The last show of the year was sort of a parlor trick: Could I make a full show out of New Year’s tunes? Almost. Especially if I play “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” four times and “Auld Lang Syne” a baker’s dozen. But they were all so varied that I think it worked. You can hear it all here.

Started with a couple of songs assessing the holiday that’s just passed, then two versions of a song about taking down the tree before the wide variety of New Year’s tunes dating back to the 1930s and including everyone from Bing Crosby and Ligntnin’ Hopkins to Otis Redding and U2. 

Included a set saluting some of the musical talents we lost in 2021, from Charlie Watts and Don Everly to Nanci Griffiths and Michael Nesmith. Closed with Miles Davis on Desmond Tutu. 

Here’s what I played on the radio today: