Honey, Ragamuffin Director of Programmes

Technical Problems?

Ragamuffin's Brian and Mike have been championing music below the radar before the pod was cast . . .

WEATHER REPORT

Summer came running through the back door, suitcase in hand. Lazy hazy days are here at long last! Every shade of green, makes the countryside like a rural patchwork quilt. Birds singin' and snoozin': high Summer at last.

Honey, the labrador snoozin' on the back porch: life's one big lazy yawn. . ..

 

Listeners Comments
 

Mike and Brian!
Just listened to Sunday's broadcast. Excellent! I love the history
lessons your list invokes...the early English railroads, etc.
Doug Bowman - Florida

Hello Brian and Mike, Hope all is well in your world.  I wanted to thank you for adding my music to your exciting program.
Tom Shed - Florida

I stumbled across your site by accident.

What a disaster! I thought I’d heard a lot of songs by a wide range of people but you put my musical knowledge to shame. 

How can the likes of Eric Bibb , Tom Taylor and Slaid Cleaves escaped my attention?

I have listened to 3 of your podcasts back to back and find myself in a wierd mix of meditation and homesick (I was brung up in Bursledon) As I listened images of the crystal clear waters of the   Test, Watercress and pints of 6X beside the Hamble drifted through my mind and dare I say Jack Hargreaves sat in his shed puffing on his pipe. 

I predict I am in for a long night of ale and internet searching, Inspired by your show. 

Thank you for sending me on another journey of musical discovery, I could be away sometime. 

Jon - Cleveland UK.

I've just finished listening to your latest broadcast, proper job boys!! Regards,

Rod - Southampton UK.

You guys are just great.  This is so professionally done.  You’re just the best! 

Alice Stuart - WA USA.

Damn, you fellers do a fine job.  Thanks for keeping
me on your list.  Yer amigo,
Tony Gilliam -Idaho USA

Just finished enjoying the entire program a bit ago,
and shared portions of it w/ friends over for lunch earlier today - excellent job! Love what you guys are doing - it is SO 'downhome,' even for an ol' Texas boy.  Thanks so much for including me in the mix - it is a privilege and an honor.
Tom Taylor - Texas. USA
 

 

TECHNICAL NOTE

All our programmes should stream with no problem using Internet Explorer. Some of our friends have experienced problems with other browsers which insist on saving the entire file to their hard disk. These browsers need to be configured to stream music instead of downloading it.

Summer arrives late in the Shires - with some real Mississippi Heat!

LISTEN TO LATEST SUNDAY IN SHIRES SHOW

The Sunday in the Shires Archive

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Time to put some charcoal on the Barbeque, the coffee pot on the boil, pull a cold tin from the cooler, butter the toast and play some good old 'Storytelling' music. This week we're Mississippi bound: stories of Mark Twain and Life On The River. Music from the late John Hartford, Terry Clarke, David Byboth, Ruthie Foster, Chuck Brodsky, Maura O'Connell, and fine deep South Stories from Minton Sparks.

The playlist:

• No One Will Ever Know - Billy and Harry
  from Back to Basics - Billy and Harry

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PICK OF THE WEEK FROM RAGAMUFFIN MIKE

• Sea Song: The Shelley River Terry Clarke
• Shelley River Terry Clarke
  from Terry Clarke, album Shelley River: an English singer/songwriter in the Irish-American tradition. Truly a great album. 

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  LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI
  

  Ragamuffin Brian gets the Steam Boat Bug! Early stories of Mark Twain: Life On The Mississippi. Wonderful music of the River from the late John Hartford. Get a real feel for life of a river Steam Boat Pilot. Extracts from the P.B.S. movie (1981) Life On The Mississippi, and excerpts from a 'Wired For Books' interview with John Hartford and John Swaim 1986.

• The Julia Bell Swain John Hartford
• Steamboat Whistle Blues John Hartford
• Mississippi Queen John Hartford
• Mama Plays The Calliope John Hartford
• 
  Interview with John Hartford and John Swain: Wired For Books 1986.

  Sound Track Excerpts from 'Life On The Mississippi': P.S.B. 1981.

  Get a musical taste of 'Life On The Mississippi: yesteryear and today!
  

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MY MINDS EYE  - DAVID BYBOTH

• David & Louene
•  (The King & Queen of Melrose Drive)  David Byboth
• The Engineers Song David Byboth
  Stunning First Album from David Byboth. Wonderful stories in song from this 'fresh' talented singer/songwriter, about life and histories past. Beautifully recorded, and sung with a rare passion and interpretation.

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  STORIES IN SONG

• Church - Stages Ruthie Foster
• Walk On - Stages Ruthie Foster
  From Ruthie's Album: 'Stages'. You cannot help but get the real 'Feel' for that Southern-hope Baptist Church, 'Sunday Swing'. Like the characters from a 'streetwise book': Ruthie's music trips, dances and laughs through a Sunday in the Southern States: a rare musical treat!

     

• Clare & Johnny - Colour Came One Day Chuck Brodsky
  Just how many of us have had to deal with a similar situation in our own lives? Worth buying the album just for this one track alone, but make no mistake, this album holds a wonderful collection of Chuck's music. Unique storytelling in song: sympathetic and accomplished musical accompaniment!

     

• Put Her To Rest - This Dress Minton Sparks

  This lady tells a story, like Mama bakes my cakes: 'sweet and wholesome', with a twist of humour and a lesson to be learnt. True Southern storytelling at its very best, where the characters and reality leave indelible pictures in your mind: a rare treat! The interwoven vocal by Maura O'Connell: simply emotively stunning and just a small taste of this wonderful Irish singers range and musical talents.

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  VALERIE SMITH/BECKY BULLER  - HERE'S A LITTLE SONG

   

• Just To Hear You Whisper Baby - Here's A Little Song Valerie Smith/Becky Buller
• Three Little Pigs - Here's A Little Song Valerie Smith/Becky Buller
• 
  Two wonderful tracks from a brand new album on Bellbuckle Records, featuring Valerie Smith and Becky Buller. Valerie and her Band: Liberty Pike are currently touring the UK. (Tour Schedule List.) and this Tour coincides with the release of a completely unique album from the two lady members of the Band: highly recommended: not to be missed! Mmmmmm Has anyone seen Ragamuffin Mike? Rumour has it that he was last seen heading north and west: tent under his arm: heading for South Wales and the musical company of Huw Pudner and Chris Hastings. There must be a welcome in the Welsh Valleys this Summer!!

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  Closing music:

• No One Will Ever Know - Billy and Harry
  from Back to Basics - Billy and Harry from Bellbuckle, Tennessee.

A Ragamuffin Media Production

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LISTEN TO LATEST SUNDAY IN SHIRES SHOW

The Sunday in the Shires Archive

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