Cinco de Mayo commemorates the unlikely victory of the Mexican army over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Especially in the U.S., it is a day for celebrating Mexican-American culture, parades, music, and food. Tonight’s Kingston Coffee House celebrates with music by Linda Ronstadt, Los Lobos, Carla Morrison, Ry Cooder, Peter Rowan and more.
Mother’s Day is also right around the corner, and we play musical tributes to mom from country-soul crooner B.J. Thomas, Lefty Frizzell, gospel singer Shirley Caesar and Emmylou Harris
We also play a set of music from ’50s-era folkie Terry Gilkyson and his daughter, Texas singer-songwriter Eliza.
Audio available for 2 weeks after air date | Clip begins with final minutes of Matt Mania’s always-awesome show The Trip
Taking My Temperature / American Tune
– Simon & Garfunkel “American Tune” The Concert in Central Park, 1982
– Randy Newman “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today”, Randy Newman, 1966
– Tom Waits “Martha” Closing Time, 1973
Happy Cinco de Mayo
– Linda Ronstadt “Los Laureles” (José López) Canciones de Mi Padre, 1987
– Linda Ronstadt “Hay Unos Ojos” (Rubén Fuentes) Canciones de Mi Padre, 1987
– Linda Ronstadt “Por Un Amor” (Gilberto Parra) Canciones de Mi Padre, 1987
– Jake Xerxes Fussell “Hills of Mexico” (traditional)
– Peter Rowan “The Free Mexican Airforce” Peter Rowan, 1978
– Carla Morrison “Eres Tú” Déjenme Llorar, 2012
– Carla Morrison “Me Encanta” Déjenme Llorar, 2012
– Los Lobos “Guantanamera” Del Este De Los Ángeles, 1978
– Bob Dylan “Spanish is the Loving Tongue” Bootleg Series Vol.10
– Burt Bacharach “Not Goin’ Home Anymore” (Bacharach/David) Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, 1968
– Ry Cooder “Paris Texas” Paris Texas, 1984
Déjenme Llorar (English: Let Me Cry) is the debut studio album by Mexican singer and songwriter Carla Morrison, released in 2012. The album was nominated a Grammy Award.
– Ry Cooder “No Safety Zone” (from Wim Wenders’ Paris Texas, 1984)
– Tish Hinihosa “Something in the Rain” Culture Swing 1992
– Los Lobos “La Pistola y El Corazón” 1988
– Patty Griffin & Raul Malo “Virgen of Guadalupe” Downtown Church
La Ti Da
– Marcia Ball “La Ti Da” Gatorhythms, 1989
– Marcia Ball “Mama’s Cookin’” Gatorhythms, 1989
Mimosa for Mom
– BJ Thomas “Mama” (Mark Charron) 1966
– Shirley Caesar “No Charge” (Harlan Howard)
– Lefty Frizzell “Mom and Dad’s Waltz” (Frizzell) 1951
– Linda Ronstadt & Emmy Lou Harris “The Sweetest Gift” (live) On the Road, 2001
Booker T. Washington (Bukka) White at Chicago Folk Festival, 1968
Fixin to Die
– Bukka White “When Can I Change My Clothes” Parchman Farm, 1970
– Bukka White “Pinebluff, Arkansas” Parchman Farm, 1970
– Bukka White “Sleepy Man Blues” Parchman Farm, 1970
– Bukka White “Fixin’ to Die Blues” Parchman Farm, 1970
Gilkyson de Mayo
– The Easy Riders “Don’t Hurry, Worry Me”(T.Gilkyson) Marianne And Other Songs You’ll Like, 1957
– The Easy Riders “Rollin’ Home” Marianne And Other Songs You’ll Like, 1957
– Eliza Gilkyson “Easy Rider” Your Town Tonight, 2007
– The Drifters “Memories Are Made of This” (T.Gilkyson)
– Eliza Gilkyson “Esta Salida del Sol” (E. Gilkyson) Dark Ages, 2025
– Eliza Gilkyson “Bare Necessities” (T.Gilkyson) Your Town Tonight, 2007
– Leo Kottke “Memories Are Made of This” (T.Gilkyson)
Eliza Gilkyson is a twice Grammy-nominated (2006/2014) singer-songwriter and activist who is one of the most respected musicians in Folk, Roots and Americana circles. Her dad, Terry Gilkyson, wrote hits for Frankie Laine, Dean Martin and composed for Walt Disney studios.
JT Standards
– James Taylor “My Blue Heaven” (Rodgers & Hart) Standards, 2020
– James Taylor “Easy As Rolling Off a Log” (Jerome, Scholl) Standards, 2020
– James Taylor “My Heart Stood Still” (Rodgers & Hart) Standards, 2020
Goodnight
– Tift Merrit “Someone to Watch the Band With Me”, Sugar 2026
– Gary Louris “Listening to Bobby Charles”, Dark Country 2025
– Gary Louris “Perfect Day” (Nilsson) Dark Country 2025
– Madeleine Peyroux “Let’s Walk” (Peyroux) Let’s Walk 2024