Photo by Michael Minasi/KUTX

John Doe is a singer, songwriter, author, actor, and owner of the Austin bar Long Play Lounge. Doe got his start with X, the seminal L.A. punk band that helped bring American roots music to a new generation. On Wednesday, January 20, Doe also winds up his “Travis County World Tour” at the iconic Hole In The Wall. The tour is a series of acoustic virtual concerts to help raise money for independent music venues during the pandemic, and on Wednesday Doe promises “as many requests as I can remember and fit into 75+ minutes.” You can make a request on Doe’s Instagram.

This week on My KUTX, we’re rebroadcasting Doe’s 2019 guest DJ set, full of noisy favorites from the Cramps and Austin’s Big Boys, the inspiring Cat Power, and a few deep cuts from Doe’s long career. Hear John Doe’s My KUTX on Saturday, January 16 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime in the player above.

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

Playlist:

[intro music: X – “The Unheard Music”]

1. The Cramps – “Human Fly”

2. Big Boys – “Red/Green” (Live At Raul’s)

3. Howlin’ Wolf – “Forty Four”

4. John Doe – “Wheels”

5. Particle Kid – “Lucky Penny”

6. Cat Power – “Woman”

7. The Modern Lovers – “I’m Straight”

8. Lee Dorsey – “Ride Your Pony”

9. Peter Case – “I Hear Your Voice”

10. Folk Uke – “Don’t Bite Beyonce”

11. Skating Polly – “Louder In Outer Space”

12. The Flesh Eaters – “Miss Muerte”

Nané is the January 2021 Artist of the Month. Photo by Alex Parker.

Daniel Sahad, singer for breakout Austin soul-rockers Nané, has a keen ear for detail. For his guest DJ set, Sahad shares an hour of his singing inspirations, and it’s obvious he’s a student of music. He draws from a wide range of singers: Brittany Howard’s tender growl; James Blakes’ tone and timbre; the pain in Son Little’s voice; the expressive joy in Vagabon’s. Hear Nané’s My KUTX on Saturday, January 9 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime in the player above.

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

Playlist:

1. Alabama Shakes – “Sound & Color”

2. Moses Sumney – “Plastic” (Mid-City Island Version)

3. The Arcs – “Stay In My Corner”

4. Son Little – “Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches”

5. Fleetwood Mac – “Need Your Love So Bad”

6. Michael Kiwanuka – “The Final Frame”

7. Sault – “Living In America”

8. Franc Moody – “Dopamine”

9. Saint Motel – “My Type”

10. Steve Lacy – “Playground”

11. Vagabon – “Water Me Down”

12. James Blake – “Life Round Here” (feat. Chance The Rapper)

13. EARTHGANG – “UP”

Photo by Michael Weintrob

Micah Shalom is a trumpet player and bandleader who explores a lot of different cultures and sounds within the Austin scene. He’s collaborated with members of Superfónicos, Atlas Maior, Cilantro Boombox, Hard Proof, and more, and he also leads his own reggae and ska band. Shalom’s latest release is “Baltimore Ska,” an upbeat song that pays homage to his grandmother and the city she grew up in. This week on My KUTX, Shalom also celebrates Austin and the wide range of sounds and genres that call this city home, from reggae and ska to Ethiopian jazz and Afrobeat. Hear Micah Shalom’s My KUTX on Saturday, January 2 at 6 p.m. or anytime in the player above.

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

Playlist:

1. The Skatalites – “Police Woman”

2. Micah Shalom – “Baltimore Ska”

3. Mykal Rose – “Everybody Gwan Ska”

4. New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble – “Freddie’s Bounce”

5. Superfónicos – “Ethiopian Dust”

6. Hard Proof – “Men Of Trouble”

7. Cilantro Boombox – “WOOHA” [Chacaito Dub Allstars remix]

8. Lion Heights – “Reggae On The Rise”

9. Micah Shalom – “Peace Rights Love”

10. Alan Moe Monsarrat – “Agriculture” (feat. General Smiley)

11. General Smiley – “(I Wish) No More War”

12. Toots & The Maytals – “Got To Be Tough”

13. Cedric Im Brooks – “Mun-Dun-Gu”

Well, that was a fun year. Should we do it again?

2020 was a year to remember, that’s for sure. But we’re still incredibly thankful that we were able to keep bringing you guest DJ sets every single week, despite a pandemic and a music scene shutdown. My KUTX’s 2020 slate featured a wide range of guest DJs: Grammy winners, bluegrass afficionados, electronic weirdoes, jazz ambassadors, and a whole bunch more.

These DJ sets turn us on to so much interesting music…and they also allow us to take a day off! While we spend New Year’s Day recovering–cue the bloody marys and breakfast tacos–we’re letting some of our favorite musicians and music fans take over the station for a My KUTX marathon. Each hour, a different guest DJ will spin a hand-picked set of their favorite songs.  See the schedule below and thank you for listening!

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

6 a.m. // Moving Panoramas (Austin indie rock band) // playlist

7 a.m. // Wood & Wire (Austin bluegrass/folk band) // playlist

8 a.m. // Atlas Maior (Austin jazz band) // playlist

9 a.m. // Jackie Venson (October 2020 Artist of the Month) // playlist

10 a.m. // Sarah Jarosz (Austin/New York singer-songwriter) // playlist

11 a.m. // JaRon Marshall (Austin producer and Black Pumas keyboard player) // playlist

12 p.m. // KUTX’s Favorite Songs Of 2020 // playlist

1 p.m. // Eimaral Sol (February 2020 Artist of the Month) // playlist

2 p.m. // Bill Callahan (Austin singer-songwriter) // playlist

3 p.m. // Botany (Austin electronic producer) // playlist

4 p.m. // Gina Chavez  (November 2020 Artist of the Month) // playlist

5 p.m. // Jonathan Terrell (May 2020 Artist of the Month) // playlist

6 p.m. // Christelle Bofale (Austin indie artist) // playlist

7 p.m. // Dan Redman (proprietor of Austin recording/rehearsal space Mosaic Sound Collective) // playlist

8 p.m. // Dayglow (January 2020 Artist of the Month) // playlist

9 p.m. // Jim Campo (A. Sinclair, Magic Rockers Of Texas, Berkshire Hounds) // playlist

10 p.m. // KUTX’s Favorite Songs Of 2020 // playlist

Illustration by Jacquie Fuller

Well, this has been a heckuva year, but despite it all, a lot of great music has been released. I’m incredibly thankful for all the wonderful musicians who were able to put something new out into the world. This year, it kept us all company, spoke to injustice, expressed pain and joy and everything in between. Music is power, and 2020 underlined the absolute need for artistic expression to make sense of ourselves and our time.

This week on My KUTX, our staff and hosts celebrate our favorite songs of 2020: social justice anthems, club bangers, local discoveries, debut oddities, cross-genre experimenters, emotional life rafts. More than anything, this is the music that just kept us going this year. Hear My KUTX on Saturday, December 19 at 6 p.m. or anytime in the player above. And as always, thank you for another year of listening.

–Art Levy // producer, My KUTX

Playlist:

1. Sports Team – “Camel Crew” // Rick McNulty, music director/host

2. Tkay Maidza – “Shook” // Taylor Wallace-Riegel, host

3. Jay Wile – “Real Bad” // Laurie Gallardo, host

4. Universal Seedz – “Olvídalo” (feat. Tee Double, Tray God, & Bavu Blakes) // Jack Anderson, producer

5. Sneaks – “Faith” // Paul Carrubba, host

6. Heartless Bastards – “Revolution” // Jody Denberg, host

7. San Gabriel – “Another One” // Elizabeth McQueen, producer/host

8. Machinedrum – “Kane Train” (feat. Freddie Gibbs) // Soundfounder, host

9. Melanie Faye – “It’s A Moot Point” // Fresh Knight, host

10. Amaarae – “Fancy” // Jeff McCord, music editor/host

11. Khruangbin – “So We Won’t Forget” // Deidre Gott, producer

12. Sault – “Why Why Why Why Why” // Ryan Wen, host

13. Anderson .Paak – “Lockdown” // Jay Trachtenberg, host

14. Nick Hakim – “Qadir” // Art Levy, producer