Celebrating America’s 229th Birthday

10 p.m. to Midnight Host: Steve Winters

It’s the beginning of a weekend party for America’s 229th birthday: a bit of patriotism, a big helping of an “American original” in U. Utah Phillips, a tribute to the Old Songs Festival in Altamont, N.Y. on its 25th anniversary of keeping the old songs alive and a short observation of songwriter Stephen Foster’s birth on July 4, 1826 in Lawrenceville, Pa.

The Phillips material is taken from a marvelous 4-CD set (“Starlight On the Rails: A Songbook”) recently issued by AK Press that is a life overview of Phillips’ songs and stories, with many of the recordings culled from performance tapes and previously unreleased recordings. U. Utah provides a spoken introduction to most pieces and the entire 4-CD package provides great insight into this iconoclast, Wobbly, and pacifist, while also offering great insight into the foibles and eternal truths of America and the world.

  • Artist, "Title", Album, Label

  • Eddie From Ohio, “Star Spangled Banner”, 9/11 Relief, Virginia Soul

  • Eric von Schmidt, “My Country ’Tis Of Thee”, 2nd Right/3rd Row, Poppy

  • Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan, “American Medley”, Too Much Fun, Flying Fish

  • Various Artists, “This Land Is Your Land”, This Land Is Your Land, Music For Little People

  • Guy Van Duser, “Stars & Stripes Forever”, Fingerstyle Guitar Solos, Rounder

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  • Bryan Bowers, “Hard Times”, For You, Flying Fish

  • Lilly Brothers & Don Stover, “Little Annie (Gentle Annie)”, Bluegrass At The Roots, Smithsonian Folkways

  • K.J. Denhert, “Oh Susanna”, Girl Like Me, Mother Cyclone Records

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  • U. Utah Phillips Starlight On The Rails: A Songbook”, AK Press :

    “Introduction”
    “The Telling Takes Me Home”
    “All Used Up”
    “Frisco Road”
    “Queen Of The Rails”
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    “Wabash Cannonball/Tolono”
    “Green Rolling Hills Of West Virginia”
    “Phoebe Snow”
    “Touch Me”
    “If I Could Be The Rain”

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  • Bob Zentz, “Sweets Song Of Yesterday”, Old Songs Festival 1990: The 10th Anniversary, Old Songs

  • Guy & Candie Carawan, “High On A Mountain”, Old Songs Festival 1990: The 10th Anniversary, Old Songs

  • John Jackson, “Rocks And Gravel”, Old Songs Festival 1990: The 10th Anniversary, Old Songs

  • John McCutcheon, “Joe Hill”, Old Songs Festival 1990: The 10th Anniversary, Old Songs

  • St. Regis String Band, “Fire On The Mountain”, Old Songs Festival 1990: The 10th Anniversary, Old Songs

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  • Ray Hesson, “Stars And Stripes Forever”, Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass/Vol. 75, Prime Cuts