Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – March 4, 2025: Remembering Roberta Flack; A Tribute to Fats Domino on Mardi Gras Day

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/595/69216.html

Themes: Part 1 – Remembering Roberta Flack (1937-2025); Part 2 – A Tribute to Fats Domino (1928-2017) on Mardi Gras Day.

Part 1 – Remembering Roberta Flack (1937-2025)

Roberta Flack, who died on February 24 at age 88, was a singer and pianist who blended elements of R&B, jazz, folk, blues and pop music.

Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

First Take: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

Roberta Flack- Ballad of the Sad Young Men

First Take: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

Roberta Flack- Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye

First Take: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

Roberta Flack- Reverend Lee

Chapter Two: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

Roberta Flack- Just Like a Woman

Chapter Two: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Atlantic/Rhino)

Part 2 – A Tribute to Fats Domino (1928-2017) on Mardi Gras Day

Fats Domino was born in New Orleans in 1928 and died there in 2017 at age 89. One of the all-time greats of New Orleans music, Fats Domino was one of the true pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll.

Fats Domino- When the Saints Go Marching In

Fats in Stereo 1959-1962: Imperial Hit Singles As & Bs (Jasmine)

Bobby Charles with Fats Domino- Walking to New Orleans

Wish You Were Here Right Now (Stony Plain)

Norah Jones- My Blue Heaven

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Taj Mahal & The New Orleans Social Club- My Girl Josephine

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Robert Plant & The Soweto Gospel Choir- Valley of Tears

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Fats Domino- Bo Weevil

Fats Rocks! (Bear Family)

Lowell Levinger- Blue Monday

Down to the Roots (Grandpa Raccoon)

J.D. Crowe & The New South- I’m Walkin’

J.D. Crowe & The New South (Rounder)

Saul Broudy- I’m Gonna Be a Wheel Someday

Travels with Broudy (Saul Broudy)

Hans Theessink & Terry Evans- Let the Four Winds Blow

Visions (Blue Groove)

Fats Domino- Country Boy

Fats Rocks! (Bear Family)

George Benson- Ain’t That a Shame

Walking to New Orleans: Remembering Chuck Berry and Fats Domino (Provogue)

Lucinda Williams- Honey Chile

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Bruce Cockburn with Margo Timmins- Blueberry Hill

Breakfast in New Orleans, Dinner in Timbuktu (True North)

Bonnie Raitt & Jon Cleary- I’m in Love Again/All By Myself

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Fats Domino- Lady Madonna

Fats is Back (Bullseye Blues & Jazz)

Pau McCartney featuring Allen Toussaint- I Want to Walk You Home

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Dr. John- Don’t Leave Me This Way

Goin’ Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard)

Fats Domino- Shu Rah

Fats Rocks! (Bear Family)

Next week: Hello in There.

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday June 6, 2023: Songs of Leonard Cohen – The Later Years

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.

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 recorded and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/60720.html

Theme: Songs of Leonard Cohen – The Later Years.

These songs were written by Leonard Cohen from about 1990 until his death in 2016, the period covered by the book Leonard Cohen – Untold Stories: That’s How the Light Gets In, the third in a series of three books of oral history about Leonard Cohen by Michael Posner.

Leonard Cohen- Waiting for the Miracle

The Future (Columbia)

Judy Collins- Democracy

Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy (Elektra/Rhino)

Teddy Thompson- The Future

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (Verve)

Art of Time Ensemble featuring Tom Wilson- Closing Time

Songs of Leonard Cohen Live (Art of Time Recordings)

Perla Batalla & Julie Christensen- Anthem

Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man (Verve)

Leonard Cohen- By the Rivers Dark

Ten New Songs (Columbia)

Anne Hills- Alexandra Leaving

Points of View (Appleseed)

Leonard Cohen & Sharon Robinson- Boogie Street

Ten New Songs (Columbia)

Leonard Cohen- Amen

Old Ideas (Columbia)

Leonard Cohen- Born in Chains

Popular Problems (Columbia)

Jack & Amanda Palmer- You Got Me Singing

You Got Me Singing (8ft/Cooking Vinyl)

Leonard Cohen with Cantor Gideon Zelermyer & The Shaar Hashomayim Choir- You Want It Darker

You Want It Darker (Columbia)

Norah Jones- Steer Your Way

Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen (Blue Note)

Barb Jungr- Happens to the Heart

Barb Jungr Sings Leonard Cohen: Live at The Crazy Coqs (Kristalyn)

Leonard Cohen- Listen to the Hummingbird

Thanks for the Dance (Columbia/Legacy)

Next week: Train Songs, Volume II.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday December 13, 2022: Songs of Joni Mitchell

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.

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 recorded and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/58616.html

Theme: Songs of Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell is one of the most influential and popular of all the artists who came out of the 1960s folk scene.

Joni Mitchell- Marcie

Archives – Volume 2: The Reprise Years (1968-1971) (Rhino)

Tom Rush- Tin Angel

The Circle Game (Elektra)

Caroline Herring- Cactus Tree

Golden Apples of the Sun (Signature Sounds)

Tigger Outlaw- Songs to Aging Children

Alice’s Restaurant soundtrack (Ryko)

Joni Mitchell- Roses Blue

Clouds (Reprise)

Pete Seeger- Both Sides Now

Young vs. Old (Columbia)

Buffy Sainte-Marie- The Circle Game

Best of the Vanguard Years (Vanguard)

Joni Mitchell- Rainy Night House

Ladies of the Canyon (Reprise)

Herbie Hancock & Leonard Cohen- The Jungle Line

River: The Joni Letters (Verve)

Judy Collins- That Song About the Midway

Portrait of an American Girl (Wildflower)

Colleen Kattau- The Last Time I Saw Richard

The Last Time I Saw Richard – single (Windlight Studios)

Joni Mitchell- For the Roses

For the Roses (Asylum)

Dave Van Ronk- Urge for Going

…and the tin pan bended, and the story ended… (Smithsonian Folkways)

Lilli Lewis- River

River – single (Louisiana Red Hot)

Herbie Hancock & Norah Jones- Court and Spark

River: The Joni Letters (Verve)

Joni Mitchell- Help Me

Court and Spark (Asylum)

Marianne Trudel & Karen Young- Cherokee Louise

Portraits: Songs of Joni Mitchell (Productions Marianne Trudel)

Terri Camilari- Magdalene Laudries

Magdalene Laundries – single (Terri Camilari)

Joni Mitchell- Little Green

Blue (Reprise)

Joni Mitchell- The Silky Veils of Ardor

Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (Asylum)

Next week: Happy Holidays.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday August 2, 2022: The Legacy of Johnny Cash

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.

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 and can be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/57120.html

Theme: The Legacy of Johnny Cash.

In my opinion, Johnny Cash – who died in 2003 at age 71 and who drew on folk music, blues and rockabilly influences – was the single greatest figure in country music history. On this show, we’ll hear a few of Johnny Cash’s recordings and some songs from his repertoire performed by other artists.

Johnny Cash- I Walk the Line
Classic Cash (Mercury)

Johnny Cash- Red Velvet
The Man in Black, 1963-1969, Plus (Bear Family)
Ian & Sylvia- Come in Stranger
Early Morning Rain (Vanguard)
Johnny Cash- Four Strong Winds
American V: A Hundred Highways (American Recordings)
Ian & Sylvia- Big River
Movin’ On 1967-1968 (Mercury)

Rosanne Cash- Tennessee Flat Top Box
King’s Record Shop (Columbia)
John Stewart- Get Rhythm
Airdream Believer (Shanachie)
Johnny Cash- W. Lee O’Daniel (and the Light Crust Dougboys)
Johnny Cash is Coming to Town (Mercury)
Fred Holstein- Folsom Prison Blues
Live at the Earl of Old Town (Holstein)

Johnny Cash- Veteran’s Day
Wounded Heart of America (Tom Russell Songs) (HighTone)
Tom Russell- Wreck of the Old 97
October in the Railroad Earth (Frontera)
Norah Jones- Cry, Cry, Cry
The Fall: Deluxe Edition (Blue Note)
Roy Forbes- I Still Miss Someone
Some Tunes for that Mother of Mine (AKA)

Johnny Cash- Joshua Gone Barbados
Johnny 99 (Columbia)
Brendan Nolan- The Forty Shades of Green
Live at the Side Door (Ould Segosha)
Emmylou Harris, Mary Chapin Carpenter & Sheryl Crow- Flesh and Blood
Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash (Lucky Dog)
Johnny Cash- If You Could Read My Mind
American V: A Hundred Highways (American Recordings)

Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash- Girl from the North Country
Travelin’ Thru: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15, 1967-1969 (Columbia Legacy)
Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash- It Ain’t Me Babe

Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (Columbia/Legacy)
Bob Dylan- Train of Love
Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash (Lucky Dog)
Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash- Guess Things Happen That Way
Travelin’ Thru: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 15, 1967-1969 (Columbia Legacy)

Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash- Jackson
The Legend of Johnny Cash (American Recordings)
Shel Silverstein- Boy Named Sue
Boy Named Sue and His Other Country Songs (Water)
Kris Kristofferson- Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down
Me and Bobby McGee (Monument)
Johnny Cash- Bird on a Wire
American Recordings (American Recordings)

Next week: “Acapella Stella” and other a cappella songs.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday May 4, 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/595/51831.html

Theme: The Second 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.

Big Daddy Wilson- Stranger
Live in Europe: From Bremen to Paris (Phamosa)

Sneezy Waters & His Very Fine Band- Walkin’ Round Town
Live (Sneezy Waters)
James Talley- Down on the Corner
Journey – The Second Voyage (Cimarron)
Penny Lang- Jailer, Bring Me Water
Penny Lang & Friends Live (She-Wolf)
Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues Band- Corinna
Live from Kauai (Kuleana)
Odetta with The Holmes Brothers- This Little Light of Mine
Gonna Let It Shine (M.C.)

Mike Regenstreif & Barbara Dane (2017)

Arlo Guthrie- St. James Infirmary
Here Come the Kids (Rising Son)
Barbara Dane- Mama Yancey’s Advice
Hot Jazz, Cool Blues & Hard-Hitting Songs (Smithsonian Folkways)
Bonnie Koloc- Jazzman
Seems Like Yesterday (Mr. Biscuit)
Eddie Holstein- Back in the Saddle Again
Eddie Holstein (Eddie Holstein)

Norah Jones- (Talk to Me of) Mendocino
Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle (Nonesuch)
Anna McGarrigle, Sylvan Lanken & Lily Lanken- On My Way to Town
Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle (Nonesuch)
Martha Wainwright- Matapedia
Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle (Nonesuch)

Eva Cassidy- Tall Trees in Georgia
Live at Blues Alley (Blix Street)
Doug McArthur- Black Eyed Susan
Thunder Into Heaven (Patio)
The Wailin' Jennys- Begin
Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House (Outside)

Mary Gauthier- The Rocket
Live at Blue Rock (In the Black)
Bill Chambers- I Drink
Live at the Pub Tamworth (Universal)
Tom Mitchell- Wasted Rose
1976 live recording – used with permission

Next week – Songs Inspired by the Pandemic

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

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Canadian Spaces – CKCU – Saturday October 19, 2013

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

This week’s show was co-hosted by Mike Regenstreif and Pat Moore.

Canadian Spaces on CKCU in Ottawa is Canada’s longest-running folk music radio program. It is heard Saturday mornings from 10:00 am until noon (Eastern time). It was hosted for more than 33 years by the late Chopper McKinnon and is now hosted by Chris White and a rotating cast of co-hosts. Today was my fourth time in the co-host’s chair and Pat Moore was sitting in for Chris White.

Guests: Paul Langille w/Paul Sims; Kevin Head

Bruce Murdoch- I Keep You in My Heart

Matters of the Heart (Bruce Murdoch)

Corin Raymond & the Sundowners- Time to Leave

Paper Nickels (Local Rascal)

Norah Jones w/Martha Wainwright & Rufus Wainwright- (Talk to Me of) Mendocino

Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle (Nonesuch)

Chris Rawlings- The Wild Goose

Autumn Gold (Chris Rawlings)

Dave Clarke- October

GuitarSongs (Crossties)

Robin & Linda Williams- Urge for Going

Back 40 (Red House)

Rick Fines- Goin’ Down the Road

Arcadia (Rick Fines)

The Boxcar Boys- Freight Train

Rye Whiskey (Fedora Upside Down)

Fafard & Schwartz- Solid Gone

Borrowed Horses (Joël Fafard & Joel Schwartz)

Ana Miura- Stone Solid Blue

Dancing Alone: Songs of William Hawkins (True North)

James Keelaghan- My Skies

History: The First 25 Years (Borealis)

Laura Smith- John Keane’s Boys

Everything is Moving (Borealis)

Finest Kind- Bully in the Alley

For Honour & For Gain (Fallen Angle)

Cooper Brothers- Love’s Been a Stranger

Southbound (Gunshy)

The next three songs punctuated Pat’s conversation with Paul Langille and Paul Sims.

Paul Langille- The Other One

Pine and Locke (Paul Langille)

Paul Langille w/Paul Sims- Road to Memphis

Live at CKCU

Paul Langille w/Paul Sims- Broken

Live at CKCU

The next four songs punctuated my conversation with Kevin Head.

Kevin Head & Mike Regenstreif (Photo: Vanessa Burnett)

Kevin Head- (Was That) Your Heart or Mine

Kevin Head Live (Kevin Head)

Kevin Head- Thanks Hank

Live at CKCU

Kevin Head- The Arrow

Live at CKCU

Kevin Head- Hands of Time

Live at CKCU

The show is now available for online listening. cod.ckcufm.com/programs/129/14032.html

I’ll be co-hosting Canadian Spaces again on January 25.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle
Nonesuch Records 
katemcgarriglefoundation.org

Since my friend Kate McGarrigle passed away in 2010 following a battle with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, a series of concerts have been held to celebrate her life and works and to raise money for the Kate McGarrigle Fund in support of sarcoma care and research. The concerts have featured Kate’s kids, Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright, Kate’s sister, Anna McGarrigle, other family members, longtime musical friends, peers and younger artists.

Sing Me the Songs: Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle is a 2-CD collection drawing on concerts in 2010 at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 2011 at Town Hall in New York City, and 2012 at Massey Hall in Toronto during the Luminato Festival. Hometown concerts will be held in Montreal at the Outremont Theatre on August 8.

With a few exceptions, these songs were written or co-written by Kate, and many of the performances feature Rufus and/or Martha. Among their highlights is their duet on the soaring “First Born,” a song Kate wrote about Rufus when he was a small child. Rufus particularly shines in versions of “Southern Boys” and Walking Song,” two of my favourite songs from Dancer with Bruised Knees, and in a duet with Antony on the heartbreaking “I Cried for Us.”

Among Martha’s best performances is “Matapedia,” a song inspired by memories of an old boyfriend of Kate’s from when she was a teenager and Martha’s meeting him, many decades later when she was about the same age as Kate was then. She also does a lovely version of “Tell My Sister,” one of several poignant songs of separation Kate wrote during her rocky marriage to Loudon Wainwright III – Rufus and Martha’s father. The song dates from before Martha was born.

Anna, who so rarely sang in public without Kate at her side, is heard on a number of songs including a touching duet with her daughter, Lily Lanken, on “Jacques et Gilles,” Kate’s beautiful song about the French Canadian migration from Quebec to New England to work in the mills and lumber camps. The song was inspired by research Kate was did on the life of Jack Kerouac (Kerouac’s parents were part of that migration) and I’ve long felt it was one of Kate’s most important songs. Other of Anna’s highlights include a collaboration with her children, Sylvan Lanken and Lily, on “On My Way to Town,” one of Kate’s most folk-like songs, and a collaboration on “Heart Like a Wheel,” the first of Anna’s songs to bring her renown, with Emmylou Harris, Krystle Warren, Martha and Lily.

Almost all of the contributions from other artists are extraordinary. Norah Jones sings a beautiful version of “(Talk to Me of) Mendocino,” another of Kate’s very best songs. Justin Vivian Bond, who I’d never heard before, soars on “The Work Song,” Kate’s reminiscence of the songs she and her sisters were taught by their father as little girls,and Emmylou offers her own song, “Darlin’ Kate,” a touching elegy written for Kate after she died. Robert Charlebois, perhaps the most legendary of Quebec singers, teams with Anna for a tender duet on “Dans le silence,” with harmonies from Rufus and Martha.

Martha’s version of “Tell My Sister” mentioned earlier was from one of the New York concerts. A second, equally lovely version sung by Peggy Seeger at the Toronto concert is also included. I was especially happy to see Peggy taking part in the concert because I remember Kate citing Peggy when we talked about who her influences were back in the 1960s.

There are also two very special versions of “Go Leave,” perhaps the most heartbreaking of the songs Kate wrote about her relationship with Loudon: Antony’s, recorded in New York City, and Linda Thompson and Richard Thompson’s recorded in London. Richard and Linda, who were once a brilliant musical duo, had their own storied breakup 30-odd years ago and this may well be the only performance they have given together since.

I always loved hearing Kate and Anna sing traditional folk songs and there’s a beautiful version of “Dink’s Song,” with Anna, Chaim Tannenbaum, Lily, Rufus and Martha each taking a verse. Chaim also leads a rocking version of “Travelling on for Jesus,” the traditional Bahamian gospel song Kate arranged for the finale of the first Kate and Anna LP, and which was often the concert finale back in the 1970s when I worked with them (click here for background on the years I worked with Kate and Anna).

Each of the CDs ends with tracks featuring Kate’s own voice. The first disc finishes with “Proserpina,” the last song Kate wrote. A recording of Kate singing the opening lines of the song fades into a beautiful duet by Sloan Wainwright and her niece, Martha. At the end of the second disc, Kate is heard by herself singing “I Just Want to Make It Last,” in which she asks the powers that be to “make the earth slow down a bit/We’re going way too fast/And I just want to make it last.” As the song ends, the last thing we hear is Kate saying “thank you.”

No, Kate, thank you.

Find me on Twitter. twitter.com/@mikeregenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif