Border Radio with Bernie Griffen, Paul Taylor

This was fun. The great cliches of rural american music: factory closures, no good cheatin', "i done a crime and will be hanged", "troubles I got - you have no idea mate", "this town is fucked, i'm leaving" and the classic "all my problems are solved by drinking to excess". As well as few songs about significant weather events and a couple of warnings that war is bad and love is a bit tricky.

All over the place tonight with a blast from 1974 Rory Gallagher, brand spanking new Mary Elaine Jenkins and Sarah Shook and the Disarmers. Some outlaw country that might have actually been a bit shit, Marty Robbins, and some sadly beautiful Slaid Cleaves. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry because Billy's here this week, and a nudge to The Eastern and a couple from Reb Fountain just because those folks are national treasures.

Had some fun with a show full of covers and standards. So you've got your classic In The Pines, Knoxville Girls, Oh Susanna's and Long Black Veils as well as Townes doing Bruce, Joe Strummer doing Bob Marley, Johnny Cash doing Soundgarden, Shovels and Rope doing the Ramones and a lady called Katy Melua doing The Cure's Just Like Heaven so beautifully that people were fizzing on the phone line. Tuck in and enjoy.

Tonight every song is person's name. Kinda fun. So you've got Jolene and Misty & Jimmy, Billy Austin, Big Chief Hightower,  Doctor Brown Rosie Mae, Sara & Rocky Racoon in the mix, by the likes of The Little Willies, The Eastern, James McMurtry, Lightning Hopkins, The Stray Cats, Some Dark Holler, Fleetwood Mac, 6 Day Bender, Neil Young, Greg Brown, Magic Factory, The Beatles and more.