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Music on TV this week: 'RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World'; Death Cab for Cutie; Maggie Rogers; possible Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst project; Willie Nelson

Link Wray is among the artists featured in 'RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World,' a new documentary from Independent Lens on PBS.
Link Wray is among the artists featured in 'RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World,' a new documentary from Independent Lens on PBS.Bruce Steinberg, courtesy of LinkWray.com

by Luke Taylor

January 21, 2019

Artists heard on The Current are frequently featured on TV programs, and we've gathered the listings in one convenient place for you. We'll also post videos of performances as the week progresses.

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This week's schedule

This week, look for Better Oblivion Community Center — that's the mystery project rumored to include Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst … whatever it may be, it's making its debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday before appearing on CBS This Morning's Saturday Sessions, which typically features three songs by the spotlight artists.

Highly notable this week is a new documentary from the PBS series, Independent Lens. The program, titled RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World, is a look at how Native American musicians transformed blues, jazz and rock, examining the work of such artists as Link Wray, Robbie Robertson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Jimi Hendrix and Jesse Ed Davis. The program debuts on Monday, Jan. 21; check your local listings for your PBS station's air dates and times.

Maggie Rogers, meanwhile, continues to make the circuit as she appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, just days after the release of her much-anticipated album, Heard It In A Past Life. And from Saturday, Austin City Limits spotlights its local talent by featuring a full hour of Willie Nelson.

Notable reruns this week happen on Last Call with Carson Daly, which cleverly features an encore of boygenius on Monday before featuring solo encores by each band member — Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker — Tuesday to Thursday, respectively.

Here's the complete rundown. Check your local listings for broadcast times.*

Sunday, Jan. 20

Marty Stuart's collection of country music memorabilia, CBS Sunday Morning (CBS) | Stuart interviewed by Bill DeVille, April 2017

Monday, Jan. 21

RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World, Independent Lens (PBS) | Buffy Sainte-Marie's authorized biography, Rock and Roll Book Club, Dec. 12, 2018

Killer Mike (interview), The View (ABC) | Theft of the Dial: Run the Jewels, March 2017
Joe Jackson, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

Method Man (interview), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Death Cab for Cutie, Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) | Death Cab for Cutie in concert at the Palace Theatre, St. Paul, recorded Oct. 6, 2018

She & Him, The Late Late Show with James Corden; note: rerun from Dec. 13, 2018 (CBS)
boygenius, Last Call with Carson Daly; note: rerun from Dec. 6 (NBC) | in studio at The Current, Nov. 17, 2018

Tuesday, Jan. 22

Maggie Rogers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) | in studio at The Current, Oct. 29, 2018

Phoebe Bridgers, Last Call with Carson Daly; note: rerun from Dec. 10 (NBC) | in studio at The Current, April 23

Wednesday, Jan. 23

Better Oblivion Community Center (rumored to be Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Phoebe Bridgers in studio at The Current, April 23
Conor Oberst in studio at The Current, October 2016

Lucy Dacus, Last Call with Carson Daly; note: rerun from Dec. 11 (NBC) | in studio at The Current, April 5

Thursday, Jan. 24

Future, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (network varies; check your local listings
Dermot Kennedy, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
Backstreet Boys, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Julien Baker, Last Call with Carson Daly; note: rerun from Dec. 12 (NBC)

Friday, Jan. 25

GØGGS, Last Call with Carson Daly; note: rerun from Dec. 12 (NBC) | Ty Segall in studio at The Current, Nov. 5

Saturday, Jan. 26

Better Oblivion Community Center (Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst), CBS This Morning: Saturday Sessions (CBS)

Meek Mill, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Willie Nelson and the Family Band, Austin City Limits (PBS)

*Schedule subject to change.

Watch again: See last week's highlights.

Today - NBC
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - NBC
Late Night with Seth Meyers - NBC
Last Call with Carson Daly - NBC
Saturday Night Live - NBC
Saturday Night Live - NBC

Jimmy Kimmel Live! - ABC
The View - ABC
Good Morning America - ABC

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - CBS
The Late Late Show with James Corden - CBS
The Talk - CBS
CBS This Morning - CBS

Independent Lens - PBS
Austin City Limits - PBS

Watch What Happens Live - Bravo
Conan - TBS
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Comedy Central

The Ellen DeGeneres Show - network varies; check local listings
The Real - network varies; check your local listings
Live with Kelly and Ryan - network varies; check your local listings
The Wendy Williams Show - network varies; check your local listings

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