The Midnight Special, May 9, 2026

By Marilyn Rea Beyer |

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Playlist

  1. Lead Belly: The Midnight Special THEME (excerpt 2); Lead Belly; Midnight Special; RCA Victor LPV-505
  2. Holly Near & Ronnie Gilbert: “Music in my Mother’s House”; Holly Near & Ronnie Gilbert; This Train Still Runs; Abbe Alice AAH0696CD
  3. Paul Simon: Mother and Child Reunion; Paul Simon; Paul Simon: The Studio Recordings – 1 of 9; Warner Bros R2 78899
  4. Jamie O’Reilly: I Wish Someone Would Take Me Dancing (M. Smith); Jamie O’Reilly; In Old Chicago; Jamie O’Reilly JOCD2019
  5. Claudia Russell: Dance (All She Wanted to Do); Claudia Russell; Song Food; song food | Radio Rhythm RRR10004
  6. Old School Freight Train (Jesse Harper): Dance; Old School Freight Train; Run; Acoustic Disc ACD 61
  7. Stuart Kabak: Dad Is Taking Mama to the Prom; Stuart Kabak; single; Stuart Kabak [2022]
  8. Ari & Mia: Look Up; Ari & Mia; Learning Your Name; ariandmiamusic.com 5.10.2026
  9. Carrie Newcomer: A Tissue or Two; Carrie Newcomer; A Great Wild Mercy; Available Light Records ALR07
  10. Bomethius: Leave It Alone; Bomethius; Borrowed Time; Oakley Avenue Records 11.16.2024
  11. Susan Werner: “My Mother’s Garden”; Susan Werner; Live at the Tin Angel; SWerner 002
  12. Robbie Fulks: Momma’s Eyes; Robbie Fulks; Bluegrass Vacation; Compass 7 4811 2
  13. Rachel Bissex: “Dancing With My Mother”; Rachel Bissex; Don’t Look Down; Alcazar ALC 121
  14. Michael Jerling: Family Recipe; Michael Jerling; Family Recipe; Fool’s Hill Music FHM2006
  15. Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer: “Orange Cocoa Cake” (Berryman); Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer; One Meat Ball: The Album, The Cookbooklet; One Meat Ball: The Album, The Cookbooklet Appleseed/APR CD 1096
  16. Andrew Beyer: “The Midnight Special – organ”; Andrew Beyer; Midnight Special Collection; Midnight Special Collection AABeyer/MS 008
  17. Fox Crossing Stringband: Emiline; Fox Crossing Stringband; Anywhere with You;
  18. Kate McDonnell: Trapeze; Kate McDonnell; TRAPEZE; katemcdonnell.com 9-6-2024
  19. Beth Bombara: Curious and Free; Beth Bombara; It All Goes Up; Black Mesa Records BMR 074
  20. Elijah Wald: Duncan and Brady (trad.); Elijah Wald; Street Corner Cowboys; Black Rose 1022
  21. Dave Van Ronk: Willie the Weeper (PD); Dave Van Ronk; The Folkways Years 1959-61; Smithsonian Folkways CD SF 40041
  22. Bob Dylan: He Was a Friend of Mine (trad.); Bob Dylan; Bootleg Series Volumes 1-3 [Rare & Unreleased] 1961-91 Disk, 1; Columbia C3K 65302 1
  23. Monica Barbaro: House of the Rising Sun (trad.); Monica Barbaro; A Complete Unknown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack); Columbia 19802866141
  24. Steve Goodman: Mama Don’t Allow It (Davenport); Steve Goodman; Jessie’s Jig & Other Favorites; Jessie’s Jig & Other Favorites/Red Pajamas RPJ-010CD
  25. Tom Dundee: To Play for You; Tom Dundee; Fleeting Moment (Live performances 1973 -2006) disk 2; Flight FR CD4445
  26. Tom Dundee: Johnny’s Old Harmonica; Tom Dundee; Tom Dundee; Flyte FR302CD
  27. Tom Dundee: Out in the Yard; Tom Dundee; Lyfe Tyme a’ Rhyme; Flyte CD 4444
  28. Tom Dundee: Chicago Gold (spoken); Tom Dundee; Fleeting Moment (Live performances 1973 -2006) disk 2; Flight FR CD4445
  29. Tom Dundee: This Fleeting Moment; Tom Dundee; Fleeting Moment, Disc 2; Flight Records FR4445 2 of 2
  30. Tom Dundee: A Delicate Balance; Tom Dundee; Lyfe Tyme A’Rhyme; Flyte FR CD4444
  31. Travis, Merle: “Midnight Special” Travis picked guitar; Merle Travis; In Boston 1959; Travis Pickin’ | CMH 6255
  32. Joy Harjo: The Poem I Just Wrote; Joy Harjo; She Had Some Horses (spoken word); joyharjo.com [2006]
  33. Joy Harjo: Running; Joy Harjo; I Pray For My Enemies; joyharjo.com 3.5.2021
  34. Joy Harjo: She Had Some Horses; Joy Harjo w/Susan & John L. Williams; Native American Currents; Native American Currents/Silver Wave SD915
  35. Odetta: Mama Told Me Not to Come (R. Newman); Odetta; Odetta Sings; Polydor 24-4048
  36. Mike Nichols and Elaine May: “Mother and Son”; Mike Nichols and Elaine May; In Retrospect; Mercury 314 532 373-2
  37. Peggy Seeger: Mother’s Child; Peggy Seeger; Folkstage – Peggy Seeger 11.6.1999 (excerpt); WFMT 11.6.1999
  38. Ron Hynes: Sonny’s Dream; Ron Hynes; Face to the Gale; Artisan 72438 36187 2 9
  39. Milk Carton Kids: I’ll Go Home From Here; Milk Carton Kids; Lost Cause Lover Fool; Far Cry Records FCR00009LP
  40. Edie Carey: Come Inside (Live); Edie Carey; Folkstage: Edie Carey, 12-08-2012, Disc 2; WFMT 12-08-2012-2
  41. Annie & Rod Capps: Thread; Annie & Rod Capps; Never Done; Yellow Room Records YRR027
  42. Annie Gallup: Blue Dress; Annie Gallup; Courage My Love; 1-800-PRIME PCD38
  43. Lucy Kaplansky: Red Thread; Lucy Kaplansky; Red Thread; Red House Records RHR CD 166
  44. Nanci Griffith: Turn Around; Nanci Griffith; Other Voices, Other Rooms; Elektra 9 61464-2
  45. Ben & Ellen Harper: How Could We Not Believe; Ben & Ellen Harper; Childhood Home; Prestige Folklore FLR-35526-02
  46. Laura Love: I Still Believe (Unplugged); Laura Love; She Loved Red; Laura Love 88295 68276
  47. Andrew Beyer: “The Midnight Special – cigar box slide”; Andrew Beyer; Midnight Special Collection; Midnight Special Collection AABeyer/MS 004