Bob was snakebit with the Covid, so Bill went solo with a long list of new songs that included tunes from Angela Perley, Pony Bradshaw and the eponymous debut of Complete Mountain Almanac, which features Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, their sister, Jessica, and Rebekka Karijord of Sweden.
Bob and Bill marked the ninth anniversary of the show in a minor key as opposed to the larger celebrations that were routine before the pandemic. Nevertheless, the episode was packed with great music that paid tribute to the passing of David Crosby, the success of the Bengals, and a shout to Thompson (and friends) Birthday Month.
Bob and best-friend of the show and fifth Beatle Jack Greiner brought the Bengal love with great music while Bill took a break to hear great music live. The show started with a tasteful string quartet version of Jethro Tull’s “Bungle in the Jungle” and ended with Buck Owens doing live the classic “Tiger By the Tail.” In between, Paul Anka brought the house with a reprise of “Eye of the Tiger”, and CCR, Prince, Black Joe Lewis, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Nancy Sinatra, Molly Tuttle, Soul Scratch all sizzled.
Bob and Bill prepared for a potential Bengals’ run to the Super Bowl by playing Paul Anka’s sublime version of “Eye of the Tiger” and Kool & the Gang’s iconic “Jungle Bookie,” in addition to wishing Slim Harpo a happy 98th birthday and a melancholy farewell to Jeff Beck, who died at 78.
After covering for Bill for almost three months, Bob took a well-deserved break. Bill took the opportunity to revisit his favorite concerts of the year and a couple that got away.
Bill Thompson returned for the first time since Oct. 5 and proceeded to rattle on about his battle with anxiety. When the boys got around to music, they celebrated birthdays (Edgar Winter and Mavis Staples) and opportunities lost (Marty Stuart and Lilly Winwood).
Guest Host Jack Greiner and Bob reveled in the Alt-Christmas Mega — not MAGA — Extravaganzapaloozathon. Jack vowed to learn and perform in studio next Christmas Ronnie Fauss’s classic “Everybody Deserves a Merry Christmas,” and although far from a “deep track” anymore, the duo extolled and deconstructed the reportorial insight into the human condition as reflected in Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas from the Family.” The show closed with Judy Garland’s melancholy “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” original lyrics, of course.
Brownie McGhee would have been 80 and Christine McVie passed the day of the show. Bob observed both with help from Buck Owens, Bowling Green John Cephas, and Carson Robison along with many more. Neal Black and the Healers were a huge success with “Jesus and Johnny Walker.” The listeners couldn’t get enough.
Bob put down his pie fork and whiskey tumbler long enough to host the annual BS&B Thanksgiving Eve celebration. Hayes Carll, Blind Boy Fuller, Slim Harpo, Neal Black, Neil Young, Paul Thorn and all the others with big Thanksgiving hits were featured. There also was lots of talk about food, spirits, love and generosity.
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