It is no surprize that the Grateful Dead pulled much of their inspiration from 1920s-30s folk, Jug Band, Country and Blues recordings . This episode presents some of the original performances that no doubt inspired Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. From Gus Cannon's' MINGLEWOOD BLUES, MISSISSIPPI SHEIK' Sittin' On Top Of The World and Ragtime Henry Thomas' DON'T EASE ME listen and learn about these early artists and recordings..Jerry & pals were on to something GREAT!

THE SECOND OF OUR TWO HOLIDAY/CHRISTMAS BROADCASTS FEATURES THE FIRST EVER BING CROSBY CHRISTMAS RECORDING ( 1934 UN-ISSUED!), YULETIDE MEDLEYS FROM THE 1928 PAUL WHITEMAN ORCHESTRA AND BLUES RARITIES FROM VICTORIA SPIVEY AND  MORE

SONGS ABOUT CHRISTMAS HAVE BEEN RECORD SINCE THE FIRST DAYS OF CYLINDER RECORDS IN THE 1880S - JOIN US AS WE PRESENT SOME CROSS-GENRE RECORDINGS FROM BLUES SINGERS LIKE BESSIE SMITH TO  JAZZ BANDS LIKE THE RED ONION JAZZ BABIES WITH YOUNG LOUIS ARMSTRONG ALSO SOME PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OLD RADIO SHOWS WITH A YULETIDE SLANT!

From Chitlin Struts, Wang Dang Doodles, Pitchin' Boogies, to Prohibition era Blow Outs - this episode presents some great tunes you have never heard, from the 1920s-early 30s about partying! 

FOR MY MONEY, THERE IS NO TIGHTER AND SWEETER HARMONY THEN THAT SUNG BY TWO BROTHERS OR SISTERS. THE TRADITION CONTINUES TODAY. HERE SOME OF THE FIRST BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO MAKE BLUES, COUNTRY AND POP RECORDS - FROM THE GIRLS FROM NEW ORLEANS " THE BOSWELL SISTERS, THE GOSPEL SINGING GRAVES BROTHERS TO SAG HARBOR'S OWN MOYLAN SISTERS! HOW SWEET IT IS!

IN THE 1950S' THE ONLY WAY TO HEAR THE FOLK, COUNTRY AND BLUES MUSIC OF THE 1920S AND 30S WAS TO FIND THE RECORDS IN A JUNK SHOP OR BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A FRIEND WHO WOULD SHARE THEM WITH YOU....AFTER FINDING THEM IN A JUNK SHOW!  60 YEARS BEFORE APPLE MUSIC, SPOTIFY, YOUTUBE AND THE LIKE THERE WAS ONLY THE HARRY SMITH " ANTHOLOGY OF  AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC" THIS 3 LP SET BROUGHT THE VOICES OF MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, SON HOUSE, CHARLIE PATTEN, FLOYD MING'S PEP STEPPERS AND SCORES MORE TO THE PHONOGRAPHS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FOLK ENTHUSIASTS AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THE FIRST TIME ..AND THE   FIRST MUSICAL ANTHOLOGY TO TRULY EXPLORE.."THE OLD WEIRD AMERICA" - TUNE IN TO HEAR IMMACULATE COPIES OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL 78S THAT MADE UP HARRY'S  ICONIC COLLECTION

THE "BLUES CRAZE BEGAN IN EARNEST IN 1921 WITH MAMIE SMITHS' "CRAZY BLUES" PROVIDING OKEH RECORDS WITH A SURPRISE HIT. BY THE EARLY MID-1920S WE HAD CLARA SMITH, BESSIE SMITH, LAURA SMITH, JOINING OLD MAMIE - AND NONE OF THEM WERE RELATED! BLUES WERE THE POP MUSIC OF THE DAY - TUNE IN AND HEAR THE LIKES OF MA RAINEY,  A FEW OF THE SMITH GIRLS AND THE HAUNTING DELTA BLUES OF KEECHIE WILEY...AND MUCH MORE

RARE ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS FROM SOME OF THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT OF THE EARLY BLACK BROADWAY MUSICAL SHOWS. BERT WILLIAMS IN 1906 ( "N DAPHONEY") , SISSLE & BLAKE FROM "SHUFFLE ALONG " IN 1921 TO CLASSIC TUNES FROM SEVERAL EDITIONS OF THE LEW LESLIE "BLACKBIRDS"  - FATS WALLER, ETHEL WATERS, ELIZABETH WELSH AND MANY MORE

From 1920s-30s Blues, to Country to Pop, the big man downstairs has always been a popular subject. From Miss Lee Morse and her hot band  singing with the sinners to Reverend Gates testifying about about what will be a sure fire path to lead you down to Mr. Satan - Tune in and just try to keep the devil away!

THIS EPISODE OF JOE LAURO'S "AMERICAN GROOVES RADIO HOURS" CELEBRATED SOME OF THE HOTTEST PIANO PLAYERS OF THE 1920S AND EARLY 30S. FROM WELL KNOWN NAMES LIKE JELLY-ROLL MORTON AND EARL HINES TO FORGOTTEN MASTERS LIKE "BUCK" WASHINGTON AND BLIND LEROY GARNETT - THE IVORIES WILL BE SHAKING!