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 06/20/2022.

STEPHANIE URBINA JONES and her history-making Honky Tonk Mariachi are blowing hearts and minds wide open with a new style fondly called ‘country with chili peppers’. From the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry to the two-stepping dance halls of Texas to festivals around the world, Jones tours internationally including appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Magic Town Music Fest in Mexico, Festival Country Rendezvous in France, Country Gold in Japan, Gstaad Festival in Switzerland and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Fest in Scotland.

ALEX MILLER is a Kentucky boy from Lancaster who caught global attention from American Idol. Most recently, signing with Nashville-based Billy Jam Records for his soon-to-be-released debut album, MILLER TIME. Performing professionally since an early age, including as a WoodSongs Kid, he’s opening for Hank Jr, Josh Turner, Rhonda Vincent, Shenandoah and others.

George Fields is a 15-year-old from Stamping Ground, Kentucky. He is a sophomore at Western Hills High School where he plays trumpet with the school band; however, his true passion is bluegrass music. George grew up listening to bluegrass and began playing the mandolin at age 7. At age 10, George started playing his signature instrument, the five-string banjo; and in the last year, he has also learned to play the fiddle. He enjoys attending bluegrass jams with his father and younger brother.

This week’s episode features G. E. Smith and LeRoy Bell celebrating the release of their new album, Stony Hill.

Grammy nominated blues man, Guy Davis, will be with us to deliver an installment of the Blues Hall of Fame, an exploration of the lives of the pioneers and innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

We’ll hear music from Kevin Morby’s This Is A Photograph as well as selections from Misadventures of Doomscroller, the upcoming eighth studio album from Los Angeles-based band Dawes.

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, Gatlinburg, Tennessee based neo-traditional bluegrass quintet The Po' Ramblin’ Boys recorded live at Ozark Folk Center State Park.  Also, interviews with Ramblin’ Boys guitarist and vocalist, Josh Rinkel.

“At a time when most people feel constantly distracted by technology and barraged by the news, authenticity and straightforward honesty are paramount.  There’s something about the music of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys that cuts right through the noise of the world and speaks plainly to the soul.  Formed in the Smoky Mountains, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are at once exactly what you would expect and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee Bluegrass outfit.  No strangers to hard work, the boys are as much at home riding in their restored Eagle tour bus as they are crawling underneath to fix it when it needs maintenance.  But they take pride in being ambassadors of their genre, and the group has brought their music from rural bluegrass festival stages to the rock clubs of Europe, and even the GRAMMY Red Carpet, with stunning results.  ‘I think to a certain extent everyone is just craving music that they can feel, and any music that feels real will reach any audience’ says CJ Lewandowski, the groups founder, ‘We want to put bluegrass right where it’s least expected.’  Perhaps this mindset is why the group earned the title of Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 IBMA Awards.”
https://www.theporamblinboys.com  

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1981 archival recording of Ozark original Ervin Freeze performing the traditional song “Charming Betsy,” 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.  In this episode, Charley continues our celebration of 50 years of the Buffalo National River with a profile of the Buffalo National River Partners, a civic organization that supports the river in innumerable ways.

Enjoy an electric hour of the Blue Canvas Orchestra’s beloved tribute to the Woodstock Music Festival on this episode of Tent Show Radio. 

In 1969, nearly half a million people gathered on a dairy farm northwest of New York City for a three-day rock concert and celebration of peace, love, and music that became one of the most defining moments of their generation. Featuring the Blue Canvas Orchestra, this multimedia event pays tribute to the festival, the artists, and to the spirit of the sixties that was epitomized by the legendary event.

See Back to the Garden: The Music of Woodstock live at Big Top Chautauqua this July! Tickets are $26 for Adults and ½ Price for Youth 17 & Under. Head over to www.bigtop.org for tickets. 

Hey now, it’s time to climb on board the Geezer Rock train for your weekly excursion through the vast tundras of time and rhythm. This week, Jeff is Playing for Change, with Carlos Santana, his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, and a host of musicians from far-flung locations. And the Featured Geezers are the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who’ve got a new album chock full of Bob Dylan songs—and ONLY Bob Dylan songs. It may take a train to cry, but Geezer Rock will take you around the world with Bob and his kind buds.

This week on the Mixtape, I share songs that are just too darn hot!   The songs are heat and summer themed.