When The Carolina Chocolate Drops dropped by they put a few things in perspective. Firstly the interview had to hold off for ten minutes or so while Rhiannon’s baby had a feed. Her baby is on the tour too and it made me realise that this band was serious. No one ( in their right mind) really chooses to tour with a baby. I did it with one who’s now 17 and there is still a pleasure for me of getting on a flight and knowing I can concentrate fully on a newspaper, meal and a film without trawling the aisle for a missing dummy.

They also explained bout the roots of the Jug Band and despite what we probably think you’ll realise that the roots of country are as strong in the African American tradition as they are in the descendants of Scots and Irish in the southern states. Maybe the Europeans (as often happens) wrote the history books…but the Chocolate Drops will tell you more.

In 1988 an album came out that caught the popular imagination. On it were songs by Patsy Cline and Hank Williams and also the Velvet Underground. The band was The Cowboy Junkies and the album was called The Trinity Sessions. Given that I spent a degree of that year flitting between London, Glasgow and New York trying to put the vocal on one song and sit around while someone mixed the track, it was with a little chagrin that I discovered the Cowboy Junkies had recorded their entire album in one room and on one microphone. Years later I got a chance to visit Holy Trinity church in downtown Toronto and discovered for myself the magical ambience of the building that gave birth to the album. On Friday we suggest to you that The Trinity Sessions should form part of your beginners guide to Americana.

There’s old music and new: Jan Howard sings about being married to Harlan and we hearr from Glasgow’s own Woodenbox With A Fistful of Fivers and check in with the new Langhorne Slim LP.

On Sunday….

Ethical Banking, Reuniting Refugee families and The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq – directed from Glasgow. Music for Mother’s day from

Holly Williams, Alison Krauss and The Impressions.