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.
- “Heart of Gold” (0:00) Americano Social Club — A Django jazz band covering Neil Young.
- “Making Wine (in the Valley of the Moon)” (2:58) Buck Nichols and Loose Change — A Sonoma County band, natch.
- “Them Travellers” (6:36) Tom VandenAvond — A tune from the bard of Stanislaus County, due east near Yosemite.
- “Crime of Passion” (8:44) Bhi Bhiman — It takes a murder ballad to bring out the Americana side of this singer-songwriter.
- “Play that Way” (12:02) The Vivants — Formerly Emily Bonn and the Vivants, they may still be performing under their original name.
- “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.
- “Hillbilly Disability” (18:11) John McCord — How many “tonality-impaired” singers have the courage to sing about it?
- “On My Way Down” (23:40) Pork Chop Express — This pork band was into bacon before bacon was cool.
- “Lonesome Cry” (27:46) The Easy Leaves — This Sonoma County duo is drawing attention now that they play more often as a full band.
- “Mary Edith Barnes” (31:00) Lia Rose — Could this song be the “Elanore Rigby” of our times?
- “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.
- “Little Sadie” (38:43) The New Thoreaus — From the country side of this folk group.
- “40 Acres and a Fool” (42:48) Joe New — Funny song about yuppies goin’ country.
- “True True Love Never Dies” (46:07) Royal Deuces — A pre-released track from this hillbilly/rockabilly trio.
- “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.
- “The Scout” (52:21) Brothers Comatose — A song from the most popular Americana band in the Bay Area.
- “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.
- “Fat Bottom Girls” (58:12) Rusty Stringfield — A twangy take on a Queen song.
- “Jukebox and a Drink” (01:00:59) Dry County Drinkers — A drinking song by certified drinkers from the Sacramento Valley.
- “When Will I Be Loved” (01:03:21) Moonshine Maybellene — A beltin’ version of an Everly Brothers hit.
- “Honky Tonkin’ Rhythm” (01:05:49) B-Stars — When it comes to honky tonkin’, the B-Stars know whereof they speak.
- “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.
- “Teddy Bear Has Teeth” (01:12:20)– Graveside Quartet — A spin-off of the Pine Box Boys to terrify the children.
- “If This Is Country Music” (01:15:29) Rusty Evans and Ring of Fire — Everything wrong with Nashville summarized in a song.
- “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.
