HOMEGROWN ROCKER 10/2/11 (MISS MELANIE & THE VALLEY RATS

[Jim Price]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the recap of the October 2 edition of Rocky 104.9 and Rocky 99's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 9 to 11 PM during Steelers football season on WRKY-FM (www.rocky1049.com) and WRKW-FM (www.rocky99.com).

Thanks to our guests this week, Mark Ross and Melanie Morrison of State College blues fivesome Miss Melanie and the Valley Rats (www.missmelanieandthevalleyrats.com). Mark and Melanie told us the group’s story so far, and we heard tracks from their recently-issued debut disc, Slow Down. Plus, two lucky listeners phoned in to win their own copies! With Mark as one of our guests, we broke out a 1997 live track from Mark and drummer Jack Wilkinson’s most famous previous band, Queen Bee & the Blue Hornet Band, for a “Local Music Flashback!” Along the way, we debuted new songs from Mason Porter and J.D. Eicher & the Goodnights. We also updated “Local Music News,” and reviewed Jimmy Adler’s Midnight Rooster CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner.”

Here is this week's playlist:

HOUR ONE:

THE NIGHTCRAWLERS – “Black Hole”
FELIX & THE HURRICANES – “Icy You”
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “Slow Down”
MASON PORTER – “My Creole Belle”
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “On Time”
THE GOOD SEEDS – “Suck Up”
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “Don’t Tell Me”
JD EICHER & THE GOODNIGHTS – “Two Weeks Back”

HOUR TWO:

MYSTERYTRAIN – “It’s Alright” (performed live 7/31/10 at Berry Farm, State College)
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie”
JIMMY ADLER – “Scratchin’ at My Screendoor”
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “Cold Cold Heart”
QUEEN BEE AND THE BLUE HORNET BAND – “Let Me Tell You What Love Is” (live) (1997, Local Music Flashback)
MISS MELANIE AND THE VALLEY RATS – “A Scorned Woman’s Blues”

On our next program, our guest will be Mysterytrain singer, guitarist and conductor Dan Klock, paying his annual visit to update us on the latest Mysterytrain happenings. We will recap the group’s completed summer festival season, preview some of their upcoming fall and winter shows, and hear new recorded live footage from the group. Along the way, we will update “Local Music News,” dig into the archive for yet another “Local Music Flashback,” and review Dick and the Deer Gutters’ Luv Hickey CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner!” Dan Klock of Mysterytrain on the “Homegrown Rocker,” this Sunday night at 9 PM!

Forthcoming guests and specials include:

OCT. 16 – LIES, INC.
OCT. 23 – ZUPE & NICHOLS
OCT. 30 – HALLOWEEN SPECIAL
NOV. 6 – (NO SHOW DUE TO STEELERS SUNDAY NIGHT GAME)
NOV. 13 – CHUCK MASON & BLUE REALITY
NOV. 20 – JUSTIN HALE
NOV. 27 – (NO SHOW DUE TO STEELERS SUNDAY NIGHT GAME)
DEC. 4 – THE EMBALMED
DEC. 25 – CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
JAN. 1 – 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW SPECIAL PT. I
JAN. 8 – 2011 YEAR IN REVIEW SPECIAL PT. 2

For regular updates on what is happening on the area music scene, pay a visit to Rockpage (www.rockpage.net). Rockpage features band links, a message board, "Homegrown Rocker" updates, live show and CD reviews in “JP’s Corner," and other local music scene information.

Bands and artists interested in having music aired on "The Homegrown Rocker" are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: WRKY Radio, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; ATTN: Jim Price. Or drop the recordings off at the station during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. You can also email me with inquiries about the show at profjp@rocky1049.com.

Jim Price

In Local Music News…

Harrisburg area-based hard rockers Tukurpa have welcomed aboard a new drummer, as Carl Catherman takes over behind the kit, replacing Rich Strawser. Tukurpa plans to enter a recording studio shortly to lay down tracks toward a new CD.

Johnstown folk and bluegrass practitioners the Whiskey River Panhandlers are preparing to release their first full-length CD later this month. The group will issue the album, called Songs From Grandma’s Radio, with a special CD release event on Saturday, October 22 at 7 p.m. at the Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center.

The Good Seeds are exploring a different direction on a new recording they will release later this month. Roads to Damascus, The Good Seeds’ gospel EP will be available for sale and for live streaming on October 25. The EP will feature five songs, including some original gospel music written by Paul Patterson, as well as some timeless gospel gems.