STAR BLUES on 22nd May 2011 at 22:00

Robert Allen Zimmerman will be 70 on Tuesday and because he records as Bob Dylan and he has a deep love of blues, our STAR BLUES show last night took him as the theme. We went to some of his recordings in his own voice and those of artists doing interpretations - and we took a healthy smattering from the playlists of his "Theme Time Radio" show (TTRH) originally on XMRadio between May2006 and April2009.

We started our show off with Muddy Waters' "Blow Wind Blow" just as he did for TTRH show number 1 on the weather. It also gave us the link back to Sonny Boy Williamson who closed 15th May show with Muddy's band in tow. Muddy had an Indian Summer career from 1976 onwards thanks to Johnny Winter, whose version of "Highway 61 revisited" was at the other end last night. (see how this stuff is immaculately planned weeks in advance (ahem, ahem))

Big surprise was the jazzy piano of Nina Simone from 1971 with "Just Like A Woman", covered inn the same year by another African-American woman, Roberta Flack. The irony was that Dylan wrote the song for Otis Redding who didn't fancy it. Our gospel offering was a song Bob wrote during his conversion to Christianity in a beautiful version by the Fairfield Four. The regular piano spot dipped into the New Orleans corner of TTRH for Professor Longhair and Fats Domino. More Dylan covers included the Solomon Burke triumphant go at "Maggies Farm" and a gorgeously sensual reading of "Lay Lady Lay" by Maria Muldaur whose voice has really improved with age, like cask-aged whisky.

Others have given fulsome tribute in celebration of Bob Dylan and two hours seemed barely enough to convey how he has influenced this author and changed the way folks listen to the radio by refusing to label the music he chose. Thanks Mr. Z. I've been invited back for some more eclectic fandangling on Bank Holiday Monday as well as STAR BLUES as normal on Sunday. I hope you can come along. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

Blow Wind Blow	Muddy Waters	14	Radio Bob: 16 Brilliant Tracks From Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists
Someday Baby	Bob Dylan	4	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8	Bob Dylan
Maggie's Farm	Solomon Burke	4	How Many Roads: Black America Sings Bob Dylan	Various
Pledging My Time	Duke Robillard	5	Blues On Blonde On Blonde	Various Artists
Everything Is Broken	R.L Burnside	4	Tangled Up In Blues	Various Artists
Just Like A Woman	Nina Simone	16	How Many Roads: Black America Sings Bob Dylan	Various
Corrina Corrina	Bo Carter	9	The Early Blues Roots Of Bob Dylan	Various Artists
Corrina, Corrina	Bob Dylan	11	The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan	Bob Dylan
36-22-36	Bland, Bobby "Blue"	1	Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3	Various Artists
Homework	Otis Rush	8	Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists
Mona	Bo Diddley	24	Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists
Pouring Water On A Drowning Man	James Carr	23	Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists
Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again	North Mississippi Allstars	5	Uncut: Happy Birthday Bob	Various Artists
Walkin' With Frankie	Frankie Lee Sims	7	Theme Time Radio Hour - Series 2	Various Artists
Soul On Fire	Lavern Baker	4	Radio Bob: Vol 2	Various Artists
In The Night	Professor Longhair	14	Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3	Various Artists
Dignity	Bob Dylan	3	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8	Bob Dylan
Don't You Lie To Me	Fats Domino	10	Theme Time Radio Hour - Season 3	Various Artists
John The Revelator	Blind Willie Johnson	8	Radio Bob: 16 Brilliant Tracks From Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour	Various Artists
Are You Ready (Album Version)	Fairfield Four, The	4	Gotta Serve Somebody - The Gospel Songs Of Bob Dylan	Various Artists
Not Dark Yet	Bob Dylan	7	Time Out Of Mind/Love And Theft	Bob Dylan
Walkin' Dr Bill Aka Gotta Find My Baby	B.B. King	21	Theme Time Radio Hour - Series 2	Various Artists
Lay Baby Lay	Maria Muldaur	2	Heart Of Mine : Love Songs Of Bob Dylan	Maria Muldaur
Like A Rolling Stone	Bob Dylan	9	Bootleg Series - Vols. 1 To 3	Bob Dylan
Highway 61 Revisited	Johnny Winter	7	Second Winter (Deluxe Edition)	Johnny Winter