Monday, March 23, 2015: Bob talks with Grammy-winning musician Rodney Crowell and best-selling author Mary Karr about their musical collaboration. The two artists grew up a few years and a few dozen miles apart in east Texas, but when Crowell and Karr met in person a decade ago, they learned that their childhoods were very similar. Their CD is called Kin which explains how they feel about each other and signals that these songs are about “their people.” Bob also talks with Crowell about his memoir – Chinaberry Sidewalks – which is available in paperback.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015: Bob spends some quality time with Carol Kaye and her bass guitar. Kaye was THE session bassist of the 1960s and 70s, playing on dozens and dozens of hits for the likes of The Beach Boys, Ritchie Valens, Simon & Garfunkel, The Supremes, Ray Charles and the Monkees. It’s estimated that Kaye has been involved with more than ten-thousand recording sessions in her career. Kaye and her bass are also responsible for the distinctive bass notes of the Mission Impossible theme and for many other film scores and TV themes. Today is Kaye’s 80th birthday.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015: Mark Boyle lives without cash and he manages just fine with his off-the-grid caravan, solar laptop and toothpaste made from washed-up cuttlefish bones. Boyle was a successful businessman but he became disillusioned with society’s obsession with money. So in 2008, he decided to try living for a year with no money at all and as far as we can tell, he’s still at it. Boyle tells the story in his book titled, Moneyless Man. Beginning in 1967, Charles Kuralt headed out with a small crew to document unusual and overlooked stories from America’s back roads. Logging more than a million miles and going through six motor homes, the resulting vignettes became On the Road, a 20-year-series now available as a collection on DVD. Isadore (Izzy) Bleckman was Kuralt’s cameraman for more than 25 years, and he shares his stories from their time together.
Thursday, March 26, 2015: Bob & Ray were a comedy duo who began on local radio in Boston in the 1940’s. Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding enjoyed tremendous national success for decades were admired for their timeless humor and satire until Ray’s death in 1990. Bob Elliott is here to talk about their four decades of partnership on his 92nd birthday. Then, Bob & Ray’s last producer was Larry Josephson, who is now the curator of their sound archive and founder of the Radio Foundation. Josephson discusses the 5-hour, 4-CD collection of classic Bob & Ray routines.
Friday, March 27, 2015: Still Within the Sound of My Voice is the latest release from musician Jimmy Webb. He has written many well-known classics for other musicians including “Wichita Lineman,” “MacArthur Park,” “Up, Up and Away,” and “All I Know.” Several artists he’s written songs for are now repaying the favor with guest appearances on his album. Those guests include Lyle Lovett, Carly Simon, Keith Urban, Joe Cocker, Kris Kristofferson and Art Garfunkel. Webb is the first and only artist to receive Grammys for music, lyrics and orchestration.