201- From Nashville to Nairobi: A History of Country Western Music in Kenya

The Kitchen Sisters Present

The Kitchen Sisters & Radiotopia

Society & Culture

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 November 2022

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We trace the history of country music in Kenya, dating back to the 1920s and 30s when local populations first heard Jimmie Rodgers on early country western 78 records, to the current day, where the clubs of Nairobi are filled with rising stars bringing their own unique sounds to country music.

Hear their takes on the hits of Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and more. And an interview and performance from Kenyan country singer Steve Rogers, radio and TV presenters Catherine Ndonye and David Kimitho, music historian Elijah Wald, and Olvido Records founder Gordon Ashworth.

The music and stories of other artists in this episode include: John Nzenze. Reuben Kigame, Don Williams, Sir Elvis, Sammy Ngaku-Rosana, Herbert Misango, Frances Rugwiti, Carlos Kiba, Ythera Cowgirl, Steve Rogers, HM Karuiki, Joseph Kamaru.

Produced by Brandi Howell for Afropop Worldwide

The Kitchen Sisters Present is produced by The Kitchen Sisters (Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson) with Brandi Howell and Nathan Dalton. Support comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and contributors to the non-profit Kitchen Sisters Productions.

The Kitchen Sisters Present is part of the Radiotopia Network from PRX.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Radio Topia.
0:02.2	Welcome to the Kitchen Sisters' presenter, PRX.
0:05.6	We are the Kitchen Sisters, Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva.
0:10.0	Hi.
0:10.6	While we've got you, we want to tell you about a radio Topia show,
0:14.0	one of our very, very favorites with some news to share.
0:17.5	Ear Hustle is celebrating its 100th episode.
0:21.5	This season, the show will be revisiting its very first episode,
0:25.4	a listener favorite called Celes,
0:27.8	about the relationships formed inside a prison cell.
0:31.0	But this time, there's a twist.
0:33.2	The whole episode takes place inside a women's prison.
0:36.9	And the show checks in on one of its producers,
0:39.6	Rasson, New York Thomas, who was recently released from prison
0:43.2	for an inside look at life on parole.
0:46.0	And producers spend a marathon 14 hours out on the yard
0:50.1	at San Quentin, from dungeons and dragons
0:53.0	to dominoes, gospel to geese, weightlifting to just waiting.
0:58.0	They've got the sounds and stories to prove it.
1:00.7	Ear Hustle, take a listen wherever you get your podcasts.
1:23.0	Today, the kitchen sisters present from Nashville to Nairobi,
1:33.0	a history of country music in Kenya.
	...

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