Presented by phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

A themed show of sorts: some striking cover versions and songs by the artists who inspired them. A treat both for real fans of country music and for sceptics yet to be convinced that country music is their thing.

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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New releases, golden oldies from the likes of George Jones and Emmylou Harris… and some recent bargains added to my collection.

Playlist:
Maria (Shut Up and Kiss Me) – Willie Nelson
Walk Out Backwards – Sara Evans
Stranger in the House – George Jones (with Elvis Costello)
Caroline – Girlyman
I’m Turning Back – Tammy Rogers
First to Never Know – Julie Roberts
Drivin’ Nails in My Coffin – Floyd Tillman
Three Hermits – Nels Andrews
The L & N Don’t Stop Here Anymore – Kathy Mattea
Roses in the Snow – Emmylou Harris
Dress of Laces – Lyle Lovett
Bad Seed – Nanci Griffith

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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The theme tonight is Coalminers in honour of Labour Day (1st May), including a poem by Philip Larkin (read by the poet himself)… Coventry’s answer to George Jones?! As ever, the Country Music Show stretches the definition of country music to breaking point, but enjoy as well a selection of classic country tunes (Sixteen Tons, Coalminer’s Daughter, Green Rolling Hills) and classics-to-be (The Mountain, You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive, Henry Russell’s Last Words).

Saint Peter don’t you call me ’cause I can’t go
I owe my soul to the company store…

Playlist:
Sixteen Tons – Tennessee Ernie Ford
Coalminer’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn
The Mountain – Steve Earle & the Del McCoury Band
You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive – Brad Paisley
Green Rolling Hills – Kathy Mattea
Coalminers – Uncle Tupelo
Miner’s Prayer – Ralph Stanley & Dwight Yoakam
Henry Russell’s Last Words – Diana Jones
The Trindon Grange Explosion (excerpt) – Martin Carthy
The Explosion (poem) – Philip Larkin
Coal Mining Blues – Matt Andersen
Working in the Coal Mine – The Judds

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
Hand in the Fire – Clint Black
The Houston Kid – Guy Clark
Lately – Greg Brown
The Grand Tour – George Jones
Mr Fool – George Jones
I’d Like to Take This Chance – Rachel Harrington & the Knockouts
Waste the Day – The Secret Sisters
Voila, an American Dream – Rodney Crowell
It’s Five O’clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
The Harder They Come – Willie Nelson
Never Going Back – Nanci Griffith
Here Comes the Rain – Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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The theme this week is Day and Night…

Night and Day – Willie Nelson
Through the Morning, Through the Night – Dillard & Clark
Once a Day – Connie Smith
One Day at a Time – Deana Carter
Thank You for Another Day – Kimmie Rhodes
Heavenly Day – Patty Griffin
Judgement Day – Carlene Carter
This Night Life – Clint Black
All Night Long – Asleep at the Wheel
Sleepless Nights – Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris
These Lonely Nights – Willie Nelson
Midnight Shift – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
Do You Mind If I Don’t Understand – Willie Nelson
Goodnight, Juarez – Tom Russell
Hell No (I’m Not Alright) – Nanci Griffith
Barn Dance – Scotty Alan
Call It a Loan – Jackson Browne
Release Me – Lyle Lovett (with kd lang)
Luck in My Eyes – kd lang
Ham and Eggs – Woody Pines
Lovesick I Remain – Amanda Shires
I Sleep Just Like a Baby – George Jones
Never Enough – Otis Gibbs
My Heart Skips a Beat – The Secret Sisters

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Is it true the devil has all the best tunes? If, like me, you’re a fan of gospel music you might say no, but there are plenty of great country songs that make reference to the devil in some shape or form and tonight’s show will feature a selection of those, including tracks by Willie Nelson, Steve Earle and The Grateful Dead.

Playlist:
The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Charlie Daniels Band
Christine’s Tune – The Flying Burrito Brothers
Devil’s Right Hand – Steve Earle
Friend of the Devil – The Grateful Dead
Devil Woman – Marty Robbins
Devil Love – Rosie Flores
When the Devil Wants to Wrestle – David Ball
Satan’s Jewel Crown – Emmylou Harris
Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down – Uncle Tupelo
Take the Devil out of Me – George Jones
The Devil Ain’t Lazy – Asleep at the Wheel
Love Me Like the Devil Does – Miss Quincy
Devil in a Sleeping Bag – Willie Nelson

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Celebrating five years on BCfm…

Playlist:
White Freightliner Blues – Lyle Lovett
At My Window – Townes Van Zandt
Angelyne – The Jayhawks
Don’t Give Up – Willie Nelson & Sinead O’Connor
Still Nineteen – Colin Paul
He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
Why Baby Why – The Secret Sisters
Lost in the Ozone – Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
Don’t Come Rollin’ – Dillard & Clark
Ghost Bird – Amanda Shires
Smokey Mountain Boogie – Tennessee Ernie Ford

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Theme: Gone

Gone Tomorrow – Lambchop
Long Gone Lonesome Blues – Hank Williams
Long Time Gone – John Starling
Long Time Gone – Girlyman
Gone Too Long – Heather Myles
Too Gone Too Long – Randy Travis
Long Gone Lost John – Woody Pines
Cold Gray Light of Gone – Vince Gill
Please Don’t Talk about Me When I’m Gone – Willie Nelson
Already Gone – Red Sky July
I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone – Teddy Thompson
Too Far Gone – Elvis Costello
All the Love I Had Is Gone – Ralph Stanley and Larry Sparks

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
I’d Run Away – The Jayhawks
Still Got My Guitar – Scribble Man
Cripple Creek Ferry – Neil Young
Hippie in My House – Rachel Harrington & the Knock Outs
The Ballad of Chilli Willi – Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers
Where’s My Everything – Nick Lowe
I Am What I Am – Merle Haggard
Driftwood – Cam Penner
Raggedy Ann – Mindy Smith
It Don’t Cost Much – Marvin Etzioni (with Richard Thompson)
Getting Over You – Deana Carter
Just a Memory – The Mavericks

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Theme: International Women’s Day

Playlist:
Sometimes It Takes Balls to Be a Woman – Elizabeth Cook
You Ain’t Woman Enough – Loretta Lynn
Will He Be Waiting for Me – Dolly Parton
Fancy – Bobbie Gentry
We Sure Can Love Each Other – Tammy Wynette
Swimmer – Amanda Shires
I Just Wanted to See You So Bad – Lucinda Williams
Rich from the Journey – Kimmie Rhodes
Living Prayer – Alison Krauss
It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go – Nanci Griffith
Easy from Now on – Emmylou Harris
Don’t You Believe Him – Reba McEntire
Makin’ Our House a Honkytonk – Rachel Harrington & the Knock Outs

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
Live and Love Always – Merle Haggard
What Kind of Love – Rodney Crowell
Heavenly Days – Chely Wright
Two Feet of Topsoil – Brad Paisley
Acid Tongue – Jenny Lewis
Lady Love Me – The Watson Twins
Dangerous – Miss Quincy
Ode to Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes – kd lang
Bad Times – Murry McLauchlan
I’ve Been Gone – Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers
Be Here to Love Me – Townes Van Zandt

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Theme: Stars

The Stars Don’t Care – The James Low Western Front
Stardust – Willie Nelson
Desert Star – Dean Owens
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem – Ralph Stanley & Connie Smith
Star of Bethlehem – Neil Young & Emmylou Harris
Underneath the Stars – Kate Rusby
Sun and Moon and Stars – Lyle Lovett
Western Stars – kd lang
Big Star – The Jayhawks
Shooting Star – Darden Smith
Les Etoiles – Melody Gardot
Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Star – Merle Haggard

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
That Train – Chely Wright
When You Need a Train It Never Comes – Amanda Shires
All Aboard – The Wiyos
The Most Dangerous Woman in America – Tom Russell
Sixteen Tons – Johnny Cash
Moon Over Memphis – Rachel Cain
My Tennessee Mountain Home – Dolly Parton
Interview with Po’ Girl by Rose France from Shout Out
Montana – Po’ Girl
Colorado Girl – Townes Van Zandt
Funny How Time Slips Away – Elvis Presley

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Theme: Mostly Texas

Playlist:
Blue Yodel (T for Texas) – Jimmie Rodgers
Texas – Willie Nelson
Texas – George Strait
Texas Cookin’ – Guy Clark
Talk to me Texas – Keith Whitley
Tangled up in Texas – Colin Paul
You’re from Texas – Asleep at the Wheel
Shootin’ Star from Texas – Wayne Hancock
West Texas Plains – Rosie Flores
Thinking California – The James Low Western Front
California Cottonfields – Merle Haggard
Out in California – Tom Russell
California Blues (Blue Yodel #4) – Merle Haggard

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Playlist:
You Do the Math – Brad Paisley
Fallen by the Wayside – Madison Violet
Heart Within a Heart – Tom Russell
Lately – Lucinda Williams
Where Is Maria? – Greg Brown
Don’t Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim – Kelly Willis
El Paso – Kirsty MacColl
A White Sports Coat (and a Pink Carnation) – Marty Robbins
Home Sweet Home – Matt Andersen
The Long Road to Ruin – The Short Life of Gracie
Long Black Veil – Rosanne Cash

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too

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Tonight’s theme is Colours… mostly blue!

Playlist:
How Blue – Reba McEntire
Color of the Blues – George Jones
Brown to Blue – Elvis Costello
Blue – The Jayhawks
No Blue Sky – The Thorns
Blue River – Eric Andersen
Little Green – Joni Mitchell
Red Bandana – Merle Haggard
Like Road on a Rose – Alan Jackson
Pink Bedroom – John Hiatt
Shades of Gray – Robert Earl Keen
Colour in Grey – Madison Violet

Playlist for last week’s show (19 January):
Three Good Reasons – Dwight Yoakam
Home – Madison Violet
Natural To Be Gone – Bobbie Gentry
Let’s Just Be Friends for Tonight – Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers
Hot Dog – Rosie Flores
Snowin’ on Raton – Townes Van Zandt
West Texas Heaven – Kimmie Rhodes
We Don’t Run – Willie Nelson
Guadalupe – Gretchen Peters with Tom Russell
Hard Times – Rebecca Pronsky
I Really Don’t Want to Know – Elvis Presley
I’m Over You – Keith Whitley
An Acceptable Level of Ecstasy (The Wedding Song) – Lyle Lovett

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

My pick of the year, including my favourite song (Many Waters) from an album released in 2004 and a Townes Van Zandt track from a box set released in 2002 (but only bought by me this year)! Everything else comes from 2011, apart from the George Jones track (1957) though the compilation it’s on was only released earlier this year.

Happy New Year! More great country music to come…

Playlist:
Made for Rain – Good Lovelies
Snowbird – Catherine MacLellan
Miles to Go – Alison Krauss & Union Station
Many Waters – Julie Lee
Too Much Water – George Jones
Boxcars – BettySoo & Doug Cox
Highway Kind – Townes Van Zandt
Hard Bargain – Emmylou Harris
Not a Cloud – Kimmie Rhodes
Who Am I Kidding? – Amy Lashley
If I Can’t Trust You with a Quarter (How Can I Trust You with My Heart?) – Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers
One Leg at a Time – Malcom Holcombe

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

A happy country Christmas to all my listeners!

Playlist:
Hard Times – Rebecca Pronsky
If You Don’t Wanna See Santa Claus Cry – Alan Jackson
Dent in My Heart – Rosie Flores
You and Tequila – Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter
Love Ain’t Worth Making – Deana Carter
Angel Unawares – Kimmie Rhodes
The Angels Cried – Alan Jackson & Alison Krauss
Swinging Doors – Merle Haggard
Drunken Sunken Red Neck Blues – Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers
Emily – Madison Violet
Wake Up Sleepy Town – Kimmie Rhodes
I Only Want You for Christmas – Alan Jackson
Diamond in My Crown – Patty Loveless (with Emmylou Harris)

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

Playlist:
Honky Tonk Christmas – Alan Jackson
American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley
Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down – Shawn Mullins
From the Bottle to the Bottom – Kris Kristofferson
Lonely Sound – Amelia White
Miracles on Christmas Day – Kimmie Rhodes
Streets of Old Milan – David Rodriguez
Tell Me – Ruth Moody
I Want to Hear It from You – Reba McEntire
No Place to Fall – Townes Van Zandt
If I Were the Man You Wanted – Lyle Lovett
Mary – Kimmie Rhodes

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

Only 17 more sobbing days till Christmas!

Playlist:
Why I Don’t Know – Lyle Lovett
Hollywood – Guy Clark
Loretta – John Prine
Dallas – Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Ain’t Gonna Make You Mine – BettySoo & Doug Cox
In the Ghetto – Dolly Parton
Landslide – Dixie Chicks
The Good in Goodbye – Madison Violet
Mr Teardrop – David Ball
Bad Time – The Jayhawks
Between Dark and Dawn – Nick Lowe
Goodnight Old World – Emmylou Harris
There’s a New Kid in Town – Alan Jackson & Keith Whitley

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

Theme: The Wind

Playlist:
Reckon to the Wind – Malcom Holcombe
Soulful Wind – Nick Lowe
Blue Wind Blew – Nick Lowe
Hickory Wind – The Byrds
Oklahoma Wind – Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Billy Joe Shaver
Hurricane – Mindy Smith
Black Wind Blowing – Billy Bragg
It Ain’t the Wind, It’s the Rain – Mary Gauthier
Wild Wind – Robert Earl Keen
Whippin’ Wind – Robinella
Listening (to the Wind) – Merle Haggard
Winter Wind – Patty Larkin
Because of the Wind – Joe Ely

Presented by Phil Lyons

Misery loves company, so join Phil every Thursday evening for an hour of sad country songs, with a smattering of toe-tappers to lift your spirits too
Listen Again – Coming Soon

Playlist:
I’ll Be Here in the Morning – Townes Van Zandt
Guess Things Happen That Way – Cowboy Jack Clement
Let Him Roll – Guy Clark
Dance – Kathy Chiavola
Who’s Cryin’ Baby – Rhonda Vincent
Goin’ Away – Madison Violet
Dreaming My Dreams of You – Alison Krauss
Waltzin’ Fool – Lyle Lovett
You Don’t Know Me – Charlie Rich
One More Payment – Clint Black
Worried Mind – Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
Slow Country Dance – Mary Chapin Carpenter