Stories from the Road with Brandi Carlile & Meschiya Lake
We hit the open road to hear tales of adventure and woe from honky-tonkers and hobos, train hoppers and busking bohemians. En route we talk with Washington folk singer Brandi Carlile, who dropped out of high school to cut it as a touring musician, and New Orleans’ Meschiya Lake, about her journey from circus performer to jazz chanteuse. Driving on in search of mythic America, we hear the voices of its discontents: Woody Guthrie, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Wilco, and Pops Staples. Plus, we “Ramble On” with Lucinda Williams before coming down with a case of “Travelin’ Blues” from Jimmie Rodgers. By planes, trains, and automobiles, we journey across our country’s musical landscape with stories from the road.
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Somewhere Bill Frissell Big Sur, Okeh
I'm a Honky Tonk Girl Loretta Lynn Gold, MCA Nashville
Paper Wings Gillian Welch Boots No. 1 The Official Revival Bootleg, Acony
Settin' the Woods on Fire Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits, Mercury
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way Waylon Jennings Dreaming My Dreams, RCA Victor
The Golden Age of Radio Josh Ritter Josh Ritter, self-released
Instrumental: Last Date Floyd Cramer Here's the Answer, RCA Victor
SEGMENT: Brandi Carlile
The Sound of Silence Brandi Carlile with the Hanseroth Twins Live at Benaroya Hall, Columbia
America Simon & Garfunkel Bookends/Simon & Garfunkel, Columbia
Instrumental: Anji Simon & Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel/Sounds of Silence, Columbia
Normal American Kids Wilco Schmilco, Anti-
Sin City Flying Burrito Brothers Gilded Palace of Sin, A&M Records
Dixie Flyer Randy Newman The Randy Newman Songbook, Nonesuch
Down in Mississippi Pops Staples Peace to the Neighborhood, Virgin
Mother Earth Tracy Nelson Mother Earth, Reprise
Closing Bed: Last Date Willie Mitchell Robbin's Nest, Hi Records
HOUR TWO
Open Bed: Swipsey Cakewalk Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher Danza, STR Digital
I'm Going to Live the Life I Sing About In My Song Mahalia Jackson The World's Greatest Gospel Singer, Columbia
Gimme a Pigfoot Bessie Smith The Bessie Smith Story- Volume 2, Columbia
Backwater Blues Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns Lucky Devil, self-released
Travelin' Blues Jimmie Rodgers Travelin' Blues, RCA Victor
Rapid City, South Dakota Kinky Friedman From One Good American to Another, Fruit of the Tune
Instrumental: Parlor for the Crawlers Leroy Jones Back to My Roots, LJ Records
SEGMENT: Meschiya Lake
Railroad Lady- Live at the Dance Hall, Luckenbach, TX 1977 Jerry Jeff Walker A Man Must Carry On, UMG
Starlight on the Rails Utah Phillips Good Though, Philo
Instrumental: Dixie Flyer Blues DeFord Bailey Pan American Blues, Suncoast Music
Railroadin' Some Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas Going Away Blues, Shanachie
Goin' Up the Country Canned Heat Under My Heels, Hip-O
Ramblin' On My Mind Lucinda Williams Ramblin' , Smithsonian Folkways
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad Woody Guthrie The Asch Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways
Closing Bed: Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad Grateful Dead Ladies and Gentlemen: The Grateful Dead Live in NYC , Grateful Dead Records