(First aired on WUTC 9/14/24)

In Chicago, a city overflowing with unrivaled blues talent, world-renowned Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials have been standing tall for almost 30 years. The band’s big sound, fueled by Lil’ Ed’s gloriously rollicking slide work and deep blues string bending, along with his rough-edged, soulful vocals, is as real and hard-hitting as Chicago blues gets.

After playing around town in various clubs during the 80s, the band was invited into the recording studio by Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer, and the end result of the session was 30 songs cut in three hours with no overdubs and only one second take. Twelve of those songs became the band’s debut album, Roughhousin’, released in September of 1986.

Nine albums and thousands of performances later, Lil’ Ed is now universally hailed as a giant of the genre. Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials—bassist (and Ed’s half-brother) James “Pookie” Young, guitarist Mike Garrett, and drummer Kelly Littleton—have remained together for nearly 30 years (an extraordinary feat for any group), the band fueling Ed’s songs with their rock-solid, road-tested, telepathic musicianship.

The Big Sound Of Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials is the musically electrifying, emotionally intense and downright fun new album from the band Guitar Player calls “a snarling boogie-blues machine…they blow down the walls.” With this new album, the band continues to bring their blistering Chicago blues to “Ed Heads” new and old. Their infectious energy, joyful showmanship and masterful playing have been honed to a razor’s edge by their many years together.

Lil’ Ed, Pookie, Mike and Kelly have seen sports stars and presidents, musical fads and fashion trends come and go. Meanwhile, their fiery music has more than stood the test of time. “We’re not band members,” says Williams, “we’re family, and families stay together.” Night after night, gig after riotous gig, the musical family called Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials bring their big, dynamic Chicago blues sound to fans across the country and around the world.

Episode Tracklist:

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials - "If You Were Mine"

J.B. Hutto - "Speak My Mind"

J.B. Hutto - "Lulu Belle's Here"

Blind Willie Johnson - "Dark Was the Night"

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - "Rock Me"

Mississippi Fred McDowell - "You Gotta Move"

Lil Ed and the Blues Impreials - "Troubled World"

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials - "You Done Me Wrong For the Last Time"

The Nighthawks - "Come Baby"

Satan and Adam - "Big Boss Man"

Frank Sinatra - "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)"

The Police - "It's Alright For You"

Jimi Hendrix - "Red House"

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials - "Natural Man"

Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials - "Giving Up On Your Love"

The Songbirds Radio Hour is made possible through grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Riverview Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(First aired on WUTC 8/10/24)

On this episode of The Songbirds Radio Hour, we sat down with Chattanooga's very own Swayyvo. A hip-hop musician, producer, and renowned saxophone player, Swayyvo tells us about his new releases, what he finds so special about Chattanooga's music scene, how he thinks we as a community can improve it, where he got his start in music, who his numerous collaborators are, and how important it is to share the power of music with the youth.

Tackling the expanding passages of modern rap music with an eye toward its jazz, neo soul and heavy 90s hiphop influences, Swayyvo (born Jerod Morton) has been breaking down the barriers between various genres for years and reinventing his sound and ear consistently. Sought after for both his virtuosic saxophone stylings and his knack for arranging unique and complex beat-driven movements without sacrificing his own individuality, Swayyvo has given Chattanooga's hip-hop scene a sustained direction in which to grow. Swayyvo has been seen collaborating with brands such a NBA, NFL, Nickelodeon, Vayner Media, and dozens of artists such as K Camp, Yung Bleu, YGTUT, Project Pat, Sy Ari Da Kid, and Earth Gang.

Swayyo Tracklist:

Accelerate

Don't Make Me Laugh

Stop Speedin'

Wat It Do

Red

Wake Em Up

Other Artists

Snarky Puppy – "Lingus"

Isiah Rashad feat. YGTUT – "Chad"

Clyde Stubblefield playing the beat from James Brown's "Cold Sweat"

YGTUT – "5 to 10" (Instrumental)

The Songbirds Radio Hour is made possible through grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Riverview Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(First aired on WUTC 7/13/24)

On June 4th, 2024, Steve Earle came back to Songbirds for his annual summer fundraising solo acoustic show. But this time we paired his soulful tunes with the savory family-style BBQ feast put on by local restaurant, Elsie’s Daughter!

Before the concert, we sat down and interviewed Steve once again. Oh the stories this man can tell..

We told Steve about our new Write to Rock kids songwriting program and talked with him about the craft of songwriting, the challenges songwriters face, the success of some very famous singer/songwriters, and more!

Steve Earle Tracklist:

Copperhead Road

I Still Carry You Around

Transcendental Blues

Good Ol Boy (Gettin' Tough)

Guitar Town

Devil Put the Coal in the Ground

Someday

Other Artists Tracklist:

Cream – "Sunshine of your Love"

Bob Dylan – "A Hard Rain is Gonna Come"

The Pogues – "A Pair of Brown Eyes"

Waterboys – "The Whole of the Moon"

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – "The Last of my Kind"

The Songbirds Radio Hour is made possible through grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Riverview Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.