Grady K

January 2011

2011-01-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's 2011!
Hope it's good for you so far.
There's already some great new music in and
more on the way. This week we premiered
Gregg Allman's first solo record in 14 years
plus Over the Rhine and Tony Furtado.
Over the next several weeks we'll also be playing
the latest from Roomful of Blues and a cool
new band from Seattle called Ivan & Alyosha.
Check out the Top CD's of 2010 on our
website/Morning Music page which includes
Best New Artists and Best of Wyoming.
Thanks for reading and listening to WPR.

September 2010

2010-09-09T14:01:00.001-07:00

Warm days, cool nights and smokin' hot music over Labor Day weekend at the
2nd annual Snowy Range Music Festival in Laramie. The Albany County
Fairgrounds was the site for three days of music that included significant improvements over last year like the rotating, side-by-side main stages.
There was little to no wait time between bands. They also placed artificial
turf over the dirt that tends to blow freely in the Laramie wind. It was like
carpet with plenty of room for lawn chair and blanket seating close to the
stages. Under the bleachers was the acoustic stage which provided a great
space throughout the festival especially after the main stage headliner sets.
It looked and felt like a cross between an Arkansas chicken shack, a Delta
juke joint and a Chicago blues club. Rick Estrin and the Nightcats played
a great set late Friday night and Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues did the
same Saturday night and were joined by SRMF favorite Carl Weathersby.
Friday nights lineup included Soulive.....really enjoyed their set
especially the Beatles medley. Rock N Roll Hall of Famer and Soul/Gospel
legend Mavis Staples put on an outstanding show with her band that included guitarist Rick Holstrom. You could tell she was a little winded between but
not during songs at 7000 ft. She sang one of her new songs, "Wrote a Song
for Everyone," the Band classic "The Weight" , "The Freedom March" and the
70's Staples Singers hit, "I'll Take You There." Mavis took us there, back
and beyond.

I saw most of Saturday's lineup which included a generous helping of New
Orleans gumbo from the Subdudes and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
There actually seemed to be a variation on a second line happening in
Wyoming during the Dirty Dozen set. Guitarist/singer Ana Popovic, originally
from Yugoslavia, proved the blues is worldwide belting out a great set.
She wore some pretty cool boots too. Los Lobos headlined Saturday night and
started their set with "Dream in Blue" from Kiko. They played a few older
tunes and seemed plenty warmed up by the time they got into songs from the
new CD "Tin Can Trust". Highlights included the traditional Mexican folk song
"Yo Canto" from Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo singing the title song and the Grateful Dead cover "West LA Fadeaway." They also did a covers medley that
started with the Temptations "Papa was a Roling Stone" and ended with
"Oye Como Va." The crowd loved it and the band responded in kind.
David mentioned they'd been playing for 36 years and this was their first performance in Laramie. So the whole band came out after their set and signed autographs.
Didn't get to see much of Sundays performances but what I did was
good. Carl Weathersby was one of the few returning from last year and put
on a great show. Anders Osborne followed with a high energy set which
included songs from the new CD "American Patchwork". He was followed by the
host band Blind Dog Smokin' with great guitarist Gino Mateo and Carl
Gustafson singing lead. Big thanks to Carl G. for organizing the festival,
all the volunteers, musicians and the weatherman. The bands seemed very
impressed and happy to play such a well organized festival.
Great Chicago harmonica man Billy Branch called it King Biscuit West
because we had the ultra-cool Jerry Pillow from Helena, Arkansas as
stage manager. Attendance was up a little over last year.
A little surprising it wasn't up more considering all the great bands.
We're counting on a breakout year for the 3rd Annual Snowy Range Music
Festival so mark your calendar for Labor Day Weekend 2011.

August 2010

2010-08-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a great summer with plenty of live music happenings
around the region and more to come.

I enjoyed helping MC at the Bighorn Mountain Festival in Buffalo the weekend
of July 9th. They put up a new stage with plenty of great bands including
the Steep Canyon Rangers, The Grascals, The Wiyos and Wyoming favorites
The Jalan Crossland Band and Anne & Pete Sibley. One of the highlights was
Sunday afternoon when Anne & Pete invited Jalan Crossland, Shaun Kelly and
Troxel & Krieger on stage for a Wyoming All-Star band set. The crowd loved it.

I finally visited beautiful Ten Sleep, Wyoming and camped up in the canyon
with friends before traveling west to Victor, Idaho for the opening show of
Music on Main. It was quite and evening with the 14-piece salsa band,
Calle Mambo along with Rotating Superstructure, a talented,
young rock group from Jackson. The following night I headed up the mountain
to Alta for the first night of Targhee Fest to see the Steve Kimock Band,
Melvin Seals and JGB Band and Moe.
Topped off the week with the third show in our 4-part series in Lander at
the Wind River Music showcase featuring singer/songwriter Doug Andrews from
Sheridan and Anne & Pete Sibley. Of course the music was all good,
but the best part was meeting and talking with a number of WPR Morning Music listeners. The weather was great and I was even able to catch a few fish.

Big thanks to Paul Jarvis in Buffalo, Shannon McCormick in Wilson,
Virginia Moore from Wyoming PBS and all who help support live music.

Check the Morning Music page for more live music events around the region
and enjoy what's left of summer.

Is it Spring yet?

2010-05-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

We actually had two very nice days in a row this week
in Laramie. More on the way hopefully this weekend.
Had a great time in Lander for the first Wind River Music
Showcase concerts with Mike Hurwitz and the Aimless Drifters
along with "V" The Gypsy Cowbelle. All seemed to go well
at the Museum of the American West. Thanks to Virginia Moore
and crew of Wyoming PBS. The series is set to air on TV in November.
I managed to make up for lost time at the Lander Bar and got a taste of
the mighty Winds with a hike up the beautiful Popo Aggie river.
I even know how to pronounce it now. Plans are in the works to attend
The Bighorn Mountain Festival in Buffalo the weekend of July 10.
More info on concerts and festival on the Morning Music web page.
Cool new music we're playing on WPR include... longtime Teton Valley
resident Jeff Newsom & Friends, Screen Door Porch from Jackson,
Audra Mae, grand niece of Judy Garland and
the Mynabirds. Thanks for listening and reading.

SPRING 2010

2010-03-11T13:20:00.001-08:00

As the snow comes and goes this month, our thoughts turn to warmer
days and upcoming music concerts and festival in the region.

Anne and Pete Sibley from Jackson return for a live performance on
Morning Music May 13 at 11:00 before their house concert in Laramie.
They’ll play at many shows around Wyoming and Colorado this spring
and summer. The Sibleys are also booked for the prestigious Merlefest
gathering in Wilkesboro, North Carolina the weekend of April 30th.

Grammy Award-winning singer/ songwriter Ani DiFranco is scheduled to
perform at the University of Wyoming’s A&S Auditorium on Wednesday
April 21 at 8pm. We hope she can visit during Morning Music that
day if she arrives in town early.

Upcoming music festivals include….
July 9-11
Bighorn Mountain Festival-Buffalo, WY

July 16-18
Targhee Fest- Alta, WY

July 23-25
Rockygrass-Lyons, CO

July 30-Aug. 1
Oyster Ridge Festival-Kemmerer, WY

It’s great to hear plenty of new music this year from Wyoming
musicians including the Jalan Crossland Band, Kosmos and
Jared Rogerson. We continue to get great feedback for our
classical and jazz stations. Please call or drop me a line
with questions or suggestions for Wyoming Public Media.

Thank you for listening and for your continued support.

Grady Kirkpatrick
Music Director/Operations- Wyoming Public Media
(307) 766-6624
wkirkpa1@uwyo.edu
www.wyomingpublicradio.net

Summer Ends/Fall 09

2009-10-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

T'was quite a summer with a nice balance of work and play.
We combined the two on the tail end of our Black Hills vacation in July at the Bighorn Mountain Festival in Buffalo where I was privledged to be among the MC's. Thanks to Paul Jarvis, Gene Sturlin and volunteers for a great festival.
Heard some great music from many bands including Special Consensus,Steeldrivers, Anne & Pete Sibley and The Greencards. Saw the Wiyos from Brooklyn for the first time and really enjoyed their set and workshop. They have a lot of knowledge about many of the performers from the early to mid 20th century playing vaudeville, blues, swing and jazz. One of the highlights of the festival was Pete Wernick's set and his recognition of our men and women serving in the armed forces. He asked all the Veteran's to stand and we thanked them for their service with a big round of applause.

The unofficial end of summer weekend brought 30 bands on 3 different stages to Laramie for the first Snowy Range Music Festival. Enjoyed all the bands I saw, especially Derek Trucks, Carl Weathersby and Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers.
There was a lot of good feedback from those attending. Thanks to Laramie native Carl Gustafson, his crew and Blind Dog Smokin' for staging the event. Hope to do it again next year.

There's been plenty of great new music coming in over the summer and into the fall season. Check out Morning Music weekdays from 9 to Noon for Mark Knopfler, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Wilco, Michelle Shocked and more.
Requests always welcome via e-mail: onair@uwyo.edu

Summer of '09

2009-06-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Summer brings welcome warmth and a wealth of live music to the region.
You can find a list with links to many of the music festivals on the Morning Music page under Concert Calendar. Feel free to submit any music events via e-mail or blog. We're looking forward to attending the Big Horn Mountain Festival in
Buffalo the weekend of July 10. It sounds like Ranch Breakfast host Tom Wilhelm may be able to make it too. Can't wait to catch up with the winners of the Prairie Home Companion, Great American Duet Sing-Off, Anne & Pete Sibley from Jackson. They've recently released a fine new CD "Coming Home." Other performers at the Bighorn Fest include The Greencards, Special Consensus and Bill Evans.

James McMurtry returns to Wyoming with performances at three different venues in July and Brian Wilson is back for a return engagement at the Jackson Hole Music Festival in August. This summer marks the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock so be on the lookout for old hippies coming out of the woods. Ten Sleep, Wyoming hosts another
NoWoodStock Festival the weekend of August 7th with Chuck Pyle, Palmer Divide and hometown boy Jalan Crossland among others.

We're featuring plenty of great new releases on Morning Music as usual. Favorites include Diane Birch, Elizabeth & the Catapult, Sara Jarosz, Levon Helm, Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women and Roman Candle. We're also playing music from Cary Judd, a California guy who recently relocated to Moose, Wyoming. His "Aha Song" is doing very well across the country. Requests and feedback always welcome. It's great to hear from folks in Wyoming and our online listeners around the country.

Hope you're enjoying the fruits, vegetables, warmth and music of summer.
Thanks for reading and listening.

Grady

2008 Year End

2008-12-10T14:09:00.000-08:00

It’s been an exciting, first year at Wyoming Public Radio. I arrived in late December 07 and have really enjoyed working with the great, WPR staff here in Knight Hall at the University of Wyoming. I had the opportunity to hit the road last summer, met a lot of good folks and visited a lot of cool places in Wyoming. I helped MC music festivals in Buffalo (Big Horn Mountain Fest) and Kemmerer (Oyster Ridge Festival).

Many thanks to all who have provided feedback in person, via e-mail or phone calls over the past year. It makes a big difference to hear your thoughts and preferences regarding music on Wyoming Public Radio. It also can be very inspiring and provides insight into how we can best serve our listeners. We’re providing opportunities for more interactivity through our website with a music blog. We're planning on reviews, increased information about live music in the region and listener picks for your Top 5 to air on Wyoming Public Radio. I'm interested in your suggestions. Please feel free to provide feedback via the blog.