(upbeat blue music) (drumstick thudding) (audience applauding and cheering) (mellow blues music) [Announcer] Recorded live at the University of North Alabama in Florence, the Salt & Pepper Roots Music Celebration presents blues artist Debbie Bond and Radiator Rick.

My father's mother was a full-time singer in the '20s, and so quite a wild woman.

And of course, I only met her a few times in my life, but we really connected, of course, (chuckling) and she was, she knew that, you know, there was a granddaughter that was kinda following in her footsteps.

When I first came to Alabama, the day I came, I felt at home, and I don't why.

But the music and the other folk culture, like arts, and written work, and stuff, I think the South is just bursting with a sort of grassroots creativity, which is exceptional.

♪ The way to win a losing game ♪ ♪ Leave me alone ♪ ♪ Oh, let me be ♪ ♪ The path ♪ [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Additional support provided by the Alabama Folklife Association.

(mellow blues music) ♪ Went to the doctor ♪ ♪ Said, what's wrong with me ♪ ♪ She said, move a little closer girl ♪ ♪ Let me see ♪ ♪ She checked my heart ♪ ♪ She checked my mind ♪ ♪ Just one more thing, she had to check my spine ♪ ♪ With no X-ray vision, was plain to see ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ I been up all night ♪ ♪ Howling at the moon ♪ ♪ Had a fever pitch ♪ ♪ Hoping he'd be home soon ♪ ♪ I'm trying to love another Casanova ♪ ♪ I'm hoping and praying over and over ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it's plain to see ♪ ♪ Got a wishbone where my backbone should me ♪ ♪ Somebody help me ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Lord, have mercy ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Don't make me cry ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ -♪ Don't need no MRI ♪ -♪ I got a wishbone ♪ ♪ Where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it is plain to see ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ Play the blues now, baby.

(mellow harmonica music) ♪ Now it's a perfect example of how looks can kill ♪ ♪ There's no prescription drugs ♪ ♪ No curative pills ♪ ♪ Love's a sickness, a real disease ♪ ♪ Makes you fall to the ground ♪ ♪ Brings you down to your knees ♪ ♪ Ow ♪ ♪ Too much hoochie-coochie made my backbone slip ♪ ♪ Too much boogie-woogie ♪ ♪ I got a dislocated hip ♪ ♪ This is the meaning of bad to the bone ♪ ♪ The seed of my troubles in my love zone ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it is plain to see ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ All right, y'all.

So I got the diagnosis, I got the prognosis, but I knew better.

I just need to try a little harder.

I was gon' tame him with one of my womanly, wily ways.

I was gon' straighten up and fly right, and everything's gon' be fine.

So this is what I told the therapist.

♪ I feel good, but he's so fine ♪ ♪ Might have a little weakness in my lower spine ♪ ♪ To build my resistance it's gonna take a little bit longer ♪ ♪ Gonna keep holding on 'til I'm just a bit stronger ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it is plain to see, yeah ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Somebody help me ♪ ♪ Got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Lord, have mercy ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ I'm down on my knees ♪ ♪ Got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ I'm begging please ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it is plain to see ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Doctor, doctor ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ It's my lower chakra ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ Don't make me cry ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone, got a wishbone ♪ ♪ Don't need no MRI ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ ♪ No X-ray vision, it is plain to see ♪ ♪ I got a wishbone where my backbone should be ♪ (audience applauding) [Audience Member] Nice.

(audience applauding and cheering) Thank you so much.

Song of the 'morrow.

(mellow blues music) ♪ I'm trying to break the shackles ♪ ♪ Locked around my heart ♪ ♪ Put there with the best intentions ♪ ♪ To protect me from the start ♪ ♪ From a dangerous world out there ♪ ♪ Poisoned with fear and doubt ♪ ♪ These chains will be broken ♪ ♪ Finding my way out ♪ ♪ Leave me alone, yeah ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ All I see is darkness ♪ ♪ I sure don't see no light ♪ ♪ You're coming on so sweet and strong ♪ ♪ Make wrong look just like right ♪ ♪ I won't stop to listen ♪ ♪ I hear you knocking on my door ♪ ♪ Know better than to open up ♪ ♪ 'Cause you've been here before ♪ ♪ Yeah, leave me alone ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ (mellow blues music continues) (mellow blues music continues) ♪ The same old story ♪ ♪ Only names and faces change ♪ ♪ There ain't no happy endings here ♪ ♪ The way to win a losing game ♪ ♪ Leave me alone ♪ ♪ Oh, let me be ♪ ♪ The path to freedom ♪ ♪ It sure ain't down this road ♪ ♪ I've got to leave you far behind ♪ ♪ And lighten up my load ♪ ♪ But it's so hard to turn my back ♪ ♪ And walk the other way ♪ ♪ And yeah, you keep on calling out ♪ ♪ And begging me to stay ♪ ♪ Leave me alone ♪ ♪ Let me be ♪ ♪ Hmm, yeah ♪ ♪ Leave me alone ♪ ♪ I'm moving on ♪ ♪ Yeah, and singing my songs ♪ ♪ Yeah, just watch me now ♪ ♪ Can't stop me now, yeah ♪ ♪ Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo ♪ ♪ Da, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da ♪ ♪ Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo ♪ ♪ Doo, doo, doo, doo, da ♪ ♪ Da, da, da ♪ ♪ Mm, da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ (mellow blues music continues) [Audience Member] Nice.

(audience applauding and cheering) (mellow blues music continues) ♪ Mm, yeah ♪ ♪ Leave me alone ♪ Early on, I think it was more just folk in general, almost Celtic music even, what they call Americana now.

And I love blues, I just, I love Bonnie Raitt.

I never really considered properly what a musician was meant to be doing.

And then I ended up in Alabama hooking up with this guy called Willie King, who's a really fantastic Pickens County blues man, old school.

And his view was that the blues was a music sent by the spirit to help people through difficult times.

(mellow blues music) ♪ I never knew what it meant ♪ ♪ To open up my heart ♪ ♪ I tried so hard to get closer to you, baby ♪ ♪ I don't know where to start ♪ ♪ And love sure looks easy ♪ ♪ With the heat of that first glow ♪ ♪ Yeah, the sparks fly high ♪ ♪ But it's a whole different story, y'all ♪ ♪ When the rubber meets the road ♪ ♪ Don't know how to do it ♪ ♪ I guess I never learned ♪ ♪ Too busy protecting myself ♪ ♪ Afraid to get burned ♪ ♪ I've got to find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Yeah, find a way ♪ I know y'all can sing it.

♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Yeah, find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ To love again ♪ (mellow blues music continues) ♪ Way down deep, a long time ago ♪ ♪ I guess I made up my mind ♪ ♪ 'Cause my mama said, girl ♪ ♪ Never trust a man ♪ ♪ And how love was blind ♪ ♪ And every time I opened up my heart ♪ ♪ You know the flames of love grew higher ♪ ♪ When I lost myself in the heat of love ♪ ♪ The flames of desire ♪ ♪ I don't know how to do it ♪ ♪ I guess I never learned ♪ ♪ Too busy protecting myself ♪ ♪ Afraid to get burned ♪ ♪ I've gotta find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ I can't hear those singers.

♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Yeah, find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ To love again ♪ (mellow blues music continues) (mellow blues music continues) ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Yeah, baby ♪ ♪ Yeah, I know they say love will find a way ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I know that love ♪ ♪ Love ♪ ♪ Will take us higher ♪ ♪ Mm, hmm ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (mellow blues music continues) ♪ You've gone tired of proving yourself ♪ ♪ You say your love is for real ♪ ♪ And how I got to give you all of my love ♪ ♪ 'Cause baby, that's the deal ♪ ♪ You're meant to jump right in ♪ ♪ You don't hold back ♪ ♪ 'Cause that's the way that true love works ♪ ♪ And going 'round and 'round and 'round the block ♪ ♪ Don't make no love expert ♪ ♪ I never learned it ♪ ♪ I guess I never learned ♪ ♪ Real busy protecting myself ♪ ♪ Afraid to get burned ♪ ♪ I gotta find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Yeah, find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Gotta find a way ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ To get closer to you, baby ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Closer to you, babe ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Got to dig a little deeper ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Oh, dig a little deeper ♪ ♪ Find a way ♪ ♪ Reach a little higher ♪ ♪ Higher ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Reach a little higher ♪ ♪ Reach a little higher, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Gotta find a way, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ To love ♪ ♪ Yeah, baby ♪ ♪ Again ♪ [Audience Member] Nice.

(audience applauding) Thank you.

(audience applauding and cheering) Blues and music is a healer, and I think it just made me feel better to sing, or you know, do music.

So there was always a piano in my house.

My mother actually studied voice and was a choir director.

(mellow blues music) ♪ If we only knew ♪ ♪ What love could do ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ We only knew ♪ ♪ What love could do ♪ ♪ Well, the whole wide world's in trouble ♪ ♪ We've got to find ♪ ♪ Common ground ♪ ♪ And come together, people ♪ ♪ Or well, we won't even be around ♪ ♪ Oh, advertised and mesmerized ♪ ♪ We're still too blind to see ♪ ♪ If one of us is chained ♪ ♪ None of us are free ♪ ♪ If we only knew ♪ ♪ What love could do, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, if we only knew ♪ ♪ What love could do ♪ ♪ There's trouble down at the borders ♪ ♪ Mr. President, hear our call ♪ ♪ Why can't we build bridges ♪ ♪ And tear down walls ♪ ♪ Caged children locked in detention ♪ ♪ There's separated families ♪ ♪ Homeless lost and terrorized ♪ ♪ Stainless refugees ♪ ♪ Oh, if we only knew ♪ ♪ Yeah, love could do ♪ ♪ Ooh, yeah, well, we only knew ♪ ♪ Yeah, what love could do ♪ (mellow blues music continues) ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Mm, hmm ♪ ♪ Mm, hmm, hmm, hmm ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ If we could learn to love ourselves ♪ ♪ We could help somebody else ♪ ♪ Got to heal human relations ♪ ♪ And build communication ♪ ♪ We got to get it together, people ♪ ♪ Before it's too late ♪ ♪ Shattered glass and broken dreams ♪ ♪ Broken hearts ripped at the seam ♪ ♪ Can we be brothers, and sisters, and friends ♪ ♪ And stop judging by the color of their skin ♪ ♪ If we only knew ♪ ♪ Yeah, what love could do ♪ ♪ If we only knew, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, what love could do ♪ ♪ Water, earth, wind, and fire ♪ ♪ They're Mother Nature's tools ♪ ♪ The circle has been broken ♪ ♪ We're Mother Nature's fools ♪ ♪ Greed, war, and corruption ♪ ♪ Will bring us to our knees ♪ ♪ Dream of a world without borders ♪ ♪ Where the whole round world is free ♪ ♪ If we only knew ♪ ♪ Yeah, what love could do ♪ ♪ Yeah, we only knew ♪ ♪ Yeah, what love could do ♪ ♪ Got to keep on trying ♪ ♪ Keep on pushing ♪ ♪ Don't give up ♪ ♪ We can't give in ♪ ♪ If we only knew ♪ ♪ What love could do ♪ [Audience Member] Nice.

(audience applauding and cheering) [Radiator Rick] Thank you.

(upbeat blues music) ♪ This old road don't own me ♪ ♪ Still got a long way to go ♪ ♪ This road don't own me ♪ ♪ Got a long way to go ♪ ♪ When the story's over ♪ ♪ Yeah, we'll be heading back home ♪ ♪ I'm a full-grown woman ♪ ♪ A full-grown woman ♪ ♪ Got me a full-grown man ♪ ♪ A full-grown man ♪ ♪ A full-grown woman ♪ ♪ A full-grown woman ♪ ♪ Got me a full-grown man ♪ ♪ A full-grown man ♪ ♪ I love traveling with my baby ♪ ♪ In our old blue Chevy van ♪ (upbeat harmonica music) (light blues music) ♪ Something 'bout this music ♪ ♪ Makes a girl wanna roam ♪ ♪ Head on the blue highway ♪ ♪ Turn around and head back home ♪ ♪ Flying through the air ♪ ♪ Wheels rolling on the ground ♪ ♪ Singing Ramblin' Blues ♪ ♪ About the whole way 'round ♪ ♪ I gotta keep moving ♪ ♪ Leaving my worries behind ♪ ♪ I gotta keep moving ♪ ♪ Leaving my worries behind ♪ ♪ Traveling light ♪ ♪ Keeping a peaceful mind ♪ Look out, Rick, I'm gonna.

♪ Got my head in the clouds ♪ ♪ My head in the clouds ♪ ♪ Yeah, my feet are on the ground ♪ ♪ Her feet on the ground ♪ ♪ My head in the clouds ♪ ♪ Her head in a cloud ♪ ♪ My feet are on the ground ♪ ♪ And feet on the ground ♪ ♪ These old wheels keep rolling ♪ ♪ Rolling from town to town ♪ ♪ This old road don't own me ♪ ♪ Still got a long way to go ♪ ♪ This old road don't own me ♪ ♪ Still got a long way to go ♪ ♪ Yeah, when the story's over ♪ ♪ Yeah, we'll be heading back home ♪ ♪ Yeah, when the story's over ♪ ♪ Yeah, we'll be heading back home ♪ ♪ Yeah, when the story's over ♪ ♪ We'll be heading back home ♪ (light blues music) -[Radiator Rick] Yeah.

-(audience applauding) -Thank you so much.

-Thank you so much.

-Radiator Rick, over here.

-Thank you so much.

My name is Debbie Bond, and we thank Russell -and everybody for having us.

-[Rick] Appreciate it.

Thanks so much.

(audience applauding) (Debbie drowned out by applause) [Announcer] This program is made possible in part by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Additional support provided by the Alabama Folklife Association.

(light guitar music) (Debbie and Radiator Rick laughing) Sounds good up here.

[Speaker 1] I've got a biased opinion.

Say again?

[Speaker 1] Sounds good to me, but I've got a biased opinion.

(chuckling) Is that- I kinda wish- Well, that would counter mine, 'cause I'm staying off it for the harmonica to, so you didn't have to choose.

[Speaker 2] Well, maybe.

Maybe.

Let me just take this guy and band, -thinking I should, -Of course I want a picture -with Eric.

-You won't get in unless you have significant representation.

And we do ourselves, so then they wouldn't have known if all this didn't, though.

But I didn't wanna know them either.

(group laughing) At least I say.

Oh, then.

[Speaker 1] About, as far as the gain and the foot volume?

'Cause if I do it here, it'll.

(bright harmonica music) [Speaker 1] Sure, sure.

Cockney is that complete failure Dick Van Dyke in "Bewitched."

Oh, okay.

He was trying to fake like Cockney, but it sounded bizarre.

Never heard anything like it in my life.

Boy's got a blunder, some say.

(speaker laughing) I'm West.

(upbeat blues music) (audience applauding and cheering)