We struck a certain tone in celebrating the life of guitar slinger Duane Eddy who died April 30 at 86 — specifically the commanding, vibrating low E on his red Gretsch hollow-body guitar that took him through numerous hits and coloring of TV and movie themes, as well as eventual work with pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons, guitar ace Ry Cooder and a couple of Beatles.
We also noted the death of longtime Electric Light Orchestra keyboardist and synth king Richard Tandy, who died May 1 at 76.
We celebrated the 79th birthdays today of distinctive Texas crooner Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Detroit rocker Bob Seger and blew out the candles for John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, turning 64, and Stereolab lead singer Laetitia Sadler, 56.
Also born this day, in 1917: Kal Mann, lyricist for “Teddy Bear,” “Let’s Twist Again” and “You Can’t Sit Down.”
We opened with some songs of May and closed with the most cheering birthday: Willie Mays, turning 93.
Here’s a link to the whole show; the setlist follows:
Capital Radio, May 6, 2024, 1 – 4:31 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
- “Month of May,” Arcade Fire
- “Third of May / Odaigahara,” Fleet Foxes
- “My Girl,” The Temptations
- “My Girl The Month of May,” Dion & the Belmonts
- “May Fly,” Terry Reid
- “Mayfly,” Belle and Sebastian
- “Rebel Rouser,” Duane Eddy
- “Movie’ n’ Groovin,’” Duane Eddy
- “Stalkin,’” Duane Eddy
- “Ramrod,” Duane Eddy
- “Cannonball,” Duane Eddy
- “Have Love, Will Travel,” Sharps
- “Detour,” Duane Eddy
- “Peter Gunn,” Duane Eddy
- “Shazam!: Duane Eddy
- “Because They’re Young,” Duane Eddy
- “(Dance with the) Guitar Man,” Duane Eddy
- “Boss Guitar,” Duane Eddy
- “Sugar Foot Rag,” Duane Eddy and Buddy Emmons
- “Buckaroo,” Duane Eddy
- “Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar,” Duane Eddy & the Rebelettes
- “Roadhouse Boogie,” Duane Eddy & Ry Cooder
- “Zephyr Cove,” Duane Eddy & Ry Cooder
- “Peter Gunn,” Duane Eddy with The Art of Noise
- “The Trembler,” Duane Eddy
- “Rockestra,” Duane Eddy
- “Blackberry Way,” The Move
- “Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor,” Electric Light Orchestra
- “Telephone Line,” Electric Light Orchestra
- “Mr. Blue Sky,” Electric Light Orchestra
- “Information,” Dave Edmunds
- “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down,” Jimmie Dale Gilmore
- “My Mind’s Got a Mind of Its Own,” Jimmie Dale Gilmore
- “Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown,” Jimmie Dale Gilmore
- “Silverlake,” Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore
- “Twisting,” They Might Be Giants
- “Snowball in Hell,” They Might Be Giants
- “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head,” They Might Be Giants
- “Take Out the Trash,” They Might Be Giants
- “Meet James Ensor,” They Might Be Giants
- “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” Elvis Presley
- “Let’s Twist Again,” Chubby Checker
- “Bristol Stomp,” The Dovells
- “You Can’t Sit Down,” The Dovells
- “Fabulous,” Charlie Gracie
- “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” Bob Seger
- “East Side Story,” Bob Seger and the Last Heard
- “Heavy Music Part 1,” Bob Seger and the Last Heard
- “Night Moves,” Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
- “The Black Arts,” Stereolab
- “French Disko,’ Stereolab
- “Bonnie and Clyde (version Clyde Barrow),” Luna
- “Say Hey (The WIllie Mays Song),” The Treniers
- “Willie Mays is Up to Bat,” Chuck Prophet
- “Sometimes I Dream of Willie Mays,” The Baseball Project
Capital Radio returns live May 13 at 1 p.m. EDT on www.cygnusradio.com, where this and past shows are archived. Also available on the free cygnusradio.com app, available at iTunes or GooglePlay.