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Johnson's Improbable History of Pop
Saturdays 7:00-8:00 p.m. on SPR News

John Johnson conducts a tour of the obscure world of early rock and pop music. The 95% of records that never got commercial airtime have a home, Johnson’s Improbable History of Pop features those artists who fell through the commercial cracks.

  • Group members Cary Beare, Michael Koep, Tristan Hart Pierce, and Blake Braley shares samples from their forthcoming debut album. We'll also hear the inside stories behind the songs.
  • Guest Bob Gallagher makes his annual appearance with a selection of favorite tunes from our esteemed neighbors to the North. We'll range over a half century from the Guess Who (1965) to Ron Sexsmith (2016).
  • Career survey of Scottish blues/rock guitarist with guest Ben Upham. We cover Anderson's early solo work plus his stints with Keef Hartley, Savoy Brown, Dog Soldier, and Broken Glass.
  • Live Grateful Dead recorded in Northwest from 1960's through 1990's with guest Ben Upham.
  • Guest Jim Kershner shares samples of this consistently underrated instrument through pop history. We'll also hear about the development of banjo playing styles through the decades.
  • Our tribute to Tennessee singer/songwriter focuses on her early recording career before the world wide superstardom. Many of the featured songs were based on her real life journey from a two room cabin with eleven siblings to the height of country music success.
  • A retrospective on the glory years of influential North London band featuring the Davies brothers, Ray and Dave. We'll follow their transition from crunchy guitar rockers to reflective singer/songwriters.
  • Former late night Spokane Grateful Dead radio host Mark Falcon is our guest on this archive presentation first aired in 1997. We'll hear an eclectic collection of Dead tunes taped during their summer shows through the decades.
  • Daryl Bredesen and Dick Baker from the Blue Jeans, plus Clark Frandsen of the Four Playboys were our studio guests in this 1995 show. Their two bands were well known throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho from late 1950's well into the 1960's.
  • Charlie Ryan, Bobby Wayne, and Neil Livingston were guests for this 1995 show. They shared their early recordings and memories of the local Spokane music scene of the 1950's. All three men also discuss their brushes with national fame during the period.