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Deeper Roots RadioA Century of America's Music Author: Deeper Roots
A walk through the last century of America's roots music, the podcasts for Deeper Roots come to you from productions at Sonoma County's own community radio station, KOWS 92.5 FM, streaming at www.kowsfm.com. Language: en-us Genres: Music, Music History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 18: Backbeat '50
Episode 18
Saturday, 2 May, 2026
It’s a 1950 heatwave of rhythm and blues sounds this morning on Deeper Roots. We’ll move away from anything that might be polite or polished and turn our attention to the sweat-soaked, neon-lit world of rhythm and blues, a sound that was the early morning thunder and lightning just ahead of the dawn of rock ‘n roll. We’re focusing on the year 1950 where jump blues started to grow teeth --- where the saxophones were honking, the backbeats hitting harder, and indie labels from Memphis to LA were capturing lightning in a bottle. From the smoky corners of the Delta to the high voltage clubs of the North, we’re digging deep into the crates for the some pounding rhythms from Dave Bartholomew, Julia Lee, Bull Moose Jackson, Jimmy McCracklin as well as Buddy and Ella Johnson…oh, and some Tiny Bradshaw’s Breaking Up The House. As Chuck Berry pointed out: “…it's got a backbeat, you can't lose it, any old time you use it”.













