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Interviews with Selwyn Birchwood and Lauren Murphy were part of an all-blues special on the March 27 edition of Greasy Tracks.

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

In addition to a wide range of blues material that was featured during the show, tracks from the latest releases by Birchwood and Murphy — the fifth for each — were also included.

Oddly enough, each artist was due to put out their newest efforts last year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, had no real way to tour to support the latest material, so each held off putting them out until this year.

The Florida-based Birchwood, heavily influenced by Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Albert King and Muddy Waters, has been enjoying chart attention with his Living In A Burning House (Alligator Records) which was produced by Tom Hambridge. Hambridge won a pair of Grammy Awards for his work on Guy’s Skin Deep (2008) and Living Proof (2011).

Known as a straight ahead blues guitarist, Birchwood’s latest offering has him bringing a soulful funkiness to his sound and at times adding lap steel to some tracks. As in past releases, his vocals remain as strong as ever.

A native of Baton Rouge, Murphy is a classically trained singer who opted to head west, initially playing in a folk duo — think Indigo Girls — before turning to a more rock-oriented sound. Her path eventually crossed with singer Judge Murphy who in 1991 had become the vocalist for the Marin, Calif.-based band Zero which was a primarily instrumental outfit, but had been working with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.

Before eventually marrying the band’s vocalist, Lauren Murphy would contribute harmony vocals on some sessions and occasionally join Zero on stage. When the band called time on being a working unit, the Murphy’s set out in a new direction with Lansdale Station which merged the musical backgrounds of each of the singers: Americana, southern rock/blues with the Bay Area psychedelic rock and rhythm and blues. After nearly a decade, Lansdale Station came to an end in 2013 following the passing of Judge Murphy. Two years later, Lauren Murphy would make the move to her present-day base of Alabama.

Often compared to such Bay Area legends Grace Slick and Janis Joplin, she brings a combination of power and passion as a singer and often adds guitar in the studio or while playing out with her current band, The Psychedelics. The band joined her at former San Francisco Giants pitcher Jake Peavy’s  Dauphin Street Sound studio in Mobile, Ala., where she recorded her just-out Psychedelics which was co-produced by Mark Karan.

The album features five originals and three interesting covers: a pair of Robert Hunter-Greg Anton tracks, “End Of The World Blues” and “Catalina” which were part of Zero’s live sets for years and Darby Slick’s “Somebody To Love” befitting Murphy quite well given the oft-comparison to her and Slick’s once sister-in-law Grace.

A special three-hour tribute celebrating the music of reggae legend Bunny Wailer, who passed away March 2 at the age of 73, was featured on the March 7 edition of Strictly Roots.

Born Neville O’Riley Livingston in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1947, there’s no underestimating the range and legacy of Wailer’s musical career as a percussionist, backing vocalist and later as a songwriter, lead singer and label boss.

Wailer played alongside his step brother Bob Marley and their childhood friend Peter Tosh as part of the group that went by a number of names: The Teenagers, the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and, ultimately, the Wailers. Their first No. 1 single, “Simmer Down,” was produced by the legendary Clement “Coxsone” Dodd and featured the premier ska band The Skatalites providing support.

The Wailers also worked extensively with producers Leslie Kong and later Lee “Scratch” Perry and his crack studio band, The Upsetters. Their initial chart topper would be followed by such famed tracks as “Stir It Up,” “Get Up Stand Up,” “Trenchtown Rock” and “War” amongst others.

The band would gain international recognition — especially in England — as they toured the world, often playing sold out stadiums, but after 12 years, relationships fragmented and Tosh and Wailer would leave the band.

Striking out on his own, Wailer founded Solomonic, his own recording label on which he would release work over the next three decades. He drew rave reviews for his debut solo release Blackheart Man in 1976. He was backed by some of the premier studio players of that time, including members of the Wailers such as multi-instrumentalist Aston “Family Man” Barrett, drummer Carlton “Carly” Barrett and keyboardist Tyrone “Organ D” Downie along with bassist Robbie Shakespeare, guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith and horn man Tommy McCook. Marley and Tosh also contributed guitar and backing vocals.

He would later have hits such as “Cool Runnings” from the 1981 release Rock ‘n’ Groove and “Ballroom Floor” from Rootsman Skanking in 1987.

Wailer won three Grammys in the 1990s for best reggae albums, two of them being tributes to Marley. In 2017, he was awarded Jamaica’s Order of Merit for international distinction in science, literature or the arts.

Commonly referred to as one of the last elder reggae ambassadors, Wailer aligned himself with Rastafarian spirituality throughout his life. His musical accomplishments directly contributed to and promoted the rich culture and evolution of Jamaican music.

The Feb. 12 edition of Duck, You Sucker! spotlighted the experimental French musician Ghédalia Tazartès who died Feb. 10 in Paris. He was 73.

Tazartès, who is not widely known outside the world of Parisian experimental music, released 25-plus records during his 30 years of recording.

While he was heavily influenced by the earlier experiments of the Parisian Groupe de Recherches Musicales, which included François Bayle, Pierre Henri and Michel Chion among others, Tazartès went a step farther. With Judeo-Spanish parents of Greek descent, he tapped into traditional Mediterranean music — particularly with regard to vocal dissonant harmonies and rhythmic structures — along with an early fascination with American jazz, to create a style that was more viscerally expressive and improvisational than his predecessors.

The Feb. 6 edition of Greasy Tracks featured a special feature on music from the bay area of San Francisco, including interviews with photographer Susana Millman and guitarist Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips.

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

After self-publishing her collection of Grateful Dead-related photographs several years ago, Millman recently did a second edition release of Alive With The Dead ~or~ A Fly On The Wall With A Camera with Last Gasp.

The 250-plus page hardcover coffee table book has nearly 500 photos capturing the band from the 1980s through the present, on and offstage as well as backstage. It includes a forward by drummer Mickey Hart and commentary throughout by Millman’s husband, Dennis McNally who worked as the band’s publicist and official biographer.

Millman discusses how the book came together as well as sharing interesting stories behind some of her favorite photos that were included.

The Mother Hips mark their 30th anniversary this year. Following a forgettable 2020 as the Covid pandemic kept bands off the road, the group started the New Year on a high note by announcing they would put out their entire back catalog via limited-edition vinyl releases.

Bluhm explained that they are collaborating with Blue Rose Music to press the catalog on 180-gram vinyl, but limiting runs to 300 hand-numbered copies beginning with their 1993 debut, Back To The Grotto, which was re-issued in January.

The roots of the band can be traced to when Bluhm, Greg Loiacono (guitarist/vocalist), Mike Wofchuck (drums) and Isaac Parsons (bass) met while attending California State University-Chico in 1990.

Personnel changes would happen in the ensuing years as different line-ups would play with Bluhm and Loiacono, until the four re-grouped in 1991 and focused on playing original material.

They would record and release their debut in early 1993 which helped gain attention of some major labels.

They eventually signed with Rick Rubin’s American Recordings.

Over the years there have been changes to the band lineup and even a short hiatus, but Bluhm and Loiacono have remained the constants. They’ve done solo projects, but the focus always has always returned to The Mother Hips.

The Dec. 30 edition of The Boris Rock Show featured a tribute to Leslie West who passed away on Dec. 23 at the age of 75.

The Dec. 26 edition of Greasy Tracks also honored West. Click here to check out an archive of the program, while a playlist is here. 

Best known for his work with the band Mountain, West, born Leslie Weinstein, began his recording career in 1964 with The Vagrants, a Long Island-based band that also included his brother, Larry, on bass and vocals. The group, which blended blue-eyed soul with rock, recorded a handful of singles and played the metro-New York City club circuit before breaking up in 1968.

The paths of West and Felix Pappalardi crossed when Pappalardi did some production work during recording sessions by The Vagrants. Pappalardi — who also played bass and sang — was best known for his production work on Cream’s Disraeli Gears and Wheels of Fire, would produce West’s debut solo album, Mountain, in 1969. Less than a month after its release, West and Pappalardi — who were heavily influenced by Cream — along with drummer Norman Smart and keyboardist Norman Landsberg formed Mountain.

By the time the unknown Mountain appeared at Woodstock — it was their third-ever gig, but they had the same booking agent as Jimi Hendrix — Steve Knight had replaced Landsberg and soon Corky Laing took over on drums. In the spring of 1970, the band delivered their debut album, Climbing!, which featured what would become the band’s signature song: “Mississippi Queen.”

The track eventually reached No. 21 in the Billboard Hot 100, while the album went to No. 17 on the Billboard Top 200.

In a 2020 interview with Guitar Player, West remarked about the song: “(It) has just everything you need to make it a winner. You’ve got the cowbell, the riff is pretty damn good, and it sounds incredible. It feels like it wants to jump out of your car radio. To me, it sounds like a big, thick milkshake. It’s rich and chocolatey. Who doesn’t love that?”

Along with Climbing!, this “classic” line-up released what are regarded to be the best studio efforts by the band along with Nantucket Sleighride and Flowers of Evil which each came out in 1971.

By early 1972, the band broke up, but West and Laing linked up with ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce to form West, Bruce & Lang. The trio released a pair of largely pedestrian studio albums and a forgettable live offering before splitting up.

West regrouped Mountain in 1973. Between 1974-2007, the band — with a veritable rotating door of different members — released five studio albums, culminating with Masters of War, a collection of Bob Dylan covers, and four live collections. In all, West released nearly 20 studio and live albums as a solo artist.

The legendary Hammond B-3 organ was the focal point of a special, three-hour feature on the Dec. 19 edition of Greasy Tracks. In addition to a wide range of music featuring the B-3, Hammond players Brian Auger, Zoot Money and Matt Zeiner were all interviewed.

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

The Hammond organ first appeared in 1935 and although many models have been produced, it’s the B-3 — introduced by Laurens Hammond in 1939 — which remains the most popular.

The B-3 features two, 61-note keyboards which are known as manuals; nine pre-set keys and nine drawbars for each manual; and a number of different pedals. Initially built for use in churches, the B-3 was later marketed for home and studio use. Due to the fact that it weighed in excess of 400 pounds, it was hardly the assignment any roadie would want to be tasked with moving for a touring band.

Based upon the design of the B-3, the organ is known for its versatility and “warm” sound, often enhanced when paired with a Lesley speaker. The innovative unit featured a pair of rotating speakers — low and high frequency drivers — which can turn at a number of different speeds, thereby “moving” the sound.

In time, Hammond organs, especially the B-3, were finding their way into band line-ups throughout the jazz, blues and rock music ranks.

Brian Auger and Zoot Money were Hammond aficionados and equally in the middle of the burgeoning jazz-meets-blues environment of 1960s England. As both were influenced by the likes of Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff, each was key to mainstreaming the organ, namely the B-3, in the growing rock market which help fuel the “British Invasion” of the United States.

Following a studio appearance playing harpsichord on the Yardbirds’ version of “For Your Love”, Auger formed The Steampacket with singers Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll and Rod Stewart. He and Driscoll later were part of The Trinity which formed in 1966. Their version of Bob Dylan’s “This Wheel’s On Fire” reached No. 5 on the U.K. Singles chart. In 1970, he merged jazz and rock, forming Brian’s Oblivion Express which helped usher in jazz fusion. The group released a number of well-received studio and live albums. Earlier this year, Auger released

Money’s Big Roll Band, which he formed in 1961, continues to perform to this day, albeit with a different line-up than the original. Between this group and a variety of other bands he worked with, including, Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated and Dantalian’s Chariot, Money turned down one invitation to join the Animals in 1965 — when Alan Price left the band — before ultimately linking up with a renovated and renamed Eric Burdon and the New Animals in 1968. An avid session player, Money would go on to work in television, doing everything from scoring music, playing sessions and directing/producing for radio and television.

A special three-hour program focusing on the music and culture of Memphis — featuring an interview with noted author and documentary filmmaker Robert Gordon — took place on the Dec. 5 edition of Greasy Tracks.

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

Gordon talked about how he embraced the 25^th anniversary of his debut book, It Came From Memphis, publishing a revised and updated version with Third Man Books, the literary imprint of Jack White’s Third Man Records. The just-out tome features more than 80 new photos, updated text with additional interviews and a new layout.

Following in the footsteps of legendary music writers Peter Guralnick and Robert Palmer, Gordon’s latest effort is perhaps the definitive tale of the how music played a key role in Memphis — especially from the 1950s through the 1970s, but even onwards — as the city went through an array of social and cultural changes with a seemingly endless cast of fascinating characters.

Gordon has written six books and produced or directed eight documentaries, including the Emmy-winning Best of Enemies — about the televised 1968 debates between William F. Buckley, Jr. and Gore Vidal — which took honors for Outstanding Historical Documentary in 2017.

He won a Grammy for his essay for the four-CD Big Star collection, Keep an Eye on the Sky and four of his documentaries have earned Grammy nominations, including Johnny Cash’s America; Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story; Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied and “The Road To Memphis” which was an episode of Martin Scorsese’s The Blues.

An interview with veteran folk and blues singer Tom Rush was featured on a special edition of Greasy Tracks on Oct. 15.

The program also included music from across Rush’s career which is now in its sixth decade. Rush appears at Bridge Street Live on Nov. 7.

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

In 1962, Rush released his debut album — Tom Rush Live At The Unicorn — as two of his performances at the famed Boston coffeehouse were recorded, even though only 600 copies were ultimately pressed. The record remains highly sought after by collectors.

It was during this period that Rush, a native of New Hampshire, helped introduce the era of the singer-songwriter, paving the way for artists who would become household names years later, including Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne to name but a few.

Rush would go on to record a number of songs written by the aforementioned artists. Throughout his recording and performing career, he’s managed to find the right balance between his own compositions and a wide range of tastefully done covers.

In March, Rush was diagnosed as having COVID-19, but by the following month, had apparently recovered from the sickness.

Rush will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Matt Nakoa at the Bridge Street show. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Nakoa first played with Rush during an impromptu recording session in 2014 when he sat in on piano. Impressed by Nakoa’s ability, Rush took him on the road shortly thereafter and the duo have worked together regularly since as Nakoa accompanies Rush on guitar or keyboards.

Greasy Tracks presented a two-part feature on the band Spirit.

Go here to check out the first part and here for the second part, while a playlist is here.

In addition to music from throughout their catalog, the feature includes interviews with founding members Mark Andes and Jay Ferguson as well as Mick Skidmore, the trustee of guitarist Randy California’s estate.

Best known for their 1968 single “I Got A Line On You” which went to No. 25 in the U.S. charts, the band was formed in 1967 and merged rock, jazz and psychedelia — essentially progressive rock before the genre gained popularity in the early 1970s.

It was during Wolfe’s time in the Blue Flames that Hendrix nicknamed him Randy California to differentiate him from Randy Palmer. Since Wolfe was from California, while Palmer was from Texas and would be known by Hendrix as “Randy Texas.”

Between 1968-70 the band released four albums, including their self-titled debut, The Family That Plays Together, Clear and The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus which would be their only gold album.

Ferguson and Andes would leave the band for form Jo Jo Gunne in 1971 following a tour to support the release of Sardonicus.

In addition to discussing the band’s history, especially the talents of California, the guests also share insight on the on-going lawsuit which was filed by Skidmore on behalf of the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust against Led Zeppelin in 2014 contending that Zeppelin copied elements of the Wolfe (California)-written “Taurus” from Spirit’s 1968 debut for what would become one of the most famous songs ever recorded, “Stairway to Heaven” which was released in 1971.

Last month, Skidmore filed a petition for writ certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, essentially requesting that it gives the lower court’s ruling a complete review of how it found that the Zeppelin classic didn’t infringe on the Spirit track.

Oddly enough, on their first U.S. tour in 1968-69, Zeppelin opened for Spirit on a handful of dates and would regularly include Spirit’s “Fresh Garbage” during a mid-set medley.

A trust, established by California’s estate, provides financial support for music programs for the school systems of Ventura, Calif. and Quincy, Mass.

A special program featuring the music of the late Justin Townes Earle was part of the Aug. 31 edition of The Devo Rock Show. Earle passed away on Aug. 20 of an apparent drug overdose according to reports by police in Nashville, Tenn.

Click here for an archive of the program.

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The son of musician Steve Earle, he grew up in South Nashville.  His parents separated when he was a young child, partly due to Steve Earle’s drug use. This led to a tumultuous childhood with Justin battling drug addiction beginning in his teenage years. After dropping out of school, he worked for his father as a roadie and was later invited to perform onstage with Steve Earle’s band The Dukes.

After cutting his teeth with Nashville bands The Distributors and The Swindlers, Earle borrowed a $1,000 from a girlfriend to release his debut EP Yuma in 2007. This led to moderate success and got him into the Nashville singer/songwriter music scene. From 2008-19 he released eight more albums, including his most recent The Saint Of Lost Causes.

His music is described as a fusion of rock, blues, bluegrass and country. In 2009, he received an Americana Music Award for new and emerging artist of the year.  His “family trilogy” albums from 2014-17 include Single Mothers (2014), Absent Fathers (2015) and Kids In The Street (2017). 

Justin struggled with drug addiction his whole life and was in and out of rehabilitation facilities. He is survived by wife Jenn Marie Maynard and daughter Etta.