A look at songs about the radio, and a calendar of events on John's Porch

I hope you will join me for John’s Porch this Saturday and Sunday, March 18th and 19th, from ten until noon as I’ve got some nice goodies prepared for you! The weather has been a little all over the place lately, and probably will continue for a little while longer, but here on the porch the sun is shining, the temperature is perfect, and the music is first rate.

On Saturday, for example, I’ve got some new tracks from Ian Jones, Sunny Sweeney and Jamie Lynn Wilson, Dwight Twilley, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Sean Walshe, Tornado Sky, and Jeff Goldblum teaming up with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra featuring Freda Payne for a little jazz. There’s more new stuff, but you get the general idea.

There’s also sides from Nancy Wright, Maria Muldaur, Adrianna Marie, Marija Droze, the teams of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant and Robert Gordon & Link Wray. Plus, there’s Virginia Native, the King Of The Strings his own self, Joe Maphis with a flatpicking special.

There’s even more, this is just a small sample of what’s up my sleeve for this Saturday.

Then there’s Sunday.

It’s supposed to be a day of rest, but I’m not resting anything. I’ve got two, count ‘em, two sets of songs about radio. Or more precisely one set about radio and one set about the DJs who work so hard to keep radio alive and thriving.

Believe me when I tell you, every one of us knows you have a lot of choices for your entertainment and we are always grateful when you choose to join us. Thank you!

Some of the artists contributing to the radio/dj sets are Steely Dan, Electric Light Orchestra, and Queen. Also, Harry Chapin, David Bowie, and Tom Petty.

And that’s just the beginning!

There’s also The Police, Emmylou Harris, and something new from Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello that you won’t want to miss.

Plus there are new sides from Cimarron 615, Matthew Check, and The Band of Heathens.

And since Mrs. Professor gave me my allowance a little early, we’ve got some new to us music from the likes of Junior Brown, Billy Burnette, and Chuck Berry. And a set of duets featuring Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, John Prine and Lucinda Williams, and She And Him.

So set your alarm clock and get that cup of morning brew and settle in on the porch and join in the fun by singing along to some of your favorites, and maybe you’ll find a new tune to brighten up your day. I hope you will be able to join me this Saturday and Sunday, March 18th and 19th from 10 until noon. Please bring along your friends, as we continue to explore familiar and new artists of all stripes. We’re on VPM Music 93.1 and 107.3 and online at VPM.org/listen.

Oh, and here’s a bonus for you. I’ve picked out some great shows coming to town over the next couple of weeks. Let me know what you think, if it get’s a good response, I’ll make sure to keep it up. Just be sure to check with the venue to make sure I have the right performers with the right dates. Any mistakes are solely mine.

Support live music whenever you can!