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WGLT Honors 'Delta' Frank Black With Encore Show

Delta Frank Black in the WGLT studios during his encore show on May 15, 2016
Jon Norton
/
WGLT
Delta Frank Black in the WGLT studios during his encore show on May 15, 2016

WGLT's honored the late legendary blues host Gilbert "Delta" Frank Black on Saturday with a rebroadcast of the final hour of the encore appearance he made during WGLT's 50th anniversary celebration.

It was his final appearance on WGLT after officially retiring in 2013 after 29 years of hosting blues. Black passed away of COVID-19 complications Nov. 15.

Following the 2016 show, Black remarked that, "It's been a long time since I've been on the radio. I tell ya, and I haven't had this much fun in a long, long time."

During the show, friends and fans from Black's nearly three decades hosting GLT Blues called from across central Illinois and from states including Kentucky, Washington, and California. Many were noticeably emotional as they told Black how much his passionate and unique on-air style meant to them over the years. Black said he felt similarly.

"It was joyful I tell you what," said Black. “These were loyal listeners. They were ALWAYS listening, and they would call me all the time. You can't fake that kind of relationship on the radio. When you're real, people can feel it right away."

Black said he was content in retirement, and for the first time in a long time, he was home with his wife Marilyn on Friday and Saturday nights. 

At the time, he also paused to thank his wife, Marilyn Black. "She has been a saint. What other wife would put up with a husband being gone nearly every weekend for 30 years?  She knew I loved what I was doing, but I could not have done it without her blessing." 

At the conclusion of his shift, Black displayed a sly grin and twinkle in his eye when he quietly said:

"That ... was fun!"

Below is a list of the songs Frank played during this historic shift on WGLT, and the audio of the show in its entirety, broken up into four hours.

Lightnin' Slim Hicks     |     Just Made 21     |     Rooster Blues
Shaun Murphy     |     I'm A Little Mixed Up     |     Cry Of Love
Little Walter     |     Juke     |     His Best
Van Morrison     |     Gloria     |     Too Long In Exhile
B.B. King     |     The Thrill Is Gone     |     King Biscuit
Sue Foley     |     Doggie Treats     |     Change
Buddy Guy     |     Damn Right I've Got The Blues     |     "Damn Right, I've Got Th"
J.J. Cale     |     Call Me The Breeze     |     Live: JJ Cale
Lazy Lester     |     Sugar Coated Love     |     I Hear You Knockin'
JJ Grey & Mofro     |     Orange Blossoms     |     Orange Blossoms
Slim Harpo     |     Shake Your Hips     |     Hip Shakin
Koko Taylor     |     Wang Dang Doodle     |     South Side Lady
R.L. Burnside     |     Jumper Hangin' On The Line     |     No Monkeys On This Trai
Slim Harpo     |     King Bee     |     Rainin In My Heart
B.B. King     |     Lucille     |     King of the Blues 1966-
Bo Diddley     |     Who Do You Love?     |     His Best
Etta James     |     Tell Mama     |     Her Best
John Lee Hooker     |     Boom Boom     |     The Best Of Friends
Ana Popovic     |     Blues For Mrs. Pauline     |     Can You Stand The Heat
Muddy Waters     |     Got My Mojo Workin'     |     "Breakin' It Up, Breakin"
Big Mama Thornton     |     Hound Dog     |     Hound Dog
C.J. Chenier     |     Black Snake Blues     |     The Desperate Kingdome
Junior Wells     |     Messin With The Kid     |     Calling All Blues
Sonny Boy Williamson     |     Fattening Frogs For Snakes     |     His Best
Solomon Burke     |     Step Child     |     Don't Give Up On Me
Pinetop Perkins     |     Pinetop's Boogie Woogie     |     Boogie Woogie King
Otis Clay     |     A Nickel And A Nail     |     Soul Man: Live In Japan
Bonnie Raitt     |     Women Be Wise     |     The Bonnie Raitt Collec
Julian Fauth     |     I Hope My Pony Knows The Way Home     |     Everybody Ought
Bryan Lee     |     Braile Blues Daddy     |     Friday Night Live At Th
Jessie Mae Hemphill     |     All Night Boogie     |     Heritage Of The Blues:
Howlin Wolf     |     Spoonful     |     Martin Scorsese ... God
Little Milton     |     The Blues Is Alright     |     Little Milton: Greatest
Doug MacLeod     |     (If You Going) To The Doghouse     |     Dubb
Lonesome Sundown     |     My Home Is A Prison     |     I'm A Mojo Man
Mississippi Heat     |     I've Got To Sleep With One Eye Open     |     One Eye Open
Muddy Waters     |     The Blues Had A Baby     |     Hard Again
Lazy Lester     |     I Hear You Knockin'     |     I Hear You Knockin'
Mavis Staples     |     Will The Circle Be Unbroken     |     Live: Hope at the Hideo
Luther Allison     |     Give Me Back My Wig     |     Live In Chicago
Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women     |     Wild Women Don't Have The Blues     |     Alligator Records 35 X
Marcia Ball     |     Louella     |     Live! Down The Road
Willie King     |     The Real Deal     |     Jukin' At Bettie's
Howlin Wolf     |     Smokestack Lightnin'     |     Chess Box Set Disc 2
Matthew Curry     |     Storms A-Brewin'     |     If I Don't Got You
Rory Block     |     Government Fleet Blues     |     Blues Walkin' Like a Ma
Smoke House     |     Cadillac In The Swamp     |     Cadillac In The Swamp
Tony Joe White     |     I Want My Fleetwood Back     |     One Hot July
Tedeschi-Trucks Band     |     Midnight In Harlem     |     Revelator.
John Lee Hooker     |     Boogie Chillin'     |     The Best Of Friends

FRANK_TOP-50-B_web.mp3
Hour two of Delta Frank's encore show from May 2016
FRANK_TOP-50-C_web.mp3
Hour three of Delta Frank's encore show from May 2016
FRANK_TOP-50-D_web.mp3
Hour four of Delta Frank's encore show from May 2016

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Jon Norton is the program director at WGLT and WCBU. He also is host of All Things Considered every weekday.
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