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AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM
MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, SHINE A LIGHT ON ME: PRISON MUSIC FROM ANGOLA, LOUISIANA & BEYOND
In this special program, we visit Angola, the notorious plantation-turned-penitentiary, to hear stories and songs from within the prison’s walls. We talk with saxophonist Charles Neville about serving time at the “Farm” during the Jim Crow era, playing with fellow inmates in the Nic Nacs, and the role of music in integrating prison life. We hear previously unreleased Harry Oster field recordings of Mardi Gras Indian chants and bebop jazz from Angola in the late-50s. And we go on-site for interviews and performances with contemporary Angola musicians. Plus, we explore the popular tradition of prison music from singing inmates like Leadbelly and Merle Haggard to live performances from Johnny Cash at San Quentin and B.B. King at Cook County Jail.
Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
HOUR ONE
- Open Bed: Berta Big Louisiana (Rodney Mason), Rev. Rogers, & Roosevelt Charles
Prison Worksongs, Arhoolie - Chain Gang Sam Cooke
Greatest Hits, RCA - Parchman Farm Mose Allison
The Collection, Floating World - Prison Blues Finally Got the Best of Me The Nic Nacs
Unreleased recording by Harry Oster at Angola Prison, - SEGMENT: Charles Neville Part I
Listen - Instrumental: Midnight Special Tiny Grimes
Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974, Atlantic - Midnight Special Leadbelly
Bourgeois Blues, Smithsonian Folkways - CLIP: Ben Harbert on Leadbelly
- Where Did You Sleep Last Night Final Mission Band of Dixon Correctional Institute
American Routes recording at Angola Prison, - Midnight Special Johnny Rivers
Totally Live at the Whiskey a Go-Go, Capitol - Folsom Prison Blues Johnny Cash
At Folsom Prison, Columbia - San Quentin Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash at San Quentin, Columbia - Instrumental: unreleased song The Nic Nacs
Unreleased recording by Harry Oster at Angola Prison, - CLIP: Leotha Brown from Follow Me Down Documentary
- Unreleased song The Nic Nacs
Unreleased recording by Harry Oster at Angola Prison, - CLIP: Larry Wilkerson
- CLIP: John Henry Taylor from Follow Me Down Documentary
- CLIP: "There's 12 Gates to Heaven" from Follow Me Down Documentary
- Twelve Gates to the City John Cephas and Phil Wiggins
Cool Down , Alligator - Long Black Veil Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
unreleased, - Green Green Grass of Home Jerry Lee Lewis
Country Songs for City Folks, Smash - CLIP: AJ Freeman with the Gospel Ghost Riders
- On My Way Home The Main Prison Gospel Band on stage at Angola Prison
American Routes recording at Angola Prison, - Closing Bed: Midnight Special Jimmy Smith
Midnight Special, Capitol
HOUR two
- Open Bed: Tu-Way Pocky Way Harry Oster Recording with the Prisoners
Unreleased recording by Harry Oster at Angola Prison, - Hey Pocky-Way Charles Neville with the Jazz Men
American Routes recording at Angola Prison, - Introductions B.B. King
B.B. King Live in Cook County Jail, ABC - How Blue Can You Get B.B. King
B.B. King Live in Cook County Jail, ABC - Intro from "They're Tearin' the Labor Camp Down" Merle Haggard
Vintage Collections, Capitol - Fugitive Merle Haggard
I'm a Lonesome Fugitive, Capitol - Sing Me Back Home Merle Haggard
Sing Me Back Home, Capitol - The Prisoner's Song Warren Storm
Warren Storm, Excello Records - Instrumental: Moanin' Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Art Blakey is Jazz, Music Club - CLIP: Angola Bound Angola inmates a capella
Unreleased recording by Harry Oster at Angola Prison, - CLIP: Angola Bound Aaron Neville
The Very Best of Aaron Neville, A&M - CLIP: "There's no more Angola Bound" from Follow Me Down Documentary
- SEGMENT: Charles Neville Part II
Listen - Instrumental: Alligator Bogaloo Lou Donaldson
The Blue Note Years: Vol. 3- Organ and Soul, Blue Note - CLIP: Christie Nelson from Follow Me Down Documentary
- Pardon Denied Again Robert Pete Williams
I'm Blue As A Man Can Be, Arhoolie - CLIP: Reverend Sydney DeLoach
- CLIP: Charles Neville
- CLIP: Ben Harbert
- CLIP: "Nowhere Bound" Alford Rose from Follow Me Down Documentary
- I'm Going Home Ervin Webb with Prisoners
Alan Lomax, Southern Journey: 61 Highway Mississippi , Rounder - I Shall Be Released Nina Simone
Here Comes the Sun & Other Great Hits, Arista - Closing Bed: Parchman Blues Tangle Eye
Alan Lomax's Southern Journey Remixed, Zoe
