Every year or so I try to whip up another timeless episode that can be popped into my slot when I can’t make it down to the station live. This year’s entry has us spinning some straightforward blues and country classics!

Artist – Title – Album

B.B. King – How Blue Can You Get? – Live At The Regal
Albert King – Born Under A Bad Sign – The Very Best of Albert King
Howlin’ Wolf – Spoonful – 20 Blue Classics – Moanin’ At Midnight
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble – Give Me Back My Wig – Couldn’t Stand The Weather
The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Amnesia – Tuff Enuff
The Rockin’ Highliners – Easy On The Eyes – What Were You Thinking?
The Perpetrators – 12,000 Miles – The Perpetrators
Carlos Del Junco – Yul Brynner – Big Boy
Lester Quitzau – Rollin’ & Tumblin’ – So Here We Are
Ray Bonneville – Gust Of Wind – Gust Of Wind
Colin Linden – Skeleton Key – recorded live on UMFM
Merle Haggard – Sing Me Back Home – The Complete ’60s Captitol Singles
Kris Kristofferson – Help Me Make It Through The Night – Kristofferson
Ian Tyson – Summer Wages – Cowboyography
Buck Owens – Sam’s Place (Original Mono Single Version) – Buck ‘Em! The Music Of Buck Owens (1955-1967)
Charlie Major – Nobody Gets Too Much Love – The Other Side
Radney Foster – A Fine Line – Del Rio, TX 1959
Robbie Fulks – Countrier than Thou – Georgia Hard
Kieran Kane – I’ll Go On Loving You – The Blue Chair
Jim Lauderdale – I Know Better Now – The Hummingbirds
Shane Nicholson – The Broken Things – Bad Machines

It’s our belated Canada Day special, and instead of just doing the usual lineup of great Canadian talent, we’re going to stick closer to home and play some great Manitoba talent from the past and present, including a few that maybe you didn’t even know had local roots!

Artist – Title – Album

The Guess Who – Sour Suite – So Long Bannatyne
D. Rangers – Runnin’ Back To Saskatoon – Guess Who’s Home – A Tribute
SwingSoniq – Ma Cherie – Moonglow
Alana Levandoski – Don’t Be Denied – Borrowed Tunes II (a Tribute to Neil Young) out of the Blue
Crash Test Dummies – The Ghosts That Haunt Me – The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Remy Shand – Take a Message – The Way I Feel
Acoustically Inclined – Knot – Acoustically Inclined
Veal – Cauchemar – Hot Loser
Greg MacPherson – The Song – The Year of the Record Break
The Weakerthans – None of the Above – Fallow
Special Fancy – Train Guy – King Me
Paper Moon – String Of Blinking Lights – Broken Hearts Break Faster Every Day
The Details – Always, Always, Always, Never. – Draw a Distance. Draw a Border.
The Paperbacks – Plans In Advance – An Episode of Sparrows
leaderhouse – Elephant Song – leaderhouse
Spirit of the West – Political – Labour Day
Corin Raymond And The Sundowners – Brand New Song – Paper Nickels
Bob Wiseman – Cousin Dave – It’s True
Rheostatics – The Royal Albert (Joey 2) – Double Live [Disc 2]
Rheostatics – King Of The Past – Whale Music

Wasn’t that a party! A look back at last night’s amazing Mike Plume Band show, and a look ahead to the exciting upcoming Mike June & Jess Klein show! I only recently figured out that one of my favourite songwriters ever, Alex Dezen of The Damnwells is my birthday neighbour, so I have to wish him well, and give myself the gift of some great Damnwells songs. We end off with a solid set of Steel Belted classics.

Artist – Title – Album

Mike Plume Band – Silver Lining – Song & Dance, Man
Mike Plume Band – Live It Up until they Lower Me Down – Red and White Blues
JP Hoe – Beautifully Crazy – Hideaway
Mike June – Hard Times – Talkin’ Revolution Blues
Mike June – What If God Gave Up (with Jon Dee Graham) – recorded live on UMFM
Jess Klein – If There’s a God – Bootleg
Jess Klein – Behind a Veil – Behind a Veil
Jess Klein – Open Me – Draw Them Near
The Damnwells – Kentexas – The Damnwells
The Damnwells – She Goes Around – No One Listens to the Band Anymore
The Damnwells – Kiss Catastrophe – Bastards Of The Beat
NQ Arbuckle – Huntsville Affair – Not Alone (Medicins Sans Frontiéres) (Disc 4)
Kathleen Edwards – 12 Bellevue – Failer
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings – Stoned – Bark
Matt Mays & El Torpedo – On the Hood – Matt Mays & El Torpedo
Christina Martin – Falling For You – Sleeping With A Stranger

Plenty of great shows to preview tonight, including next week’s long-awaited return of the Mike Plume Band, as well as some rockin’ classics. Good stuff.

Artist – Title – Album

Charles Bradley – Why Is It So Hard – No Time for Dreaming
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – We Get Along – Give the People What they Want
Frazey Ford – Done – Indian Ocean
Leaf Rapids – Healing Feeling – Lucky Stars
Matt Epp – When You Know (Featuring Serena Ryder) – Learning to Lose Control
Matt Epp – Ready in Time – Ready in Time
Mike Plume – Coming Home Again (Hey Hey What D’Ya Say) – Red And White Blues
Mike Plume Band – It’s Over – Born So Long Ago Live 1997-2002
Mike Plume Band – Rich Man – Song And Dance, Man
Mike Plume Band – Radiate – Fools for the Radio
Matthew Ryan – Me & My Lover – East Autumn Grin
Chris Knight – Love and a .45 – Chris Knight
American Aquarium – Hurricane – Small Town Hymns
The Jayhawks – The Eyes Of SarahJane – Rainy Day Music
Drive-By Truckers – Danko/Manuel – The Dirty South
Jason Isbell – Stockholm (w/Kim Richey) – Southeastern

Some beautiful classics to start things off, including one so good, I had to play it twice! Today is the birthday of two fine folks, Christina Martin and our pal and longtime supporter Dietmar Leibecke, so a tribute to each is in order!

Artist – Title – Album

Radiogram – All the Way Home – Summer Song Summer
Jim Bryson – Flowers – Where the Bungalows Roam
Shannon Lyon – Nobody Else – The Lights Behind
Shannon Lyon – Nobody Else – The Lights Behind (so amazing, I had to play it twice!)
Fred Eaglesmith & The Flying Squirrels – Summerlea – Things Is Changin’
Del Barber – Miles and Years – Love Songs For The Last 20
Brock Zeman – Pulling your Sword – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back
Christina Martin – Cut It Out – Two Hearts
Christina Martin – Daisy – I Can Too
Christina Martin – Marina – Sleeping with a Stranger
Christina Martin – Somewhere With You – It’ll Be Alright
Leeroy Stagger – Carol – Depression River
Romi Mayes – Just Like the Rest – Achin In Yer Bones
Matt Epp & the Amorian Assembly – Never Have I Loved Like This – At Dawn
Jack Marks – The Dress Song – Two of Everything
Corin Raymond and the Sentimentals – Blue Mermaid Dress – live recording
John Southworth – Ode to the Morning Sky – Niagara
Danny Michel – Fireworks – In The Belly Of A Whale

An abbreviated episode on account of C.R. Avery’s “Some Birds Walk for the Hell of It,” which I’m off to see. A preview of this and other shows, as well as some great new music.

Artist – Title – Album

C.R. Avery – Lemon Meringue Pie – The Great Canadian Novel
C.R. Avery – Paris – The Great Canadian Novel
C.R. Avery – Town to Town – The Great Canadian Novel
Scott Nolan – Everything to Everybody – Receiver/Reflector
Scott Nolan – Forever Is a Long Time – Silverhill
William Prince – The Carny – single
Brock Zeman – Little Details – Pulling Your Sword out of the Devil’s Back
Bob Schneider – Han Solo – King Kong
James McMurtry – How’m I Gonna Find You Now – Complicated Game

Tonight, we play a whole show of songs in the key of Mike (Plume, that is!) Our pal Mike is celebrating his birthday today, and he’s also headed to Winnipeg in June, so we’ve got lots to celebrate. Mike has been not only our namesake, but an amazing inspiration and a great friend of this show the entire time. Our theme song also provides a great roadmap for the type of music that we love to hear. In the song, Mike name checks some of our favourites, so tonight we listen to different versions of the song where he drops different names, and we play ’em all! A show chock full of songs that you don’t hear on your normal radio; good thing we’ve never pretended to be normal! Check out www.mikeplume.com for lots of great content, and join us for a roots rockin’ party June 24 at Times Change(d)!

Artist – Title – Album

Mike Plume Band – Steel Belted Radio – Steel Belted Radio EP
John Hiatt – Slow Turning – Slow Turning
Lyle Lovett – She’s Hot to Go – Pontiac
Bob Snider – On a Night Like This – Stealin’ Home
Todd Snider – Is This Thing Working? – Peace Queer
Ron Sexsmith – Wishing Wells – Retriever
Fred Eaglesmith – Freight Train – Drive-in Movie
Mike Plume – Steel Belted Radio – recorded live on UMFM
Luke Doucet – Long Haul Driver – Blood’s Too Rich
Danny Michel – Midnight Train – Valhalla
Tim Hus – Western Star – Western Star
Corb Lund – Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer – Counterfeit Blues
Cry Cry Cry – Speaking With The Angel – Cry Cry Cry
Mary Gauthier – Your Sister Cried – Mercy Now
Mike Plume Band – Steel Belted Radio – Live @ The West End Cultural Centre 12/21/2001
Robert Earl Keen – Shades Of Gray – Picnic
Kim Richey – Not A Love Like This – Chinese Boxes
Mike Plume – Ride – Rock & Roll Recordings Volume 1
Mike Plume Band – Walkin’ By – Fools for the Radio
Mike Plume Band – Wind At My Back – Song & Dance, Man

Artist – Title – Album

Mike Dunn – Faith Healer – Hard Luck Soft Rock
Mike Dunn – Cry for Me – Hard Luck Soft Rock
Leeroy Stagger – Something Beautiful – Dream It All Away
The Waterboys – Destinies Entwined – Modern Blues
Matt Epp – Ready in Time – Ready in Time
Matt Epp – Cash & Blood – Ready in Time
The Weepies – Never Let You Down – Sirens
Aqua Alta – BTOcean – Dreamsphere
Calexico – Tapping on the Line – Edge of the Sun
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell – The Traveling Kind – The Traveling Kind
Skydiggers – Monday Morning – Skydiggers
Skydiggers – Accusations – Restless
Skydiggers – Shimmy Up those Words – Just Over this Mountain
Skydiggers – Alice Graham – Road Radio
Skydiggers – Desmond’s Hip City – Desmond’s Hip City
Skydiggers – Fire Engine (Red Explosion) – Northern Shore
Paul MacLeod – Listen Mary – Close and Play
Paul MacLeod – Lies – Bright Eyes Fade
Paul MacLeod – Cruelty – Tell the Band to Go Home

The Damnwells are back and on tour, and it rolls in to St. Paul, MN this weekend. We’re not going to pass up this opportunity, so T-Bar & I are heading down, and I know that other local folks will as well. In honour of that, we listen to some rockin’ Damnwells classics and travel back in time to our chat with Alex from the band in 2010. We’ve also got a whole pile of other great roots rockin’ classics, including a trip to Mississippi with Mike Plume for some snake grabbing!

Artist – Title – Album

Mike Plume Band – Jubilee – Born So Long Ago Live 1997-2002
Justin Rutledge – Be A Man – The Early Widows
The Beauties – Heart Of Stone – The Beauties
Band of Horses – The Funeral – Everything All The Time
Bon Iver – Flume – For Emma, Forever Ago
Matthew Barber – Father and Son – Songs For The Haunted Hillbilly
Washboard Hank – Love Song of the Dump – Sweet Mysteries of Life
The Magnificent Sevens – Needle In The Hay – All Kinds Of Mean
Reid Jamieson – Grass & Dirt – The Unavoidable Truth
The Wooden Sky – Angels – If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone
Swank – The Innocent at Rock Creek – The Survival Issue
The Damnwells – What You Get – Bastards Of The Beat
The Damnwells – Accidental Man – Air Stereo
The Damnwells – She Goes Around – No One Listens to the Band Anymore
The Damnwells – Money and Shiny Things – The Damnwells

Alex Dezen interview (recorded May 27, 2010)

The Damnwells – Kentexas – The Damnwells
The Damnwells – The Sound – Bastards Of The Beat

A set of solid roots rockin’ classics to start, some exciting upcoming shows to preview next, and then we round it out with some rockin’ new music; quite a fun musical voyage this week.

Artist – Title – Album

Mike Plume Band – Rattle the Cage – Song & Dance, Man
Harper Blynn – Sucker – Busy Hands
Cracker – Duty Free – Cracker Greatest Hits Redux
Redgy Blackout – Alexandria – PEAK Performance Project 2012 – Top 20
Whiskeytown – Mirror, Mirror – Pneumonia
Alejandro Escovedo – Rhapsody – A Man Under the Influence
Whiskeytown – Yesterday’s News – Strangers Almanac
The Damnwells – The Girl That’s Not in Love with You – The Damnwells
Joshua Fletcher – Wheels – Ready, Aim
The 24th Street Wailers – Rock Step – Where Evil Grows
The 24th Street Wailers – Aim to Please – Wicked
The 24th Street Wailers – Chin Wagger – recorded live on UMFM
Jordie Lane – War Rages On – Live at the Wheaty
Jordie Lane – Feet Fall – Blood Thinner
Peter Katz – First of the Last to Know [with Glen Hansard] – First Of The Last To Know
Peter Katz – We Won’t Mind – We Are the Reckoning
Leeroy Stagger – New Music Biz Blues – Dream It All Away
Allison Moorer – I Lost My Crystal Ball – Down to Believing
Brandi Carlile – The Stranger at My Door – The Firewatcher’s Daughter