Miko Marks – Long As I Can See the Light

I discover a lot of great music listening to NPR’s “All Songs Considered” podcast. Friday’s episode delivered again.

Miko Marks in an African American country singer, originally from Flint, Michigan.

On Friday, she released a six-track EP called “Race Records.” I’ll share one track here. Go find the others. Listen to the entire EP. It’s fantastic.

In the early 20th century, “Race Records” referred to recordings by African Americans, sold primarily to African Americans.

“Mainstream music” was made for and by white people.

Jazz. Blues. Gospel. Soul. That’s the stuff you heard on race records.

All of those sounds made their way into mainstream music later in the century — when white people (Elvis, etc…) rocked to the top of the charts.

Miko Marks has reclaimed the term “Race Records,” covering songs first recorded by whites and infusing them with all of the musical magic that made early “race records” so great and influential.

She wasn’t the first African American to do this. Sam Cooke famously transformed the “Tennessee Waltz” into a double-time dance tune that bore little resemblance to any previous version.

Miko also covers “Tennessee Waltz” on her EP.

She also covers “Hard Times Come Again No More” by Stephen Foster.

Foster was a controversial figure. Many of his songs were blatantly racist.

Miko Marks owns Foster’s song on this EP.

The EP’s final track is a song written by John Fogerty and recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1970.

That is…
 

Today’s Song 

Title: Long As I Can See the Light
 

Artist: Miko Marks
 

Album: Race Records (2021)
 

YouTube Link (Official Video): https://youtu.be/oEpIVjbsFGE 

Here are the Playlists:  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj