Traditional folk musicians can't develop their style in a vacuum - they are always influenced by past masters. Whether they learned the style and repertoire by listening to recordings, watching films or by sitting knee-to-knee, they absorbed everything as the music was passed on. We'll hear Jimmy Burns, Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard, Sheila Kay Adams, Louis Killen and many more. We'll honor present day players and some of their influences … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian FolkwaysTaj Mahal / “Needed Time” / Soundtrack: Sounder / Varese SarabandeJimmy Burns / “She Left Me a Mule to Ride” / Tribute / DelmarkGuy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi / “Take this Hammer” / Sonny and Brownie's Last Ride / M.C. RecordsMarie Knight / “Didn't It Rain” / The Gospel Truth / M.C, RecordsRhiannon Giddens / “Up Above My Head” / Tomorrow is My Turn / NonesuchThe Earls of Leiscester / “Salty Dog Blues”/ Live at the CMA Theater / RounderTim O'Brien / “Few Old Memories” / Where the River Meets the Road / Howdy SkiesHazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard / “Will You Miss Me?” / Sing Me Back Home / Free DirtLaurie Lewis and the Right Hands / “Working Girl Blues” / The Hazel and Alice Sessions / Spruce and MapleTaj Mahal / “Needed Time (Banjo and Hand Clapping)” / Soundtrack: Sounder / Varese SarabandeSheila Kay Adams / “Fine Sally” / My Dearest Dear / Granny DellJean Ritchie / “Barbry Ellen” / Field Trip / Green HaysAnna & Elizabeth / “Soldier and the Lady” / Anna & Elizabeth / Free DirtEwan MacColl & A.L. Lloyd / “Jack Tar” / Blow Boys Blow / TraditionLouis Killen / “The Banks of Sweet Primroses” / Ballads and Broadsides / TopicMartin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick / “Matt Hyland” / Selections / EdselPete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

It's that time of year when houses are decorated with jack 'o lanterns, scarecrows, and other mainstays of the Halloween season. Kids dressed in a wide variety of costumes get ready to go from house to house collecting candy from their neighbors. It's time to hear some classic songs and tunes for this spooky season from Ale Moller, Steeleye Span, Claudia Schmidt, Robin and Linda Williams and lots more. Turn down the lights and enjoy … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian FolkwaysAle Moller / “Heaven and Earth” / The Horse and the Crane / NorthsideJohn Roberts & Tony Barrand / “The Dreadful Ghost” / Dark Ships in the Forest / Folk Legacy3hattrio / “Mojave” / Solitaire / OkehdokeeSteeleye Span / “Long Lankin” / Commoners Crown / BGOMike Craver / “The Ghost in the Theater”/ Bosh & Moonshine / SapsuckerHeidi Muller & Bob Webb / “Ghost Stories” / Seeing Things / Self ProducedBruce Cockburn / “Deja Vu” / Night Vision / True NorthAle Moller / “Rose Halling” / The Horse and the Crane / NorthsideClaudia Schmidt / “Vampire” / Midwestern Heart / Flying FishRobin & Linda Williams / “Murders on the Cumberland Plateau” / In The Jailhouse Now / CMHSacred Harp Singers at Liberty Church / “Idumea” / Cold Mountain Soundtrack / DMZ-ColumbiaTony Joe White / “The Gift” / Hoodoo / Swamp RecordsDirk Powell / “Ride with the Devil” / Hand Me Down / RounderLutz Kirchoff / “Francois Dufaut-Suite in A minor-Courante” / Lute Music for Witches and Alchemists / SonyPete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

This week we conclude our two-part feature “It Don't Mean a Thing...” with a focus on Western swing. Western swing was developed in the dance halls of Texas and in sharp contrast to old-time string bands, Western swing bands employed many more members, including horn sections and multiple fiddlers. These were needed to fill these massive halls with music for dancing. We'll hear classics from The Light Crust Doughboys, Milton Brown and his Musical Brownies and Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. We'll also hear new classics from Deborah Silver, Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel. “Take Me Back to Tulsa” … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian FolkwaysDavid Grisman Quintet / “Minor Swing” / The David Grisman Quintet / KaleidoscopeDeborah Silver / “That Old Black Magic” / Glitter & Grits / NTLThe Light Crust Doughboys / “Knocky, Knocky” / Okeh Western Swing / CBSMilton Brown and his Musical Brownies / “Sweet Jennie Lee” / Western Swing Kings / PazzazzBob Wills & his Texas Playboys / “Right or Wrong” / Collection 1935-50 / AcrobatMerle Travis / “The Sheik of Araby” / The Merle Travis Guitar / RavenLefty Frizzell / “If You Got the Money, I've Got the Time” / Columbia Country Classics Vol 2 / ColumbiaTexas Troubadours / “Steel Guitar Rag” / Almost to Tulsa / Bear FamilyWillie Nelson / “Cherokee Maiden” / You Don't Know Me / Lost HighwayDavid Grisman Quintet / “Minor Swing” / The David Grisman Quintet / KaleidoscopeRed Knuckles & the Trailblazers / “Goin' Steady” / Shades of the Past / Sugar HillAl Goll / “Farewell Blues” / New Reso Gathering / PinecastleSusie Bogguss / “Straighten Up and Fly Right” / Swing / CompadreVi Wickham & Paul Anastasio / “Weiser Stomp” / Swinging at the Savoy / Zero Carbon FootprintAsleep at the Wheel / “Take Me Back to Tulsa” / Comin' Right At Ya / United ArtistsAsleep at the Wheel / “Choo Choo Ch'Boogie” / Swing Time / SonyMerle Travis / “Cannonball Stomp” / The Merle Travis Guitar / RavenPete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

America has exported many products to the world, and one of our finest gifts is music. We may think of rock and roll or rhythm and blues, but one of the earliest and most popular musical exports is jazz and swing. This week we'll hear classics from Django Reinhardt, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, Russ Barenberg, and next week we'll continue with Part 2. “It Don't Mean a Thing” … this week on The Sing Out Radio Magazine. Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian FolkwaysDjango Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli / “Minor Swing” / Djangologie Vol.6 / EMI PatheJoshua Rifkin / “Elite Syncopations” / Scott Joplin Piano Rags / NonesuchBenny Goodman / “Air Mail Special” / Best of the Big Bands / ColumbiaCount Basie / “One O'clock Jump” / This is Jazz 11 / ColumbiaDuke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald / “It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)” / At the Cote D' Azur / VerveLambert, Hendricks & Ross / “Twisted” / The Hottest New Group in Jazz / ColumbiaDan Hicks & his Hot Licks / “Canned Music” / Original Recordings / EpicBill Knopf / “Take the “A” Train” / Pacific Swing / First InversionDjango Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli / “Swinging with Django” / Djangologie Vol.6 / EMI PatheAllen Tousaint / “Rocks in My Bed” / American Tunes / NonesuchGuy Van Duser & Billy Novick / “Exactly Like You” / Exactly Like Us / RounderRuss Barenberg / “Halloween Rehearsal” / Halloween Rehearsal / RounderThe Phil Salazar Band / “Swing to Bop” / The Phil Salazar Band / Flying FishMerle Travis / “Walkin' the Strings” / The Merle Travis Guitar / RavenPete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

October holds Indigenous People's Day, and November has been designated Native American Heritage Month. We celebrate both with wide selection of music from various North American musicians. Included are great songs from Bill Miller, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Joanne Shenandoah and Walela. There's a wonderful story from Murray Porter and a fiddle tune from Jimmy Larocque. Sample the rich tapestry of music from the First Nations … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine. Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian FolkwaysR. Carlos Nakai & William Eaton / “Hunter's Twilight” / Carry the Gift / CanyonBuffy Sainte-Marie / “Now That the Buffalo's Gone” / I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again / VanguardWalela with Rita Coolidge / “The Apache Honoring Song” / Tribal Voices / EarthbeatBill Miller / “Reservation Road” / Reservation Road-Live / RosebudMurray Porter / “Dog Lover” / Legends I Am an Eagle / CurbBruce Cockburn / “Hoop Dancer” / The Trouble With Normal / ColumbiaR. Carlos Nakai & William Eaton / “Hunter's Twilight” / Carry the Gift / CanyonJoanne Shenandoah / “Circle of Friendship” / Life Blood / Silver WaveJerry Alfred & The Medicine Beat / “Nendaa-Go Back” / Native America / PutumayoJimmie LaRocque / “Road to Batoche” / Wood that Sings / Smithsonian FolkwaysJohnny Cash / “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” / Bitter Tears / ColumbiaPrimeaux & Mike / “Amazing Grace (in Sioux)” / Walk in Beauty / CanyonPete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways