The Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour Podcast

RONI STONEMAN is one of the great banjo masters of our time. The youngest daughter of the pioneering country music family The Stonemans, she became "The First Lady of Banjo," a fixture on the Nashville scene, and, as Hee Haw's Ironing Board Lady, a comedienne beloved by millions of Americans nationwide. She was the subject of a book called 'Pressing On'. Roni has just released the first single 'The Day The Banjo Dies' from her upcoming album. She will be appearing on WoodSongs with her sister Donna. http://www.ronistoneman.com/ DOUG SEEGERS is a brilliant 62-year-old singer who struggled with homelessness for years. Seegers found acclaim when Swedish music star Jill Johnson discovered him in a Nashville food pantry. The two subsequently recorded a duet that climbed to the top of the music charts in Sweden. His debut solo album entitled 'Going Down to the River' on Rounder Records is raw, rootsy and emotionally charged. It features collaborations with multi-GRAMMY winners Buddy Miller and Emmylou Harris, both of whom have championed the formerly down-and-out singer. http://www.dougseegersmusic.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Fiddlin John Maupin is only 8 years old and has already won quite a number of awards. He’s from Richmond, KY

COUNTRY CURRENT, the premier country-bluegrass group of the United States Navy Band in Washington, D.C., showcases a five-member acoustic ensemble performing traditional, contemporary and original bluegrass compositions. Former Country Current director, Master Chief Musician Bill Emerson, established the ensemble in 1989. The ensemble is in constant demand by the nation's most prominent bluegrass festivals and they have performed with legendary bluegrass artists such as Alison Krauss, Nickel Creek, Rhonda Vincent and the "Father of Bluegrass," the late Bill Monroe. http://www.navyband.navy.mil/country_current.shtml PAT FLYNN is a Nashville guitar virtuoso. As guitarist/singer/songwriter for New Grass Revival, Flynn, along with Sam Bush, John Cowan, and Béla Fleck, influenced many of today's best-known artists while building New Grass Revival's own loyal audience to near cult status. Flynn has also been a session guitarist on more than 400 CD projects, including 32 Gold and Platinum records, as well as CMA and Grammy Award winning projects with a wide array of artists including Garth Brooks, Lee Ann Womack, Randy Travis and Michael Martin Murphey. Over the past decade, Flynn has released three solo albums, 'reQuest,', 'reVision' and the new 're-New.' http://www.patflynnmusic.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Willow Osborne is 14 years-old and resides in Pigeon Forge, TN. At the age of 4 she was already entertaining, picking up a Banjo for the first time. http://www.willowosborne.com/

RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOT: Bob Dylan called him 'King of the Folksingers.' He has recorded forty albums; wrote one of the first trucking songs, 'Cup of Coffee', recorded by Johnny Cash; championed the works of new singer-songwriters, from Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson to Tim Hardin; became a founding member of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue; and continued the life of the traveling troubadour influencing Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Tom Russell The Grateful Dead and countless others. In 1998, President Bill Clinton awarded Jack the National Medal of the Arts, proclaiming, 'In giving new life to our most valuable musical traditions, Ramblin’ Jack has himself become an American treasure.' He is a Five-time Grammy Nominee and a two time Grammy winner including an award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2009. http://www.ramblinjack.com/ NELL ROBINSON & THE ROSE OF NO-MAN'S LAND is a new album project that integrates the heritage of Nell's Alabama family serving in 250 years of war. Most of the source material for the songs are from archived letters, documents, mementos and generational lore, all centered on war and service. Beginning with Revolutionary War to the present, Robinson weaves historic familial history with her lush vocal quality and artisan storytelling with musical guidance by Grammy Winning producer Joe Henry. Joining Nell on WoodSongs will be her band, plus Ramblin' Jack Elliott who appears as a special guest on the release. Robinson will be working with non-profits benefiting veterans as she tours. As an activist, she wants to draw attention and funds for the needs of veterans, especially in areas of healthcare and soul repair. http://nellrobinsonmusic.com WoodSongs Kid: Jacob Greer and Zach Arnold are from Western North Carolina have been playing bluegrass guitar and singing together for a couple of years now.

THE NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS comprise of some of the most season and highly respected players in NOLA. Start with members of three of the top bands to come out of New Orleans, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band- then add a saxophonist who was James Brown's horn director for 12 years, and a keyboard player with extraordinary talent, and you have this Crescent City supergroup. The band combines original songs in the New Orleans style with hits and obscurities from the Allen Toussaint and Dr. John songbooks, as well as performing favorites from Radiators, Nevilles and Dirty Dozen repertoire. The band’s latest studio release, 'Ouroboros', was released on Louisiana Red Hot Records. http://www.neworleanssuspects.com/ SULTANS OF STRINGS thrill their audiences with their global sonic tapestry of Spanish Flamenco, Arabic folk, Cuban rhythms, and French Manouche Gypsy-jazz, celebrating musical fusion and human creativity with warmth and virtuosity. Since forming 7 years ago, 'Canada’s ambassadors of musical diversity' have been on a meteoric rise with an astonishing number of awards and accolades in tow, including a JUNO (Canada’s Grammy) nomination, 2 Canadian Folk Music Awards, 1st place in the ISC (out of 15,000 entries), plus invitations to play with such legendary artists as The Chieftains and David Bromberg. The band's latest release is the album 'Symphony!'. http://www.sultansofstring.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Parker Hastings, an incredibly talented 14 year old thumbpicking, fingerstyle guitarist from central Kentucky, has been playing guitar since the age of 6.

BELA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN present their eponymous debut album as a duo, after many years of prominence as banjo players and composers in their own eclectic avenues. Béla, an icon and innovator of jazz, classical and world, with more multi-category GRAMMY wins than any other artist (15 total), and Abigail, a formidable talent with triumphs in songwriting, theater, performance, and even Chinese diplomacy by way of banjo, turn out to be quite a fortuitous pairing with a deep, distinct and satisfying outcome. The culmination is an album like no other. Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn is a front porch banjo and vocal album of new music, Appalachian murder ballads, gospel, chamber and blues; the culmination of a yearlong tour as a duo in 2013, following the birth of their son, Juno. The record reveals their astounding chemistry as collaborators, as the two seamlessly stitch together singular banjo sounds (through an assortment of seven banjos spanning the recording) in service to the stories that their songs tell, with no studio gimmickry needed. http://belafleck.com http://www.abigailwashburn.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Madison Shepherd is 14 year old banjo player from West Jefferson, North Carolina. This year she has won 8 first place youth Clawhammer banjo awards. Last year she was involved with a project called 'Close Kin Our Roots Run Deep'. It featured Madison and 10 other young people blending old time, bluegrass, and Americana. http://madisonshepherdbanjo.webs.com/

On this broadcast we will be celebrating the Music of Appalachia, one of the most fertile musical regions in the world. After generations of isolation from most of America, some of the most influential and powerful artists have been born from this mountain region like Ricky Skaggs, Loretta Lynn, Tom T. Hall, JP Fraley, Lee Sexton, Jean Ritchie and many others. To present this music in its most original and pure state, we have invited the staff and students of The Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University to appear on the broadcast. It's home to one of the only accredited college-level bluegrass and traditional music programs in the nation. The staff and students of MSU recently went to China to showcase the music of Appalachia to Asian audiences. Appearing on this broadcast will be: RAYMOND McLAIN a founding member of the legacy McLain Family Band and the director of the program. JESSE WELLS is a master fiddler, mandolin player and traditional music scholar. RUTH McLAIN-SMITH is also a founding member of the McLain Family Band, touring performer and instructor at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. WoodSongs Kids: Meghan and Emily Bryant are sisters from Martin, Kentucky. Meghan has competed at the Morehead Old Time Music Festival for four years, placing first three times and second once. However, she says her favorite place to play is at square dances. Emily won the Morehead Old Time Music Festival for youth banjo in 2012. She placed third in 2013 and second in 2011.

IAN McLAGAN is a genuine, dyed-in-the-wool rock’n’roller. McLagan’s musical career began in the 1960’s in the UK as the keyboard player for the Small Faces and the Faces. He has performed and recorded with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Bragg among others. Awarded the prestigious Ivor Novello Award in 1996 for his outstanding contributions to British music, inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame in 2004, and the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of both Small Faces & Faces, McLagan is beloved by musicians and music lovers alike. United States is his first new studio album in five years via Yep Roc Records. http://www.ianmclagan.com/ JANIVA MAGNESS is among the premier Blues and R&B singers in the world today. Her voice possesses an earthy, raw honesty born from her life experience. Having released 10 albums thus far, Magness is a charismatic performer known for her electrifying live shows. A dynamic musical powerhouse, Janiva has received 22 Blues Music Award nominations to date, winning the coveted Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year and most recently, Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year and Song Of The Year, "I Won't Cry" at the 2013 Blues Music Awards. Her new album 'Original' stretches the artistic boundaries of roots, rock and soul music. http://janivamagness.com/ WoodSongs Kid: In Layman Terms is a duo from Williamsburg, Virginia. Cole Layman, 17, and Logan Layman, 14 have a passion for the blues and write original, foot-stomping music. www.3inlaymanterms.com

EMI SUNSHINE isn’t your average 10-year-old. She is not only a singing sensation, she’s an old soul. The Madisonville, Tenn. native grew up listening to classic Bluegrass and country singers. Emi has already performed at the Ryman, appeared on the TODAY show and garnered over a million views on YouTube with her cover of 'Folsom Prison Blues.' She is a multi-instrumentalist and writes her own songs. Emi and her band The Rain will be performing songs from her album 'Black Sunday '35'. https://www.facebook.com/emisunshinemusic ROB ICKES AND TREY HENSLEY have a a new duo project together that features a stellar mix of bluegrass and traditional country. Rob is recognized as one of the most innovative Dobro players on the scene. He won The IMBA's Dobro Player of the Year award for a record-setting fifteenth time in 2013. He is a founding member of the bluegrass supergroup Blue Highway and has recorded with a wide range of artists, including Merle Haggard, Alison Krauss, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, David Lee Roth, and more. Trey is only 23 and has performed with some of the best in country and bluegrass music including: Marty Stuart, Earl Scruggs, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner. Rob gave his partner high praise by calling him "one of the most talented folks I’ve ever worked with". http://www.robickes.com/ http://treyhensley.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Presley Barker is from Trap Hill, North Carolina, and is 10 years old. His big influences are Doc Watson and Tony Rice.

CROWE, LAWSON & WILLIAMS are three Bluegrass Hall of Fame legends. Banjo master J.D. Crowe, multi-award winning trailblazer Doyle Lawson, and Bluegrass Gospel legend Paul Williams have joined forces for a second time to produce and deliver an amazingly powerful selection of songs on Standing Tall and Tough. Capturing the traditional drive, emotion and feel of 1950’s and 60’s Bluegrass, the trio presents songs that they themselves helped make classic. The entire WoodSongs broadcast will be devoted to these three icons of bluegrass music. http://crossroadsmusic.com/crowe-lawson-and-williams/standing-tall-and-tough/ WoodSongs Kid: Good Ground is a family gospel bluegrass trio made of twins Adell and Sue Ellen and their older brother Brack. The trio is from Stinnett, Kentucky. https://www.facebook.com/GoodGroundMark4and8/timeline?ref=page_internal

The indelible legacy of Buddy Holly continues to touch fans and has inspired decades of artists across multiple genres. Although he only played rock and roll for a few years, the breadth of material Holly recorded made an enormous, lasting impression on popular music. In recent years, Holly has been honored with a six-disc career retrospective, a pair of best-selling tribute albums, and two Grammy nominations for works inspired or created by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. DAVID FRIZELL, country Music star and multi-award-winner, has gathered a cadre of music’s elite for a very special homage to Buddy Holly with The Buddy Holly Country Tribute: Remember Me. HELEN CORNELIUS, one of the 'Grand Ladies of Country Music' singer and CMA award winner, will join David for this one hour Special Event Broadcast. Plus other surprise guests. The album is a benefit for the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, a charitable organization focused on musical education and co-founded by Buddy’s widow, Maria Elena Holly. http://www.davidfrizzell.com/ WoodSongs Kid: Brad Sparks is 14 years old guitarist/country vocalist from Cincinnati, OH. http://www.facebook.com/bradsparksmusic

MUD MORGANFIELD & KIM WILSON join forces to salute the 100th Anniversary of Mud's legendary father, Muddy Waters. Mud is a multi Blues Music and Living Blues nominee and bears an uncanny resemblance to his late father’s sound. Kim Wilson is the singer/harmonica player of the iconic roots group, The Fabulous Thunderbirds. The duo's 'For Pops (A Tribute to Muddy Waters)' is a special album released on Severn Records that mixes some of Muddy’s better-known tunes with some lesser-known ones. The duo will be joined on WoodSongs by Billy Flynn on guitar and Barrelhouse Chuck on piano. They are part of the all-star team of players schooled in the Chicago-style blues that recorded on this historic album. http://fabulousthunderbirds.com/ http://mudmorganfieldsite.com/ ANGALEENA PRESLEY fits all of the criteria for a modern country music star. Hailing from the small mining town of Beauty in Eastern Kentucky, Presley’s comparisons have likened her to the strong females of country music who have blazed the trail before her: Bobbie Gentry, Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, and Angaleena’s musical hero, Loretta Lynn. Writing in Nashville since 2002, Presley has established herself as a no-nonsense songwriter, unafraid to tackle the toughest of subject matters. Perhaps best known for her work as a member of the Platinum-selling Pistol Annies (with Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe) says she "doesn’t know how to not tell the truth." That truth shines through on her much-anticipated debut album, 'American Middle Class'. It's real country music with Angaleena emerging as the clear, fierce, and joyous voice of her generation. http://www.angaleenapresley.com/ WoodSongs Kid: HALLE NOLAN is 10 years old from Hueytown, Alabama.

BLUE SKY RIDERS features the one-and-only Kenny Loggins, one of the biggest hit makes in modern music, plus Nashville songwriters Georgia Middleman (who has penned songs for Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney & Reba McEntire among others) and Gary Burr (Conway Twitty, Wynona Judd). For Loggins, Blue Sky Riders is a new creative step forward in a career filled with magic moments. His hits include "Danny's Song," "House at Pooh Corner," "Your Mama Don't Dance," "Angry Eyes," "Whenever I Call You Friend" (with Stevie Nicks) and "This Is It," a series of movie theme songs, including "I'm Alright" (Caddyshack), "Footloose" (Footloose), "Danger Zone" (Top Gun), and many more. The band will be performing material from their debut album Finally Home. They will be the sole guest for this Special Event Broadcast of WoodSongs.

KIM CHURCHILL plays a guitar with busy fingers and the rhythm of a master, and sings lyrics that are difficult to believe they came from someone 21 years old. His style is explosive, with intricate fingerpicking, percussive beats on the body of the guitar, and two-handed tapping intertwined with an earthy stomp box, powerful harmonica melodies and soulful voice. BEN SOLLEE is known for his cello-playing that incorporates new techniques to create a unique mix of folk, bluegrass, jazz and R&B. This Kentucky native possesses a knack for intricate arrangements. Sollee shares himself with his audience, whether it be by personal lyrics, or his commitment to the environment.

JANIVA MAGNESS is among the premier blues and R&B singers in the world today. Her voice possesses an earthy, raw honesty and beauty born from her life experience. She received the coveted 2009 Blues Music Awards for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year (she is only the second woman to ever win this award, Koko Taylor being the first). She returns to the WoodSongs stage with a brand new CD 'Stronger For It', where she co-wrote three remarkable, autobiographical songs for the album. MINTON SPARKS fuses music, poetry, and her intoxicating gift for storytelling to paint word pictures of the rural South that put you square in the middle of the people and the places she knows like the back of her hand. She delivers words in beelines of bluesy rhythm and worries the hooks--and there are hooks--backed solely by the nimble acoustic guitar work of John Jackson, who’s perhaps best known for having played with Bob Dylan. Her latest album, 'Live at the Station Inn', captures her and Jackson performing 13 memorable story-songs in front of an audience.

JJ GREY & MOFRO bring a grimy blend of front porch soul and down-home storytelling to the WoodSongs stage. Over the course of six albums and a decade of touring, he and his band Mofro have sewn a continuous thread of laying-it-on-the-line shows that move folks to dance and at times to tears. Many of Grey’s songs reflect his love for the North Florida wilderness in which he grew up. JJ's sixth studio album, 'This River'on Alligator Records was named for the St. John's River -- a centering point for his childhood near Jacksonville, Florida and features some of his strongest songwriting to date. SLADE WARNKEN is only 15 but has incredible bluesy voice. Listen as Slade brings down the house with his version of Otis Reddings "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay".