We began Capital Radio with nearly 90 minutes of music from Dickey Betts, one of the last living members of The Allman Brothers Band, who died last week at 80, concentrating on the songs he wrote for the band — some of which were its biggest hits. But there was also music from Betts’ earlier band The Second Coming, and work he did on solo projects.
We celebrated the music of jazz great Charles Mingus, born this day in 1922, popular singer Glen Campbell (1936), producer and musician Jack Nitzsche (1927), Godfather of Ska Laurel Aitken (1927) and singer Mel Carter, turning 85.
We sampled some of the work The Library of Congress selected for its National Recording Registry this year, from ABBA to Blondie, The Cars, Green Day and the Notorious B.I.G. And we closed with an Earth Day salute to Mother Nature.
Here’s a piece I wrote about Betts on Substack; the setlist follows.
Capital Radio. April 22, 2024. 1 – 4:41 p.m. Washington D.C. www.cygnusradio.com
“Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
“Revival,” The Allman Brothers Band
“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed [live],” The Allman Brothers Band
“Jessica,” The Allman Brothers Band
“She Has Funny Cars,” The Second Coming
“I Feel Free,” The Second Coming
“Blue Sky,” The Allman Brothers Band
“Southbound,” The Allman Brothers Band
“Ramblin’ Man,” The Allman Brothers Band
“Long Time Gone,” Richard Betts
“Bougainvillea,” Dickey Betts & Great Southern
“Can’t Take It With You,” The Allman Brothers
“Duane’s Song,” Dickey Betts Band
“Today,” Jefferson Airplane
“Just What I Needed,” The Cars
“Rose Room,” Benny Goodman Sextet featuring Charlie Christian
‘When I Come Around,” Green Day
“One Way Or Another,” Blondie
“Dancing Queen,” ABBA
“Rocket 88,” Jackie Brenton and his Delta Cats
“Juicy,” The Notorious B.I.G.
“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” Charles Mingus
“The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines,” Joni Mitchell
“Lord, Don’t Let them Drop That Atomic Bomb,” Robbie Robertson
“Guess I’m Dumb,” Glen Campbell
“Galveston,” Glen Campbell
“Hold on Hope,” Glen Campbell
“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” Mel Carter
“Boogie in My Bones,” Laurel Aitken
“The Lonely Surfer,” Jack Nitzsche
“Play with Fire,” The Rolling Stones
“Let’s Spend the Night Together,” The Rolling Stones
“Paint It Black,” The Feelies
“Doin’ It Again,” The Feelies
“We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together [live],” The Feelies
“Kawanga! [live]” Los Straitjackets
“My Heart Will Go On (Theme from Titanic) [live],” Los Straitjackets
“Hot Rod Man,” Tex Rubinowitz
“Trying to Get to You,” Tex Rubinowitz and Bob Newscaster
“Hole in My Pocket [live],” Kiti Gartner
“Lost Weekend [live],” Kiti Gartner
“Give It To Me Baby,” Rick James
“Nature’s Way,” Spirit
“Mother Nature,” Imperial Drag
“Mother Nature,” Oriental Sunshine
“Mother Nature,” The Temptations
“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology),” Marvin Gaye
Capital Radio returns live April 29 at 1 p.m. EDT on www.cygnusradio.com. Also available on the free cygnusradio.com app, available at iTunes or GooglePlay.
