Ric Chetter - From Radioland

Episode 236: Sharde Thomas and The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band

From the Mississippi Hill Country comes the true American music. In the studio comes Sharde Thomas and The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band. What you will hear in this episode is real history. This was blues before there was blues. This was a type of music meant for communication and this young lady is carrying on a tradition she learned from her grand father Otha Turner. You are going to hear this music and the stories behind it all. Plus, Jesus and the Devil are fighting in Arkansas. 

NEXT WEEK: Big T & Johnny Drummer

Episode 235: Walking East & West with Pops Fountaine

Pops Fountaine is an extraordinary percussionist. He's played with a lot of people over the years. From his native Chicago to Memphis, he has some great stories to tell. In this episode, he sat down with Ric to tell some of those stories and some of the importnant life lessons learned from a career in music. You are going to hear some of the real secrets to being a successful musician on and off the stage. Plus, what happens when you have nothing left to boycott?

NEXT WEEK: Sharde Thomas & The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band

Episode 234: Frank Monteleone & Blind Mississippi Morris

It was a night of some great, laid back fun. Frank moved to Memphis some time ago and has a great story to tell about that event. Also, the band that was assembled in the studio that night had not really played together before. But, you wouldn't have known that by listening to them. Plus, the great Blind Mississippi Morris brought out his magic harmonica and sang the real deal blues and you'll hear it all in this episode From Radioland.

NEXT WEEK: Pops Fountaine

Episode 233: Gee Whiz, It's Carla Thomas

In 1961, she scored a Billboard hit with Gee Whiz and in 1966 she did it again with B-A-B-Y Baby. Carla Thomas sat down with Ric for a conversation about her career and her father, Rufus Thomas. What was it like for a young lady to find her way into show business and to later discover she had a top 10 hit? She'll tell you all about that in this episode. Also, Ric talks about what having a smart watch kind of makes you feel like when you are all of sudden chained to your smartphone.

NEXT WEEK: Frank Monteleone and Blind Mississippi Morris

Episode 232: Stepping Off The Mothership with Harold Beane

Take a look at your copy of Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul. Great album. All the guitar parts were recorded by Harold Beane. He inadvertantly became one of the most sampled guitar players in history. In this episode, Ric talks to Harold about being sampled and by whom. Also, Harold spent some time with Funkadelic. Oh yeah, there is story there. Also, one of the most powerful stories you'll ever hear about the plane crash that took the lives of Otis Redding and The Bar-Kays. Harold Beane was supposed to be on that flight. Another moving and powerful conversation with a music legend is right here.

NEXT WEEK: Gee Whiz, It's Carla Thomas

Episode 231: The Architects of Memphis Music

Howard Grimes has been on this show several times. This time, he brought a couple of friends with him. Spencer & Percy Wiggins. This is a rather important show in that these three men have quite the story to tell when it comes to how the Memphis sound came to be and what it was like for young African-American performers on the road and in the studio. Along the way, these men were involved in some of the most iconic music in history. Plus, you'll hear some new gospel music that accurately defines that Memphis sound.

NEXT WEEK: Harold Beane, the most sampled guitar player in history.

Episode 230: The Customer Service Blues

We all have those nightmare stories we share after dealing with some large corporation who doesn't care about you as person, or as a number for that matter. It happened to Ric and he picked up a trick along the way in dealing with these infernal situations. There may be no way out and certainly impossible to avoid, but it turns out, the judicisous application of adult language at just the right time can be quite beneficial. Especially when talking to a robot. Also in this show, Gypsy Heartz.

NEXT WEEK: Howard Grimes and The Wiggins Brothers

 

Episode 229: The Seven Year Itch

Radio Memphis has been on the air for seven years. In this episode, Ric talks a little about those seven years and then a fun conversation and performance with Karen Altman Latham. Karen is a songwriter and performer from the Memphis area. She'll talk about the process she goes through when writing her music and various themes she explores within her music. 

NEXT WEEK: Gypsy Heartz

Episode 228: In The Absence of Reason

It would appear with all of the talk in the current news, the echo chambers and all the noise, there is something missing. In this episode, Ric thinks he knows what is wrong and the solution may be far simpler than we anticipate. It's all a matter of being reasonable. However, that very well may be too tall an order for cowards who hide behind their keyboards too afraid to actually speak what they write. Also in this episode, Sorianna Wood stops by for a conversation about songwriting and performance.

NEXT WEEK: Karen Altman Latham

Episode 227: Suffer The Children

Mark Wiklund is a Memphis singer/songwriter. His take on the making of music is quite refreshing. In this episode, Ric and Paul Crum sat down with Mark to discuss the art and how common themes can creep into an artist's catalogue. Also, Ric has some words regarding the holding of children hostage for politcal gain and will draw a simple line in the sand. Divisive? Probably.

NEXT WEEK: Sorianna Wood