Day 1
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008:

10 a.m. "IT" CAME FROM MEMPHIS: TRAVIS WAMMACK with SCOTT BOMAR

Wild guitar slinger Travis Wammack launched his recording career when he was just 13 years old. Since then, the "Scratchy" instrumental axe wielder has worked with Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, and managed guitar duties at Alabama's legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Moderated by Memphis musician, bandleader and composer Scott Bomar.

11 a.m HOW'S ABOUT A HAYRIDE: BOB SULLIVAN with JOHN MORTHLAND

In its heyday, any and every all-star in country music appeared on the Louisiana Hayride. And as the chief engineer, Bob Sullivan heard -- and saw -- everything from his perch behind the control board. At his Lafayette, Louisiana studio, Sullivan also worked with a veritable who's who in American music. He's handled sound for Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Elvis, and, with eMusic's John Morthland (Creem, Rolling Stone, and Texas Monthly), he reveals what it was like to be in the company of kings. 

12 p.m. ALL FOR ONE: HAROLD BATTISTE with PETER GURALNICK

He's a real New Orleans music visionary: Harold Battiste served as an A&R man for Specialty Records, arranged Sam Cooke's "You Send Me," introduced audiences to Dr. John the Night Tripper, and produced hits ranging from Lee Dorsey's "Ya Ya" to Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe." In 1961, Battiste founded the country's first African American owned music label, AFO, and launched it with a million-selling hit, Barbara George's "I Know." Peter Guralnick, one of the leading authorities on American music, finds out how and why Battiste has accomplished so much during his half-century in the music biz. 

1 p.m. COSIMO MATASSA ORAL HISTORY with RICK COLEMAN

In the 50’s, the recordings that came out of Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio in the French Quarter created what would become New Orleans’ unmistakable signature R&B style. Allen Toussaint, Lee Dorsey, Fats Domino and others committed now-legendary tracks to tape there under Cosimo’s guiding hand. Rick Coleman, the award-winning biographer of Fats Domino, sits down with Matassa to discuss the shaping of a sound.

2 p.m. NEW ORLEANS DRUM SUMMIT mod. BOB FRENCH with DAVID KUNIAN

John Boudreaux, Smokey Johnson, and Zigaboo Modeliste

The rhythms that are the backbone of New Orleans R&B, rock, funk and soul have had a tremendous impact on American music far beyond the borders of the Crescent City. Jazz drummer Bob French joins David Kunian in leading this panel discussion with four of New Orleans’ most influential drummers to discuss the history and impact of the New Orleans beat, from Congo Square to hip-hop samples.

3 p.m. FIELD RECORDINGS PANEL mod. ANDRIA LISLE
JOE BIHARI, JIM O’NEAL, BEN SANDMEL, GEORGE MITCHELL

Most of the recordings of authentic regional American music are available to us today courtesy of the efforts of a few intrepid record men, who traveled to rural jukejoints and back porches to capture the sound of the country’s backroads and crossroads. Joe Bihari of Modern Records made many such recordings, sometimes with his assistant Ike Turner. Memphis music writer Andria Lisle talks about the method and the music with Bihari, LIVING BLUES magazine founder Jim O’Neal and New Orleans music historian Ben Sandmel.

4 p.m. LAZY LESTER ORAL HISTORYwith DR. IKE

Crowley, Louisiana swamp bluesman Lazy Lester penned the tune “Pondarosa Stomp” that gives this entire event its name. Stomp ringmaster Dr. Ike talks to the ace harmonica blower today about Louisiana country blues at its finest.

6:15 p.m. (at the House of Blues, 225 Decatur St.) RISING SUN: SONNY BURGESS & HAYDEN THOMPSON with GEORGE PAULUS

Rockabilly wildcats Burgess and Thompson man this time machine back to the '50s, when blues and country reigned supreme in Memphis, TN. Expect behind-the-scenes stories about the Sun Studio scene, where uber-producer Sam Phillips captured the sound that rocked the world. Moderated by record man George Paulus, who's been recording authentic American music at the source for more than four decades.

Day 2
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008:

10 a.m. SYL JOHNSON ORAL HISTORY WITH NICK SPITZER

Born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, soul legend Syl Johnson relocated at an early age to Chicago, where his brother played bass with Windy City bluesman Magic Sam. Soon, Johnson was backing up electric blues personalities like Junior Wells, Elmore James and Jimmy Reed on harmonica and guitar. Johnson came into his own in the late 60's and early 70's in Memphis, with Willie Mitchell-produced solo recordings of raw, danceable soul later tinged with socially conscious, pro-black themes; though he never reached the fame of his Hi Records labelmate Al Green, Johnson's work remains an underground favorite for collectors and connoisseurs.  Nick Spitzer, host of the award-winning syndicated radio program American Routes, moderates.

11 a.m. JOE BIHARI ORAL HISTORY with JIM O’NEAL and JOHN BROVEN

One of the last of a breed of tough-talking record men, in the 50’s and 60’s, Joe Bihari ventured far afield into the rural South to make field recordings of as-yet-undiscovered artists like the young Elmore James for his Modern Records label. Louisiana music historian and author John Broven and LIVING BLUES magazine funder Jim O’Neal share his story.

12 p.m. HERE COME THE GIRLS: WOMEN IN ROCK, COUNTRY AND SOUL IN THE 60’S WITH HOLLY GEORGE-WARREN
TAMI LYNN, BARBARA LYNN, LORRIE COLLINS, MARY WEISS

In the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, being a woman was an extra obstacle for an artist in an already-rough pop music industry. From Texas soul to Louisiana funk to down-home country to the girl group sound that came out of the Brill Building, these four Ponderosa Stomp artists took all the business threw at them and came out on top. The award-winning music writer Holly George-Warren moderates this panel on women in a man’s world of rock n’roll.

1 p.m. WHAT IS SWAMP POP: SOUTH LOUISIANA ROCK N’ROLL PANEL mod. JOHN BROVEN
JOHNNY ALLAN, HARRY SIMONEAUX, DAVE RACHOU

One of the first writers to approach Cajun and zydeco music from a perspective of serious scholarship, music historian John Broven is often credited with coining the phrase “swamp pop” to describe the plaintive, soulful South Louisiana sound. Here, he talks to some of the stars of the swamp pop style, including guitarist Johnny Allan (“the Ambassador of Swamp Pop”) Cajun sax man Harry Simoneaux and La Louisianne studios engineer Dave Rachou.

2 p.m. MIGHTY HANNIBAL ORAL HISTORY mod. MIKE HURTT and MATT WEINGARDEN

The flamboyant R&B legend the Mighty Hannibal has been putting on funky, electrified R&B shows for more than half a century, and shows no signs of slowing down. Music writers and DJs Mike Hurtt and Matt Weingarden get the lowdown.

3 p.m. WAY AHEAD OF THEIR TIME: A.F.O RECORDS PANEL mod. PETER GURALNICK
HAROLD BATTISTE, TAMMY LYNN, JOHN BOUDREAUX

In 1961, the concept of a collectively-owned African-American record label like Harold Battiste’s A.F.O. (“All For One”) Records was decades ahead of its time. Nevertheless, the organization produced some of New Orleans’ best-loved classics of jazz and R&B, and set a standard that has yet to be surpassed. Original A.F.O. artists join Battiste today, along with award-winning music scholar Peter Guralnick, to discuss the life of the seminal label.