Opening the "Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia," Part 4 -- Winding up our four-part miniseries in conversation with Rick Pender, author of "The Stephen Sondheim Encyclopedia," and featuring selections from such classic musicals as "Follies," "Gypsy," "Into the Woods" and "Company."

The Sundilla Radio Hour for the week of 06/04/2023.

ABE PARTRIDGE returns to WoodSongs with a brand new album, “Love in the Dark.” He is a true multi-faceted performer from the Deep South, a brilliant songwriter & creator of unique folk art and paintings. “Abe Partridge has established himself as one of the most respected songwriters and visual folk artists in the southeast.” — AMERICAN SONGWRITER MAGAZINE.

THE GOODWIN BROTHERS band are brothers, Jonathan and William Goodwin, and perform with their childhood friend, Chase Bush. They have been singing together since the three of them were kids, growing up in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. The Appalachian power grass trio have a new album being released by Pinecastle Records.

Adalyn Ramey is an 11-year-old from Pikeville, KY.

This week we're getting to know a musician named Dietrich Becker who was active in Hamburg in the middle of the 17th century. We'll hear some of his sacred concertos and sonatas performed by Hamburger Ratsmusik, plus music by contemporaries like Johann Schop and Matthias Weckmann.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we return to the blues with Memphis' native son, Chris Pitts and The Memphis Prime, live from Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, MS. 

During a summer, 1994 break from the rigorous road schedule for the Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, and Matt Abts retreated to a Florida recording studio to record a series of demos for their side project, Gov’t Mule. Those sessions yielded a few songs that would go on to become Gov’t Mule favorites, including “Blind Man in the Dark.” The sessions were finally issued in 2016 at The Tel-Star Sessions. We’ll hear music from that release on this episode as well as selections from the Grateful Dead’s From the Mars Hotel.

Ozark Highlands Radio is a weekly radio program that features live music and interviews recorded at Ozark Folk Center State Park’s beautiful 1,000-seat auditorium in Mountain View, Arkansas.  In addition to the music, our “Feature Host” segments take listeners through the Ozark hills with historians, authors, and personalities who explore the people, stories, and history of the Ozark region.

This week, Ozark original multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator, audio engineer and OHR host, our very own Mark Jones recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park.  Also, interviews with Mark as well as with his long time friend, country music superstar Marty Stewart.

Anyone who listens to Ozark Highlands Radio will be familiar with the fun loving and friendly voice of Mark Jones, the keeper of our “Vault.”  In August of 2021, we lost Mark to Covid-19.  His passing was a profound loss to all of us, both professionally and personally.  Please join us as we pay tribute to the life and legacy of our dear friend, Mark Jones.

Mark Alan Jones was born in 1955 to Country Music Hall of Fame & Grand Ole Opry performers Louis "Grandpa" Jones and Ramona Jones in Nashville, Tennessee.  As a young man, he toured across the country with his famous parents making appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and the television show "Hee Haw.”  He performed with numerous other artists including the Willis Brothers, the Wright Brothers, and Jimmy Driftwood's Rackensack Folklore Society.  He also worked as a sound engineer for the Statler Brothers.

Mark toured with renowned guitarist, Doyle Dykes, playing in churches throughout America.  He was a regular performer at the Grandpa Jones Dinner Theatre in Mountain View, Arkansas, and was a founding member of the Arkansas Beanfest.  Mark spent several years playing banjo and running sound and lights at Silver Dollar City and Shepherd of The Hills Outdoor Drama in Branson, Missouri.  He also worked as a performer and sound engineer at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas.

Throughout his life, Mark taught private music lessons helping to preserve traditional folk music.  Even though his life was deeply engrained in music, he enjoyed working with the intellectually disabled and often used his musical talent as a therapeutic tool.  Mark is a 2021 inductee of the George D. Hay Society Hall of Honor.

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, musician, educator, and country music legacy Mark Jones offers archival recordings of himself and a few of his friends demonstrating his true passion, the clawhammer banjo.  Hear Mark playing the tunes Mountain Whippoorwill, Cripple Creek and John Hardy, from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

Author, folklorist and songwriter Charley Sandage presents an historical portrait of the people, events and indomitable spirit of Ozark culture that resulted in the creation of the Ozark Folk Center State Park and its enduring legacy of music and craft.  This week, Charley celebrates 50 years of the Buffalo National River.  This episode continues our tour of places “you shouldn’t miss” and other remarkable spots along the 135 miles of America’s first national river, as well as where to find information about park events, facilities and services.  Featured are interviews with park ranger & interpreter and Buffalo National River Partners Board member Kevin Middleton and Buffalo National River Partners Board Chairperson Terrie Martindale.

Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Mitsuko Uchida, Piano and Director
José Maria Blumenschein, Concertmaster and Leader

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503
Schoenberg: Kammersymphonie No. 1
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat Major, K. 595
Schoenberg: Langsam from Sechs kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19, No. 2 (encore)

And this is it. To quote Commander Cody, this is the “bendin’ end.” The last episode of Geezer Rock. To close out the series, I’ve got a new single from Yes, other goodies from Rundgren’s Utopia and Kansas, and a few different incarnations of Journey’s Neil Schon, who has a new live album out, looking at the early days of Journey, with help from original Journey organist Greg Rolie. Thanks for listening over the years. Peace and love.

Summer's here and it's the perfect weather for a cocktail party!  This week's music mix features classic standards, lush 80's ballads, and hip indie chill.