Both Kinds Radio

As a child who’s formative musical years were the 1990’s, I dismissed “Country Music” as bubble gum pop, hidden beneath a cowboy hat and a fiddle track.  Billy Ray Cyrus and his mulleted prancing, Garth Brooks becoming Chris Gaines and the hokey and jingoistic anthems following 9/11, only further solidified my opinion.  I had a taste for 60’s country-rock, via my parents and my love for the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but I never looked to my musical left to see that Country road running parallel.  This all changed in 2002.

Hearing a song that had fed my teenage angst and was there to wrap around me when my heart would break and rage, sung by that craggy, clear and dying voice was a revelation.  And then, the video.  Goddamn, I still cry.  Then and upon every subsequent viewing.  The pain, the joyful images of the virile and manic past.  Who was this man?  I had seen the poster with the middle finger in Spencer’s Gifts.  I had heard “Ring of Fire” and “I Walk the Line”, in passing but had always nodded and moved along.  Now I HAD to know.  I had to know it all.

Johnny led me to Hank.  Hank led to Marty.  Marty led to The Possum.  The Possum led to Tammy, and the rest is history.  I fell hard for Country Music.  And Johnny Cash pushed me through that door.  Happy birthday, Mr. Cash.  And thank you for everything.

I recommend the BBC documentary, “Johnny Cash – The Last Great American” and the A&E documentary, “Johnny Cash’s America (links below)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mExFkBUr1-g

I’m shaking from withdrawals.  I don’t know if I remember how to get to the studio.  I’m answering my work phone with, “WKNC, hello?”.  It’s been far, far too long since we’ve had a proper Both Kinds Radio.  But, this will be changing soon.  Oh yes, very soon.

For those of you new to the show, WKNC 88.1fm broadcasts Women’s Basketball and Baseball games during their respective seasons and they often (this year especially) preempt our show.  This is source of income for Student Media and, as a Wolfpack fan and WKNC Fam for life, I am more than happy to share airtime.  Doesn’t mean it’s not killing me to be away from you all for this long.

March 9th, 2014 is the scheduled date for the ACC Women’s Basketball Championship.  With the way the mighty Pack has been playing this year, they are a good bet to make it there.  Thankfully, tip-off is 7:00pm, so it will not interfere with our broadcast.  That said, we are now also into Wolfpack Baseball season and there is a game that same day at 1pm.  Baseball typically wraps up before the 3 hour mark, which means a 1pm first pitch allows the show to go on.  So, barring extra innings or weather delays, Both Kinds Radio returns to the air March 9th, 4pm – 6pm.

Looking at the upcoming Wolfpack baseball schedule, March has all 1pm starts on Sundays, so we should be good there.  On April 6th, first pitch is 3pm, so no show that day.  And then into May, it’s all 1pm starts.  Again, if there are extra innings or weather events, it will obviously change our broadcast, but on the whole, Baseball season is a lot friendlier to Country music.

So, for the next two Sundays, just do like I do.  Cheer for the Wolfpack, break out your old turntable, buy a new belt buckle at the Flea Market and get excited for the return of “The finest in Country and Western Swing, from the 1920’s through the 1970’s” on March 9th.  Also, follow us on social media for various news, birthdays, musings, etc.

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Twitter – @bothkindsradio

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Email – bothkindsradio@wknc.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZqRL7nJB48

Pee Wee King was born today in 1914, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  An accomplished fiddler and accordionist, Mr. King wrote and co-wrote many Country standards, including “The Tennessee Waltz, “You Belong to Me” and “Slow Poke”.  A member of the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, The Grand Ole Opry and The Country Music Hall of Fame, Pee Wee King passed away March 7th, 2000.

Very excited to see that the Hag will be headlining this year’s Merlefest, April 24-27th, in Wilkesboro, NC.  The lineup also include The Old Crow Medicine Show, Ricky Skaggs, Holly Williams, Alan Jackson, Overmountain Men and the South Carolina Broadcasters, to name a few of the many great acts on this huge festival.  Follow this link to get tickets.  Here’s Merle’s Austin City Limits performance, from 1978.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwHzkyPZHKg

The Colony of Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe, on this day, in 1733.  It would be many years before you could get there via a fast train, or engage Satan in a fiddle duel.

Bill Staines was born today in 1947, in Medford, Massachusetts.  He is a prolific songwriter and folk performer, as well as a champion yodeler.  Mr. Staines has had songs covered by the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary, Grandpa Jones and Jerry Jeff Walker.

Claude King was born today in 1923 in Keithville, Louisiana.  He is best known for his million selling hit “Wolverton Mountain” and also charted with “The Burning of Atlanta” and “The Comancheros“.  Mr. King passed away March 7th, 2013.

Believe it or not, I still have not visited the Mecca of Country Music, Nashville, Tennessee.  I know, I know, “what business do you have running a Country and Western Swing radio show, if you haven’t paid homage to Music City USA?”  You know, that’s a real shitty question, and I don’t have to answer it, dick.  However, when I do make a trip there, taking the Walkin’ Nashville tour is the place I will be stating off my visit.

Your tour guide is Bill DeMain, an author, journalist, songwriter and long time Nashville resident.  He’ll take you on a two hour journey into Nashville’s musical traditions and history and, if his tweets and Facebook are any indication, he’ll have you smiling and laughing along the way.  I became aware of Walkin’ Nashville via the stunning collection of pictures Mr. DeMain posts on the official Walkin’ Nashville Facebook page.  He doesn’t just Google image search, like this amateur.  Even if you live on the other side of the world and never make it to Tennessee, follow the official page here, just for the photographs.