July marks the end of the first round of episodes of the locally-produced music show Legends & Lyrics, and the lineup of songwriters and local connections couldn’t be better. With legendary classic songwriters such as Jimmy Webb, Ed Bruce and Jessi Colter, and contemporary classic songwriters such as John Hiatt, Shawn Colvin and Phil Vassar on the show, our airways will be an embarrassment of musical riches this month. But that’s not even the half of it.
Along with the featured songwriters in-the-round, each episode includes a “Legend” and “Rising Star” segment. On Saturday, July 4, the “Legend” segment will profile “Cowboy” Jack Clement, he of Sun Records and Jerry Lee Lewis fame. Clement has worked with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich and Elvis Presley; penned “Ballad of a Teenage Queen;” produced Charley Pride; and made movies (see Shakespeare Was a Big George Jones Fan: Cowboy Jack Clement’s Home Movies). Garth Brooks is profiled on July 11. On Saturday, July 18, Nashville’s own Will Hoge, one of the hardest working rock and roll singer-songwriters in town, is the show’s “Rising Star.” There are many in Nashville, and around the country, who’d argue with the “Rising” part of that, and we’d agree, but any time we can get Will Hoge on the air, we’ll take it, whatever they want to call him. The show was taped before his serious scooter accident last year, and we’re glad he’s doing well and is back to playing.
In 2004, Jason Crigler’s life was taking off. He was one of New York’s hottest young guitarists, his new CD was due for release and his wife, Monica, was pregnant with their first child. Then, at a gig in Manhattan, Jason suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage. His doctors doubted he could ever emerge from his near-vegetative state. The astonishing journey that followed, documented by filmmaker and friend Eric Daniel Metzgar in P.O.V.: “Life. Support. Music.” (Tuesday, July 7), is a stirring family saga and a portrait of creative struggle in the face of overwhelming tragedy.
Tune in Friday, July 24, when Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush make there debut on the gorgeously-shot Soundstage. Ben Harper is Live From the Artists Den … at Bonnaroo 08! Jackson Browne’s on Soundstage and Dolly’s Live in London. It’s another great month of music programming in NPT.
Happy Fourth of July!
Read the Rest of the NPT Music Monthly July 2009 on the wnpt.net news page. It’s the complete listing of all the music programming coming to NPT this month, including all the above mentioned artists, plus The Capitol Fourth, Jakob Dylan, Jackson Browne, OneRepublic, Lucinda Williams, Sharon Jones and plenty more. Subscribe for free at wnpt.net. Tell your friends!
