- [Announcer] Produced in Athens at the Ohio University Telecommunications Center.

The following program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.

(audience applauding) - [Emcee] From Athens, Ohio Ramblin' with Robin and Linda Williams.

(audience applauding) (lively country banjo music) ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and cry ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming ♪ ♪ We'll marry you and I ♪ ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and moan ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming ♪ ♪ Take my baby home ♪ ♪ Hopping down the railroad ♪ ♪ Across that county line ♪ ♪ Pretty little gal's a-waiting ♪ ♪ But a good man's hard to find ♪ ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and moan ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming take my baby home ♪ Here we go now.

♪ Well Hooper drives a wagon ♪ ♪ Possum walks behind ♪ ♪ Kill yourself a-laughing ♪ ♪ See them horses flying ♪ ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and moan ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming ♪ ♪ Take my baby home ♪ ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and cry ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming ♪ ♪ We'll marry you and I ♪ ♪ Oh my little darlin' ♪ ♪ Don't you weep and moan ♪ ♪ Some sweet day a-coming ♪ ♪ Take my baby home ♪ Take her home now.

Two three four.

(audience cheering) - Well hey there Linda.

Well we don't-- - Was I going fast enough, you think?

- I don't know, wear me out.

- Slow things down here, are we not?

- Yes, we'll do one of our favorite country western songs, If You Were a Bluebird.

♪ If you were a bluebird you'd be a sad one ♪ ♪ I'd give you a true word ♪ ♪ But you've already had one ♪ ♪ If you were a bluebird ♪ ♪ You'd be crying ♪ ♪ You'd be flying home ♪ ♪ If you were a raindrop ♪ ♪ You'd shine like a rainbow ♪ ♪ If you were a train stop ♪ ♪ The conductor would sing low ♪ ♪ If you were a raindrop ♪ ♪ You'd be falling ♪ ♪ You'd be calling home ♪ ♪ If you were a hotel ♪ ♪ Honey you'd be a grand one ♪ ♪ But if you hit a slow spell ♪ ♪ Do you think you could stand one ♪ ♪ If you were a hotel ♪ ♪ I'd lean on your doorbell ♪ ♪ I would call you my home ♪ ♪ If you were a highway ♪ ♪ I'd stretch alongside you ♪ ♪ I'd help you pass byways ♪ ♪ That had dissatisfied you ♪ ♪ If you were a highway ♪ ♪ I'd be stretching ♪ ♪ I'd be fetching you home ♪ ♪ If you were a bluebird, if you were a bluebird ♪ ♪ You'd be a sad one, you'd be a sad one ♪ ♪ I'd give you a true word ♪ ♪ But you've already had one ♪ ♪ If you were a bluebird ♪ ♪ You'd be a-crying ♪ ♪ You'd be flying home ♪ ♪ You'd be flying home ♪ (audience applauding) - Thank you.

- All right, let's check this tuning here.

This is a song we finished up down in St. Augustine, Florida in the winter of 1979.

It was great being in Florida there because we could actually lay out by the pool and get a, work on our suntan, it was the previous three winters or four winters, what we'd done is gone up to the Northeast and out to the Midwest in that slot of time, and it took us three years to realize that is not very smart at all.

Because we're sliding around the icy roads not really sure whether we'd make the next job or not.

So we went to Florida, and there we were lounging around the pool.

Linda had been out to the local K-Mart or the Zayre's, whatever you wanna call it, it's a department store, and bought a week's supply of the fabulous finger and toe dividers.

I don't know whether you've heard about them up here in Ohio or not, but they are the little clear plastic things that you put in between your fingers as you lay out in the sun.

- And toes.

- And you toes also, and so that the sun's rays, yes indeed, can get down in between your fingers and you will not have that dread icky white.

- DIW.

- Suffering from DIW, dread icky white, which points you right out as a tourist.

And of course if you go to Florida, you don't wanna look like a tourist.

Well that was the great thing about being in Florida there, and the weird thing about being in Florida was the job we were playing, we were playing at one of these bars on the Redneck Riviera, where we set up behind chicken wire, so the drunks couldn't hit us with the bottles and, and we watched, we got really good at announcing fistfights.

So that was, and also at the time I think Chicago was getting socked in every other day with all this kind of snow.

Yeah, we listened to Paul Harvey and hear, "Chicago got 400 inches of show in 24 hours yesterday."

So out of all this weirdness that was going on, we came up with this weird little tune called The Chilly Scenes of Winter.

Mm-hmm.

- Take two.

- Take two.

♪ How many miles to your soul ♪ ♪ How many times can that old river roll ♪ ♪ Honey I'm standing in the middle of town ♪ ♪ And I'm ready I'm ready for my last go-round ♪ ♪ Went down to Ernie's just to drink my share ♪ ♪ But I'd just as soon be sucking on that cold night air ♪ ♪ Oh the money's all gone and the bottle's empty ♪ ♪ And old memories are shadows all around me ♪ ♪ While the world rattles and rumbles ♪ ♪ 'Round these scenes frozen in time ♪ ♪ While the snow scatters and tumbles ♪ ♪ Old memories chill the mind ♪ ♪ Well they'll freeze you like a stone ♪ ♪ They'll keep you from going home ♪ ♪ And they'll set your heart a-shiver ♪ ♪ Yeah them chilly, chilly scenes of winter ♪ ♪ Yeah them chilly, chilly scenes of winter ♪ ♪ I waited that day that you never came ♪ ♪ Your friends all act like they never heard my name ♪ ♪ Oh honey was I nothing but your springtime joy ♪ ♪ Or was I, was I just your summer's boy ♪ ♪ And I cast my fate to the treacherous wind ♪ ♪ Yeah I let it roll me 'round and push me right in ♪ ♪ Yeah I let it roll me to the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ Throwing my fates and winter at my back ♪ ♪ While the world rattles and rumbles ♪ ♪ 'Round these scenes frozen in time ♪ ♪ While the snow scatters and tumbles ♪ ♪ Old memories chill the mind ♪ ♪ They'll freeze you like a stone ♪ ♪ They'll keep you from going home ♪ ♪ And they'll set your heart a-shiver ♪ ♪ Yeah them chilly, chilly scenes of winter ♪ ♪ Yeah them chilly, chilly scenes of winter ♪ ♪ How many miles to your soul ♪ ♪ How many times can that old river roll ♪ ♪ Honey I'm standing in the middle of town ♪ ♪ And I'm ready, I'm ready for my last go-round ♪ ♪ Yeah I'm ready, ready for my last go-round ♪ ♪ Yeah I'm ready ♪ ♪ I'm ready for my last go-round ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

- Gonna do you one of those country songs now, about a honky-tonk queen.

I dedicate this to you honky-tonk queens here today.

- Yay.

- Yay.

- You know who you are.

- They're everywhere.

I started writing this song as we were rolling out across Kansas, those beautiful snow-capped peaks of Kansas that, (Robin laughing) mile after mile of beautiful scenery out there and I just thought, "God, I can't do it anymore.

"I can't stand to look out that window one more time."

- Can't cope.

- Can't cope.

- Having a hard time relating.

- That's right, so I just crawled up in the back of the van and I'd been reading a bunch of stuff on poverty in America (laughing), nice cheery topic.

And I got this little song out of it called I've Traded My Soul.

One two three.

♪ Papa would say today is the day ♪ ♪ Take a deep breath and stiff out his chin ♪ ♪ And walk down the hill come right to the mill ♪ ♪ Just to be turned away once again ♪ ♪ And Mama would wait hoping he'd be home late ♪ ♪ With some beans and some bread for the tin ♪ ♪ Praying Lord give us strength and a little relief ♪ ♪ From this old world that we're living in ♪ ♪ But the jobs never came and the pride turned to shame ♪ ♪ When the company man came round our door ♪ ♪ And my Mama cried like she wanted to die ♪ ♪ 'Cause we owed everything to the store ♪ ♪ So early one evening I made plans to leave ♪ ♪ And I packed everything that I owned ♪ ♪ Holding tight to that sack ♪ ♪ I was fighting tears back ♪ ♪ For the first time I felt all alone ♪ ♪ And I thought I was leaving the hard times ♪ ♪ But they're the best times I've known ♪ ♪ 'Cause I found that living's just waiting to die ♪ ♪ And when my time comes there'll be no one to cry ♪ ♪ I was lost and I traded my soul ♪ ♪ I was only 13 and it seems like a dream ♪ ♪ To think back on my younger days ♪ ♪ 'Cause the life that I've found ♪ ♪ In these cities and towns ♪ ♪ Is a far cry from how I was raised ♪ ♪ Where the steel guitars whine ♪ ♪ And the sun never shines ♪ ♪ At the dead end of a long one-way street ♪ ♪ I'm selling my time and these bottles of wine ♪ ♪ To men just as lonely as me ♪ ♪ And I thought I was leaving the hard times ♪ ♪ But they're the best times I've known ♪ ♪ 'Cause I've found that living's just waiting to die ♪ ♪ And when my time comes there'll be no one to cry ♪ ♪ I was lost and I traded my soul ♪ ♪ I was lost and I traded my soul ♪ ♪ Mmm mmm ♪ (audience cheering) Are you ready?

- Yeah.

- Go ahead, honey.

- We're gonna do an a cappella song that we learned last February there in the valley of Virginia.

We have a group called the Gospel, well they're the Crawford Brothers.

- The Crawford Brothers.

- They sing gospel music, and last December we took three months off, it's the first vacation we've had in years, and we thought, well we would look for jobs or gigs, giges, whatever you wanna call them, around the valley of Virginia.

Well, we found out real quickly there were none, and we were getting real itchy to play.

We were sitting around in February when the Crawford Brothers called up and said, "Hey, I hear you play gospel songs.

"Come on down, we're having a gospel jam "at the First Church of God in Christ "in East Beverly Street here in Stanton."

And we were elated, we hadn't played in a long time.

We just grabbed our guitars and went down.

But before we did it, we did think about (laughing) what we were getting into, because it was the Crawford Brothers in the heavenly echoes of Stanton, Virginia, the BT Howard Memorial Choir, and us singing our corny little gospel songs.

So we learned this, this song for that occasion, because we didn't wanna be hooted out of the church.

We were on our P's and Q's, I remember I got dressed, coat and tie on, Linda had her high heels on.

Boy, we were looking sharp, looking sharp.

The people were talking to us, yelling at us in the middle of the song.

You know, Linda would be singing and the preacher there was standing up and talking to his congregation, telling them all to listen to what she was saying.

(audience laughing) - So if you wanna yell at us while we do this, we're use do it, go ahead.

- Right on.

♪ Oh death coming knocking on that sinner's door ♪ ♪ And he said old sinner are you ready to go ♪ ♪ And he said no no no no no no no ♪ ♪ Because I ain't put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Ain't done my duty ♪ ♪ Singing no no no ♪ ♪ Singing no no no ♪ ♪ Because I ain't put on my traveling shoes ♪ Lay it on, sister.

♪ Oh death come and knocking on that liar's door ♪ ♪ And he said old liar are you ready to go ♪ ♪ And he said no no no no no no no ♪ ♪ Because I aint put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Aint done by duty ♪ ♪ Singing no no no ♪ ♪ A-Singing no no no ♪ ♪ Because I ain't put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Well now death come a-knocking on that gambler's door ♪ ♪ And he said old gambler are you ready to go ♪ ♪ And he said no no no no no no no ♪ ♪ Because I ain't put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Ain't done my duty ♪ ♪ Singing no no no ♪ ♪ Singing no no no ♪ ♪ Because I ain't put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Well now death come a-knocking on that Christian's door ♪ ♪ And he said old Christian are you ready to go ♪ ♪ And he said yes yes yes yes yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Because I just put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ I done my duty ♪ ♪ Singing yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Oh singing yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Because I just put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ Oh singing yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Oh Lawdy yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Because I just put on my traveling shoes ♪ ♪ I done my duty ♪ ♪ Singing yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Yes yes yes ♪ ♪ Because I just put on my traveling shoes ♪ (audience laughing) (audience cheering) Music lovers, sensation seekers.

Dedicated to Donny McCrae, the piano player whose father and mother Walter and Isabel are our neighbors.

♪ I spent three days at the wheel ♪ ♪ And I must have drove 2000 miles ♪ ♪ Lord it felt good to see that gal of mine smile ♪ ♪ Well you late night high rollers ♪ ♪ If you want to search me out ♪ ♪ Just address your cards and letters ♪ ♪ Up at the rural route ♪ ♪ Well take out your fiddle and take out your bow ♪ ♪ Play a little tune called Cotton Eyed Joe ♪ ♪ Take out your guitar on the wall ♪ ♪ Honey you and me is gonna have a ball ♪ ♪ Well you're gonna make me holler ♪ ♪ And I'm gonna make you shout ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route, that's right ♪ ♪ Well New York New York ♪ ♪ You treated me cruel ♪ ♪ Ooh Las Vegas you made me feel just like a fool ♪ ♪ I was grabbing at that there ♪ ♪ Trying to turn an easy buck ♪ ♪ Taking crazy chances and hoping for a lot of luck ♪ ♪ Well take out your fiddle and take out your bow ♪ ♪ Play a little tuned called Cotton Eyed Joe ♪ ♪ Take that guitar on the wall ♪ ♪ Honey you and me is gonna have a ball ♪ ♪ Well you're gonna make me holler ♪ ♪ And I'm gonna make you shout ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route ♪ ♪ Well she loved it when I told her ♪ ♪ That I was making future plans ♪ ♪ Well I'm standing on the rock ♪ ♪ I've got my feet out of the sand ♪ ♪ There'll be sugar in the bowl ♪ ♪ Every night in this old house ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock and we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route ♪ ♪ Well take out your fiddle and take out your bow ♪ ♪ Play a little tune called Cotton Eyed Joe ♪ ♪ Take that guitar on the wall ♪ ♪ Honey you and me is gonna have a ball ♪ ♪ Well you're gonna make me holler ♪ ♪ And I'm gonna make you should ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route ♪ - One more time.

♪ Well take out your fiddle and take out your bow ♪ ♪ Play a little tune called Cotton Eyed Joe ♪ ♪ Take that guitar on the wall ♪ ♪ Honey you and me is gonna have a ball ♪ ♪ We'll now you're gonna make me holler ♪ ♪ And I'm gonna make you shout ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock and we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route ♪ ♪ We're gonna rock we're gonna roll ♪ ♪ Out on the rural route ♪ (crowd cheering) Oh, thank you.

That's our token rock and roll there.

(laughing) (audience applauding) Well we've been sitting here singing, well it's actually standing here singing, and you've been sitting and we thought maybe we'd get you all to sing on a song here, this is a song that Robin and a friend of ours wrote, and it's an affirmative action murder ballad and you don't, (audience laughing) they're kind of rare, you don't see too many affirmative action murder ballads these days, or any days for that matter.

But it's got a real easy chorus and the chorus goes, "Step it out, Nancy pretty darling, "Step it out, Nancy if you can, step it out Nancy "pretty darling, show your legs to the wealthy man."

But it isn't like how it seems, is it Robin?

- No.

- (laughing) You notice right away that there are two familiar themes in murder ballads.

One is that there's this guy named Willie, who roams the Ohio River Valley (laughing) - Everywhere.

- Everywhere.

So he doesn't just limit himself to the Ohio River, in search of these DFSWs, delicate flowers of Southern womanhood and, (audience laughing) takes them out on a picnic usually.

And they get out by the banks of some river somewhere or something and he starts digging this, what is it?

A three by six, or whatever, those grave-sized holes in the ground are, and she says, "Gee Willie, what are you doing?"

And he says, "I'm digging you grave," and you know, she doesn't leave, she says, "Pass the chicken," or something, she doesn't even leave.

She just sits there and lets him (laughing)-- - Rule number 51.

- Kill her.

And then he, he kills here, throws her in the grave, buries her, rides back to town and writes his song about how could he have ever killed the only woman he ever loved, you know?

So that's one theme, and the other theme is there's, the woman falls in love with the man, and the parents don't like it, they won't have anything to do with this boy, and usually end up killing him.

Somebody in her family kills him, and the she kills herself, in terrible grief and remorse over the loss of this loved one.

So this song here-- - That's pretty wimpy too.

- That is wimpy.

We figured, wimpy, wimpy.

- Wimpy, wimpy women, not standing up-- - People in general, just wimpy people.

So this is not a wimpy song.

So sing it with us, you'll pick it up.

It's in the tradition of the murder ballad.

It is in a minor key of course, and about nine verses long, but it's fast and we sing it and it moves right along, and you can pick it up, so sing with us.

♪ Near Cheyenne in Wyoming ♪ ♪ There's a maiden fine and fair ♪ ♪ Oh her eyes they shone like diamonds ♪ ♪ She had long and golden hair ♪ ♪ When the cattleman came riding ♪ ♪ He came to her father's door ♪ ♪ Mounted on a new white pony ♪ ♪ He came at the stroke of four ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ I have come to court your daughter ♪ ♪ Nancy of the golden hair ♪ ♪ I have wealth and I have money ♪ ♪ I have goods beyond compare ♪ ♪ I will buy her silks and satins ♪ ♪ And a gold ring for her hand ♪ ♪ I will build for her a mansion ♪ ♪ She'll have servants to command ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ Can't you see I love a cowboy ♪ ♪ And I promised him my hand ♪ ♪ And I don't want your house and money ♪ ♪ I don't want your goods and land ♪ ♪ Nancy's father spoke up sharply ♪ ♪ Said you'll do as you are told ♪ ♪ You'll be married on this Sunday ♪ ♪ You will wear the ring of gold ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ Well the cattleman spoke with fury ♪ ♪ Said you will not have that man ♪ ♪ And he rode from town in anger ♪ ♪ With his rifle in his hand ♪ ♪ Now he came back from Colorado ♪ ♪ On his pony was a sack ♪ ♪ Deep red with the blood of the cowboy ♪ ♪ Slung across the back ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ And Nancy cried in anguish ♪ ♪ She wept and tore her hair ♪ ♪ She slipped into her father's room ♪ ♪ And found the pistol lying there ♪ ♪ On a Sunday came the wedding ♪ ♪ The townsfolk gathered at noon ♪ ♪ They saw Nancy pull the pistol ♪ ♪ And shoot down that wealthy groom ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ Nancy said I am not sorry ♪ ♪ When the jury heard the tale ♪ ♪ Though he rots beneath the ground ♪ ♪ And I shall rot in jail ♪ ♪ There in that crowded courtroom ♪ ♪ 12 good men took their stand ♪ ♪ Said we will not hold you Nancy ♪ ♪ For killing that wealthy man ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy if you can ♪ ♪ Step it out Nancy pretty darling ♪ ♪ Show your legs to the wealthy man ♪ (audience cheering) ♪ Mmm it's gospel time again ♪ Gonna sing you a song called Rank Strangers.

Linda and I have always wanted to get a bluegrass band together or some kind of a band together so we could do these answer back gospel songs.

This is a great answer back gospel song.

So we're counting on you this time.

Some of you weren't singing that last time.

- [Linda] You were mouthing the words.

- Mouthing the words, moving their lips.

Saying, "Those dumb grits on stage "aren't gonna know that I'm not singing."

- [Linda] That's right, "I'll move my lips "and they won't notice anything."

- "I'll move my lips and they'll think hey."

- 'Cause we're smart.

(laughing) - And being as we're in such a, amongst the future leaders of tomorrow, some of you.

We know that you'll have no trouble picking this one up, this song, 'cause it has a very definite answer back part.

♪ Mmm yes ♪ - [Linda] In the chorus.

♪ In the chorus.

♪ - One of us will sing a line and the other one will answer back, and you can just follow whoever it is that's answering back, and raise your voices here in glorious song as we turn the hymnal to page, what?

(audience laughing) - Page 11.

- Page 11.

- Singing an old great gospel song from Carters and Ralph Stanley.

Rank Strangers, I got it.

- You got it.

♪ I wandered again to my home in the mountains ♪ ♪ Where in youth's early dawn I was happy and free ♪ ♪ I was happy and free ♪ ♪ I looked for my friends, I looked for my friends ♪ ♪ But I never could find them ♪ ♪ I found they were all rank strangers to me ♪ ♪ Rank strangers to me ♪ ♪ Everybody I met, everybody I met ♪ ♪ Seemed to be a rank stranger, seemed to be a rank stranger ♪ ♪ No Mama or dad, no Mama or dad ♪ ♪ Not a friend could I see, not a friend could I see ♪ ♪ They knew not my name, they knew not my name ♪ ♪ And I knew not their faces, and I knew not their faces ♪ ♪ I found they were all, I found they were all ♪ ♪ Rank strangers to me, rank strangers to me ♪ ♪ Lord it's a shame when you're standing in front ♪ ♪ Of some of the nicest looking people in the world ♪ ♪ And you find out that they're just too damn dumb ♪ ♪ To know how to sing ♪ ♪ Glory hallelujah we want you to lift your voices ♪ ♪ On the second time around folks ♪ ♪ Because it feels so much better the holy spirit ♪ ♪ Will come down you will feel it ♪ ♪ Let me hear you say Amen ♪ ♪ Let me hear you say Amen, Amen ♪ ♪ The second time is coming around ♪ ♪ We want you to sing it ♪ ♪ They've all moved away ♪ ♪ Said the voice of a stranger ♪ ♪ To a beautiful home ♪ ♪ By the bright crystal sea, by the bright crystal sea ♪ ♪ Some beautiful day, some beautiful day ♪ ♪ I'll see them in Heaven, I'll see them in Heaven ♪ ♪ Where no one will be ♪ - Here it comes.

♪ A stranger to me, a stranger to me ♪ ♪ Everybody I met, everybody I met ♪ ♪ Seemed to be a rank stranger, seemed to be a rank stranger ♪ Can't hear anybody.

♪ No Mama or dad, no Mama or dad ♪ ♪ Not a friend could I see, not a friend could I see ♪ ♪ They knew not my name, they knew not my name ♪ ♪ And I knew not their faces, and I knew not their faces ♪ ♪ I found they were all, I found they were all ♪ ♪ Rank strangers to me, rank strangers to me ♪ Big finish now.

♪ I found they were all, I found they were all ♪ ♪ Rank strangers to me, rank strangers to me ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

- Well folks, this is the title song of that record called Dixie Highway Signs, a song that Linda started writing as we were traveling around Chicago.

On the Northwest Tollway, eight lanes of traffic.

Normally eight lanes of traffic.

Never in your wildest imagination could you have ever thought eight lanes could narrow down to two suddenly, so suddenly.

There we are dodging the trucks and the potholes.

They got potholes out there, I think the word potholes was coined by the people in Chicago.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- Come on, big chords.

♪ Well the trucks eyeballing and the CB's calling ♪ ♪ Logging in the miles ♪ ♪ The white lines rolling and the highway's tolling ♪ ♪ Every little while ♪ ♪ I heading around Chicago town ♪ ♪ Wisconsin just behind ♪ ♪ I'm on the road to Ohio and I can't waste no time ♪ ♪ Oh but I'm surprised to find ♪ ♪ That Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ 'Cause Dixie's such a long way down the line ♪ ♪ Long ago but not forgotten ♪ ♪ Toting sacks down the rows of cotton ♪ ♪ Memories that glisten and shine ♪ ♪ When my eyes fell on that Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ Well the potholes bumping ♪ ♪ And the black tar's humming ♪ ♪ Underneath my tires ♪ ♪ The traffic's sweeping ♪ ♪ And the brakes are squealing ♪ ♪ And the cement's hot as fire ♪ ♪ I see a blue light beaming ♪ ♪ Hear a siren screaming ♪ ♪ Some poor fool's hit hard times ♪ ♪ I'm here to say that I wouldn't trade ♪ ♪ His troubles for all of mine ♪ ♪ Oh but I'm surprised to find ♪ ♪ That Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ 'Cause Dixie's such a long way down the line ♪ ♪ Long ago but not forgotten ♪ ♪ Toting sacks down the rows of cotton ♪ ♪ Memories that glisten and shine ♪ ♪ When my eyes fell on that Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ I'm moving through the gears ♪ ♪ Checking my mirrors ♪ ♪ Tailgaters drive me crazy ♪ ♪ Driving with power 60 miles per hour ♪ ♪ Down Interstate 480 ♪ ♪ The lanes are switching ♪ ♪ And the old men are hitching rides along the side ♪ ♪ The lanes are glowing and a tail wind blowing ♪ ♪ Lord I'm bound to ride ♪ ♪ Oh but I'm surprised to find ♪ ♪ That Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ 'Cause Dixie's such a long way down the line ♪ ♪ Long ago but not forgotten ♪ ♪ Toting sacks down the rows of cotton ♪ ♪ Memories that glisten and shine ♪ ♪ When my eyes fell on that Dixie Highway sign ♪ ♪ It was long ago but not forgotten ♪ ♪ Toting sacks down the rows of cotton ♪ ♪ Memories that glisten and shine ♪ ♪ When my eyes fell on that Dixie Highway sign ♪ (audience cheering) Okay, all right.

This is a little instrumental banjo song, tune, (banjo tuning) that I made up right after I first got this banjo.

This is a great-looking and really nice-sounding old Orpheum number three special, I'm real proud of it.

I've traded my way up the ladder of banjos (laughing) til I got one that played real good.

And it has real good bass response.

I don't know if y'all can, can hear that.

But that's what I liked about it the most, and this song reflects that I would say, wouldn't you Robin?

- Yes.

- This is a little tune called Sarah Ashton.

(banjo tuning) (uptempo old-time country string music) (audience cheering) Thank you.

I've learned a lot of banjo stuff from a friend of mine, he lives in Augusta County, Virginia, where we come from.

And he collected this next song from a lady who lived up on Afton Mountain in Nelson County, where the Waltons live, you know?

- Walnuts?

- Walnuts.

- John Boy, Sister Boy.

(banjo tuning) - And it was kind of a rare little song.

You don't find a lot of the traditional songs, a lot of traditional songs are very heavily recorded, and you know, you hear the same ones kind of a lot.

And this was, was nice, finding one that was a real, real obscure little tune, and it's a real strange little song too, called Oh Them Johnson Girls, They's the Cause of It All.

So if anything goes wrong in your life-- - You know the Johnson girls have been around.

- Blame it on somebody named Johnson.

(banjo tuning) They've been here.

(banjo tuning) ♪ Railroad tracks all covered with snow ♪ ♪ Railroad tracks all covered with snow ♪ ♪ Railroad tracks all covered with snow ♪ ♪ The wheels keep slipping and the cars won't go ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Them Johnson girls are the cause of it all ♪ ♪ If I live to see next fall ♪ ♪ If I live to see next fall ♪ ♪ If I live to see next fall ♪ ♪ I ain't gonna plan no winter at all ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Them Johnson girls is the cause of it all ♪ ♪ All around the mountain getting so cold ♪ ♪ All around the mountain getting so cold ♪ ♪ All around the mountain getting so cold ♪ ♪ The brakes keep sticking and the wheels won't go ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Them Johnson girls are the cause of it all ♪ ♪ Now I'm laying in the jail with my face to the wall ♪ ♪ Laying in the jail with my face to the wall ♪ ♪ Laying in the jail with my face to the wall ♪ ♪ Johnson girls is the cause of it all ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Them Johnson girls is the cause of it all ♪ Here we go.

(lively old-time country string music) ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Oh them Johnson girls ♪ ♪ Them Johnson girls is the cause of it all ♪ (audience cheering) Thank you.

- We're gonna close up here with a couple a cappella songs.

We like to sing a cappella in the old style.

A cappella does not, as one little girl came up and asked us, mean without clothes, however.

Some people have said that it means without music too, which I don't really agree with either (laughing).

All these things and more.

This first one is an a cappella song that Robin wrote a number of years ago, and we did it on our first record that we recorded, back before the new times.

1975, before the '80s hit and we all got short hair and everything.

(laughing) Called the Ballad of Adam Rood ♪ I was looking for adventure ♪ ♪ The Army was for me ♪ ♪ The only way to see the world ♪ ♪ Was to join the infantry ♪ ♪ Courage would be my brother ♪ ♪ Valor my sweetheart dear ♪ ♪ And all in the world I had to do ♪ ♪ Was to sign up for five years ♪ ♪ Well they sent me to Fort Riley ♪ ♪ To fight the Indian ♪ ♪ A duty of no object on which to make my stand ♪ ♪ I thought hard of the Indian and of his manner crude ♪ ♪ Until I met a lizard by the name of Adam Rood ♪ ♪ Adam Rood has a brother in Washington back East ♪ ♪ Who made this lowly liar a federal appointee ♪ ♪ The Indian Bureau sent him I wish they'd take him back ♪ ♪ For cheating and depravity are faults that he don't lack ♪ ♪ We sat down to a parlay to talk with the Indian ♪ ♪ They gave up all their wandering ♪ ♪ They gave up all their land ♪ ♪ The Army promised shelter the Army promised food ♪ ♪ But the Indian don't get neither on account of Adam Rood ♪ ♪ Adam Rood is a coward he does just what he's told ♪ ♪ He lines his brother's pockets ♪ ♪ And his own with Indian gold ♪ ♪ With their families slowing dying ♪ ♪ Brave warriors they grieve ♪ ♪ And Adam Rood is puffed with pride ♪ ♪ At how he has deceived ♪ ♪ But when they paint their faces ♪ ♪ And raise their lances bright ♪ ♪ It's me the lowly private who'll have to risk my life ♪ ♪ When the Army tells my mother that a burial is due ♪ ♪ Will they also tell her that I died ♪ ♪ On account of Adam Rood ♪ ♪ Oh the trooper's life is hard boys ♪ ♪ From dawn til the setting sun ♪ ♪ One day is hardly finished til the next day has begun ♪ ♪ There's glory and there's pride for those in the cavalry ♪ ♪ But the honest walking soldier is as low as low can be ♪ ♪ Well I hate the summer's blazing heat ♪ ♪ And I hate the winter's snow ♪ ♪ And I hate the bloody locusts who eat up all I grow ♪ ♪ And I hate my Sergeant Major and on this I will conclude ♪ ♪ That I don't hate none of these as bad ♪ ♪ As I hate Adam Rood ♪ ♪ That I don't hate none of these as bad ♪ ♪ As I hate Adam Rood ♪ (crowd applauding) ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way up in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ And the little wheel runs by faith ♪ ♪ And the big wheel runs by the grace of God ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Well let me tell you what a hypocrite'll do ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ He'll talk about me and he'll talk about you ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way up in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ And the little wheel runs by faith ♪ ♪ And the big wheel runs by the grace of God ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Well one of these days about 12:00 ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ We'll this old world's gonna reel and rock ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way up in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ And the little wheel runs by faith ♪ ♪ And the big wheel runs by the grace of God ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Well God gave Noah the rainbow sign ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Well no more rain but the fire next time ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way up in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ And the little wheel runs by faith ♪ ♪ And the big wheel runs by the grace of God ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way up in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ Ezekiel saw the wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ And the little wheel runs by faith ♪ ♪ And the big runs by the grace of God ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ ♪ It's a wheel in a wheel turning ♪ ♪ Way in the middle of the air ♪ (audience cheering) - Thank you very much.

- Thank you.

- Thank you very much, y'all have been great.

(audience cheering) - [Announcer] The preceding program was produced in part through a grant from the Ohio Educational Broadcasting Network Commission and through a grant from the Ohio Arts Council.