San Francisco Bay Area Honky-Tonk, Western Swing, Alt-Country & Rockabilly

 
A Town North of Bakersfield

25 twangin' tracks from SF Bay Area bands.
Find out why the SF Bay Area is second only to Austin
in honky-tonkin', twang-bangin', foot-stompin chicanery by clicking
on any of the full songs (used with permission from the artists) listed below.

"A Town North of Bakersfield" is a standout! 25 tracks of what should be honky tonk classics.
If you don't dig at least most of this disk, there's something wrong with ya!"
                                                              -- Australian Music Mag
 

Jinx Jones

"License to Twang" -- A blazin' instrumental from a master of the six strings.  Jinx studied under the legendary Roy Buchanan who could also make one guitar sound like three. 

Jenny Kerr Band

"Big Red Truck" -- A truck drivin' classic-in-waiting.  Get outta its way!  Jenny, Philbilly and the boys are popular in Europe where every summer they play festivals for tens of thousands.

Richard March

"Helicopter" -- A C/W song that uses the view from a helicopter as metaphor for life's misgivings.  Go figure.  Imagery is a big part of Richard's songs which tend to paint pictures as their stories unfold.

Kitty Rose

"Hurricane" -- A growin' up in Texas song like no other.  This was originally an alt-rock song, but when Miss Kitty went country, it came along for the ride. 

Shut-Ins

"Dreaming" -- Hawaiian-influenced hillbilly music ("Hulabilly") meets the '80s band Blondie.  Too cool for school.

Loretta Lynch

"Gone to Stay" -- Originally a Freakwater tune, this band of urban twangers almost goes gospel on this effort to set a record straight.  Abandon a stereotype, all ye who enter here.

Tom Armstrong

"I'll Match You" -- Tom's brand of "crunchy" country recalls Bakersfield of the early '60s when players like Buck Owens, Red Simpson and Wynn Stewart, who Merle Haggard listened to, made their music. 

Red Meat

"This Property's Condemned" -- With three lead singers and three CDs, one song can't do Red Meat justice.  But for a gritty little love-gone-bad song, "Here comes the wrecking ball..."

The Chop Tops

"Evil Six" -- This is one of the most versatile rockabilly bands anywhere.  Their rockabilly is a base for diversions into vintage rock, blues, psychobilly or even spaghetti western tracks like this.

77 el Deora

"This Record Sucks" -- Haven't you always wanted a song about a song that sucks?  77 el Deora features a strong lead singer and a Telecaster, and knows how to use 'em.

The Cowlicks

"Holdin' Back" -- Rompin', stompin' twang from 2004's California Music Award (country) winners. 

The Mother Truckers

"Behind the Bleachers" -- Teal Collins sings the lights out on this I-won't-get-fooled-again song.  Are the MTs a twang band that rocks or a rock band that twangs?  Actually, they're an into-breaking-new-ground band.

Cari Lee & the Saddle-ites

"My Mama Told Me" -- Momma cautions daughter.  Daughter grows up.  Teaches her daughter the opposite!  CL and the Saddle-ites are equally at home with western swing, honky-tonk, blues or a touch of torch.

Johnny Dilks and the Visitacion Valley Boys

"Comin' on Through" -- Our hero decides to take on the bully who stole his gal only to learn about diminished expectations the very hard way.  From Acres of Heartache on Hightone.

Tom Huebner

"Baby That's Alright" -- This veteran of Caribbean music found himself with a bunch of country songs, a twanging band, and on Highway 43 to Hicksville.

Valerie Jay & the Americanos

"Pacific Time" -- Originally a singer-songwriter, Valerie has a twangin' sound that's influenced by singers like Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and k.d. lang.

The Bootcuts

"Forever and a Day" -- The Bootcuts wind up their power-gal harmony machine on this one.  With three lead singers plus harmonies from others, this band brings a wealth of vocal "looks."

A. J. Roach

"Grandaddy" -- This award-winning song is based on the true story of AJ's grandfather's sidelines in counterfeiting five-cent pieces and making moonshine.  "If he'd a-ever realized what he had back then..."

Kay Wheeler

"Elvis Makes His Move" -- Every word of this is true.  Kay, who was President of the first Elvis fan club, really did know him this well, and better.  Even hard-core Elvis fans don't have this.

Dave Crimmen

"Old Enough" -- Ahhh, the older guy, younger gal theme.  This song was inspired by a wisecrack that was made during a visit to Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. 

Kathi Kamen Goldmark and Kathleen Enright Salvia

"Older than Him" -- Ahhh, the older gal, younger guy theme.  "Would he really care that I have underwear older than him?"  Amy Tan (below) and other fun finds are on Kathi's label, "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Records.

The Real Sippin' Whiskeys

"The New Drummer's Wife" -- Ahhh, the scoping out a bandmate's wife theme.  The RSWs, a low-profile band, only do a few shows per year, but they've been playing for ten years and have a CD, but it's all a secret, so shhhh. 

Audrey Auld

"Doin' Well" -- A tasty addition to the C/W tradition of "my way" songs.  Audrey tours mainly as a solo twanger/songwriter, but her three CDs have full instrumentation and feature her pals who are fine musicians in their own right.

Rusty Evans

"If This Is Country Music" -- Rusty challenges "new country" (a.k.a., pop music with cowboy hats).  This live track was sung from the stage of the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville during a Kitty Wells tribute.  You tell 'em, Rusty!

Amy Tan

"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" -- Best-selling author's (Joy Luck Club) whip-crackin' version of the Nancy Sinatra hit penned by Lee Hazelwood.  From Stranger than Fiction, a two-CD compilation of music-minded authors.

BAY AREA RADIO

STATION - TIME - DESCRIPTION

America's Back 40

KPFA Berkeley, 94.1 FM -- 1:30-3:30 PM, Sundays.  American roots, the hicks from coast to coast with Mary Tilson.

Bluegrass Signal

KALW San Francisco, 91.7 -- 6:30-9:30 PM, Saturdays.  Bluegrass and guests hosted by Peter Thompson. 

Crush Uncorked

KRSH Santa Rosa, 95.9 FM -- 8:00-11:00 AM, Sundays.  Coya Silverlake hosts acoustic, folk, bluegrass

Cupertino Barndance

KKUP Cupertino, 91.5, -- 9:00-Midnight, Sundays.  Stompin' Steve Hathaway's honky tonk, western swing, bluegrass, rockabilly.

KPIG

KPIG Santa Cruz, 107.5 -- 24/7.  Broadcasting a twanging mix most of the time.

Grinder's Grooveyard

KPOO San Francisco, 89.5 FM, 8:30-2:00AM, Mondays.  Old School R&B and jump blues.

Panhandle Country

KPFA Berkeley, 94.1 FM -- 3:30-5:00 PM, Alternating Sundays.  Western, honky-tonk, bluegrass & Cajun with Tom Diamant.

Pig in a Pen

KPFA Berkeley, 94.1 FM -- 3:30-5:00 PM, Alternating Sundays.  Bluegrass with Ray Edlund

Roadhouse Twang Presents

KWMR West Marin 90.5 FM -- 6:00-8:00 PM, Wedednesdays.  Kay Clements hosts hick, hillbilly, retro and roots.

Swing Boogie

KKUP Cupertino, 91.5, 3:00-6:00 PM, Saturdays.  Bluegrass, country, western swing.

Vida Lee, etc.on KKUP 91.5

KKUP has a lot of Americana shows, but their schedule, which switches shows and hosts from week to week, makes them hard to list in detail here.  Click their link for show listings.

Why Baby Why

KALX Berkeley, 90.7 FM -- Midnight-1:00AM, Tuesdays.   Uncle Naes, Joe Sixpack and others host a broad range of Americana.  Also see Joe Sixpack's site for his take on Bay Area twangers and more.

INTERNET AUDIO

DESCRIPTION

Live365
Rockabilly Radio
45rpm.net
Biker Bar Music
Western Beat Music
Rock-It Radio
Freight Train Boogie (Santa Rosa)
Radio Paradise
Video Times
WDVX
Cowboy Cultural Society
XM Alt-Country
BootLiquor Radio (San Jose)

Largest selection of on-line stations on the Internet.
A Live365 RAB station.
Dedicated to rockabilly.  Bands, they'll play your record.
Programs an eclectic American mix ideal for creating biker bar ambiance in your own home!
Hillbilly music on-line and more.
50s music and 50's-influenced contemporary Doo Wop, RAB, R&B -- Lots of rarities. Good links.
Twangin' up a storm.  Mostly new releases with older "touchstones" in the mix.
An eclectic, intelligent rock music blend
If you're still holding a grudge because Michael Nesmith was a Monkee, think about an update, okay?
Broadcasting out of a 14' trailer from a White Bread and Miracle Whip trailer court in East Tennessee.
Highly listenable '50-'60 cowboy music mix out of Watsonville, CA.  (Read the blonde cowgirl joke too.)
Good alt-country from XM radio
A mix out of San Jose that's a great listen while drudging away on the ol' computer.