Fred Bals

Although his "Anthology of American Folk Music," released by Folkways in 1952, became essential to America's folk music movement of the 1960s, Harry Smith remained on the fringes of culture. Or, rather, on the avant-garde, as Rani Singh and Andrew Perchuk explain in their new collection of essays about the idiosyncratic filmmaker-artist-bohemian, "Harry Smith: The Avant-Garde in the American Vernacular." - Fred Bals

Our debut issue includes an interview with archivist Mitch Blank and radio host Bob Levinson, assessments of "Together Through Life," a close reading of "Masked and Anonymous," and thirteen distinctive voices discussing Oh Mercy upon the event of its twentieth anniversary. - Fred Bals

I never paid much attention to Deep Tracks until after the merger and a chance listen to Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour. This show originated on XM and came over with the merged channel. Dylan talks and spins music for an hour based around a central theme. That theme could be an object of nature, a time, place or feeling. Whatever the theme, it makes for amazing radio that is interesting to hear. Dylan can be heard on the Deep Tracks Mondays at 8 pm, Wednesdays at 11 am, Thursdays at 12 am and Sundays at 8 am, all times eastern. - Fred Bals

"One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur" (F-Stop/Atlantic Records: deluxe version, $59.98) is another one on the pile. Out this fall for the 40th anniversary of Kerouac's death, the compilation -- a 2007 documentary and its soundtrack -- comes handsomely packaged as a worn, hardcover book. But the cover opens to reveal a cavity. In it are two disc sleeves -- a CD and DVD -- along with a copy of the Penguin paperback of "Big Sur" as well as a slim booklet filled with production/liner notes and never-before-seen photos of a wary-looking Kerouac. Slipped in, as if an afterthought, is a folded sheet of manuscript (a previously unpublished page from "Reflections on Big Sur," 1963) that looks as if it were just dashed off, typewriter on newsprint. - Fred Bals

Someone apparently has it in for Van Morrison. The report on his website the other day regarding him having a baby, picked up by news organizations around the world and even repeated by the unfailingly reliable RWB, was false. In a statement to RTE News in Ireland, Van says: - Fred Bals

"I don't care if the world's ending," one customer said, "I've gotta have my new Dylan." - Fred Bals

The crematorium, autopsy room, and hallways of an outbuilding at the Oregon State Hospital, formerly known as "The Insane Asylum," need to be cleaned. Not exactly a plum assignment. So a prisoner from a nearby penitentiary has been brought in for the job. He's perfect for it. He has no choice. But even the man in prison blues balks at entering one room. When its long-locked door is opened by a visiting photographer--fittingly one of those crazy artist types--the prisoner briefly peers inside but his feet remain firmly planted in the hallway. "The library of dust," murmurs the prisoner, shaking his head as he goes back to his cleaning. - Fred Bals

If the 60s were the decade in which Bob Dylan showed how rapidly he could evolve, every subsequent decade illuminated puzzling and contradictory sides of his talent and persona (family man, arena rocker, born-again Christian, hit-or-miss songwriter). By contrast, the Aughts were a decade in which Dylan stuck mostly to one character and one sound, with well-lauded results. - Fred Bals

Hard Times Come Again No More - often shortened to simply Hard Times - is a perfect companion to the precarious blessing of a good year gone by. Written by popular songsmith Stephen Foster in 1854, the Civil War favorite is a not-so-gentle admonition to the affluent, reminding them to “pause in life’s pleasures” and remember the hard times, that they might be more inclined to support those whose lives are full of sorrow and pain, hunger and need. - Fred Bals

Though Holly had only seven Top 40 hits before he died at age 22 in a plane crash in 1959, the singer-songwriter left so many recordings that it takes a six-disc set to hold them all. "Not Fade Away: The Complete Studio Recordings and More" lets us follow the West Texas native's creative evolution in remarkable detail from the time at age 13 he recorded an old country song in his home to such distinctive, melodically rich rock hits as "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue." "Creedence Clearwater Revival: The Singles Collection" leads us on a different but equally instructive journey by showcasing what was quite possibly the most dazzling hit streak of any American band: a dozen Top 40 singles, stretching from "Proud Mary" in 1969 to "Someday Never Comes" in 1972. - Fred Bals

In person, however, Smith is about as accessible and relaxed as a Muzak mixer, rehashing war stories from the road with journalists long past happy hour, despite the fact that she has just flown in from Japan. That's also the Smith whom viewers will get to know in the documentary "Patti Smith: Dream of Life" premiering Wednesday night on PBS. It's an intimate, disarming look at an artist who comes across as the polar opposite of her ferocious onstage character. - Fred Bals

#89: Bob Dylan’s Theme Time Radio Hour proved that radio could still be awesome. - Fred Bals

Lord Buckley was a hipster comedian in the 1950's who influenced many of America's comedic giants. His "hip semantic" renditions of such literary classics as The Raven and The Gettysburg Address delighted audiences, but Buckley caught flack for performing them in an African-American dialect. This half-hour program includes rare archival recordings of Buckley performing, and interviews with Jonathan Winters and Larry Storch, plus sound of a Buckley appearance on Groucho Marx's quiz show. This original documentary, produced for KCRW by Jon Kalish and Marty Goldensohn, airs from 2:30-3pm and pre-empts Politics of Culture - Fred Bals

"...where you could have a college degree (Hofstra, ’62) and also a rock ’n’ roll dream; where being a pretty good singer didn’t mean you couldn’t also be a great composer; where your Jewish mother would help you write down your original songs and your Catholic father would drive you to studios in the big city, where they were soon being recorded." - Fred Bals

One of the quiet gems of 2009 was an album originally produced by Bob Dylan in 1973. Other than his work under the pseudonymous Jack Frost, it's the only album Dylan ever produced. It's not, however, a Dylan record, it's a Barry Goldberg record - Fred Bals

From the storied "Star Wars Holiday Special" - Fred Bals

Old Crow's Ketch Secor will guest DJ (Mon. 12/28) on The Legend WSM from 1-3 pm CST. Folks in Nashville can tune in at 650 AM. Folks outside of Nashville can check it out at http://www.wsmonline.com/. - Fred Bals

Every year there's at least one new Christmas album that manages to sharply divide listeners and critics alike. This year, Bob Dylan's notorious Christmas in the Heart easily takes top prize. But there are others that either inspire good cheer or make you wish for a silent night. Pop critics Jim DeRogatis (Chicago Sun-Times) and Chris Richards (Washington Post) face off on Dylan's album, as well as holiday releases by Tori Amos and Sugarland. - Fred Bals

A Christmas present from Expecting Rain. Item #15, Wednesday 12/23/09 - Fred Bals

Arnold Stang, a character actor whose bespectacled, owlish face and nasal urban twang gave him a singular and recognizable persona, whether on radio or television, in the movies or in advertisements, or even in cartoons, died on Sunday in Newton, Mass. He was 91 and lived in Needham, Mass. - Fred Bals

You win a permanent seat in the pop culture hall of fame for writing the words and music to one of the primal radio odes to youthful lust, made famous by the Troggs in 1966. So it was appropriate that Chip Taylor’s biggest claim to immortality was properly recognized before he popped into the kitchen to thank Noreen the waitress and headed back outside. - Fred Bals

It turns out that being followed around by a camera for more than a decade can help one overcome shyness. On Dec. 30, Ms. Smith’s 63rd birthday, PBS will broadcast “Patti Smith: Dream of Life,” a documentary filmed over 11 years by the fashion photographer and film neophyte Steven Sebring. - Fred Bals

New York resident Debbie Gold created the game, drawing on plenty of advice from people close to the band. After getting the initial idea, she worked with guitarist and singer Bob Weir and roadie Steve Parish on fine-tuning the game’s content, along with artist Timothy Truman. - Fred Bals

The channel with the most Christmas In The Heart airplay ? Surprisingly, Outlaw Country was the clear winner, with 18 spins. Outlaw Country was "created by “Little Steven” Van Zandt (as ) a sanctuary for the freaks, misfits, outcasts, rebels, and renegades of country music, along with brash and outspoken on-air personalities," according to the official web-page. "Country's Rebels & Renegades" channel played “The Christmas Blues,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” four times each. “Christmas Island” and “Must Be Santa” were close behind with three spins each . - Fred Bals

Outside Weybridge station a Mini Cooper with smoked-glass windows skidded to a halt like something out of The Italian Job. In the driver's seat was Lennon, looking much as he does in the colour photograph included with the Beatles 1968 White Album faded blue Levi's jacket, white T-shirt and jeans, dirty white sneakers, his shoulder-length hair parted in the middle, and , wearing the now famous granny glasses. - Fred Bals

Bob Dylan does Christmas his own way on "Must Be Santa," our free Single of the Week. The restlessly creative songwriter digs up a rarely heard holiday cut and turns it into a polka with some fine gospel-tinged vocals. - Fred Bals