Classic Hifi Care

I'm listening to the American Routes Halloween show. Nick just played Hank Williams' "Howlin' at the Moon." And the pedal steel guy took off on a solo and it took my breath away, as usual. I'm not sure why those pedal steel parts on his recordings have such an effect on me. It's a momentary trip to heaven.

Chris Campbell

The steel guitar makes country music the unique medium it is. Lots of different ways to tune and play one, makes each artist's sound unique.

I said pedal steel; wrong; just a steel quitar. Don Helms was the guy and he played on Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight" also. I heard "Howlin'" on American Routes, 2 hours of great music every Sunday at 6 on a local public radio station, then got a couple more Hank tunes on the 3-hour blues show that follows it, The Juke Joint. The latter show just included a live performance of Elizabeth Cotten singing "Freight Train," which always has me wiping my eyes.

What I love about the radio is hearing things that are so welcome. There's so much variety in my regular programs on public radio. I might not have thought to play Elizabeth Cotten tonight but her voice was so welcome.

Chris Campbell

American Routes is not available on any Phoenix radio station. Yuma and Flagstaff are the only two AZ cities with stations that carry that program.

I'll bet it's available by streaming. For my part, I like the process of tuning in a program on a real radio, at its appointed time. There's something magical about pulling in a signal from the air. It's even more magical if it involves a lighted yellow dial, like the '30s Philcos had. One of these days I'll build a little AM transmitter so I can send FM and disc signals to the AM radios.

Chris Campbell