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Mountain farms along the Skyline Drive, VA, ca. 1940. Photo by Jack Delano from the Library of Congress.
Mountain farms along the Skyline Drive, VA, ca. 1940. Photo by Jack Delano from the Library of Congress.
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Lining Hymns
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Originally aired 6/19/06

The practice of "lining out" hymns was the dominant form of congregational singing before musical instruments, organized choirs, and increased literacy made lining obsolete. It has endured in only a handful of marginal but proud places: among the Primitive Baptists of Appalachia; in black Baptist and a handful of Presbyterian churches in the deep South; and the Gaelic Presbyterians of the Western Isles of Scotland. (35 minutes)

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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
The Music of Sodom Laurel, Madison County, North Carolina
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

The ridges of Madison County in western NC are home to an extended family that sings old British ballads, as well as lyric & religious songs, in an utterly unique style. Featured here are songs from the Chandler, Wallin, and Norton clan of Madison.

The ridges of Madison County in western North Carolina are home to an extended family that sings the old British ballads, as well as lyric songs and religious material, in an utterly unique and beautiful style. The Chandler, Wallin, and Norton...

Originally aired 8/7/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Country Grubbin'
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Tasty tracks from Uncle Dave Macon, Peg Leg Sam, Neil Morris, Doodle Thrower & Golden River Grass, Jim Jackson, Tampa Red, Bo Carter, Jack Kelly's Jug Band, Cliff Carlisle, Nugrape Twins, A.A. Gray & Seven Foot Dilly.

Tasty tracks from Uncle Dave Macon, Peg Leg Sam, Neil Morris, Doodle Thrower & Golden River Grass, Jim Jackson, Tampa Red, Bo Carter, Jack Kelly's Jug Band, Cliff Carlisle, Nugrape Twins, A.A. Gray & Seven Foot Dilly. (36.5 minutes)

Originally aired 6/5/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Songs for Memorial Day
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Songs of war, soldiers, spirit and despair with tracks from Lightnin Slim, Bukka White, Neville Marcano (Growling Tiger) with Lord Iere and Indian Prince, Brendan Behan, Los Jovenes Zapatistas del Sur, John Bray, Eric Bentley and others.

Songs of war, soldiers, spirit and despair with tracks from Lightnin' Slim, Bukka White, Neville Marcano (Growling Tiger) with Lord Iere and Indian Prince, Brendan Behan, Los Jovenes Zapatistas del Sur, John Bray, Eric Bentley, Oscar Parks, Merle...

Originally aired 5/22/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
All Night Long
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Songs about staying up all night dancing, drinking, evading the law, getting the blues and trying not to get killed. Featuring Johnny Otis, Miles & Bob Pratcher, Mance Lipscomb, the Incredible String Band and more.

Playlist 1....

Originally aired 4/24/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Music from the Axis of Evil and Other Thorns in America's Side
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Featuring music from North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan and France.

Playlist 01 Iraq Unidentified: Ahl Al Aqil (Oh, People Of Reason) (3:31) Choubi Choubi! Folk and Pop Sounds from Iraq (Sublime Frequencies) 02 Afghanistan Amir Jan Khushnawaz and ensemble: Badil ghazal (5:45) Traditional Music of Herat (Unesco-...

Originally aired 4/10/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
On Heaven and Hell
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Songs about Heaven and Hell. Featuring Leatha Eller, Bukka White, The Skillet Lickers, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and more.

Playlist 01 Leatha Eller: The Heavenly Light Is Shining On Me (2:46) Lomax film footage, Hiawassee, Georgia, 1982 (unissued) 02 Bukka White: I Am In the Heavenly Way (3:30) Mississippi Blues (Takoma) 03 Reverend Gary Davis: We Are the Heavenly...

Originally aired 3/27/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Birthdays/Lightnin' and Lightnin'
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

Songs by Lightnin' Hopkins (born Sam Hopkins, March 15, 1912 in Centerville, Texas) and Lightnin' Slim (born Otis Hicks, March 13, 1913 in St. Louis, Missouri).

Lightnin' Hopkins: Sam Hopkins, born March 15, 1912, Centerville, TX Lightnin' Slim: Otis Hicks, born March 13, 1913, St. Louis, MO Playlist 01 Lightnin' Hopkins: Going Home Blues (Goin Back and Talk to Mama) (2:57) Early Recordings (...

Originally aired 3/13/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Janette Carter
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

A tribute to Janette Carter (1923-2006) and the music of Southwestern Virginia.

A tribute to Janette Carter (1923-2006) and the music of Southwestern Virginia. Playlist 01 Janette Carter with the Carter Family: God's Gonna Trouble the Water (2:00) The Original Carter Family in Texas (Old Homestead) 02 Carter Family: Mid the...

Originally aired 3/6/06
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RADIO // Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone
Migratory Instruments
Hosted by Nathan Salsburg
Radio show

All archetypal, iconic events have their own soundtracks, oral histories and musical artifacts. Nathan Salsburg selects a few rarely heard tracks from his historic archives. Have you heard Othar Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band?

The wandering minstrel, the column of spirited volunteers, the cowboy far from home, the cross-country automobile adventure. All these archetypal, iconic events have their own soundtracks, oral histories and musical artifacts. Nathan Salsburg...

Originally aired 2/27/06
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Goodbye Dear Old Stepstone