Ross Burns
Host, I Hear America SingingA native of Austin, Texas, Ross grew up in the midst of the Urban Folk Revival of the 1950s and 60s. His first introduction to folk music was the Kingston Trio with their million selling albums. From there, he went forward, backwards and sideways collecting music all along the way. He is a retired librarian and a student of history.
As a historian, he loves researching the stories behind the music and the performers. He has worked as a librarian in public, academic and corporate libraries around the state of Texas. He combines his love of both folk music and history to research the stories of the performers as well as of the songs that they sing. He has been a guest lecturer in English and Folklore classes at the college level and has had articles published in newspapers and professional journals.
In 2006 Ross began his broadcasting with Marfa Public Radio. He retired and moved to Waco with his wife Betty. Ross is the volunteer host and mastermind behind I Hear America Singing which has been airing regularly on KWBU since August, 2014.
I Hear America Singing - Saturdays at 7pm, Sundays at 9pm - is live streamed at KWBU.org and through the KWBU mobile ap. Due to music licensing restrictions we cannot archive programs on line.
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As we prepare to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Ross has compiled a sampling of songs and performers that have influenced America’s perceptions of Celtic music from Scotland, Ireland, and even France. -
As usual, March is blowing in like a lion so Ross has gathered a whirlwind of songs to match the weather. -
This week Ross has a cradleful of children’s songs, mainly lullabies, ranging from centuries-old ones to ones written by today’s singer-songwriters. -
This week on 'I Hear America Singing', Ross explores the rivers of America, from the mighty Mississippi to the Mussellshell and the Columbia. Before we had railroads and interstate highways, rivers were important means of transportation and became enmeshed in songs and stories. -
This week the show should be titled I Hear Scotland Singing, more specifically Scotland’s favorite poet, Robert Burns -
This week the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem introduce the topic of the show with The Work of the Weavers – the clothes that we wear. -
This week, Ross has been looking down – at his feet and what’s on them. From Carl Perkins’ Blue Suede Shoes to Janis Ian’s I Want Boots Like Emmylou’s, Ross has a store full of songs about footwear. -
From our archives at I Hear America Singing, Ross Burn's has selected a wide variety of songs for your Holiday listening pleasure. -
This week on I Hear America Singing, Ross Burns digs into the stories behind a number of songs that themselves, tell stories. -
This week on I Hear America Singing, we explore the many ways music says goodbye.
