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'Fresh Air's 10th Anniversary Concert: Father and Son Rufus and Marvell Thomas Take the Stage.

Also performing with Penn and Oldham, Rufus Thomas, the self-proclaimed world oldest teenager. He played an integral role in the success of major record labels in the nineteen-fifties, Sun Records and Stax Records. He celebrates his 80th birthday at the festival by playing with his son, Marvell Thomas.

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Other segments from the episode on July 3, 1997

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, July 3, 1997: Interview with Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham; Interview with Rufus Thomas, Marvell Thomas, Dan Penn, and Spooner Oldham; Interview with Syl Johnson.
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32:22

Fresh Air's 10th Anniversary Concert: Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fresh Air: a presentation of blues music and interviews with performers at the world-famous Chicago Blues Festival recorded on June 8, 1997. Featuring Dan Penn, a master of nineteen-sixties soul and the writer of hits such as Cry Like a Baby and Sweet Inspiration. His songs have been recorded by artists including Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. Penn is joined by his long-time songwriting partner Spooner Oldham, a talented keyboard player, who has recorded with Arthur Alexander and Box Tops and has toured with Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

Interview

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16:37

One of the Keys to the Soul Movement Moves to the Forefront With Solo Album.

Singer, songwriter, guitar player, Dan Penn. Penn has written soul music classics--"Do Right Woman," "Cry Like a Baby," "Sweet Inspiration," "I'm Your Puppet," for example. His compositions have been made famous by the likes of Aretha Franklin, James Carr, Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke and Otis Redding. Penn left his tiny hometown of Vernon, Alabama when he was sixteen. . . a white kid, singing like Ray Charles and in love with black music.

Interview

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