A Night Of Songwriting

After a marvelous instrumental introduction, we spent most of the program exploring the songwriting of Malvina Reynolds and Tom Russell and then closed with a few classic pieces on vinyl.

August 23 marked the 100th anniversary of the late Malvina Reynolds' birth. She died in 1978 but her songs will remain. Smithsonian/Folkways just released a fine compilation of songs from her Cassandra recordings and the compiler of that anthology -- folk Grande Dame Rosalie Sorrels -- has, in addition, released on Red House a loving tribute to Reynolds.

We talked to Tom Russell at the recent Champlain Valley Festival and decided to use the recent news as a jumping off point for a look back at some earlier works recorded before his landmark 'The Man From God Knows Where" released in 1999.

Artist, "Title", Album, Label

• Mike Auldridge, Bob Brozman, David Grisman, "Nostalgia Prelude", "Akaka Falls", "St. Louis Blues", Tone Poems III, Acoustic Disc

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• Rosalie Sorrels et al, "Magic Penny/Visitation", "A Little Muscle", No Closing Chord, Red House

• Malvina Reynolds, "On The Rim Of The World", "What Have They Done To The Rain", "Pete Seeger/Malvina Reynolds chat", "Little Boxes", "Little Red Hen", "This World", Ear To The Ground, Smithsonian/Folkways

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• Tom Russell, "Alkali", "Joshua Tree", "Love Makes A Fool Of The Wise", Road To Bayamon, Philo

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• Tom Russell, "The Banks Of The Musselshell", "The Sky Above, The Mud Below", Song Of The West, HMG/Hightone

• Tom Russell,"Blue Wing", "Gallo del Cielo", "Box Of Visions", The Long Way Around, Hightone

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• Guy Clark, "Anyhow, I Love You"

• Jerry Jeff Walker, "Charlie Dunn"

• Townes Van Zandt, "Tecumseh Valley"

• Townes Van Zandt, "Poncho & Lefty"

  Four selections from Texas Folk & Outlaw Music/Kerrville Festivals 1972-76, Adelphi

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• Peter Rowan, "The Free Mexican Air Force", "Panama Red", "Midnight Moonlight", Peter Rowan, Flying Fish