Growing up in her aunt's record shop, Clair Delune always loved the blues. Her show, "Blues Moon: with Clair Delune," has been playing rare blues and roots for 27 years. In that time, she's shepherded countless students to graduation, researched and recovered rare records and has a few furry co-hosts to help her along the way.
Playlist:
Muddy Waters / "Standing Around Crying"
Casey Bill Weldon / "Flood Water Blues"
Elliot and the Untouchables / "Blow Wind Blow"
Mike Zito / "Never Knew a Hurricane"
Roger Hurricane Wilson / "Hurricane Blues"
How do you pick tracks?
I do a lot of theme shows. Today it's the hurricane. Last week it was Ryder, my dog. He's the one that started me on my long chain of German Shepherd co-hosts.
You have dog co-hosts?
Oh yeah, well in spirit. They wouldn't let me bring [Claudette] but she would help me plan the show. She used to sit in my lap and pick the songs, I swear to God, I don't make this stuff up. Rocky (my current dog), is more hands-off.
Do you ever track down old records for the show?
That's the fun! A few years ago, I got excited about something called Jake Leg Liquor Blues. During Prohibition, they snuck liquor into other things. Long story short, they put this nerve-damaging tonic in with Jake ginger to hide the taste. It gave people neurological disorders. I've been doing independent research on it and I've been trying to find the two songs they say were never recorded.
What do you want people to get from the show?
I wrapped my arms around this because it is what I would be researching anyway. The students have opened their arms to me and I've worked my way up to a grandma figure, which I love, since I don't have any babies of my own. I want this lore to go out there. I don't want people to forget who these people were and what their work was and what these things meant.
