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The April 11 edition of Greasy Tracks featured the first of a two-part spotlight on Spirit.

If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

There was an interview with archivist Mick Skidmore who is trustee of the Randy Craig Wolfe Trust and has overseen the release of numerous Spirit- and Randy California-related albums, in many cases remastering archival nuggets buried in the Spirit audio vault.

Wolfe — best known as Randy California, one of the founders of Spirit — was an innovative guitarist who had earlier played with Jimi Hendrix in his band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. It was Hendrix who gave him the name “California” to differentiate him from bassist Randy Palmer whom he nicknamed “Randy Texas.”

He formed the group with bassist Mark Andes and vocalist/keyboardist Jay Ferguson in 1967. The pair had played with him in the Red Roosters. They brought in Wolfe’s stepfather, drummer Ed Cassidy and keyboardist John Locke who were also heavily into jazz, compared to Andes and Ferguson who were, according to Andes, “valley boys who were into surf and rock music.”

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

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.

The music for the two-part feature will be from the post-Dr. Sardonicus era when Spirit would go through a number of personnel changes as California and Cassidy remained the only holdovers from the original line-up.

We’ll be going deep into the Spirit catalog from the mid-1970s through California’s final studio effort, California Blues in 1996.

There was an interesting mix of studio material, culled from such albums as Spirit of ’76, Son of America, Sea Dream, The Euro-American Years and Tent of Miracles as well as live offerings from Two Sides of a Rainbow – Live at the Rainbow, London 1978 and Live At Mile Square Park.

There would be a handful of half-hearted Spirit reunions over the years and the California-Cassidy band would continue to record and tour until California’s tragic death at the age of 45 in 1997 when he drowned while saving his son, Quinn, from a riptide off of Molokai, Hawaii.

The second part of the feature is slated to air in May at a date to be determined.

The March 14 edition of Greasy Tracks featured a special presentation on the career of the enigmatic Billy Preston.

If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

While he was known as the “Fifth Beatle” and played with a veritable who’s who in the music world, Preston was a self-taught prodigy steeped in the gospel music he grew up with in church.

The program provided an aural preview for Cinestudio’s showing of the amazing documentary, Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It, March 25-27 on the Trinity College campus.

In addition to music from across Preston’s illustrious career, there were interviews with Paris Barclay who directed That’s The Way God Planned It and lead producers Jeanne Elfant Festa and Stephanie Allain.

The Feb. 21 edition of Greasy Tracks featured an aural trip down memory lane as we traced the history of the Flying Burrito Brothers and the advent of country rock.

If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

There was an interview with lead vocalist/keyboardist Chris James who is part of the modern-era Burrito Brothers’ line-up with Tony Paoletta (pedal steel), Peter Young (drums) and Steve Allen (guitar/vocals).

The band recently released The Magic Time Machine Of Love (TLAK) which includes appearances by alums of the original Flying Burrito Brothers: Jon Corneal (drums) and Ian Dunlop (bass) as well as contributions by Al Perkins (pedal steel) and Bob Hatter (guitar).

The collection of 12 tracks — plus two tracks featuring excerpts from a 1972 Gram Parsons interview — is a mix of originals, interesting covers and two archival Burrito Brothers songs not written by the current members.

The two constant characteristics of the band — no matter what name they go by — is personnel changes over the years and being true to their cosmic country rock roots.

The Flying Burrito Brothers trace their roots to 1967 when Dunlop and Mickey Gauvin (drums) — who were part of the International Submarine Band (ISB) with Parsons — formed the group. The initial line-up never recorded. Upon leaving the ISB, Parsons did a brief stint with The Byrds and was on the legendary Sweetheart of the Rodeo album in 1968.

Parsons left The Byrds late in the summer of 1968 and multi-instrumentalist Chris Hillman would follow shortly thereafter. After Dunlop and Gauvin allowed Parsons to use the Flying Burrito Brothers name, Parsons formed the “classic” lineup along with Hillman, “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow (pedal steel) and Chris Ethridge (bass).

Blending country and rock with a tad of psychedelia, they became one of the pioneers of country rock and their debut, The Gilded Palace of Sin — which was released in early 1969 — remains one of the most influential albums of the genre.

Parsons left the band in 1970, opting to go solo, but the group, despite frequent personnel changes, continued to record and tour.

The latest effort is an adventurous cosmic-Americana collection of tracks bridging the past and present.

Now based in Nashville, the group selected some curious covers, including a country-soul take on “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” Hamilton Camp’s “Pride of Man” — closer to Quicksilver Messenger Service than Gordon Lightfoot — The Beatles’ “What Goes On, ” Jesse Colin Young’s “Peace Song” and a tasteful version of Timothy B. Schmit’s “Right Where We Belong.”

Embracing modern studio technology, the Burritos used AI-extracted vocals from Parsons on “Pride of Man” and a Burritos archival track, “More and More.”

The Feb. 8 edition of Strictly Roots celebrated the music of Bob Marley and Aston “Family Man” Barrett.

If you missed it, here’s the archive. 

Marley — the most prolific and best-known musician and songwriter to come out of Jamaica — passed away in 1981 at 36. Bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett, a key member of Marley’s backing band, the Wailers, passed away on Feb. 3, 2024, at the age of 77.

With Marley serving as the primary catalyst, the duo are considered reggae music ambassadors who helped cultivate acceptance, growth and popularity during the subsequent explosion of reggae music on the international music scene in the 1970s.

Both Marley and Barrett’s legacies shine bright as prime examples of how a humble musician’s mastery and message shaped and changed the music world, influencing generations of musicians across the globe.

The Feb. 1 edition of Strictly Roots celebrated the music of Sly Dunbar.

The legendary drummer and producer — best known for his work with bassist Robbie Shakespeare — passed away on Jan. 26 at age 73.

If you missed it, here’s the archive. 

While Dunbar’s career began in the late 1960s, it formally took off once he met Shakespeare who recommended Dunbar to producer Bunny Lee as a possible drummer for the Aggrovators, the house band Lee used for recording sessions.

In addition to Dunbar and Shakespeare, numerous musicians did spells with the Aggrovators before embarking on solo careers, including future Bob Marley band leader bassist Aston Barrett, keyboardist Jackie Mittoo and horn man Tommy McCook.

Following their time with Lee, Dunbar and Shakespeare continued working together, in the studio and on stage. They formed Taxi Records in 1980.

Dunbar, who had 13 Grammy Award nominations and won two Grammy Awards, also worked with Lee Scratch Perry’s band, the Upsetters and with the Revolutionaries, the house band for Channel One studio boss Joseph Hoo Kim.

Dunbar played drums on several noteworthy tracks produced by Perry, including “Night Doctor,” Junior Murvin’s “Police and Thieves” and Bob Marley & the Wailers’ “Punky Reggae Party.”

Dunbar and Shakespeare played on Bob Dylan’s “Infidels” and “Empire Burlesque. The duo also appeared on recording by Grace Jones, Herbie Hancock, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg and the Rolling Stones.

The Jan. 23 edition of Crashing The Ether paid tribute to Toad’s Place with two hours of music recorded at the legendary New Haven music venue which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

If you missed it, here’s the archive. 

Opening its doors in 1975 as a restaurant, Toad’s was transformed into a live music club in 1976 and has been at the center of New Haven’s music scene for five decades.

Some of the industry’s biggest names have graced the stage at the York Street location — known as the place “where the legends play” — including The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and most recently, Foo Fighters.

Bands that are today household names, such as U2 and REM, played Toad’s on their earliest tours, long before gaining international superstardom.

Some of the artists for the feature included, King Crimson, Ian Hunter with Mick Ronson, Nick Lowe with Paul Carrack, Little Feat, Rickie Lee Jones, Richard Thompson and Living Colour.

In 2021, Brian Phelps, the owner of Toad’s, collaborated with Randall Beach to write The Legendary Toad’s Place: Stories from New Haven’s Famed Music Venue (‎Globe Pequot Publishing).

Toad’s was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame in 2025.

Emmy Award winners Andy Billman and Joe Franco have collaborated on an independently produced documentary about Toad’s — Where Legends Play — which could be released this year.

The Jan. 24 edition of Greasy Tracks celebrated the career of Bob Weir and there was an interview with Dogs In A Pile guitarist Brian Murray who discussed the band’s recent release, Destroid.

If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

In true jam-band style, The Asbury Park, N.J.-based Dogs in a Pile bring a mix of rock, funk and jazz with flashes of psychedelia.

Weir, best known as one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead, recently passed away at the age of 78.

The Jan. 4 edition of Strictly Roots celebrated the music of reggae legends who passed away in 2025.

If you missed it, here’s the archive. 

Artists that were featured included: Ken Parker, Cocoa Tea, Max Romeo, Junior Byles and Jimmy Cliff.

The life and music of Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig guitarist Mick Abrahams was celebrated on the Dec. 22 edition of The Devo Rock Show. Abrahams passed away Dec. 19 at the age 82.

If you missed it, here’s the archive. 

Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, UK, he and Ian Anderson, along with drummer Clive Bunker and bassist Glen Cornick formed Jethro Tull and began playing the London club scene. Abrahams appeared on their 1968 debut album, This Was.

This version of Jethro Tull leaned more into blues and jazz, but after a falling out with Anderson, Abrahams left the band and formed Blodwyn Pig.

Blodwyn Pig’s debut, Ahead Rings Out, came out in 1969. It featured Jack Landcaster (sax), Andy Pyle (bass) and Ron Berg (drums). It was followed in 1970 with Getting To This which continued the band’s more experimental and jazz-oriented approach to blues rock. Both albums reached the top 10 in the UK album charts and also charted in the United States.

The band broke up later in 1970 with Pyle joining Savoy Brown and Lancaster becoming a record producer.

Abrahams would front various revamped Blodwyn Pig lineups over the years as well as leading the Mick Abrahams Band. In addition to releasing numerous albums with each outfit, he also had prodigious solo recording career, albeit one that never saw the charts.

While most people are fixated on the holidays, the Dec. 20 edition of Greasy Tracks focused on fusion, especially music incorporating the Fender Rhodes.

If you missed it, here’s the archive, while a playlist is here.

It may not have the same legendary status as the Hammond B-3 with Leslie speakers, but the Rhodes was a key piece of the fusion sound.

The hybrid of improvisational jazz that collided with rock, funk and R&B, fusion emerged in the late 1960s and was full-blown in its glory period of the 1970s with the Rhodes playing a major role.

The Rhodes is an electro-mechanical piano known for its warm, bell-like tone. Invented by Harold Rhodes and popularized in the 1960s and 70s, it uses metal tines struck by hammers and amplified by pickups.

It shaped recordings by artists like Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston, to name but a few.