Last year, the Ponderosa Stomp added the Stomp Conference to its schedule – a series of oral histories and panel discussions on the history of rock ‘n’ roll with the people who lived it. It’s free and it returns to the Cabildo starting Monday, April 27. Here’s the lineup:

MONDAY APRIL 27TH 2009

ARSENAL: THIRD FLOOR

11:30 – 12:30 Oral History: Gayle Dean Wardlow & Mark Hoffman
1:00 – 2:00 Oral History: Classie Ballou & Ben Sandmel 
2:30 – 3:30 Engineering Panel: Mark Bingham, Joe Bihari, Rick Hall, Cosimo Matassa, Bob Sullivan
4:00 – 5:00 Oral History: Dave Bartholomew and guests

FIRST FLOOR

11:00 – 12:30 Film: Dirt Road to Psychedelia (72 min) Q&A with director Scott Conn
1:00 – 2:30 Film: Shakespeare Was A Big George Jones Fan (90 min)
2:30 – 3:30 Discussion: Peter Guralnick, Robert Gordon & Cowboy Jack Clement
4:00 – 5:00 Louisiana Hayride Panel: Nick Spitzer, Maggie Warwick, Bob Sullivan, Dale Hawkins

TUESDAY APRIL 28TH 2009

ARSENAL

11:00 – 12:00 Oral History: Johnny Powers & Hurtt 
12:30 – 1:30 Memphis Soul Panel: Robert Gordon, Scott Bomar, Otis Clay, Teenie Hodges, Roosevelt Jamison
2:00 – 3:00 Brice Nice/Dennis Coffey/DJ Soul Sister
3:30 – 4:30 Oral History: James Blood Ulmer with Dr. Ike

FIRST FLOOR

11:00 – 12:30 Joe Lauro Historic Films
1:00 – 2:00 Marshall Chess, John Broven, Joe Bihari
2:00 – 2:30 Film: The Legend of Bo Diddley (30 min)
2:30 – 3:00 Discussion: Lady Bo & Hurtt & Holly
3:30 – 5:00 Film: America’s Lost Band (60 min) Q&A with Barry Tashian

WEDNESDAY APRIL 30TH 2009

ARSENAL

11:00 – 12:00 DJ Play My Record Panel: John Broven, Rick Coleman, Dizzy Lizzy, Larry McKinley, Isaac Bolden
12:30 – 1:30 Muscle Shoals Panel: Peter Guralnick, Dan Penn, Rick Hall, Jimmy Hughes
2:00 – 3:00 Question Mark and Miriam Linna

FIRST FLOOR

12:30 – 1:40 Film: The Sweet Lady With The Nasty Voice (70 min)
1:40 – 2:40 Discussion: Holly George-Warren with Wanda Jackson
3:00 – 4:30 Wardell Quezergue, Mac Rebennack, Bob French

When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees were announced, I made my predictions for the inductees. Today they were announced and I went three for four. Jeff Beck, Metallica and Run-DMC I predicted; Little Anthony and the Imperials I didn’t. I said if anyone else got in, it would be an older artist and not Chic or the Stooges, two of the three most important bands in the list this year. It was Wanda Jackson. The good thing about her selection? We get to see a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer at the Ponderosa Stomp this year, where Jackson will perform.