Down Home Cookin’, a show I host Thursdays on WDBX 91.1 FM (http://www.wdbx.org) 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM plays American roots music and covers the music scene in Carbondale, IL. One of the show’s features that goes over real well is The Homegrown Playlist, seven consecutive songs each week by artists from the area. I’m including the Homegrown Playlist from October 23 here, along with pics of the artists in it.
Back in February Chris Chamness appeared on Down Home Cookin ‘, my weekly radio show on WDBX FM in Carbondale, Illinois. We talked about his life and music, and he shared some of his songs. It turned out to be over twenty minutes of really good radio. And you can check it out below. Click on the arrow.
Homegrown, the musical duo of Ruth Ann Levinson and Rick Droit, appeared live a month back on Lonesome Roy’s Radio Hoedown, which airs on WDBX FM 91.1 Fridays 11:00 AM to 1 PM. I happened to be sitting in that day for Loy Addington, the show’s legendary host, and loved it. The show was too fun, and there’s a recording of it below.
A shout out here to Janice Paull, station manager at WDBX, for getting the show’s audio file to me. Thanks, Janice.
The Homegrown Playlist is one of the most popular segments of Down Home Cookin’, which airs every Friday 1-3 PM Central time on WDBX 91.1 FM, Carbondale IL (www.wdbx.org). The segment is an extended playlist of the best acts from the region (and they are very, very good). Right up above this paragraph, that’s a typical example of the Homegrown Playlist. Click on it and enjoy some fine tunes.
Maybe watching cable news makes it seem like there’s no hope: Democracy, justice, progress, escaping ecological calamity, even human decency are lost causes. But writing off all hope for everything good and/or hopeful is a self-fulfilling prophecy, that’s obvious. So, may you still believe. Here’s the words to a song about all that (with an mp3 below them):
MAY YOU STILL BELIEVE
WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG
YOU SAID LOVE WOULD FIND A WAY
TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH
SURE AS DAWN COMES EVERY DAY
BUT NOW YOU’RE GROWN
WATCHIN THAT CABLE NEW
AND SEEIN HOW THINGS ARE
SURE GIVES YOU THE BLUES
CHORUS:
MAY YOU STILL BELIEVE
MAY YOU STILL BELIEVE
DESPITE ALL THE NEWS YOU RECEIVE
MY FRIEND–MAY YOU STILL BELIEVE
IN SCHOOL YOU PLEDGED
YOURSELF TO THE LAND OF THE FREE
ONE LAND UNDER GOD–JUSTICE AND LIBERTY
NOW STEAD OF BLACK
AND WHITE THERE’S SHADES OF GRAY
WHAT’S JUST AND WHO IS FREE
SOME DAYS YOU CAN’T SAY
CHORUS
YOU SAY THAT GOD
IS WHERE WE GO AND ALL COME FROM
YOU SAY THAT GOD IS LOVE
AND GOD’S RULE ONE DAY WILL COME
YET MADMEN BATHE IN BLOOD
TO PLEASE THEIR GOD
AND ASK GOD TO BLESS THEIR
CRUSADE OR JIHAD
CHORUS/REPEAT CHORUS
Check out the recording:
In 2017 Regina Zavala journeyed to Carbondale from her native Honduras attend Southern Illinois University. She almost immediately joined into the local music scene. Her vocals, guitar works, and songwriting turned heads, and her charm made her friends everywhere. In Time she transferred from SIU to University of Texas, where she earned a Masters degree. Then she made us all glad by finding work around here and returning.
Again she lit up the local scene, and we enjoyed that for a good year. The time came recently, though, when she felt the need to return to her homeland. We all wish her the best there, and hope we’ll see her again. I’m happy that not long before her departure, she stopped by WDBX along with her good friend Stick Gilbert for a farewell performance, on Down Home Cookin’. A recording of the show is right below, and I hope you’ll check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
Kent McDaniel
In June we celebrated my birthday with a show at PKs, that venerable Carbondale showcase. It might’ve been my best birthday thing ever. For real. Lots of friends showed up to catch the show and/or be part of it. Fine players made it and cut loose. Drummer Charlie Morrill, bassist/flautist Dorothy McDaniel, Banjoist Lew Hendrix, Blues Man Tawl Paul, Queens of latin folk Colleen Springer-Lopez and Regina Zavala, rockers Rick Droit and Dr. Ted, and let us not forget The Misfit Pirate, Michael Eric, nor of course the incredible Kendall Bell and Eva Joy. Oh, hey, and Blossom The Clown. Good music and good vibes prevailed. Long will I remember. And Georgia De La Garza shot some great pictures. Here’re some of them.
I played on that album, and wrote several songs for it. The whole thing’s streaming free at: www.tawlpaul.bandcamp.com.
Kendall and Eva Joy sang fantastic back-up on “Down Home Cookin'” for an album in the works of that title. The song’s streaming free already at https://kentmcdaniel.bandcamp.com/track/down-home-cookin-2. And while you’re on the page, check out “Back to the Valley”. They sing beautiful back-up on that, too.
And then things ratcheted on up: Blossom The Clown (AKA Bethany Kerley) breezed into the bar bearing birthday gifts and generating smiles and laughter all over the place. Which set things up just fine for the next players, Colleen and and Regina, who had Miz D. and me up and dancing.
The grand finale of the night, Dan Marsh doing “Dog and Cat” with us, escaped the camera, unfortunately. But check out his Dog and Cat album streaming free here: https://wordpress.com/view/dumbfoundingstories.com
This is a video of my wife Dorothy and I playing “Dog and Cat,” a song written by our good buddy, Dan Marsh. We originally recorded this for #closedmicnight, a weekly project by Carbondale musicians, which is raising money for local charities and nonprofit groups. We love this song.
“Dog and Cat” appears on Dan Marsh’s album of the same title.
Here’s Dan’s version of the song from his album. (You may notice a couple small changes to the lyrics we made.)
Here’s a vide of Dorothy McDaniel, Stick Gilbert, and me (Kent McDaniel) jamming live on WDBX 91.1. Carbondale. Rolling with some Jimmy Reed.
Here’s an article Carbondale Times ran about Dorothy and me back in June. We appreciate it, and like the new merging of Carbondale Nightlife with Carbondale Times.
By Dakota Holden
updated: 6/22/2018 5:44 PM
The McDaniels will make their debut at PK’s in Carbondale June 23. The blues and rock will start at 9 p.m.
The McDaniels are Kent (guitar, vocals) and Dorothy McDaniel (bass).
Kent McDaniel originally performed in Carbondale in the 1970s with The McDaniels Brothers Band, splitting shows with Shawn Colvin, opening for Earl Scruggs, and often sharing the stage with Tawl Paul. The McDaniel Brothers were a PK’s regular, playing every Thursday night until Kent moved out the region.
Kent moved to Chicago in 1980. He tells Nightlife he bumped into Dorothy riding the train into the loop. She was going to her oboe recital, and he was on his way to see Koko Taylor. They decided to attend both events with each other. They later married and started a family of their own. They have been playing music together ever since as The McDaniels. In the past year, they both moved to Carbondale.
“No matter where I lived, I have always searched for a place that felt like home,” Kent says. “When I moved back to Carbondale, it finally felt like home.”
Since their return, they have hosted and performed on WDBX, played small shows at Tres Hombres and Celebrate 618, and now PK’s for their first full-length show.
The McDaniels have an interesting combination of influences. Dorothy grew up playing with a strong classical background, teaching Kent theory and how to read sheet music. In return, he taught her the art of improvisation and memorization of music.
The McDaniels have been working with Jim Foerster at Mole Hole Studios on new music and are excited to release their recordings. Their song “When the Blues Come Knocking” features B.B. King-style rhythms and tasteful leads as well as beautiful background vocals.
The McDaniels’ debut will feature guests including Stick Gilbert (percussion), Lew Hendrix (banjo) and Tawl Paul. It also happens to be Kent McDaniel’s birthday that night, so make sure to give a proper Carbondale welcome.
Music is available through kentmcdaniel.bandcamp.com.
Who: The McDaniels
When: June 23
Where: PK’s
Dumbfounding Stories 