John Kessler

Charley Patton was one of the first to play what we might recognize as Delta blues, putting blues into a strong and syncopated rhythm. A powerful singer with an aggressive guitar style, he was also a masterful entertainer, and one of the best-known traveling performers of his time.

Watch the episode in glorious video here:

Tommy Johnson’s songs may not be very well known, but he was a hugely influential blues player and also may be the source of one of the most enduring legends of the blues – the Devil and the Crossroads.

While this legend is sometimes associated with Robert Johnson (no relation), it was Tommy Johnson who first cultivated a story about himself that he met the devil at a crossroads, and sold his soul in exchange for his musical ability.

 Somehow we got along fine before there were cell phones. You couldn’t call as your plane was taxiing to the gate, couldn’t call for help when the car broke down, and couldn’t call ahead when visiting friends. We were often late, had to ask strangers for help, and dropped in on folks without warning. It was kinda nice, actually.

“Summertime” is considered one of George Gershwin’s finest songs. Collaborating with his brother Ira and lyricist DuBose Heyward, Gershwin composed the piece for his 1935 “folk-opera” Porgy and Bess.

Hey kids! It’s the latest thing…radio with pictures! Now Record Bin Roulette has visuals to accompany the sound! Thanks to our intrepid intern Katy, who came up with this new way to enjoy the show.

Sleepy John Estes was a Tennessee-based blues singer of the 1920’s and 30’s. Though not a flashy guitarist, his voice was packed with power, and the songs he wrote have lasted through the years to be sung by Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan.

We actually have a lot in common with Monkeys, Chimpanzees and Apes. Seems we share 96 percent of the same DNA. But it also turns out that we share 50% of the same DNA as a banana, which actually may explain why we all like them so much.

Big Joe Williams was part of the first generation of blues players, and lived to help spark the blues revival of the 1960’s. An active performing and recording musician, he traveled the country starting in the 1920’s, and by the 1970’s, had become very popular on the folk circuit as well. He is best known for the songs “Baby Please Don’t Go” and “Crawling King Snake” which he recorded in 1941.

The Tour de France is the world’s epic bicycle race, a grueling 2,000 mile ride that takes 3 weeks.  It’s arguably the most demanding athletic event, said the New York Times, comparing it to running a marathon several days a week for three weeks. With the 99th Tour underway right now, we salute the humble velocipede and their sore-bottomed riders.

The chemical elements are the building blocks of life, including many a pop tune. Since we skipped chemistry in high school, most of our science education came from this song which conveniently names all of the elements.

In the span of Howlin’ Wolf’s life and career he saw virtually the entire progression of blues from a rural, acoustic music through the birth of modern rock music. As a young man, he learned guitar from Delta master Charley Patton, and as an elder statesman performed with Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. In between he sang some of the most compelling and memorable songs in all of American music, including “Back Door Man”, “Killing Floor” and “Spoonful”.

Eric Clapton called Robert Johnson “the most important blues singer who ever lived”. Saying that Johnson was a superlative guitar player, impassioned singer and masterful lyricist seems barely adequate to convey the importance of the work he accomplished in his 27 years. Many of his songs became not only blues standards but would be a huge influence on rock music. Among his best-known songs are “Sweet Home Chicago”, “Walkin’ Blues” and “Crossroads Blues”.

That red stuff pumping through our bodies has inspired more than a few hit songs.

Some border on the grisly—Nervous Norvous reached the charts in 1956 with the grisly “Transfusion”. With lyrics like “Slip the blood to me, Bud” and “Pump the juice to me, Bruce”, it was considered offensive to many, and banned from some radio stations. But it also gave famed radio DJ Dr. Demento his name. After Barrett Hansen played “Transfusion” on the radio, people said he had to be ‘demented.’ He was, and the name stuck.

It’s one of the most widely played songs in the blues, but not much is known about Robert Petway, the man who recorded the definitive early version of “Catfish Blues”. The scant information that exists tells a familiar story of a Delta musician who headed to Chicago to make records. But after recording a mere 16 songs in 1941 and 1942, Petway seems to have disappeared from view.