Stranger Songs
Tuesday October 28th, 2025 with Mike Regenstreif
CKCU Funding Drive Week 1: Remembering Bob Franke (1947-2025) and Danny Thompson (1939-2025)
The theme on this CKCU Funding Drive Edition of Stranger Songs is Remembering Bob Franke and Danny Thompson.
Pictured: Bob Franke
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| This is the first of two editions of Stranger Songs during CKCU’s annual funding drive for 2025, a funding drive falling just before CKCU celebrates 50 years of broadcasting on air – an incredible milestone for independent, listener-supported media in a day and age when independent, community-oriented media with programming curated, produced and hosted by a dedicated corps of volunteers, often experts in our fields, is harder and harder to come by. It's only at a station like CKCU that someone like me, with the support of listeners like you, can curate and host a show like Stranger Songs. Your support is much needed and much appreciated.
Please click on "DONATE" to support Stranger Songs and CKCU. |
| fragment of The Stranger Song Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy 
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| Bob Franke was a great singer-songwriter who I knew as a friend for well over 50 years. When I took over running The Golem, a folk club in Montreal, in 1974, Bob was the third performer to play there and the first American. A few months ago, Bob and his wife, Joan Sherman, decided to leave Donald Trump’s America to make a new home for themselves in Guatemala. On October 13, Bob was crossing the street in Antigua, Guatemala when he was hit by a speeding motorcycle and suffered a broken pelvis. Bob had successful surgery to repair his pelvis but suffered two heart attacks while recovering in the ICU and died on October 16 at age 78. |
| For Real Bob Franke - The Other Evening in Chicago - Waterbug |
| Hard Love Claudia Schmidt - Reimagining - Claudia Schmidt |
| Love Can't Be Bitter All the Time Stan Rogers - Songs of a Lifetime: Discoveries – Rare Live Recordings - Fogarty's Cove/Borealis
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| Love Bravely, Elizabeth Bob Franke - The Other Evening in Chicago - Waterbug |
| A Healing in This Night Susie Burke & David Surette - Sometimes In the Evening - Madrina Music |
| fragment of The Stranger Song Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen - Columbia/Legacy
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| Walkin’ in the Wilderness Kim & Reggie Harris - Rock of Ages - Appleseed |
| Straw Against the Chill Short Sisters - A Planet Dancing Slow - Black Socks Press |
| Turn Back, O Man Bob Franke & Noel Paul Stookey - The Heart of the Flower - Daring |
| Hallelujah! The Great Storm is Over Garnet Rogers - Speaking Softly in the Dark - Snow Goose Songs
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| Thanksgiving Eve Bill Garrett - Seems to Me - Borealis
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| The Roads are Long in Canada Bob Franke - Long Roads, Short Visits - Daring |
| Danny Thompson – who died on September 23 at age 86 – was probably the definitive bass player of the British folk revival, first as a member of the group Pentangle, and then as bassist for countless concert and recording artists. The songs we’ll hear for the rest of the show feature Danny’s superb musicianship. |
| Let No Man Steal Your Thyme Pentangle - Finale: An Evening with Pentangle - Topic |
| Sally Free and Easy Marianne Faithfull - North Country Maid - Decca |
| The Grey Funnel Line Maddy Prior & June Tabor - Silly Sisters - Shanachie |
| Sweetheart on the Barricade Richard Thompson & Danny Thompson - Industry - Hannibal |
| Broom of Cowdenknowes Savourna Stevenson, June Tabor & Danny Thompson - Singing the Storm - Cooking Vinyl/True North |
| Tell Ol' Bill Eric Bibb & North Country Fair with Danny Thom[son - The Happiest Man in the World - Stony Plain |
| Urge for Going Darrell Scott - Modern Hymns - Appleseed
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| Goodbye Pork Pie Hat Pentangle - Finale: An Evening with Pentangle - Topic |
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