Musician Jerron Paxton is known for performing music from the 1920s and '30s. He just came out with an album of his own songs, called Things Done Changed. Paxton brought some of his instruments to his conversation with Sam Briger. Also, Terry Gross talks with author Michael Owen about Ira Gershwin, the lyricist behind many of the most enduring songs in The Great American Songbook. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the documentary Beatles '64.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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From WHYY in Philadelphia, I'm Sam Brigger with Fresh Air Weekend. Today, folk musician Jerron Paxton brings some instruments to play for our conversation. He plays guitar, banjo, and harmonica. Paxton is known for performing music from the 1920s, but he just came out with an album of his own songs called Things Done Changed.
Most of these songs, if not all these songs, came from a little bit of inspiration and also at least a little bit of pushing the pencil along the page, I think, as Irving Berlin said.
Also, Terry talks with author Michael Owen about Ira Gershwin, the lyricist behind many of the most enduring songs in the Great American Popular Songbook. Songs like Fascinating Rhythm, I Got Rhythm, Swonderful, Embraceable You, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, and They Can't Take That Away from Me. He has a new book about Gershwin.
And TV critic David Bianculli reviews a new Beatles documentary on Disney+. That's coming up on Fresh Air Weekend. This is Fresh Air Weekend. I'm Sam Brigger. Prior to his new album, Jerron Paxton has been entertaining audiences with his take on music that's mostly 100 years old or older. Some of the music dates back to the Civil War.
He plays folk music, blues, hot jazz, ragtime, and fiddle and banjo tunes, among others. He's released several albums, but this new album, Things Done Changed, is his first where all the tracks were written by him.
Songs that are deeply rooted to music of the 20s and 30s and older, but reflects Paxton's contemporary feelings and observations about things like love, lost and found, gentrification, and finding yourself far from home. Paxton was generous enough to bring some of the instruments he plays to the studio today. If he had brought all the instruments he plays, he would have had to rent a van.
Guitar, fiddle, piano, harmonica, banjo, and the bones is not even a complete list. Paxton, who is 35, grew up in Los Angeles near Watts and has called himself a throwback in a family of throwbacks. He now lives in New York. Let's hear the title track from the new album. This is Things Done Changed.
And it's sad, baby, and it hurt me to my heart. Together so long, now we got to get apart. Some things have changed between you and me. Seems just like time can't be like they used to be. Have it done, fizzle out, don't think of change between you and me. It seems like time can't be like they used to.
And faces sure could always be found And I seem like your smile don't want me around Seems like things have changed Between you and me Seems just like time can be Like they used to be
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