March 18, 2024

These tracks from Bay Area roots Americana bands aired on KALW Saturday 1/18/14 from 6:30 to 8:00 as Hicks with Sticks sat in for Peter Thompson on “Bluegrass Signal.”  Playing time is an hour and twenty minutes and the track list follows.

  1. “Heart of Gold” (0:00)  Americano Social Club — A Django jazz band covering Neil Young.
  2. “Making Wine (in the Valley of the Moon)” (2:58)  Buck Nichols and Loose Change — A Sonoma County band, natch.
  3. “Them Travellers” (6:36)  Tom VandenAvond — A tune from the bard of Stanislaus County, due east near Yosemite.
  4. “Crime of Passion” (8:44)  Bhi Bhiman — It takes a murder ballad to bring out the Americana side of this singer-songwriter.
  5. “Play that Way” (12:02)  The Vivants — Formerly Emily Bonn and the Vivants, they may still be performing under their original name.
  6. “The Very Best” (15:26)  The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit — These Oakdale boys have been playing together in one configuration or another for years and it shows.
  7. “Hillbilly Disability” (18:11) John McCord — How many “tonality-impaired” singers have the courage to sing about it?
  8. “On My Way Down” (23:40)  Pork Chop Express — This pork band was into bacon before bacon was cool.
  9. “Lonesome Cry” (27:46)  The Easy Leaves — This Sonoma County duo is drawing attention now that they play more often as a full band.
  10. “Mary Edith Barnes” (31:00)  Lia Rose — Could this song be the “Elanore Rigby” of our times?
  11. “Grandma’s Song” (34:50)  Spark and Whisper — This is a song we want to be a true history and biography, whether it is or not.
  12. “Little Sadie” (38:43)  The New Thoreaus — From the country side of this folk group.
  13. “40 Acres and a Fool” (42:48)  Joe New — Funny song about yuppies goin’ country.
  14. “True True Love Never Dies” (46:07)  Royal Deuces — A pre-released track from this hillbilly/rockabilly trio.
  15. “I Had Someone Else Before I Had You” (49:56)  West Coast Ramblers — A pre-released western swing track from a CD that may, someday, be released.
  16. “The Scout” (52:21) Brothers Comatose — A song from the most popular Americana band in the Bay Area.
  17. “I Didn’t Want to Do It” (55:35)  Macy Blackman — An old school R&B tune and the title track from this band’s recent release.
  18. “Fat Bottom Girls” (58:12)  Rusty Stringfield — A twangy take on a Queen song.
  19. “Jukebox and a Drink” (01:00:59)  Dry County Drinkers — A drinking song by certified drinkers from the Sacramento Valley.
  20. “When Will I Be Loved” (01:03:21)  Moonshine Maybellene — A beltin’ version of an Everly Brothers hit.
  21. “Honky Tonkin’ Rhythm” (01:05:49)  B-Stars — When it comes to honky tonkin’, the B-Stars know whereof they speak.
  22. “Lester’s Dead” (01:08:55)  Colonels of Truth — There was strong temptation to dedicate this to Israel’s former PM “Bloody Ari” Sharon who has just died, but we didn’t.
  23. “Teddy Bear Has Teeth” (01:12:20)–  Graveside Quartet — A spin-off of the Pine Box Boys to terrify the children.
  24. “If This Is Country Music” (01:15:29)  Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire — Everything wrong with Nashville summarized in a song.
  25. “These Boots Are Made for Walking” (01:18:24)  Amy Tan — Yes, the “Joy Luck Club” author has a whip and knows how to use it.

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