It’s a special time in T-Town, as the far-flung group of music lovers known as the LeonLifers have gathered in Tulsa for a weekend full of events, centered around Leon Russell’s famous — and newly refurbished — Church Studio. In acknowledgement of their visit, this Saturday’s broadcast of SWING ON THIS will feature not only Russell himself, doing a Ray Price tune, but the Brazos Valley Boys’ new version of one of Leon’s greatest hits.
We also remember the great drummer — and a wonderful friend to the program — Jim Karstein, who passed away last Sunday at the age of 78. And I’ll start everything off with another Bob Wills tune from the early ‘40s that likely got on the nerves of Uncle Art Satherley, the band’s Columbia Records representative. Uncle Art thought Bob’s fans wanted simple music, fiddle breakdowns and such, while Bob kept experimenting with a big-band sound and pulling material from sometimes unlikely sources. Saturday, Bob turns the Texas Playboys loose on a tune that goes all the way back to 18th Century England.
All that and plenty more this Saturday at 7 p.m. Tune us in on radio station KWGS, 89.5 FM, in the Tulsa listening area, or find us on the computer streaming live at publicradiotulsa.org.
1. “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
(for MICHAEL BATES)
2. “Kentucky Swing,” Shelby Eicher
3. “Memories and Wine,” Solid Gold Band
(for TROY & ANNA PIERCE and the GLASS LIFTERS)
4. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies
5. “I’ll Be There If You Ever Want Me,” Leon Russell
(for the LEONLIFERS)
6. “Lil’ Liza Jane,” Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys
(for HAMILL TIME)
7. “Tulsa Shuffle (Revisited), Tractors
(in memory of JIM KARSTEIN)
8. “Huntin’ Business All the Time,” Jimmy Wyble
(for MOREY SULLIVAN)
9. “Thanks E.T. Thanks A Lot,” Billy Parker
(for JACK & CAROLE BENDER)
10. “San Antonio Rose,” Steve & Ben Somers Country Band
(for AP MCQUIDDY and WAYNE MCCOMBS)
11. “Farther on Down the Road,” Hank Thompson w/Billy Gray
(for KEVAN JAMES)
12. “She Took,” Johnnie Lee Wills and His Boys
(for CHUCK BRUMLEY)
13. “This Masquerade,” Brazos Valley Boys
13. “Time Changes Everything,” Country Cousins Band
(for RAY BINGHAM)