Rolling the Stones with Chuck Leavell & Bernard Fowler... Plus Rockabilly Gentleman, Narvel Felts

The Rolling Stones have been around for over five decades and touring almost as long. This week we listen back to Stones songs about working people, the band’s sources in blues, country and gospel, and speak with two of their sidemen who share their tales of working with the group. Pianist and Rolling Stones music director, Chuck Leavell got a fateful call to join the band in 1982 while working on his family’s Georgia tree plantation, but before that he played with the Allman Brothers. Singer and percussionist Bernard Fowler was touring with Herbie Hancock before he got the call to come work with the Stones. He recently made a spoken word recording of their songs as social commentary. Then a conversation with Missouri’s own Narvel Felts, who tells us about his journey from the cotton fields to the famed studios of Sun and Mercury Records as a rockabilly singer, and later adventures in country and pop. Narvel is a marvel—a maker of some of the best rock n roll songs you’ve never heard.

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: We Got a Good thing Goin' The Rolling Stones

The BBC Tapes 1963/66, Youtube

Catfish Blues Muddy Waters

American Folk Blues Festival '62-'65, Evidence

Lost Highway Hank Williams

The Complete Hank Williams, Mercury

Faraway Eyes The Rolling Stones

Some Girld, Virgin

Salt of the Earth The Rolling Stones

Beggars Banquet, Decca

Factory Girl The Rolling Stones

Beggar's Banquet, Decca

Instrumental: Evening Train Chuck Leavell

Back to the Woods, Crosscut Records

SEGMENT: Chuck Leavell

Baby Please Don't Go Mississippi Fred McDowell

I Do Not Play No Rock 'n Roll: The Complete Sessions , Capitol

You Gotta Move The Rolling Stones

Sticky Fingers, Virgin

Instrumental: Ventilator Blues Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown

Paint It, Blues , House of Blues

Painted Black Live The Rolling Stones

Live in 2006, Youtube

Don't Let the Devil Ride Campbell Brothers

Can You Feel It?, Ropeadope

SEGMENT: Bernard Fowler

Closing Bed: I Can't Get No (Satisfaction) Jr. Wells

Paint It, Blues, House of Blues

HOUR TWO

Open Bed: Rocket Ride Narvel Felts

Narvel Felts Rocks, Bear Family

Rock House Roy Orbison

At the Rock House, Sun

Everybody's Movin Glen Glenn

Glen Rocks, Bear Family

My Many Hurried Southern Trips Porter Wagoner

Wagonmaster, Anti

3000 Miles Narvel Felts

Through The Years Volume 1: 1956-1959, Legacy Series

Reconsider Me Maggie Lewis Warwick

Shreveport Stomp, vol.1: Ram Records, Ace

Reconsider Me Johnny Adams

Johnny Adams Reconsider Me: A Golden Classics Edition, Collectables

Instrumental: Honky Tonk King Curtis

Blow Man, Blow!, Bear Family

SEGMENT: Narvel Felts

Pink and Black Days Narvel Felts

Narvel Felts Rocks, Bear Family

Reconsider Me Narvel Felts

Drift Away: The Best of Narvel Felts 1973-1979, Bear Family

Instrumental:Boogie Woogie Country Gal Linda Gail Lewis and Robbie Fulks

Wild! Wild! Wild! Linda Gail Lewis and Robbie Fulks, Bloodshot

I Want a Lavender Cadillac Maurice King & His Wolverines w/ Bea Baker

OKeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957 , Epic / OKeh / Legacy

If I Can't Have You Jackie Wilson

He's So Fine , Brunswick

Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats w/ Ike Turner

The Best of Chess Rock N' Roll Vol. 1 , MCA/Chess

Down the Line Buddy Holly

Down the Line Rarities , Geffen

Beat It On Down the Line Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead , Warner Brothers

I'm Headin' Home Narvel Felts

Super Songs Narvelized, Cone

Closing Bed: Rocket 88 Boogie Pete Johnston

Arhoolie Piano Blues and Boogie Classics, Arhoolie

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Music & Healing: Part 2