old time music

TODAY 3 to 5 pm (PDT), KALW's "Folk Music & Beyond" features music by The Black Brothers from their new CD "Glackanacker", an outstanding collection of Irish songs. We'll also feature "The Best of Folk Music & Beyond's 30th Anniversary Collection"--highlights from past live performances as part of KALW's Fall Membership campaign.  Both CDs available for your contributions of support!

All aboard!  Chicken Train rolls into the KALW studios this Saturday 3 pm for a live performance on "Folk Music & Beyond."  Led by master banjo player John Herrmann, Chicken Train performs old time and Appalachian mountain music.  John Engle on fiddle and Meredith McIntosh on guitar round out the band.   Chicken Train specializes in the fiddling styles of North Carolina and old African-American string band music that pre-dates the blues.

Join us for the next KALW On-Air Folk Festival this Saturday December 9th 3 pm to 8 pm!

It's five hours of continuous music performed live in the KALW studios, showcasing some of the Bay Area's top talent.  The folk festival is hosted by JoAnn Mar, Kevin Vance, and Peter Thompson.  Here's the line-up:

We'll shine the spotlight on Bay Area artists this Saturday (July 1st) 3 pm on "Folk Music & Beyond".  Among our local treasures are fiddler/guitarist Laurie Lewis and mandolinist Tom Rozum.  They'll stop by the KALW studios for a visit and play a few songs.  We'll also hear singer-songwriter Sean Hayes talk about his song "Rosebush Inside", inspired by the compelling story of ex-death row prisoner Moreese Bickham.

Live Irish music to this Saturday 3 pm PST with fiddler Athena Tergis on "Folk Music & Beyond." Athena will perform a few tunes and talk about her band The Green Fields of America and its latest project "A Celtic Appalachian Celebration," which will be having its west coast premiere Thursday March 19th at the Freight in Berkeley.

Thistle & Shamrock host Fiona Ritchie was our special guest on "Folk Music & Beyond".  Fiona and Doug Orr have co-authored the new book "Wayfaring Strangers:  The Musical Voyage from Scotland and Ulster to the Appalachias."  They traced the journey of Scots-Irish immigrants to the southern Appalachias and talked about the similarities between American old-time and traditional ballads and songs from Scotland, Ireland, and England.  The duo Little Windows (Julee Glaub & Mark Weems) performed musical excerpts during our conversation with Fiona and Doug.  If you missed the show, you