Tent Show Radio

For this episode, we hear the music of Big Top's house band, the Blue Canvas Orchestra. They play selections from the show All Aboard: Songs of the Railroad. All Aboard features songs from the Nelson Ferris Concert Co. production On the Velvet and other songs and stories of trains, train travel, and rail men.

For this episode, we hear the music of Tent Show Radio's host himself, Michael Perry, joined by his band The Long Beds. Perry began writing songs in the early 1990s during long nights when he was struggling to survive on prose (he is the author of numerous books including: Population 485, Truck, The Scavengers,and the New York Times bestseller Visiting Tom). With no arts background (he has a nursing degree) he found himself drawn especially to the work of poets and singer/songwriters.

Kendl Winter moved to Olympia, Washington after high school, drawn to the lively and thriving music scene. She put three solo records out on Olympia’s indie label, K Records, and performed in nationally-touring northwest string bands before beginning The Lowest Pair in 2013 with Palmer T. Lee.

Paul LaRoche is the founder and producer of the award-winning Native American music group Brulé. The group is best known for thrilling audiences with a mergence of cultural rock and theatrical instrumentations. Now in their 20th season, their national performances carry the same contagious excitement as Trans Siberian Orchestra, Celtic Thunder, and Riverdance—but with the emotional impact of the American Indian culture.

With a refreshed lineup and newfound energy, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band remains one of the most accomplished bands in American roots music.

Ever since his first record, 2006's self-released Marmalade, LaFarge has been a difficult specimen to pin down. Raised on a healthy diet of blues, bluegrass, ragtime, Western swing and old-time country, the Illinois native is by no means a throwback or a museum piece. Timelessness, and refined good taste, is LaFarge's raison d'être, and his influences are as multi-hued and wide-ranging as the rhythms that buoy his starkly poetic songs — rhythms that are steeped in the very essence of jazz.

The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra is the most sought after big band in the world today. Their classics include In the Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, and Tuxedo Junction. After Miller’s death in 1944, the band was reformed in 1956 and has played an average of 300 shows a year ever since.

Marking the 20th anniversary of their coming together, Yonder Mountain String Band's nature and instincts remain progressive. Melding sophisticated songcraft, irrepressible spirit, and remarkable instrumental ability, their latest efforts are a testament to their organic, dynamic, and intensely personal brand of contemporary bluegrass-fueled Americana. Nearly two decades in, their inventiveness, versatility, and sheer imagination shows no sign of winding down.

The Blue Canvas Orchestra takes you on a historical adventure of jigs and ballads, journeying through the transformation of traditional Celtic tunes into bluegrass and other genres.

Led by the songwriting and vocals of Jay Farrar, Son Volt was one of the most instrumental and influential bands in launching the alt.country movement, precursor to what is now widely referred to as Americana. Farrar possesses one of the most distinctive voices in roots, rock, country or any genre. As a songwriter, Farrar's depth and poetic penchant has been the foundation of a thoughtful, deep and intelligent body of work.

In 2018 as part of Big Top's Free Family Series, Terrance Simien presented the wonderful show Creole for Kidz. It was fascinating and entertaining. Zydeco is the traditional music of the black and mixed race French speaking Creoles of south Louisiana. Creole for Kids is centered on the history and evolution of this unique American roots music.

Episode 19-34: Michael Franti & Spearhead, also featuring Noble Sound System

Episode 19-33: Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Formed at the Hoxeyville Music Festival in 2014, The Sweet Water Warblers have gone on to attract serious admiration wherever they appear. Michigan songbirds, Rachael Davis, Lindsay Lou and May Erlewine had each carved out successful careers on the American Roots Music circuit. When they finally gelled, it was the most natural coming together – three singing sirens and multi-instrumentalists whose repertoire swings from gospel and bluegrass to soul and even joyful interpretations of pop.

American Songwriter called Vos “a compelling vocalist…who carries every tune with her husky, deeply emotional tone that feels lived in and real,” while No Depression hailed her songwriting as “beautiful and fresh.” With a fleshed out touring lineup, the group logged countless miles, sharing bills along the way with Trampled by Turtles, Mandolin Orange, Rhiannon Giddens and Elephant Revival in addition to making festival appearances from Bristol Rhythm and Roots to WinterWonderGrass.