"Ready for the Times to Get Better"

 Last month one of our heroes — guitarist Tommy Emmanuel — released a special rendition of this song in honor of another of our heroes — Doc Watson — and hearing Tommy’s playing of it has impacted our take on the tune. Here’s our latest version of “Ready for the Times to Get Better.”

Lovin' You Would Be So Good for Me"

 The Flood started playing around with hokum music — those good old jug band tunes from the 1920s — about a half century ago, but it took another 20 years for us to feel confident enough to try to write one of those kind of songs ourselves. Charlie started putting this tune together back in the early 1990s, but then it took another 30 years for us to feel like we could play it. The song didn’t really start coming together until Jack Nuckols joined the band. Who knew that the spark we were waiting for was Jack’s spectacular spoon playing to finally reach that jug band junction? See what you think.

"The Answer is You"

 Most love songs are about young love, and that’s special, but it’s nothing compared to love that has aged like fine wine. Here’s a song to all those champion life-long lovers out there.

"July, You're a Woman"

 This old John Stewart composition came to us in the very first hours of The Flood’s origin story. And now, a half century later, darned if it hasn’t rolled back into our lives.

"Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor"

 We do a version of this song that most people don’t sing. We got our inspiration from an old Folkways album that Rolf Cahn and Eric von Schmidt recorded back in 1961.

"Alberta, Let Your Hair Hang Low"

 Here’s a song that we likely wouldn’t even know about were it not for the diligence and the curiosity of a researcher who was far from an ordinary young woman of her time. Born in 1892 to a prominent family in Paducah, Ky, Mary Guthrie Wheeler was destined from the start for adventure. Rather than settling into a quiet, conventional life, she embraced the extraordinary. And her most enduring adventure took place right at home, collecting the songs and stories in the hardscrabble life of the men and women who worked along the Ohio River. Here’s one she found for her 1944 book, “Steamboatin’ Days.”

"Can You Run?"

 It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 10 years now since Randy Hamilton brought us this tune. It resonated with us then and even more so today. Written by Eastern Kentucky’s own Chris Stapleton, this is an anthem to the power of resistance and redemption.

"Come On Up to the House"

 We sure wish we had started doing this song back when our buddy Dave Peyton was still alive. Oh, how Dave would have loved the goofy, gritty gospel vibe of this tune from the incomparable Mister Tom Waits.

"Spooky"

 Our Randy Hamilton was just born to sing songs like this. He and Danny Cox brought us “Spooky,” this old Classics IV tune, last summer and we’ve been loving it ever since.

"Lady Be Good"

 The fun of playing some songs is that we just never know what we’re going to hear. This George Gershwin piece is like that, ever since Danny Cox brought better chords for last year. Now the song is like a shiny little red convertible parked in the garage just waiting for the next sunny day. You and your buddies pile in, not knowing where you’re going, just enjoying the company and the sights and the sounds of each other’s laughter along the way. Hop in! We’re going for a joy ride!

"Hard Times (Who Knows Better Than I?)"

 Some songs just seem to go to the heart of what connects us all.

"Driving Wheel"

 Sometimes the chemistry’s right — the stars align — however you want to say it… and the best song of the night is one you didn’t even plan to do. Here’s that moment from a recent rehearsal.

"Pecan Pie & Sassafras Tea"

 Charlie’s Grandma Bowen had a thing about mockingbirds. When he was just a little boy he remembers her winking at him and saying, “Now, Eddie, be careful what you say around mockingbirds. Those darn birds? They’ll tell your secrets every time.” That notion came back to him recently when he started writing this song.

"Black Coffee"

 Our guitarist Danny Cox paints pictures with his sound. He has a positively uncanny capacity for discovering ways to bring out the colors and textures in all kinds of melodies and to plant stories in the minds of everyone who hears. Just listen to his treatment of this rich old Sonny Burke composition, finding all kinds of new magic and nuance in this poignant melody. Here — have some “Black Coffee”!

"It's a Sin to Tell a Lie"

 This song has rattled around in the Floodisphere for decade but only recently did we decide to give it a try. Whaddaya think?