Rolling the Stones with Chuck Leavell & Bernard Fowler... Plus Rockabilly Gentleman, Narvel Felts
The Rolling Stones have been around for over five decades and touring almost as long. This week we listen back to Stones songs about working people, the band’s sources in blues, country and gospel, and speak with two of their sidemen who share their tales of working with the group. Pianist and Rolling Stones music director, Chuck Leavell got a fateful call to join the band in 1982 while working on his family’s Georgia tree plantation, but before that he played with the Allman Brothers. Singer and percussionist Bernard Fowler was touring with Herbie Hancock before he got the call to come work with the Stones. He recently made a spoken word recording of their songs as social commentary. Then a conversation with Missouri’s own Narvel Felts, who tells us about his journey from the cotton fields to the famed studios of Sun and Mercury Records as a rockabilly singer, and later adventures in country and pop. Narvel is a marvel—a maker of some of the best rock n roll songs you’ve never heard.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: We Got a Good thing Goin' The Rolling Stones The BBC Tapes 1963/66, Youtube
Catfish Blues Muddy Waters American Folk Blues Festival '62-'65, Evidence
Lost Highway Hank Williams The Complete Hank Williams, Mercury
Faraway Eyes The Rolling Stones Some Girld, Virgin
Salt of the Earth The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet, Decca
Factory Girl The Rolling Stones Beggar's Banquet, Decca
Instrumental: Evening Train Chuck Leavell Back to the Woods, Crosscut Records
SEGMENT: Chuck Leavell
Baby Please Don't Go Mississippi Fred McDowell I Do Not Play No Rock 'n Roll: The Complete Sessions , Capitol
You Gotta Move The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers, Virgin
Instrumental: Ventilator Blues Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown Paint It, Blues , House of Blues
Painted Black Live The Rolling Stones Live in 2006, Youtube
Don't Let the Devil Ride Campbell Brothers Can You Feel It?, Ropeadope
SEGMENT: Bernard Fowler
Closing Bed: I Can't Get No (Satisfaction) Jr. Wells Paint It, Blues, House of Blues
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Rocket Ride Narvel Felts Narvel Felts Rocks, Bear Family
Rock House Roy Orbison At the Rock House, Sun
Everybody's Movin Glen Glenn Glen Rocks, Bear Family
My Many Hurried Southern Trips Porter Wagoner Wagonmaster, Anti
3000 Miles Narvel Felts Through The Years Volume 1: 1956-1959, Legacy Series
Reconsider Me Maggie Lewis Warwick Shreveport Stomp, vol.1: Ram Records, Ace
Reconsider Me Johnny Adams Johnny Adams Reconsider Me: A Golden Classics Edition, Collectables
Instrumental: Honky Tonk King Curtis Blow Man, Blow!, Bear Family
SEGMENT: Narvel Felts
Pink and Black Days Narvel Felts Narvel Felts Rocks, Bear Family
Reconsider Me Narvel Felts Drift Away: The Best of Narvel Felts 1973-1979, Bear Family
Instrumental:Boogie Woogie Country Gal Linda Gail Lewis and Robbie Fulks Wild! Wild! Wild! Linda Gail Lewis and Robbie Fulks, Bloodshot
I Want a Lavender Cadillac Maurice King & His Wolverines w/ Bea Baker OKeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957 , Epic / OKeh / Legacy
If I Can't Have You Jackie Wilson He's So Fine , Brunswick
Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats w/ Ike Turner The Best of Chess Rock N' Roll Vol. 1 , MCA/Chess
Down the Line Buddy Holly Down the Line Rarities , Geffen
Beat It On Down the Line Grateful Dead Grateful Dead , Warner Brothers
I'm Headin' Home Narvel Felts Super Songs Narvelized, Cone
Closing Bed: Rocket 88 Boogie Pete Johnston Arhoolie Piano Blues and Boogie Classics, Arhoolie