My guest Thursday (September 7) on Folk Roots/Folk Branches will be the legendary ODETTA, in a conversation recorded on August 25 several hours before her Montreal concert.

The Montreal Gazette review of that concert is currently available this link.

Odetta has been one of the most influential artists in folk music since the 1950s. During the conversation, we talk about her career, her influences and the making of "Blues Everywhere I Go," her acclaimed blues CD. Interspersed in the conversation will be Odetta recordings dating from 1957 to 1999.

Before and after Odetta, I'll be playing lots of great music from such artists as Jesse Fuller, Bessie Jones, Jimmy LaFave, Last Forever, Mollie O'Brien, David Rea, Claudia Schmidt, Richard Shindell, the Sons of the Never Wrong, James Talley, Ken Whiteley, Dar Williams and others.

I'm also going to be playing a version of "Railroad Bill" that is the only known recorded collaboration of Woody Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Sonny Terry.

Folk Roots/Folk Branches is on from 9-11:30 (eastern time) on Thursday mornings and can be heard over the air at 90.3 FM in Montreal and in RealAudio from the Folk Roots/Folk Branches web site.

Mike Regenstreif