Folk & Bluegrass

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Del and the Boys by the Del McCoury Band.

Rock critic Ken Tucker pays tribute to Bob Dylan. Today is Dylan's 60th birthday.

The founder of the Mamas and the Papas, John Phillips. He died of heart failure on Sunday. He was 65. Phillips was the principal songwriter for the pop group which had a string of hits from 1966 to 1968 when the group broke up. Their hits included Monday, Monday, California Dreamin, I Saw Her Again Last Night and others.

Ward considers the work of the bluegrass music duo the Stanley Brothers.

Singer/songwriter Paul Simon. In 1964 he and Art Garfunkle, as the duo Simon & Garfunkle, hit number one on the pop charts with the song “Sound of Silence.” They continued with 5 albums that all sold gold. After a split in 1970, Simon continued writing songs and took up a solo singing career. His albums include “Still Crazy After All These Years,” “Graceland,” and “Rhythm of the Saints.” His new album is “You’re The One.” (Warner Bros.)

Rick critic Ken Tucker reviews “Big Mon,” a new tribute album to Bill Monroe. It was produced by Ricky Scaggs for his own label and includes many big names, such as Dolly Parton, Bruce Hornsby and Joan Osborne. (Skaggs Family Records)

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews “Transcendental Blues” the new recording by Steve Earle.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Billy Bragg and Wilco's album Mermaid Avenue, Volume 2.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new albums: “Broke Down” by singer-songwriter Slaid Cleaves, and “Toad of Titicaca” by Gurf Morlix.

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers the pioneering Bluegrass group of the 1950s Reno & Smiley and the Tennessee Cutups.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Weatherhole" the new release by Michael Hurley, formerly of the Unholy Modal Rounders.

Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker gives us HIS ten best list for the year 1999, and then picks the recordings from the century he'd take with him If he were stranded on a desert Island.

Critic Milo Miles reviews two reissues -- cult favorites -- by the Holy Modal Rounders: Holy Modal Rounders 1 and 2 (on the Fantasy label) and their new album "Too Much Fun" (Rounder Records)

Milo Miles reviews the tribute album "Bleecker Street: Greenwich Village in the 60s." (Astor Place Label).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new CD "The Mountain" (E-Squared) by Steve Earle which pays tribute to bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe.

Rock historian Ed Ward reviews "The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966: The 'Royal Albert Hall' Concert" (Columbia). The series documents his controversial world tour when he plugged in his electric guitar. The Royal Albert Hall concert took place in Manchester, England.

Fulks has one foot in the singer/songwriter scene and one in country music. He spent three years writing songs in Nashville, but no one opted to record his songs. So he's recently come out with a new CD of his own music, "Let's Kill Saturday Night" (Geffen Records). Fulks began his career as a regular at the same fabled Greenwich Village hole in the wall where Bob Dylan made a name for himself. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his career and sing some of his songs.

A special in-studio concert and interview with Kate and Anna McGarrigle; Loudon, Rufus, and Martha Wainwright, and other. They all sing and play on the new album, "The McGarrigle Hour" (Hannibal).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a new release of previously unheard Woody Guthrie lyrics put to music by British folksinger-songwriter Billy Bragg. Bragg composed music for the lyrics with the help of the American band Wilco. It's called "Mermaid Avenue." (Elektra)

Peter D. Goldsmith is author of "Making People's Music: Moe Asch." (Smithsonian Books) The book explores the history of folk music in America. He uses the life of Moe Asch who was the founder of Folkways Records to tell that story. Asch recorded with such legendary folk singers as: Pete Seeger and Woody Gutherie. Peter D. Goldsmith is an anthropologist who grew up to listening to Folkways records. He currently an adjunct associate professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.