This episode of Backroads & Banjos comes to us from Putnam Valley, NY with our guest John Cohen. Perhaps best known for his work as a founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers, John …

This Backroads & Banjos focuses on Indianapolis fiddle player John W Summers. According to Art, Summers is the best fiddler that he’s ever recorded. In the first segment, we hear how Summers’ father taught him to play as well as an excellent recording of Art accompanying Summers on the banjo.

Art celebrates the life of Lawrence McKiver, the longtime lead songster for the McIntosh County Shouters, a Georgia group representing the last community in America to perform the traditional ring shout — a centuries-old black form of ecstatic worship that marries singing, percussion and movement. Having learned the tradition from his grandparents, who were former slaves, McKiver is responsible exposing the ring shout tradition to a whole new audience outside of the Coastal Georgia community of Bolden.

Art welcomes Atlanta music legend Beverly “Guitar” Watkins into the studio to play some tunes and chat about an amazing career playing blues, r&b, and pop music. Born at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Watkins’ career started in 1959 when she was recruited by Piano Red where she spent many years as a member of Dr. Feelgood and the Interns.

Art takes a look at the lost volume of the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music. Perhaps the most influential and certainly the most revered collection of early old-timey and country music from the 1920s and 1930s, the original 1952 release of the Anthology included three 2 LP volumes. However, it was later revealed that a 4th volume was in the works by collector Harry Smith. After Smith lost interest in the project, this volume stayed unreleased until 1999 when Revenent Records released it as a 2-disc CD set.

Art welcomes author Wayne Daniel, author of the book Pickin’ On Peachtree: A History of Country Music in Atlanta, GA, to chat about the centennial of the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention. Though some people believe that country music went directly from the mountains to Nashville, it was the Georgia Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention that first brought country music to prominence on the streets of downtown Atlanta.