If you like swingin’ covers of big-band and Great American Songbook hits, you’ll especially enjoy this week’s edition of SWING ON THIS, coming your way Saturday night at 7 p.m. on Tulsa’s NPR affiliate KWGS, 89.5 FM, and live-streaming everywhere at publicradiotulsa.org.
I’ve got not one, not two, not three, but FOUR standards, re-imagined by Rose Sinclair, Michael H. Price and His Western Swingmasters, Truitt Cunningham and His San Antone Rose Band, and, especially for that indefatigable group known as the LeonLifers, hometown hero Leon Russell.
Of course, there’s plenty more, including one of those great RCA Victor singles done by Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys in the early 1950s as well as the latest number in the “San Antonio Rose” parade, done for us by an ivory-tickler with the unlikely name of Squeek Steele. As usual, I’ll start things off with a Bob Wills number. This time around, it’s an alternate take of a familiar Wills tune from 1940.
There’s something for everybody this time around — or, at least, for everybody who’s into Western swing, cowboy jazz, and maybe a musical surprise or two. That’s SWING ON THIS, 7 p.m. Tulsa time this Saturday.
1, “There’s Going to be A Party for the Old Folks,” Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys (for GENE CASEY)
2. “Perdido,” Rose Sinclair
3. “Lone Star Beer & Bob Wills Music,” Country Cousins
(for RAY BINGHAM and the GLASS LIFTERS)
4. San Antonio Rose,” Squeek Steele
(for AP MCQUIDDY)
5. “(Who’s Gonna Sing) The Last Country Song,” Billy Parker and Darrell McCall
(for JACK & CAROLE BENDER)
6. “Blue Bonnet Lane,” High, Wide & Handsome
7. “My Funny Valentine,” Leon Russell
(for the LEONLIFERS)
8. “Red’s Tight Like That,” Tune Wranglers
(for JIM & JACKIE KARSTEIN)
9. “Steel Guitar Rag,” Merle Travis
10. Stompin’ at the Savoy,” Michael H. Price and His Western Swingmasters
11. “Bees in my Bonnet,” Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys
(for CYNTHIA HACKATHORN and STEVE LEWIS)
12. “Little Coquette,” Truitt Cunningham and His San Antone Rose Band.
13. “Four, Five, or Six Times,” Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies
14. “Your Old Love Letters,” Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys