The 1937 Flood Watch Podcast

Susan Nicholas and Taylor Eaton of WSAZ-TV’s Studio 3 hosted a bunch of us this morning to talk about plans for our big “Flood at 50” birthday bash upcoming this New Year’s Eve at Alchemy Theatre.

On …

Returning to Sal’s Speakeasy last night for our latest monthly gig at our favorite Ashland, Ky., venue, we not only had the entire band on stage, but also we were joined by our beloved Floodster Emer…

When we go slippin’ and a-slidin’ into Sal’s Speakeasy in Ashland tomorrow night for our latest gig, we’ll bring with us one of our all-time favorite party tunes.

The song that we call “You Got Me Sl…

As we noted last week, highlights of Floodlandia’s Decembers are holiday visits with Charlie Bowen’s cousin Kathy Castner, who usually can be persuaded each time to sit in with the band for a special…

Most of the world heard “My Dear Companion” when it was featured on the 1987 Trio album released by superstars Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, with songwriting credits going to Kentu…

Not many bands that can brag of being active for 50 years, but The 1937 Flood is celebrating its Golden Anniversary this year. And we’re hoping you will come out and join the fun!

Alchemy Theatre’s Mi…

Eighty-nine years ago today, one of America’s greatest — though least-known — blues artists died after months of illness.

Gaunt and frail, Arthur Blake — known to blues aficionados by his stage name,…

As an anthem to angst, George and Ira Gershwin’s bittersweet counter-love song “But Not For Me” was well ahead of its time.

The brothers penned the song in 1930 for the stage musical “Girl Crazy,” in …

Charlie Bowen played this song for David Peyton on the first night they jammed together at a New Year’s Eve party 50 years ago.

“July, You’re a Woman” was the one of the best tunes in the repertoire …

In the single year of 1925, Tin Pan Alley composer Ray Henderson wrote three — count ‘em, THREE — classics in the great American songbook: “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Has Anybody Seen My Girl?” (“…Five foo…

In the winter of 1969, Bob Dylan arrived in Tennessee with only four songs completed for his Nashville Skyline recording sessions.

Over the next few days at the Columbia studio and in his rooms at th…

Born in New Orleans in 1899, Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson was one of America's great blues and jazz artists, touring with Bessie Smith, recording with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, with Charlie Chri…

When The Flood first started doing this song some 40 years ago, Charlie’s sweet mother asked where such an odd little tune came from. We didn’t want to tell her the truth.

“Mom, it was a popular party…

Bob Dylan was 20 years old, lovesick and lonely in 1962. His beautiful girlfriend, Suze Rotolo, had prolonged her stay in Italy indefinitely, and Bobby wouldn’t see her again for almost another year.

…

Midway through his seven-year stint with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the brilliant arranger/composer Sy Oliver wrote this tune, which became a huge late World War II-era hit for the band.

The chart-t…

Ashland, Ky., native Clyde McCoy and his orchestra recorded this song for Columbia in 1933 and then for the next half century he continued to perform it in front of crowds all over the country.

In fa…

The story of Charles Joseph “Buddy” Bolden — also known as King Bolden — is the story of jazz itself at its very beginnings. A trumpet player in New Orleans in the first years of the 20th Century, Bo…

The melody had three daddies — in 1944 bandleaders Duke Ellington and Harry James collaborated with alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges to develop the tune — but it was those sassy lyrics that made the so…

We have great memories of attending folk festivals over the years. One of the fondest is the time we heard the original Red Clay Ramblers back in 1977. That was just a few years after that great old …

A hundred years ago, much of America was having a wild and crazy party.

Forgot about the labor wars. Forgot about the spread of Jim Crow and the KKK marching in Washington. Forgot about the doors ban…