AMERICAN GROOVES RADIO HOUR hosted by JOE LAURO

Sidney Bechet's New Orleans Feet Warmers, Louis Armstrong Ochestra, Luke Highnight Ozark Strutters, Harold Arlen w Leo Riseman's Orch, Ethel Waters with James P. Johnson and more and Benny Nawahi's Hawaiian Beach Combers playing the title tune!

The sensational John Scopes "Monkey Trial" of 1924 inspired numerous topical songs . This episode features tunes inspired by that sensational trial that pitted science against religion....From THE JOHN SCOPES TRIAL by Charlie Ochs, The Death Of William Jennings Bryant by Vernon Dalhart to several blues and jazz tunes such as MONKEY MAN BLUES, and EVOLUTION MAMA.

The sensational John Scopes "Monkey Trial" of 1924 inspired numerous topical songs . From THE JOHN SCOPES TRIAL by Charlie Ochs, The Death Of William Jennings Bryant by Vernon Dalhart to several blues and jazz tunes such as MONKEY MAN BLUES, and EVOLUTION MAMA. This episodes features several

Joe features Duke Ellington's amazing FREEZE AND MELT with one of the earliest recorded bass solos ( Wellman Braud!) as well as a killer selection of pre-1935 jazz, blues, country and more

The theme of street walking appears in numerous blues, country and jazz tunes from the pre-war, GREAT DEPRESSION era - we will focus on just a few :Clara Smith , Lucille Bogan, Aileen Stanley and Memphis Minnie had a lot to say on gthe subject!

Many Gospel tunes share a multocultural life. Reverend Gary Davis' amazing I BELONG TO THE BAND is just one example - we will hear Gary's killer version and, for contrast, the same tune performed by Allison's Sacred Harp Singers...and the usual assortmant of other great pre-war jazz, blues and country 78s!

In keeping with our monthly series of THE RAREST OF THE RARE Blues, Jazz, Country, Piano, Skiffle and Sanctified pre-war 78s we are at letters O-P-Q! The Qinlan Brothers, Washington Phillips, Jenny Pope, Memphis Five, Charley Patton, King Oliver, Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra and more!

Sizzling Summer with Duke's Cotton Club Band, Bascom Lamar Lunceford, Ernest Phipps' Holiness Singers, California Ramblers, Fats Waller, Johnny Green's Orchestra, Dixon Brothers, and some songs from the North Carolina Mills! and more!

Mystery man Bayless Rose, Don Redman & His Orchestra , a few Civil War era tunes by Fiddlin' John Carson and Chubby Parker and much more!!

Fats Waller with Benny Goodman in 1931, Wheeler & Wolsey, tunes from the 1933 "CENTURY OF PROGRESS" ( Chicago World's Fair), Uncle Dave Macon, Monroe Brothers, Isham Jones Orchestra, Cliff Jackson's Krazy Kats, Willie Bryant Orchestra and more

Bascom Lamar Lunceford, Ernest Phipps Holiness Singers, Carter Family, Kay Thompson, Fats Waller & His Rhythm , McKinney's Cotton Pickers and more!

Joe presents his guest, 13 year old "Talkies" expert Jack Murphy . Jack's amazing knowledge of early talking film musicals is on display as well as some favorite tracks including Iva Taylor on MOANIN' LOW and AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'!

George M. Cohan was the toast of Broadway from 1904 until his death in 1943. He was the man portrayed by James Cagney in the classic Academy Award winning Warner Brothers musical YANKEE DOODLE DANDY - in this episode we will spend some time hearing original versions of some of Cohan's songs and hear the voice of the man himself!

More gems form Joe's 78 archive - Visiting us this week will be PACKIE DOLAN & HIS BOYS, THE EMERALD TRIO, DAVEY MILLER, SISTER ROSETTA THARPE, SOPHIE TUCKER, BEN SELVIN's BAND and a little fun set of tunes about weight loss from the 1920s-early 30s!

For every Bing Crosby. Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington there were performers and bands trying to jump on their band wagon..IMPOSTERS if you will - this fun episode explores some of these soundalikes -long forgot performers such as Georgie Price and Charlie Palloy who got buy imitating others! - Also famous performers such as Louie Prima and Gene Autry who, early in their careers hung their hats on Louis Armstrong and Jimmy Rodgers respectively!

The Gershwins, Cole Porter, and Jerome Kern were BUSY offering new musical shows to the Great White Way. Tune in for our part TWO of Broadway in the 1930s - all of of the rare original 78 rpm discs!

Continuing our series of "the rarest of the rare" pre-war Blues, Jazz, Country and Gospel recordings, this following Pete Whelan's legendary "78 QUARTERLY" magazine brings us to the likes of Kansas City Frank Melrose, Gene Kardos Orch, Blind Willie Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Jolly Jivers, Freddy Keppard and more!

Beginning in 1904 with Williams & Walkers groundbreaking musical play IN DAHOMEY and peaking in 1928 with BLACKBIRDS OF 1928 Broadway has been no stranger to vibrant and popular "all-black cast" productions. This episode scratches the surface - you will hear BERT WILLIAMS, EDITH WILSON, ETHEL WATERS and other luminaries of BLACK BROADWAY

This episode dedicated to records made in 1926- From Jelly Roll Morton, Peg Leg Howell, Dixieland Jug Blowers, Frank Hutchison to Irving Kaufman!! Bobbed hair and bootleg liquor !

from the late 1920s-mid 1930s country and blues singers often sang about riding the rails - Hoboing if you will

From Jimmie Rodgers to Louis Armstrong we will play some of the songs of the open road!