By Don Jacobson
Out in the suburban expanse of Southern California is a little lady named Wanda who’ll steer you right when it comes to the best roots music in sight: she’s running a great, Internet-streamed radio show that Minnie Pearl could yodel from one end of the O.C. to the other.
First, you’ve gotta love its name: Howdylicious! (Sunday nights, 10 p.m. Central, KUCI-FM). Delicious songs that step right up and say “howdy.”
Then, when you look at the playlist, you think, “why isn’t all radio like this”? DJ Wanda has a great and varied amount of lovely, twangy stuff, all the way from ’40s Western Swing to new bands like James McMurtry and the Sadies. She’s got a wonderful, funny smart-ass attitude that probably comes from holding down an English professor job while also working at the Orange County Transit Authority to make ends meet. The only way to do all that as well as being a top alt-country tastemaker, she says, is to read a lot, listen to music constantly and not waste your time watching any TV.
She also named herself after Wanda Jackson, so you know she’s probably going to “blow like dynamite” at the drop of a needle into plastic (plus, unlike so many roots rock fests, you know the ladies will be well represented).
This Howdylicious! playlist from Oct.1 features a tasty mix of good new music as well as the finest in rockabilly, surf and folk music.
1. Hem, “Not California” Funnel Cloud (Nettwerk)
2. Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, “Golden West” (Hightone)
3. James McMurtry, “Bad Enough” Childish Things (Compadre)
4. Rick Brockner, “Along Time” Black Mountain Brew (Refined)
5. Biller & Wakefield, “George’s Bad Day” The Hot Guitars of… (HMG)
6. Arsen Roulette, “All Through the Nite” The Lost Recordings (El Toro)
7. Arsen Roulette, “Gone Crazy” The Lost Recordings (El Toro)
8. Rory Justice, “I’m Not So Nice” Rock & Roll Flu (Golly Gee)
9. Johnny Key, “Keep My Big Wheels Turnin'” VA: Home Grown Rockabilly (Nervous)
10. Janis Martin, “Little Bit” The Female Elvis (Bear)
11.The Chop Tops, “Teddy Boy Stomp”” Triple Deuces (Split 7)
12.The Flametrick Subs, “Buzz Bomb Baby” Something In Japanese (Texas Lizard)
13. Cave Catt Sammy, “Baby Back it Up” Comin’ On Strong (Big Bellied)
14. Cari Lee, “Keep Me Company” Brought To You By Saddle-Ite (Star Tone)
15. Wayne Hancock, “Let’s Have a Party” VA: Hard Headed Woman (Bloodshot)
16. Wanda Jackson, “Money, Honey” Wanda Jackson (Capitol)
17. Wayne Hancock, “Goin’ to Texas When I’m Through” Tulsa (Bloodshot)
18. Marti Brom, “Jeopardy” Snake Ranch (Goofin’)
19. Marti Brom, “You Put It There” Snake Ranch (Goofin’)
20. Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, “Power of the 45 (Pt. 1)” (Yep Roc)
21. Gene Vincent and Ronnie Dawson, “Hey Mama” VA: Kicksville v. 4 (Norton)
22. Jimmie Widener, “You Can Stay at Home” VA: Shuffletown 1946 (Westside)
23. The Sadies, “Rat Creek” In Concert vol. 1 (Yep Roc)
24. James McMurtry, “Dry River” Saint Mary of the Woods (Sugar Hill)
25. James McMurtry, “Bad Enough” Childish Things (Compadre)
26. Buddy Miller, “Wild Card” Midnight and Lonesome (Hightone)
27. Paul Burch, “I’m Takin’ It Home” East to West (Bloodshot)
28. Bill Chambers, “Big Ass Garage Sale” Sleeping With the Blues (Reckless)
29. Steve Earle, “Guitar Town” Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator (Live)
30. Wayne Hancock, “Tulsa” Tulsa (Bloodshot)
Posted on October 9, 2006