With Episode 13, we reach a point where it’s hard to tell if music is moving back to the traditions of the past or blazing toward a brave new world.

I suppose both perspectives bear some truth here. There is a lot of respect shown here for tradition, but if you listen closely, you can also hear the seeds of rock and roll fomenting. Like last show, we don’t focus on one specific style, but in this series you may recognize how country-western music and the blues were moving toward something intangible, but certainly something that was pulling them together in ways that were way beneath the surface. The primary force that caused this ruckus was, quite obviously, the guitar.

Featured tracks include:

Down By the Riverside – Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Strange Things Happening Every Day – Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Bryant’s Bounce – Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant

Boogie Man – Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant

Big Black Train – Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs w/ Uncle Josh Graves

Fireball – Josh Graves

Untrue Blues – Lightnin’ Hopkins

Shotgun Blues – Lightnin’ Hopkins

John Lee’s Original Boogie – John Lee Hooker

Boogie Chillen’- John Lee Hooker

Standin’ Here Tremblin’ – Muddy Waters

Got My Mojo Workin’ – Muddy Waters

I Can’t Be Satisfied – Muddy Waters