The passing of Los Angeles music icon Chuck E. Weiss (the subject of Rickie Lee Jones’ “Chuck E.’s in Love”) and ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill sent Bob deep into his archives for a diverse tribute.
Bill paid tribute to “Summer of Soul,” the documentary of the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 directed by Questlove of The Roots. If you like the music, you’ll love the film.
Bill was going to blow off Wednesday’s show due to the monthly invasion of the WAIF board members, but two events convinced him to put up a half-assed (1 hour) effort: Jack Greiner’s condition improved and it was the 50-year (and 8 days) anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band’s “At Fillmore East,” his favorite album.
Bob and Bill managed to stumble into the studio together to celebrate Ringo Starr’s 81st birthday and preview the Quebe Sisters and the Farmer & Adele show at the Southgate House Revival Wednesday.
Bob covered a lot of ground, substituting more music for the customary scintillating repartee with the vacationing Bill. A Happy Birthday America jamfest with The Sundresses, Jonathan Richman, Robbie Fulks, Billy Joe Shaver, Gurf Morlix, and more shared airtime with birthday shoutouts to June Carter, Robert Hunter, Dave Van Ronk and Ernie. And an entire set showcased Nashville guitar great Daniel Donato.
John Tarvardian, who joined us in the studio last night, is much more than the BS&B webmaster. He’s a musical savant with eclectic taste and the perfect person to help us salute Joni Mitchell on the 50th anniversary of “Blue.”
In honor of the Time Machine’s 40th anniversary, Bob paid tribute to the passage of time with cuts from John Prine, Bap Kennedy and Jamie Hartford. He also choked back sobs to play a pack of dog songs observing the passing of his beloved German Shepherd, Rosamund HiFi. Buck Owens, the Bottle Rockets, Neil Young, The Rubber Knife Gang and Lightnin’ Hopkins all helped soothe the pain.
Jess Lamb was the first performer to visit the studio since 2019 when she came to play songs from her latest album, “You Are.” She was scheduled to play the LAS Underground Series the next day, but the show at the Ghost Bar was postponed. Stay tuned for a new date.
Bob paid tribute to his birthday (May 28), saluted others born this week (Levon Helm, Peggy Lee, Gladys Knight, John Fogerty) and Bill debuted Allison Russell’s “Outside Child.”
Birthdays are a big deal at BS&B and May is full of them. Bill celebrated Bob Dylan’s monumental 80th (May 24) and Pete Townshend’s 76th (May 19). Also, shoutouts to friends of the show Barbara Kelley (May 24), and Barbara Schmidlapp, John Tarvardian and Stepfanie Romine (May 27).
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