Greasy Tracks Turns 26

Greasy Tracks marked 26 years on the air at WRTC on May 8 and to celebrate the anniversary there was a three-hour feature on Steve Marriott with special attention paid to the music of The Small Faces and Humble Pie.

Click here to check out an archive of the program, while a playlist is here

Greg Ridley (left), Peter Frampton, Steve Marriott and Jerry Shirley formed Humble Pie in 1969.

As the front man of The Small Faces and later Humble Pie, Marriott’s distinctive voice, guitar playing and songwriting made him one of the most influential musicians of the 1960s and early 70s British music scene.

Included in the program was an interview with drummer Jerry Shirley, a founding member of Humble Pie, who shared insight on the formation of the band; interesting recording sessions; and the highs and lows of what became a grueling touring life, especially following the success of the live album, Performance Rockin’ the Fillmore in 1971 and the follow-up studio release, Smokin’, only five months later.

There Are But Four Small Faces: Steve Marriott (left), Kenney Jones, Ian McLagan and Ronnie Lane.

As the longest-running show of its kind in the state, Greasy Tracks has garnered a reputation for well-produced features, devoid of hits and boring FM radio fare, but instead digging deep when it comes to airing quality artists and associated music.