Texas.  It's a big state.  And it's got a lot of great music.  Host David Furst tries to cram in as much as possible on Sunday Night Session every week.  If you're a musician and you lived in Texas for at least some part of your career – you're fair game.  And remember, SNS always sounds better when dipped in a little barbeque sauce.

David Furst began working as an announcer on KPAC in 1996, shortly after a move to San Antonio.  Soon after that, his love for Texas Music led him to take over the reins of Sunday Night Session.  David left Texas in 1997, but still produces Sunday Night Session from his current home base of Washington, D.C., where he also works full time as the host of Metro Connection on WAMU.  Born and raised in New Jersey, David plays with a seven-piece rock/blues/soul band in his spare time, listens to a lot of Tom Waits and enjoys sleeping late.  He’s also worked as a reporter for Dow Jones Telerate and as Head Engineer for Ocean Recording Studios in New Jersey.  He is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and the owner of what is EASILY the messiest desk at WAMU.

Got a question about Sunday Night Session or a suggestion for an upcoming show?  E-mail David at .

Airs:  7 p.m. Sunday on KSTX 89.1 FM

This Week on Sunday Night Session

April 6, 2008

He’s not from Texas, but Billy Bob Thornton DOES hail from neighboring Arkansas.  Plus, he just wrapped up an appearance at the South By Southwest music and film festival in Austin.  Our own Nathan Cone caught up with Billy Bob and his new band the Boxmasters at South By Southwest.  We’ll hear their chat and some brand new music from BB and the B’s.  We’ll also have time for plenty more music - direct from the Lone Star state.

It's MOSTLY Texas music... coming up this Sunday night at 7 on KSTX, 89.1 FM.

This Weeks Playlist:

All Boxmasters songs available as digital downloads on Delllounge.com

March 30, 2008

We'll be jumping around the state and all over the musical map. From Norah Jones to George Jones — the Bobby Fuller Four to Asleep at the Wheel. We have 'Miles and Miles of Texas' and just as much music in store.

Playlist:

March 23, 2008

More from the class of ‘86.  Last week we featured Steve Earle, this time it’s Lyle Lovett’s turn.  Both released their debut albums in 1986 and both released strong new albums last year.

Some know him as Julia Roberts’ ex.  Some know him from the big hair.  Some know he has a Large Band.  But fans of Lyle Lovett know him as a master of sly, subtle songwriting.  We’ll play highlights from his latest, It’s Not Big It’s Large.  And we’ll sneak in a set of Lyle Lovett rarities as well.

Playlist:

March 16, 2008

Between his satellite radio show, his political activism, his acting gig on HBO’s series The Wire and his high-profile marriage to singer/songwriter Allison Moorer, you can almost forget the wealth of great music Steve Earle has been releasing in the past several years. Recently, this transplanted Texan moved from Nashville to New York City and released an album that partially serves as a tribute to his new home, Washington Square Serenade.  We’ll hopscotch through the highlights on the CD, and play plenty of hits and rarities from throughout his career.It’s all Texas music, courtesy of Steve Earle.

Playlist:

February 10, 2008

Three down, one to go. The San Antonio band Buttercup has just released the third in a series of four CDs it plans to unleash within the span of one year.

On this edition of Sunday Night Session features highlights from their new disc, The Head Sits Upside Down On The Top Of The Head, and get to lots more music from the band. Nathan Cone interviews the band, who plays a live session recorded in the Texas Public Radio studios.

Official Buttercup website www.buttercult.com
Listen to an extended interview with Buttercup, including performance stories and discussion about how the band found their unique sound.

MP3 Downloads of performances recorded at Texas Public Radio:

All the Sundays
Egypt
In Love
Never Enough
Suffer (No More Pain)

See photos of of Buttercup performing in the Texas Public Radio studios on January 24, 2008.

December 23, 2007

Yes, it's time once again for the SNS Xmas show.  We've got mistletoe, plenty of eggnog... and we'll make sure the steak is chicken-fried.  As far as we're concerned, it's just not the holidays until Robert Earl Keen sings Merry Christmas From The Family.  Join us on the night BEFORE the 'Night Before Christmas'... as we play our favorite Texas Christmas songs.  We'll hear classics by Charles Brown, Asleep at the Wheel, Kelly Willis and Bill Kirchen.

 November 18, 2007

Kelly Willis released her seventh studio album this year.  Translated From Love finds her nudging the volume up a few notches from her last album, Easy.  With songs by pure pop tunesmith Jules Shear and by David Bowie/Iggy Pop, this isn't your standard Nashville country album.  But it's another in a growing collection of fine recordings by this great Texas artist.  We'll play highlights from the new disc and sample music from throughout Willis' career.

A decade after she launched her record label and starting recording and releasing albums on her own, Terri Hendrix is back with a new CD, The Spiritual Kind.  The disc finds her back in the world of adult oriented pop and folk… after a foray into children’s music in 2005.  We’ll play highlights from The Spiritual Kind — and then we're joined in the studio by Terri Hendrix and guitarist/producer Lloyd Maines for an interview and an exclusive live performance.

Web Extras:
Listen to an extended interview with Terri Hendrix, where she talks about her musical mentors, hearing her music played by the Dixie Chicks, and her kids' record, Celebrate the Difference.
Terri tells a short story about how it's tough for a musician to follow a clown on stage.
See photos of Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines performing in the TPR studios.
 MP3 Download:  Terri Hendrix - Wallet
 MP3 Download:  Terri Hendrix - Things Change
 MP3 Download:  Terri Hendrix - The Spiritual Kind

The Austin Lounge Lizards have always mixed topical satire with their twisted take on banjo-driven bluegrass.  But their latest CD, The Drugs I Need takes it one step further.  It’s a no holds barred assault on corporate America – everything from health insurance companies, to oil companies to… credit card companies.  We’ll grab a handful of the ‘Drugs I Need’ and play highlights from all of the band’s albums.

July 1, 2007

Tonight we spend some time in the company of the guit-steel.  And that can ONLY mean we’ll be digging into the music of Junior Brown – since he’s the only person alive who plays one of these contraptions.  His own invention, the guit-steel is a double-necked instrument that allows him to jump between playing blistering electric guitar and wild pedal steel instantly.  We’ll romp through a catalog littered with high octane country, rock and surf music… done the way only Junior Brown can.

June 17, 2007

The grab-bag is back!  We'll be dipping into the pioneering blues of T-Bone Walker... the radio-ready power-pop of Fastball... we'll visit a world where no electricity is allowed to hear the wild acoustic sounds of the Asylum Street Spankers... and we'll also find the time to sample the stripped-down country of Willie Nelson's demo recordings.  It's a giant mixed bag overflowing with Lone Star musical bounty.

May 27, 2007

Joe Ely has been busy lately. The Texas singer and songwriter has released a book - the road journal, Bonfire of Roadmaps - and two CDs of archival material.  They’re supposedly just the first TWO releases in what will ultimately be a 20-disc collection of material unleashed from the Ely vaults.  We’ll dip into some of his “new” music and play lots of stuff from throughout Joe Ely’s career.

May 6, 2007

We take another tour through the music of the Lone Star State tonight — tip-toeing through the Snake Farm with Ray Wylie Hubbard… then catching a live performance by Christine Albert and Chris Gage at Anderson Fair in Houston.  We’ll also sample the blues of Albert Collins, the sweet sounds of Walter Hyatt and the flat-out, raw rockabilly of Ronnie Dawson.

April 8, 2007

We’ve got the blues, Texas style — and it’s a state with a rich blues history so we have a full plate.  From the country acoustic sound of Lightnin’ Hopkins to pioneering electric guitarist T-Bone Walker… and from powerhouse-belter, Big Mama Thornton to the cool piano blues of Charles Brown… we’ll dig deep.  We’ll also save room for modern day masters like W.C. Clark and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

March 25, 2007

We once again hoist the giant Texas music grab bag out of our cluttered music library, dump the contents out on the table and start picking through the pile of scattered CDs.  From the twisted word play of Terry Allen to the rockbilly road trip songs of Bill Kirchen... and from the vibrant twang of Libbi Bosworth to the blues of Long John Hunter, we'll put the grab bag to good use.

March 18, 2007

Magazines may take snide potshots at her for being one of the ubiquitous performers of the past decade.  But Norah Jones continues to do what she does best – follow her own path, and make great music.  Her new collection, Not Too Late, marks the first time she has recorded a full album of all original material.  We’ll explore the new disc and get to lots of other favorites.  We’ll also squeeze in a few Norah Jones rarities.

March 11, 2007

We’re beginning to sound like a broken record when we say once again; "Lucinda Williams is back with a new album that critics are calling one of the best releases of the year."  But this time the praise has been particularly loud and unrelenting.  We savor the choicest moments from her new CD, West.  And we'll find time to take in selections from her whole discography.  Head West with Lucinda Williams.

March 4, 2007

Bill Kirchen is known as a master of the 6-string.  And sure enough the very first sound you hear on his new CD, Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods, is the stinging twang of his Telecaster guitar.  But the fancy fretwork would mean little without first-class songwriting to back it up.  And the new album delivers the goods.  We’ll hear highlights and plenty of rare live performances – including two songs recorded in the Sunday Night Session studios this week.

February 11, 2007

He was raised in Orange, Texas… and he died in Orange, Texas.  But before Hurricane Katrina forced him from his home, Clarence Gatemouth Brown was living just outside New Orleans.  So with Mardi Gras Day coming up on February 20th, Clarence Gatemouth Brown - with one foot in Texas and one in Louisiana - seems like the perfect choice to help us get in the mood.  We'll gear up for the big day with a full hour of Brown's swampy mix of blues, country, swing, and cajun fiddle foot-stompers.
 

It’s been a little while since we’ve taken a dip into the ol’ Texas music grab bag.  This week, the bottomless bag makes a comeback.  We’ll reach in and pull out a vintage live recording by pride of Lubbock, Joe Ely… we’ll hear the classic vocal blues of Bobby “Blue” Bland… The Sir Douglas Quintet will ride again… and we’ll get to some husband-and-wife honky-tonk courtesy of Buddy and Julie Miller.
 

January 21, 2007

Two members of the great British band, The Small Faces, moved to Austin later in their careers – bassist Ronnie Lane and keyboardist Ian McLagen.  Sadly, Ronnie Lane passed away in 1997, but Ian McLagen continues to record his own music in Texas – and to play with nearly every musician around town and around the world.  Last year, McLagen released a tribute album to Ronnie Lane on what would have been his 60th birthday.  This week we play highlights from Spiritual Boy - an Appreciation of Ronnie Lane and from both men’s careers.

January 14, 2007

The Handsome Family.  He’s originally from Texas and writes the music.  She’s originally from New York and writes the lyrics.  The husband and wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks put it all together in Chicago… where their blend of ghost stories and murder ballads set to dark country sounds have earned them an international following.  Tonight we enter the world of the Handsome Family – playing highlights from their albums up through the most recent Last Days Of Wonder.

January 7, 2007

We've had a number of shows lately where electric guitar and a pounding rhythm section have figured prominently.  Today we turn down the volume and focus on the acoustic side of Texas.  And we'll jump from some of the typical folks you imagine with acoustic guitars around their necks like Townes Van Zandt and Chris Smither... to less likely acoustic troubadours like the hard rocking Jon Dee Graham and Bob Mould.  It's all acoustic Texas music on this week's show.
 

December 24, 2006

The lights are on the tree… the mug is topped off with egg nog… the brisket is almost ready to come out of the smoker… and the stockings are filled with Texas music CDs.  Yep, it’s an all-TEXAS-Christmas music edition of the show.  Join us this Christmas Eve for classics from Robert Earl Keen, Asleep at the Wheel and Charles Brown… and we’ll also make room for Kelly Willis, Bill Kirchen and Billy Joe Shaver with Flaco Jimenez.  Break out the sleigh bells - it's all Christmas music on this week's show.

December 17, 2006

We look back at 2006 and play some of our favorite releases of the year.  Hey, there’s still some shopping time left before the holidays and some of these items would make ideal stocking stuffers for that Texas music fan on your list.  From Ray Wylie Hubbard to Sara Hickman… and from Albert & Gage to Alejandro Escovedo and Wayne Hancock, there was plenty of great music released in ‘06.  We’ll cram as much as we can into the hour.  For more gift-giving ideas, check out our recommendations on TPR's 'Simple Gifts' page.

December 10, 2006

Born near Beaumont, Texas, George Jones is said to have the greatest voice in the history of country music.  Whether you agree with such an absolute designation or not, he is certainly responsible for some of the genre’s most memorable songs and performances.  Much has been made of his turbulent personal life over the years, but we’ll be focusing on the MUSIC… jumping back to his first hit single from the mid 1950’s and covering his most productive decades of recording.

December 3, 2006

We’ll be jumping all around the Texas map tonight.  From Joe Ely out in Lubbock… to Marcia Ball - born in Orange, Texas… Sara Hickman - raised in Houston… and a pair of artists born right here in San Antonio, Terri Hendrix and Alejandro Escovedo.  It’s a map full of Texas music.

November 19, 2006

Another year, another Willie Nelson CD.  Yes, it seems as though the man churns out albums like clockwork.  But we're not complaining… after all, he IS Willie Nelson.  And the new one, Songbird, produced by alt-country superstar Ryan Adams, is another late-career highlight.  We jump into Songbird and play lots more from Mr. Nelson's never-ending catalog.

November 12, 2006

Songwriter Ben Kweller is back with a self-titled new album.   And it's a true "solo" album.   Not only did he write all the songs, he also performs all of the instruments.   We’ll play highlights from Ben Kweller's impressive new CD... and we have room for lots more -- from the classic blues of T-Bone Walker… to the defiant country of Chris Wall…and the folk/pop of Hamilton Pool.

October 29, 2006

Legendary country, conjunto and rock and roll singer, Freddy Fender died on October 14th at the age of 69.  We remember him and his music this week.  And with Doug Sahm having also passed away (back in 1999), we focus on the wonderful recordings they made with the Lone Star supergroup, the Texas Tornados.

October 22, 2006

Wayne "The Train" Hancock is back.  His new CD, Tulsa, doesn't find him reinventing the wheel or adopting the latest fashions, but many would say that's a good thing.  It DOES provide more of that trademark old-school honky-tonk that nobody does better than him these days.  We'll hear tracks from Tulsa and music spanning Wayne Hancock's career.

October 8, 2006

Grab your snorkel, as we dive headfirst into the wide sea of Texas music.  We'll make room for the classic country of George Jones and the outlaw country of Waylon Jennings… the tasteful blues of W.C. Clark… and the artful rock of Alejandro Escovedo.  And we’ll have time for plenty more as well.

October 1, 2006

We received the sad news that one of our all-time favorites here on the show, Don Walser passed away at the age of 72.  He died on Sept. 20 and it would be hard to find a better example of real country music - Texas style.  He didn’t begin a serious recording career until later in life, after retiring from the National Guard in the 90’s.  He blew audiences away with his stunning voice every time he hit the stage.  And thankfully, once he committed himself full-time to music, he left us with a peerless collection of performances on disc.  We'll play highlights from all of his albums and some rare solo acoustic performances he recorded for KSTX back in 1996.  It's all 'pure' Texas music with Don Walser and the Pure Texas Band.

September 24, 2006

Lucinda Williams has recorded seemingly countless duets over the years.  Scattered among tribute albums, film soundtracks and guest appearances with other artists, she's amassed quite a collection.  But it's so hard to track them all down.  Well, that's where we come in.  In this show that originally aired back in January, we attempt to pull them all together in one place.  It's a full hour of Lucinda duets, featuring partners like Willie Nelson, Graham Parker, Steve Earle, Buddy Miller, Ralph Stanley, John Prine, Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello.

September 17, 2006

This week – the music of HAM.  No, we’re not talking about luncheon meat… this is H-A-A-M… the Houston Association of Acoustic Musicians.  The organization was formed to promote Houston area musicians playing acoustic music… and if the sampler CD is any indication, there’s some great stuff going on in that Bayou City to the east.  We’ll sample the sampler and get to lots more Texas music too.

September 10, 2006

Reckless Kelly is back with the simply-titled new live album, Reckless Kelly Was Here.  Boasting 2-CD’s and a DVD thrown in for good measure, it captures this Austin band at the peak of its powers.  And right from the burning cowboy boot on the cover, you know you’re in for a rowdy time.  We’ll play highlights and get to music from other classic Texas live albums as well.

September 3, 2006

Legendary Texas songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard is back... and things get nasty, slimy and downright creepy on his new album Snake Farm.  Bluesy and gritty, the CD picks up where 2003’s Growl left off.  We'll play songs from all of the man's albums, and some rarely heard live material as well.  Make sure you stay on the trail — we visit the Snake Farm this week on Sunday Night Session.