Songs & Stories of the River

As the muddy Mississippi winds its way past us in New Orleans, we’re reminded of the power and place of these waterways in American culture. First, we seek the source of the mighty river at the headwaters in Minnesota. Then listen to stories of steamboat captains, riverboats, and rural fishermen. And learn about New Orleans’s relationship to the river with Tulane professor Richard Campanella. Plus river tales from Captain Doc Hawley, Aaron Neville, and Al Green.

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: Wade in the Water Booker T & the MGs

Soul Men, Stax

Green River Creedence Clearwater Revival

Chronicle , Fantasy

SEGMENT: Mississippi River Headwaters ar Lake Itasca

Excerpt: Wade in de Water Empire Jubilee Quartet

Take Me to the Water, Dust-to-Digitial

Excerpt: At the River Tennessee Mountain Singers

Take Me to the Water, Dust-to-Digital

Burn On Randy Newman

Sail Away, Warner Bros

The Flood Blues Sippie Wallace

Sippie Wallace Vol. 2: 1925-1945, Document

I've Got the Big River Blues Delmore Brothers

Brown's Ferry Blues, County

Big River Johnny Cash

The Essential Johnny Cash, Columbia/ Legacy

Get Down, River The Bottle Rockets

The Mississippi River of Song, Smithsonian Folkways

Instrumental: Deep River Charlie Haden & Hank Jones

Come Sunday, Universal Music Group

The Lure of the South Mamie Smith

Stars of the Apollo, Columbia

SEGMENT: Belle of Louisville Engineer Jim McCoy, and Fishing on the Ohio

Fishing Blues Henry Thomas

Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian Folkways

River Runs Deep JJ Cale

Naturally, Universal

Instrumental: Ol' Man River Kenny Dorham Quintet

A Jazz Hour With The Kenny Dorham Quintet, Intermusic

River's Invitation Percy Mayfield

Creole Kings of New Orleans, Specialty

Lone Gone Lonesome Blues Hank Williams

The Original Singles Collection, Polydor

The River Bruce Springsteen

The River, Columbia

CLIP: Al Green

Take Me to the River Al Green

Anthology, Hi

End Bed: Wade in the Water Ramsey Lewis

Chess Soul - A Decade Of Chicago's Finest, MCA/ Chess

HOUR TWO

The Julia Belle Swain John Hartford

Mark Twang, Flying Fish

SEGMENT: Richard Campanella

God's River Emmett Miller

The Minstrel Man From Georgia, Roots and Blues

CLIP: Dave Bartholomew

Goin' to the River Fats Domino

Out of New Orleans, Bear Family

Instrumental: Moon River King Curtis

Blow Man, Blow!, Bear Family

SEGMENT: Captain Doc Hawley

CLIP: Dr. Michael White

When the Mighty Mississippi Sleeps Dr. Michael White

Dancing in the Sky, Basin Street

CLIP: Eden Brent

Darkness On the Delta Eden Brent

Mississippi Number One, Yellow Dog Records

Thanks for the Beautiful Land on the Delta Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington: New Orleans Suite, Atlantic

Instrumental: Blue Creek James Carter

Conversin' With the Elders, Atlantic

Goin' to Sit Down on the Banks of the River Blind Gary Davis

Harlem Street Singer, Fantasy

Harlem River Blues Justin Townes Earle

Harlem River Blues, Bloodshot

CLIP: Aaron Neville

A Change is Gonna Come Aaron Neville with the Neville Brothers

The Very Best of, A&M

Many Rivers to Cross Jimmy Cliff

The Harder They Come, Island

Wide River to Cross Levon Helm

Dirt Farmer, Vanguard

End Bed: Bright Mississippi Allen Toussaint

Bright Mississippi, Nonesuch

Next
Next

A Grateful Journey: Kris Kristofferson