

Old Man Luedecke performs Thursday, October 10 at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage. Visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/23023 for more info or tickets.

Old Man Luedecke- Easy Money

Easy Money (True North)

Rob Lutes performs Thursday, October 24 at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage. Visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/21896 for more info or tickets.

Rob Lutes- Believe in Something

Walk in the Dark (Lucky Bear)

Tom Russell- Red Velvet

Play One More: The Songs of Ian & Sylvia (True North)

Ian & Sylvia- Summer Wages

The Lost Tapes (Stony Plain)

Kim Wallach- The Cowboy and the Umbrella

Chatter of the Finches (Black Socks Press)

Ian & Sylvia- Four Strong Winds

The Lost Tapes (Stony Plain)

Extended Feature: Songs and Tunes of Bruce Cockburn. The next 15 songs and tunes were written by Bruce Cockburn.

Bruce Cockburn- Musical Friends

Bruce Cockburn (True North)

Teresa Ennis- Going to the Country

Space (BeaverBank Empire)

Tom Rush- One Day I Walk

Ladies Love Outlaws (Columbia)

Claire Lynch- All the Diamonds in the World

North By South (Compass)

Bruce Cockburn- Sweetness and Light

Crowing Ignites (True North)

Mike Regenstreif & Bruce Cockburn (2017)

Bruce Cockburn- Lovers in a Dangerous Time

Slice O Life: Live Solo (True North)

Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers- Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long

En Duo (Justin Time)

David Wiffen- Up on the Hillside

Coast to Coast Fever (EMI)

Maria Muldaur- Southland of the Heart

Southland of the Heart (Telarc)

Bruce Cockburn- Blind Willie

Crowing Ignites (True North)

Bruce Cockburn- Forty Years in the Wilderness

Bone On Bone (True North)

Judy Collins- Pacing the Cage

Portrait of an American Girl (Wildflower)

Salamander Crossing- Child of the Wind

Henry Street – A Retrospective (Signature Sounds)

Grace Griffith- Wondering Where the Lions Are

Minstrel Song (Blix Street)

Bruce Cockburn- Bardo Rush

Crowing Ignites (True North)

“Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story,” starring Ben Caplan, returns to the Babs Asper Theatre at the National Arts Centre from October 17-27. Visit https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/21514 for more information.

Ben Caplan- Traveller’s Curse

Old Stock (Rhyme and Reason)

Lisa Gutkin, Aaron Halva & Company- Welcome to Amerike: Vot can you makh

Indecent: Original Broadway Cast Recording (Yellow Sound Label)

Sharon Goldman- Tuesday Morning Sun

Every Trip Around the Sun (Sharon Goldman)

Susan Werner- What He Said in Jackson Square

NOLA: Susan Werner Goes to New Orleans (Sleeve Dog)

Lisa Bastoni- Dogs of New Orleans

How We Want to Live (Sweet Ondine Music)

Christine Lavin & The Calithumpians- The Liar Tweets Tonight

The Best of Christine Lavin (Christine Lavin)

The Four Bitchin' Babes w/Mary Travers- What Was I Thinking

The Best of Christine Lavin (Christine Lavin)

Tim Grimm- Too Hard Drivin’

Heart Land Again (Vault)

Shelley Posen- Back at Bub’s

Ontario Moon (Well Done Music)

I’ll be hosting Saturday Morning next on October 12.

Find me on Twitter. @MikeRegenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Various Artists – Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition

Great Smoky Mountain Association

smokiesinformation.org

While much of the attention in modern folk music circles is centered on contemporary singer-songwriters, traditional folk music rooted in ancient balladry remains a vital force in the music. And while there is much to be said for the argument that that the oral folk tradition through which these traditions were passed from generation to generation began to disappear with the advent of recording and mass media in the 20th century, there are still musical families in areas like the Appalachian mountains in the U.S. who continue to maintain their traditions of passing down songs, and traditional revivalists who have learned the music through contact with both source singers and recordings who have maintained and expanded the traditions.

Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition is a compelling 2-CD exploration of traditional folksongs found in the Appalachian Mountains – some of them well-known, some of them more obscure – performed by a range of artists, likewise some well-known and some not, including both contemporary members of traditional singing families and revivalists.

Each of the 32 performances – 31 of them previously unreleased and most recorded specifically for this project – on Big Bend Killing is performed with both reverence for tradition and compelling vitality.

The first CD includes 13 performances of songs that originated in the British Isles and that became staples of the traditional Appalachian repertoire. While most of the songs are performed by American artists, there are four tracks by artists from across the pond. Scottish ballad singer Archie Fisher turns in lovely versions of two long ballads, “Thomas the Rhymer” and “Tam Lin” in which the events described in the songs unfold vividly, while the British trio of Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr offers equally gripping versions of “The Sheffield Apprentice” and “Willie Taylor.”

Other highlights on the first CD include versions of “Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender” by veteran Appalachian traditional singer Sheila Kay Adams and “Mathy Groves” by her younger cousin Donna Ray Norton; and two versions of “Barbara Allen” by Carol Elizabeth Jones and Rosanne Cash.

The 19 songs on the second CD include several distinctively Appalachian versions of British Isles ballads but centres mostly on ballads that were originally sung in the Appalachians – including “Tom Dula,” perhaps the best known Appalachian ballad thanks to its popularization as the Kingston Trio’s hit, “Tom Dooley.” The rendition here, sung sadly by Laura Boosinger with backing by the Krüger Brothers, draws the listener into the sad tale of the murder of Laura Foster.

Murder is a theme explored in many traditional ballads and other compelling performances of murder ballads on the second CD include “Pretty Polly,” sung by Amythyst Kiah with backing by Roy Andrade; “Omie Wise,” sung by Hasee Ciaccio with fiddler Kalia Yeagle; the familiar “Banks of the Ohio,” performed by Doyle Lawson; “Knoxville Girl,” sung by Kristi Hedtke and Corbin Hayslett; “Big Bend Killing,” a song I’d not heard before, performed by the great Alice Gerrard; and “Old Joe Dawson,” another one I’d not heard before, sung a cappella by Bobby McMillon.

Other highlights on the second CD include a great version of the well-known African American blues ballad, “John Henry,” by Amythyst Kiah with Roy Andrade; Elizabeth LaPrelle’s captivating version of “West Virginia Mine Disaster,” a contemporary ballad written by the late Jean Ritchie; and Rosanne Cash’s gorgeous, album-closing version of “The Parting Glass.”

And make no mistake, I could go on and on about the songs and singers that I haven’t mentioned.

The album was produced by Ted Olson, a professor of Appalachian studies and bluegrass, old-time, and country music studies at East Tennessee State University, who contributes essays on traditional Appalachian balladry and extensive notes on each of the songs to the album’s 74-page booklet.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif