This week we’ll look a little deeper under the charts, focusing on the year 1959, a time when teenage targeted music encouraged new dances, new forms of self-expression and a sound whose influence went beyond the sweetheart, white bread sounds of middle America. To say the least, older generations associated it all with some sort of moral decline. But the sounds of the post-rock explosion laid the foundation for everything that followed: the rise of the teen market, generational conflict as a defining social theme and a sound that was a vehicle for identity and change. Adolescence itself was being redefined. We’ll tune into one of our favorite themes: under the charts. Songs you likely haven’t heard but a few I’m sure you have; tune in for music from Robin Luke, Tommy Sands, Chuck Berry, Carl Mann, Joe Antel and over two dozen others in a two hour sock hop blast here on KOWS Community Radio.

We’re going to be excavating the country archives, dusting off the 45s and 78s with abandon and making it a morning of deep tracks while the dust on the needle collects. Country music storytelling was often smeared with the tangled webs of cheatin’, drinkin’ and Sunday mornin’s blinding gleam of redemption…and the stories would start all over Sunday night. This week’s show doesn’t look for the hits so much as it looks for examples of classic themes from the late forties right into the seventies. Post-war hillbilly developed into what we know as country music and you’ll be treated this morning to the likes of Tony Douglas, Carl Butler, Anita Carter, Carl Belew and a host of others…some known, some hardly recognized. The selections are a special lot. So drop in why don’t you?

Another free form musical delight is ready and waiting for your ears this coming Friday morning. We dig into some mid-century nuggets from the country genre with Red Foley and Ernest Tubb as well as Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and Joe Ely. That, of course, hardly covers the two hours. There’s also some hot rhythms from NRBQ, Daddy Cleanhead, Slim Harpo, Fats Domino and the sweet and brassy sounds from Billie Holiday, Johnny Mercer, and Babs Gonzales. Our new year won’t make promises but our hopes are all we’ve got, remembering that hate will never win if you don’t let it. There’s been wars fought for much less.