This week, a tribute to legendary singer-songwriter John Prine by his son Tommy Prine & longtime friend and co-writer Keith Sykes recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.

John Prine was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for his signature blend of humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, often with elements of social commentary and satire, as well as sweet songs and melancholy ballads. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death in 2020.  John was connected to Mountain View, Arkansas through his love of fishing and Jack’s Resort on the beautiful White River.  John visited Mountain View regularly since his childhood and made many friends in the area.  In fact, according to John, his first public performance as a teenager was for fellow patrons at Jack’s White River Resort.
https://www.johnprine.com/about  

Tommy Prine is an American singer-songwriter and is the youngest son of John Prine.  After his father's death in 2020, Tommy decided to pursue a musical career.  At the age of 10, Tommy learned how to fingerpick from his father.  As a teenager, Prine traveled with his father's tour primarily to assist with merchandise, then occasionally joining him on stage for the encore.  While Prine endeavored to create distinct and independent music from his father, his influence is remembered by everything from covering John Prine songs to writing songs about his father.  While Tommy is often compared to John, he developed his own path while acknowledging the legacy of his award-winning father.
https://www.tommyprine.com/  

Once upon a time in the summer of 1967, Keith Sykes hitchhiked to the Newport Folk Festival and saw Arlo Guthrie perform “Alice’s Restaurant.” In the fall of that year he got a copy of the album, learned the whole song and sang it at a Holiday Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. They hired him on the spot for a regular gig playing music in the hotel.  In the more than 40 years that followed, he would become a troubadour and storyteller, a massively successful songwriter with more than 100 songs recorded by artists as diverse as Rosanne Cash and George Thorogood. He would tour every corner of America and play in just about every conceivable kind of venue, appear on Saturday Night Live and Austin City Limits, and host songwriter nights on Memphis’ legendary Beale Street with many of music’s most talented songwriters. He would join Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, tour the country and record the Volcano album – the title track for which he co-wrote with Jimmy.  - http://www.keithsykes.com/

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers a 1976 archival recording of John Prine himself performing his famous song “Paradise,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins discusses the Ozarks’ influence at the “Festival of Festivals,” the first National Folk Festival held in St. Louis, Missouri in 1934. (Part 3)

Ozark Highlands Radio

OHR Presents:  A Tribute to John Prine

A bluegrass type tune on the acoustic guitar backed with the banjo, mandolin and simple percussion.

Jug Band

A dramatic song about a park ranger's hidden love for pickles, filled with longing and mystery. Set to a moody, atmospheric tune, it explores the conflict between desire and secrecy.

Lyrics:
(Verse 1)
Late at night, under neon skies,
We meet in secret, where no one spies.
You and me, a taste so sweet,
A forbidden love that no one can beat.

Green and crisp, you draw me in,
It’s a guilty pleasure, can’t resist the sin.
Every crunch, electric vibe,
This love’s illegal, but we come alive.

(Pre-Chorus)
Pickles on my lips, yeah, we’re breaking the rules,
Dancing in the dark, but we’re playing it cool.
Briny temptation, I can’t get enough,
This is what they call forbidden pickle love.

(Chorus)
Forbidden love, we can’t stop the beat,
Pickles in the night, making us complete.
Dance with me, through the taste and the thrill,
We’ll savor this secret, we always will.
Forbidden love, under flashing lights,
Pickles in the shadows, hidden from sight.
We’re breaking free, but we’re hiding still,
Dancing to the rhythm of forbidden dill.

(Verse 2)
In the club, where the lights flash bright,
You and me, it feels so right.
Salty whispers in my ear,
Pickles in the air, but no one hears.

We’re moving fast, under cover of sound,
Pickle love’s a secret underground.
The DJ’s spinning, the crowd can’t know,
But this briny love, we’ll never let go.

(Pre-Chorus)
Pickles on my lips, yeah, we’re breaking the rules,
Dancing in the dark, but we’re playing it cool.
Briny temptation, I can’t get enough,
This is what they call forbidden pickle love.

(Chorus)
Forbidden love, we can’t stop the beat,
Pickles in the night, making us complete.
Dance with me, through the taste and the thrill,
We’ll savor this secret, we always will.
Forbidden love, under flashing lights,
Pickles in the shadows, hidden from sight.
We’re breaking free, but we’re hiding still,
Dancing to the rhythm of forbidden dill.

(Bridge)
Undercover, we slip away,
In the pickle groove, we just can’t stay.
But the taste of danger’s got me hooked,
Pickle love in every look.

(Chorus)
Forbidden love, we can’t stop the beat,
Pickles in the night, making us complete.
Dance with me, through the taste and the thrill,
We’ll savor this secret, we always will.
Forbidden love, under flashing lights,
Pickles in the shadows, hidden from sight.
We’re breaking free, but we’re hiding still,
Dancing to the rhythm of forbidden dill.

(Outro)
Pickles in the dark, the taste’s so true,
This love is forbidden, but I’m stuck on you.
We’ll dance in the night, where secrets stay,
Our pickle love won’t fade away.

Forbidden (Pickle) Love

lyrics:
Intro:
The crowd is waiting, lights dim low,
They don’t know what’s coming, but they’re here for the show.
A digital storm brews up in the night,
When the banjo drops in, better hold on tight.

Verse 1:
City lights flashin’, beats pound the street,
Tech rules the future, but this sound's so sweet.
He steps on the stage with a banjo in hand,
Not just a musician, a one-man band.
Robots and ravers, they're ready to go,
But they ain’t prepared for that bluegrass flow.
He picks up the strings, electricity hums,
Then he pulls back, BAM—everybody’s stunned!

Chorus:
Hit 'em with the banjo, fast or slow,
Digital beats with a country glow.
Shockwave strummin', make the whole place blow,
Ain’t nothin’ like hittin' ‘em with the banjo!

Verse 2:
Lasers and strobes as the bassline drops,
His banjo strings hit like a hundred watts.
He swings that thing like it’s some kinda sword,
Cyber battles won by a musical chord.
Every pluck strikes deep, every note ignites,
Crowds gettin' rowdy, dancing in the lights.
You’d think it’s a weapon the way people react,
One strum too strong, sends ‘em flyin’ back!

Chorus:
Hit 'em with the banjo, fast or slow,
Digital beats with a country glow.
Shockwave strummin', make the whole place blow,
Ain’t nothin’ like hittin' ‘em with the banjo!

Bridge:
The city rumbles as the banjo speaks,
A fusion of sound for the modern freaks.
From the mountains down to the neon haze,
The banjo’s rebellion breaks through the craze.
He grips it tight—just one more blow,
Gotta let them feel it in their bones before they go.

Outro:
As the final strum fades into the night,
The crowd still feels that electric bite.
He leaves the stage with a wink and a smile,
Hit ‘em with the banjo—gonna take a while.

TheTimeMerchant

hitemwith_THEB4NJ0

Hit'em with the B4NJ0

This week, old-time Appalachian multi-instrumentalists and educators Dan Levenson & Bob Carlin recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park.  Dan and Bob acted as judges at our annual old-time fiddle & banjo contest where they also gave us this masterful evening performance.

“Dan Levenson is an Appalachian native who has grown up with the music of that region.  Today he is considered a respected master teacher and performer of both the clawhammer banjo and Appalachian style fiddle.  Dan performs and teaches regularly throughout the world, including in England, Ireland, Israel and Brazil.  He has taught at many music schools and camps, including in the John C. Campbell Folk School, Mars Hill, Maryland Banjo Academy, The Ozark Folk Center at Mountain View, AR, Banjo Camp North, The Rolland Fiddle Camp and Dan’s own Clawcamp and Old-Time Music instructional weekends held at various locations throughout the country.” - https://clawdan.com/about/  

“Banjoist Bob Carlin has been offering performances, lectures and workshops for over thirty years.  Carlin had largely left the solo arena in the mid-1990s after an invitation to join the band of songwriter John Hartford.  For six years, Bob Carlin toured throughout the United States and Canada with Hartford, even accompanying John on a ten day Japanese sojourn.  Since the death of John Hartford in 2001, Bob Carlin has returned to solo performing, teaching and appearances with other musicians.”
- http://www.bobcarlinmusic.com/teacher+performer/index.htm  

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of Ozark original old-time fiddle champion Shay Pool playing the traditional tune “Grigsby’s,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

In his segment “Back in the Hills,” writer, professor and historian Dr. Brooks Blevins discusses the Ozarks’ influence at the “Festival of Festivals,” the first National Folk Festival held in St. Louis, Missouri in 1934. (Part 4)

OHR Presents: Dan Levenson & Bob Carlin

lyrics:

Intro
I’m just sitting here, staring at the moon,
Quietly hoping for it to fall soon,
Upon this planet, where we all live,
Dude, that would be splendid—let’s play another riff.

Verse 1
Oh... oh my, it’s too late,
And it’s falling, falling, it looks so great,
Getting bigger, soon we’ll be squished by the moon,
Dude, feels like a toon,
Sitting here, staring at the moon.

Chorus
The campfire bristles, sparkles twisting flames,
I keep wondering, have I charmed enough dames?
Played enough games? Oh, I guess I'll never know,
'Cause soon the falling moon will end the show.
Oh my, oh my, dude, feels like a toon,
Sitting here, staring at the moon.

Verse 2
As it draws closer, the night fills with mist,
Everything brightens as it enters the abyss,
Should I go for a last jog or just stay right here?
Oh my, oh my, dude, the end is near,
Feels like a toon, sitting here, staring at the moon.

Bridge
Can’t be long now, the air’s heating up,
The moon’s now a fireball, everyone’s given up,
But I’m still here, sitting by the flame,
Staring at the moon, playing this game.

Chorus
The campfire bristles, sparkles twisting flames,
I keep wondering, have I charmed enough dames?
Played enough games? Oh, I guess I'll never know,
'Cause soon the falling moon will end the show.
Oh my, oh my, dude, feels like a toon,
Sitting here, staring at the moon.

Outro
A few moments pass, earth is no more,
And I’m just floating here in space’s core,
Thinking, what a bummer—have I played enough games?
Have I charmed enough women? Oh, it’s all the same.
Earth’s gone, so is the moon,
Dude, I’m just floatin’, feels like a toon.

LUN4R_CR4SH_BLU35

LUN4R CR4SH BLU35

Multi-instrumental song writer Keith Randall delivers a modern, heart felt, Americana take on living life and celebrating Love over the Holiday season while facing hard times.

The Giving Season's Here

This ol steamboat has a story to tell, so lets settle down and listen.

You may use this for any project that are freely available and open to the public (YouTube, Facebook, ect) so long as it is used along side other content (no audio showcase videos that feature only the music). You may reupload if sufficient changes or alterations are made to the original work, but do not reupload or share this audio to other sites or services. DO NOT enter into a content or copyright management system, even if you make changes.

SteamBoat Threw The Cypress

Yoshi's MultiVerse [Feat. Banjo]

This week, Toronto, Canada old time trio The Lonesome Ace Stringband recorded live at the Ozark Folk Center State Park during our annual String Band festival.  Also, interviews with Lonesome Ace founder and banjo player Chris Coole.

“The Lonesome Ace Stringband bring grit, skill and abandon to Americana music, bridging old-time, bluegrass and folk traditions into a seamless hybrid of original material that is at once fresh and timeless.  The trio’s sound is anchored in the fiddle and clawhammer banjo of John Showman and Chris Coole.  They are joined by a rotating cast of extraordinary upright bassists (including founding member Max Malone, James Mceleney, and Lotus Wight).  The band moves freely between a sound so commanding it doesn’t seem like it should be coming from a stringband, to a sparse fragility that draws the listener closer.  Whether singing about climate change, modern love, BBQ techniques or life's inevitable existential crises, the band cuts to the core.  They can also turn and churn out a tune with so much verve that it will make your heart spin and set the dance floor swirling.”
https://lonesomeace.com/about 

In this week’s “From the Vault” segment, OHR producer Jeff Glover offers an archival recording of Ozark original Lisa Wiede singing the cowboy ballad “John Martin Duffy,” from the Ozark Folk Center State Park archives.

In this week’s guest host segment, renowned traditional folk musician, writer, and step dancer Aubrey Atwater discusses the seafaring song “Jamestown Homeward Bound.”

OHR Presents: The Lonesome Ace Stringband

Greetings from Hershey, PA. My names Keith. I write and record music that lies somewhere in the Americana and Bluegrass traditions. You can catch me performing live throughout North and South Central Pennsylvania and occasionally along the Jersey coast with my Wife Sonya in the Ridge n' Valley Ramblers. Thanks for your interest in my music.

I have a passion for creativity across various domains. As a Music Composer, IT Manager, Photographer, and Videographer, I find joy in weaving together diverse elements to create a harmonious and visually compelling narrative.

My journey in the realm of music composition has felt like a melodic exploration of emotions in storytelling. With a background in both classical and contemporary genres, I specialize in crafting soundscapes that evoke emotions and enhance visual experiences. In creating orchestral arrangements, my compositions aim to elevate and complement the narratives they accompany.

my music is artificial, the lyrics however, are written by yours truly
drop a comment, if you like it make sure to hit that like button.
feel free to repost, download or share my tunes, if you use them somewhere for your own stuff, make sure to mention me.

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 on a musical journey with historians, authors, and personalities who explore the people, stories, and history of the Ozark region.

New tracks tagged #Banjo,