Reach out.
As February begins to fade, we wanted to take the opportunity of this longest shortest month’s final weekend to commemorate Black History Month. We wrote the following about a year ago in this space, and it still applies:
History matters. We can't learn from the past if we don't know the past: The good, the bad, the proud, the shameful, the wins and the losses, the triumph and tragedy alike. It matters. It always will. Our country, our culture, our species--none of it can advance if we don't retain awareness of the roads that got us here. Wrong turns included.
And if all history matters, then certainly black history matters. We celebrate black history every February. Sure, we should revel in the rich heritage of black culture more often than just a single month each year. But designating an official Black History Month at least provides an essential reminder of the importance of recognizing and celebrating that heritage.
Every month should be Black History Month. Every month should be Women's History Month, and Pride Month, and so on. But efforts to deny the worth of those specific months are never--never--carried out with intent to expand their scope; they are, invariably, an effort to marginalize them and eliminate them.
We reject those efforts. In the popular parlance: Fuck that noise.
February is Black History Month. It's a necessary focal point in our ongoing dedication to understanding the whole of our stories, inclusively and completely, twelve months a year. This week, This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio celebrates Black History Month with a little bit of music. It's what we do.
He who forgets the pasta is condemned to reheat it. I...don't think I got that quote quite right. The past lives on, and we can't hope to build a proper future without it. Tonight, let's play some music. Tomorrow, we keep fighting to preserve, protect, and defend what's right.
And in 2026, we still hold those truths to be self-evident. In that spirit, we present a celebration of black history, demonstrated implicitly in the art of song. Some of the groups contain a multiracial selection of players, and some of the lead singers of color choose to work with musicians of varying hue and identity. We are stronger together. Purity tests are for the bad guys. WE’RE the good guys.
Reach out. Get a shot of rhythm and blues. And pop. And soul. And ska. And punk (and punk funk). And disco. And hip-hop. And power pop. And new wave. And girl group. And reggae. And country. And Gospel. And rock 'n' roll. This is Black History Month. And this is what rock ‘n’ roll radio sounded like on another Sunday night in Syracuse this week.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream, and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO.
You can read all about this show's long and weird history here: Boppin' The Whole Friggin' Planet (The History Of THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO). You can follow Carl's daily blog at Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do).
TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.
Carl's latest book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get Carl's previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.
The many fine This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation albums are still available, each full of that rockin' pop sound you crave. A portion of all sales benefit our perpetually cash-strapped community radio project:
TIRnRR # 1325: 2/22/2026
RIHANNA: Shut Up And Drive (Def Jam, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded)
CHUCK BERRY: Come On (MCA, The Anthology)
THE FLIRTATIONS: Nothing But A Heartache (RPM, Sounds Like The Flirtations)
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SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single) CHAKA KHAN: I Feel For You (Warner Brothers, I Feel For You)
LEMOYNE ALEXANDER: Insecurity (single) OHIO PLAYERS: Love Rollercoaster (Shout! Factory, VA: Old School Soul Party)
WILD KISSES: Feels So Fine (DRL, Wild Kisses)
RICK JAMES: Super Freak (Gordy, Street Songs)
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THE SELECTER: Carry Go Bring Home (EMI, Greatest Hits)
BETTYE LEVETTE: My Train's Comin' In (Sundazed, Do Your Duty)
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Stand! (Epic, Greatest Hits)
DONNA SUMMER: I Feel Love (Casablanca, Summer: The Original Hits)
EDDIE BO: Funky Jam (Funky Delicacies, The Hook And Sling)
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WILSON PICKETT: Land Of 1000 Dances (Rhino, A Man And A Half)
LITTLE EVA: The Loco-Motion (Collectables, VA: Great Ladies Of Rock & Roll: The 60s)
PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION: Raspberry Beret (Warner Brothers, The Hits/The B-Sides)
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: It's Your Thing (Epic, The Essential Isley Brothers)
THE BUSBOYS: Me And The Band (BEO Entertainment, In My Heart)
THE RONETTES: Be My Baby (Abkco, The Best Of The Ronettes)
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RONNIE SPECTOR AND THE E STREET BAND: Say Goodbye To Hollywood (Sony, VA: Cleveland International 1977-1983)
SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Frenzy (Rhino, VA: Loud, Fast & Out Of Control: The Wild Sounds Of The '50s)
THE BANDWAGON: People Got To Be Free (Kent Soul, Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache: The Best Of 1968-1975)
SAM COOKE: Another Saturday Night (Abkco, 30 Greatest Hits: Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964)
THE DRIFTERS: Only In America (Atlantic, Rockin' & Driftin')
THE SHIRELLES: Boys (Varese Sarabande, 25 All-Time Greatest Hits)
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THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS: Oh Happy Day (Buddha, VA: Dick Clark 20 Years Of Rock N' Roll)
SMOKY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES: Going To A Go-Go (Tamla, Going To A Go-Go)
JIMMY CLIFF: The Harder They Come (Island, VA: The Harder They Come OST)
SOLOMON BURKE: Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (Rhino, The Very Best Of Solomon Burke)
THE EQUALS: Baby Come Back (Ice, First Among Equals)
THE STAPLE SINGERS: I'll Take You There (Stax, VA: Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration)
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WAR: Why Can't We Be Friends? (Hip-O, Icon 2: The Hits & More)
SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: In The Basement [Part 2] (Kent Soul, Go Go Power--The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966)
LOVE: 7 And 7 Is (Rhino, Love Story 1966-1972)
THE SUPREMES: Love Train (Motown, The '70s Anthology)
LITTLE RICHARD: Long Tall Sally (Specialty, The Georgia Peach)
TAJ MAHAL: Six Days On The Road (Columbia, The Best Of Taj Mahal)
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The Greatest Record Ever Made!
LL COOL J: Mama Said Knock You Out (Def Jam, All World)
BARRETT STRONG: Money (That's What I Want) (Motown, VA: Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971)
BOOKER T AND THE MG'S: Green Onions (Atlantic, VA: The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959-1968)
LIVING COLOUR: Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Epic, Vivid)
RICHIE BARRETT: Some Other Guy (MOJO, VA: Songs The Beatles Taught Us)
DEATH: Playtime (Tryangle, N.E.W.)
THE DONAYS: Devil In Her Heart (Ace, Silver Disc: 25 Years Of Ace)
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TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS: Pressure Drop (Island Jamaica, Time Tough)
THE TEMPTATIONS: My Girl (Motown, Gold)
MILLIE SMALL: Killer Joe (Caroline, The Best Of Millie Small)
THELMA HOUSTON: Jumpin' Jack Flash (Motown, Best Of Thelma Houston)
JAMES BROWN: Please, Please, Please (Polydor, The 50th Anniversary Collection)
MERRY CLAYTON: Gimme Shelter (Columbia, VA: 20 Feet From Stardom OST)
THE FOUR TOPS: Reach Out I'll Be There (Motown, The Ultimate Collection)
AL GREEN: I Want To Hold Your Hand (The Right Stuff, Green Is Blues)
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ARTHUR ALEXANDER: A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (Razor & Tie, Ultimate)
CLIFF NOBLES AND CO.: The Horse (Rhino, VA: Beg Scream & Shout! The Big Ol' Box Of '60s Soul)
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