BBC Radio 2 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Light Programme.

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Russell Davies

Music: Easy Listening, Soundtracks & Musicals

BBC Radio 4 Extra

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama

Your digital radio entertainment station showcasing the best in comedy and drama. With recent favourites from BBC Radio 4.

Russell Davies celebrates the art, craft and inspiration of the popular song

Russell Davies: 26/05/2013

26/05/2013

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Russell Davies, 26/05/2013

Russell Davies focusses on Texas, with Willie Nelson, Stan Freberg and many others.

Russell Davies finds Irving Berlin in Texas, courtesy of Willie Nelson, and Texas in song, courtesy of Steve Tyrell, Stan Freberg, Tom Ewell, Alice Faye and others.

Opening with a new recording, by Willie Nelson, of an Irving Berlin classic, Russell notes that Willie re-casts it 'as if to entertain the occupants of some dusty adobe village in the Tex-Mex country'. Following last week's feature on the 'B' sides, and underlining a Texan theme (Nelson's home state is Texas) Russell picks Stan Freberg's send-up of Mitch Miller's hit, 'The Yellow Rose Of Texas' and Marlon Brando's 'Luck Be A Lady' from the sound-track of the movie 'Guys And Dolls', both included in Acrobat's 'Hits We Missed'. 

Eddie Erickson and Becky Kilgore sing the title song 'Guys & Dolls' from an album of songs from the score and next up is Steve Tyrell (a Texan) duetting with Judith Hill on 'I'll Take Romance', followed by another duet: 'The Little Things In Texas' from the movie 'State Fair' with Tom Ewell and Alice Faye. Marking the 50th anniversary of the death of bandleader Ted Weems (he made his HQ in Dallas, Texas!) we hear 'Remarkable Girl' sung by bass man Country Washburn while, courtesy of a listener, comes a curiosity by singer Gregory Page, who duets convincingly with an 80 year old Ruth Etting record. Moving from Texas to Kentucky to remember her birth, 85 years ago, we hear Rosemary Clooney's 'You're In Kentucky' and to mark the death, 80 years ago today, of 'The Father Of Country Music' Jimmie Rodgers, Russell plays his 'Blue Yodel No 9', famous for the 'unknown' trumpet obbligato which turned out to be the work of a moonlighting Louis Armstrong. Then, to celebrate Gene DiNovi's 85th birthday, we hear Peggy Lee's 'Nine Thorny Thickets' on which he plays harpsichord. Finally, there's a track from a new release of singer David Allyn and a quickie by Kay Starr - 'Down Among The Sheltering Palms'.

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

Radio 2: Amazing music. Played by an amazing line-up. The home of great music, entertainment and documentaries

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26/05/2013

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