Sharon Shannon

A post of songs performed by my favorite accordionist, the Galway Girl, Sharon Shannon. I have seen her live before, and her concerts are as much fun in persons, as they appear in the videos.

"Potholes"



"The Neck Belly Reels"



I can't do a post on Sharon Shannon without including this Steve Earle song, "Galway Girl"

Earl Scruggs (1924-2012)

To mark the passing of Earl Scruggs earlier today, I am posting below a video of "Earl's Breakdown".

First though, here are links to my six previous posts that have included video of his performances. Oddly, it seems like a lot of these are of Earl playing guitar, instead of banjo. I will have to do a future post of all banjo performances.

Performing "Foggy Mountain Rock" with Josh Graves

Performing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" with Steve Martin

Performing "I'm On My Way To Canaan Land" with Lester Flatt

Performing "Keep On The Sunny Side" with Charlie Daniels and Mac Wiseman

Playing "Paul and Silas" on the guitar

Performing with Lester Flatt, another version of "I'm On My Way To Canaan Land" and the Carter Family song "Jimmy Brown the Newsboy"

Katheen Edwards play Iris Dement.

Kathleen Edwards performs a cover of Iris Dement's song "Our Town"

Gospel Blues

Carolyn Wonderland performs a bluesy medley of "I Shall Not Be Moved" and "Down By the Riverside".

Well, Well, Well

No video to go with this, but this is two of my favorite singers, so I am posting it anyway. Maria Muldaur, with some help from Mavis Staples, sings "Well, Well, Well".

Laurie Lewis

Here are a three great bluegrass songs performed by Laurie Lewis. Of all music genres bluegrass probably has the highest percentage of songs about death, which in fact is the subject of each of these. Still they are fairly upbeat songs.

"Who Will Watch the Home Place"



"Here Today"



"Tall Pines"

I Am Weary, Let Me Rest

"I Am Weary, Let Me Rest" performed by the Cox Family. I believe this is from the Down From the Mountain tour.

My Dear Own Galway Bay

My favorite song about Ireland is still "Song For Ireland" performed by Mary Black. I posted that for St. Patrick's Day two years ago. (Mary Back - 3/17/2010) That being said, here is another good song about Ireland performed by Dolores Keane—"My Dear Own Galway Bay".

Prison

A post to mark Rod Blagojevich's first day in the Federal Pen.

Johnny Cash - "Folsom Prison Blues"



Jimmie Rodgers - "In the Jailhouse Now"



Sam Cooke - "Chain Gang"

Etta James

I found a couple more clips of Etta James performances. The video on these is not all that great, but the audio is pretty good, and that's what counts.

A cover of the Eagles' "Take It To The Limit"



"Tell Mama"



"Damn Your Eyes"

In the Garden

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Delois Barrett Campbell and Professor Alfred Miller performing "In the Garden".

I found this video a couple days ago, and decided to use it for today's post. Then this morning I heard an interview with Marilynne Robinson about her new book, When I Was a Child I Read Books. She talks about this very song. Though I have heard this song many times, her interview was the first time I realized that the song was written from the perspective of Mary Magdalene.

Kasey Chambers

A couple videos from one of my favorite songwriters, and a great country singer from down under, Kasey Chambers.

"If I Could"



The Dead Ringer Band—consisting of Kasey, her father, mother and brother—perform the Gram Parson's song, "Sin City".



"The Captain"

Wanda Jackson on Mountain Stage

Some clips from Wanda Jackson's appearance last summer on Mountain Stage. She also discusses how Elvis Presley convinced her to switch from County to Rock & Roll. Complete audio of the concert available here.

You Gotta Serve Somebody

Mavis Staples and Jonny Lang perform Bob Dylan's song "You Gotta Serve Somebody".

I posted another great version of this song by Mavis' father, Pops, in this post of Bob Dylan Covers (8/23/09).

Beyond the Sun

Chris Isaak released an album last year titled Beyond the Sun. It was recorded at the Sun Studio in Memphis where Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis made their early recording. Some videos related to the album.

I also posted a great video of Isaak and Stevie Nicks performing "Red River Valley" back on my 9/13/10 post.

"It's Now Or Never" & "Great Balls Of Fire"—Both songs on the album



Isaak discussing recording the album.



This song is not on the album, but I can't pass up this video of Isaak and Jerry Lee Lewis Performing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".