What does it say about the programmers and djs at community radio stations when they don’t really recognize music from the community (state) in which they are licensed to broadcast? OUCH – oh no he didn’t! Uh, yeah, I did.
Every month, I comb through literally hundreds of daily playlists from stations all around the state in order to cull and tabulate the monthly spins charts. And here’s what I’ve found out over the past few years — the VAST MAJORITY of djs doing shows statewide on community radio stations don’t ever touch upon music by a Colorado act, known or unknown. TRUTH.
That’s taking nothing away from those who do. I want to make that perfectly clear. I’m deeply thankful to those djs, programmers, and radio stations that do make a concerted effort to get Colorado music on the air. Stations like KRFC (Fort Collins) and OPEN AIR 1340 AM (Denver) have made that commitment very obvious. On average you’ll hear somewhere in the ballpark of 13-15% of their airtime devoted to recordings from here in the state. That’s on top of the hours they devote to live in-studio appearances by Colorado acts. The rest? …less than 5% on average per month. In many cases I’ve been hard pressed to find even five individual album titles played, let alone five with more than a spin or two a month. There are some stations that statistically don’t air any current Colorado releases at all – in any genre.
Here’s an interesting comparison: Under the Canadian Commercial Radio Policy, 35% of all music aired each week on all AM and FM stations must be Canadian. We have no such rules in the US, even for COMMUNITY/PUBLIC radio.
35%! I can’t even begin to imagine what community radio in Colorado would sound like if we did that. Imagine if 1 out of every 3 songs you heard was from a Colorado act … and that’s only 33%. Hell, all I’m asking for is 16.6% (2 songs per hour on average). What kind of impact would radio have then?
Scott Foley hosts a show and serves as the de facto Colorado music genre captain, as well as the Americana music genre captain at KRFC. When a few of us were discussing this subject on my Facebook page he wrote, “There needs to be a relationship between artists and their community stations. [As Chris has pointed out before,] we can’t support an artist if they don’t make their music available to us. Likewise, the relationship should include in-studio time, station sponsored concerts and events and even artist support during membership drives. These are mutually beneficial opportunities that allow a station to sink stronger roots into its community.”
Kerri Pastine of the Informants added; “My assumption would be that the DJs aren’t getting out and discovering all of the local music there is, but then again, I really don’t know how they get turned on to it all, as there’s so much.”
This is a complex issue for sure. The people who volunteer their time to do shows at these stations are our neighbors and our friends, our parents and our children here in the state. I believe we all want the same result – a greater awareness of the communities we live in – that is what lies at the heart of community radio.
The solution may be as simple as getting the music straight to those who do the shows. Maybe … since what they tend to play is music they are already familiar with …so if we can get the music directly into their hands they’ll play it …. MAYBE. We’ll see … I’m hopeful 🙂
/rant
In radio news, KBUT (Crested Butte) has a nation wide search going for a new General Manager. As of April 17th, KBUT General Manager Ryan Stringfellow has decided to step down from his position. He plans to return to Grand Junction with his family to pursue an advanced degree in Education from Colorado Mesa University. Read Ryan’s farewell message here: http://www.kbut.org/page.cfm?pageid=21032.
KBUT is now in the midst of a national search for it’s next General Manager. Interested parties can learn more at the KBUT website: http://www.kbut.org/page.cfm?pageid=21031. Applications are due by Monday, May 7th.
It’s spring membership drive time at nearly all of the public/community stations statewide. I know that KRFC (Fort Collins) is engaged in theirs as I write and others are also, or are about to become. Please support your local community/public radio station. Without our support, these stations truly cannot survive. For some of them (KOTO in Telluride for example) all or nearly all of the money they receive to support their efforts comes directly from supportive listeners. AND – please do request that they play more Colorado music when you make that contribution.
ONTO THE CHARTS
TOP 40 MOST SPUN TITLES – April 2012
(309 titles tracked / 157 titles reported as played)
(LM) TM / [date added]
(D) = debut, first time on chart
(R) = re-entered chart
(1) 1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers (Dualtone) Indie/New alternative [Mar-12]
(5) 2. Tennis – Young & Old (Fat Possum) Indie/New alternative [Feb-12]
(4) 3. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband (Telarc) Blues [Feb-12]
(D) 4. Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow (Blank Tape) Folk/folk-rock [Apr-12]
(8) 5. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed (Family Tree) Indie/New alternative [Feb-12]
(D) 6. The Jekylls – The Sweet Factory (self) Americana [Mar-12]
(23) 7. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love (Cat and Moon Records) Americana/country [Oct-11]
(D) 8. Mosey West – Merica (self) Rock/folk-rock/alt.country rock [Apr-12]
(6) 9. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Live at Hodi’s (self) Alt-country [Jan-12]
(7) 10. Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground (self) Alt-country-rock [Nov-11]
(D) 11. Muskeeteer Gripweed – Staight Razor Revival (self) Rock/roots rock/jamband [Apr-12]
(D) 12. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs (self) Blues/rhythm and blues [Apr-12]
(D) 13. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm (self) Alt-country-rock [Mar-12]
(30) 14. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost (self) Alt-country-rock [Oct-11]
(27) 15. Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee (Blank Tape) Folk/folk-rock [May-11]
(D) 16. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker (LoS Records) Rock/bluegrass/country [Apr-12]
(11) 17. The Swayback – Double Four Time (self) Rock [Feb-12]
(D) 18. The Congress – Whatever You Want (self) Rock [Apr-12]
(11) 19. Broken Tongues – Crooked Skyline (self) Hip-Hop [Feb-12]
(12) 19. Churchill – The Change EP (Wire Bird) Folk/folk-rock [Feb-12]
(R) 20. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight (Hot Congress) Indie/New alternative [Feb-12]
(10) 21. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self) Bluegrass/country [Apr-11]
(20) 22. Eric Gunnison – Trios (Synergy Music) Jazz [Feb-12]
(D) 23. Euforquestra – Let Us In (self) World/funk [Mar-12]
(D) 24. Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra – Sharks & Manatees (Dazzle Recordings) Jazz/big band [Apr-12]
(2) 25. Katie Glassman – Snapshot (self) Americana/country-jazz [Feb-12]
(14) 26. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self) Blues [Aug-11]
(R) 27. Gauntlet Hair – Gauntlet Hair (self) Indie/alternative [Sep-11]
(15) 28. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Live and Learn EP (self) Pop/alternative [Nov-11]
(9) 29. Catch Bees – Newman’s Open Choir (On Joyful Wings) Indie/New alternative [Feb-12]
(13) 29. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold (Manasses Records) Folk [Nov-11]
(21) 29. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) Rock/adult alternative [Apr-11]
(32) 29. The Yawpers – Savage Blue EP (Adventure Records) Alt-country-rock [Jan-12]
(D) 30. Blackout Beat Production Company – The Circus House (self) Electronic/dance [Dec-11]
(R) 31. John Oates – Mississippi Mile (PS Records) Blues/country-blues [Apr-11]
(30) 31. Spring Creek – Hold On Me (self) Bluegrass [Jul-11]
(R) 32. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club – Unentitled (Alternative Tentacles) Rock/adult alternative [Mar-11]
(D) 33. Josh Quinlin Quintet – Mountain Time Standards (Dazzle Recordings) Jazz [Feb-12]
(D) 34. Carbon Choir – Sakhalin (self) Rock/alternative [Apr-12]
(R) 34. Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Barn Burner (self) Alt-country [May-11]
(R) 34. Spires – S/T EP (self) Indie/alternative [Nov-11]
DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40
3. Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You
16. Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
17. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
18. Mosey West – Vaca Money
19. Paper Bird – Carry On
22. Beats Noir! – 13 Tracks From The Dark Side Of The Beat
22. Overcasters – Curses/Prayers
24. Chimney Choir – (ladder)
25. Turn 4 – What You Do About It
26. Ronnie Shellist – Trust Is Gone
28. Fox Street Allstars – Welcome to the Mighty Pleasin’
29. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson
31. Bonnie and The Clydes – Bonnie And The Clydes
31. Varlet – The Drifter
32. Mr. Anonymous – Champion Sound
32. Rebel Tongue – Movin’ On
32. The Hickman-Dalton Gang – The Hickman-Dalton Gang Vol II
33. El Toro De La Muerte – Danger These Days
33. J. Miller Band – The Road to ELVado
33. Juno What?! – Shameless
ADDED APRIL 2012
Amazing Twin – Grown Alone
Arliss Nancy – Simple Machines
Better Than Bacon – Better Than Bacon
Carbon Choir – Sakhalin
The Congress – Whatever You Want
Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
Instant Empire – Instant Empire
Jeff Finlin – Live Songs for the Ice Age
Kailin Yong Peace Project Trio – Gravity Free
Le Divorce – The Sting and the Light
Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
Lifeboat Etiquette – Saboteur
Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs
Megan Redmond – Dreamland
Mesita – The Coyote
Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra – Sharks & Manatees
Mosey West – Merica
Muskeeteer Gripweed – Staight Razor Revival
Saturn Cowboys – Follow the Light to the West
UMConscious – Everybody [single]
STATION BY STATION
KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
1. Mosey West – Merica
2. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
3. Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
4. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight
KBUT (Crested Butte)
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost
2. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love
2. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
2. Tennis – Young & Old
KDNK (Carbondale)
1. Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
1. Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. Lindsay & the Lost Caravan – You Don’t Know Me
3. Chimney Choir – Chimney Choir
3. Euforquestra – Let Us In
KGNU (Boulder)
1. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
2. Mr. Anonymous – Champion Sound
3. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
4. Great American Taxi – Paradise Lost
4. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis
KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
3. Tennis – Young & Old
4. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
5. A Shoreline Dream – Losing Them All To This Time
KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. Musketeer Gripweed – Straight Razor Revival
2. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Hugs & Punches
3. Tennis – Young & Old
4. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
5. Mosey West – Merica
KUNC (Greeley)
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Kathryn Mostow – Rich Girl
2. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
3. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know
KUVO (Denver)
1. Eric Gunnison – Trios
2. Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra – Sharks & Manatees
3. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country
4. H2 Big Band – You’re It!
4. Jim Stranahan – Free For All
KVNF (Paonia)
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Halden Wofford & the HI Beams – Live at Hodi’s
2. Katie Glassman – Snapshot
2. Kyle James Hauser – Oh Oh
2. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
OPEN AIR 1340 (Denver)
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Tennis – Young & Old
3. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
4. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight
5. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Sineater
The Colorado Sound
1. The Jekylls – The Sweet Factory
2. The Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
3. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love
3. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs
3. The Congress – Whatever You Want
===============================================
BY GENRE/PROGRAM FORMAT
Americana/Alt.country/Alt.country-rock
1. The Jekylls – The Sweet Factor
2. Katya Chorover – Big Big Love
3. Halden Wofford & the HI Beams – Live at Hodi’s
4. Longest Day of the Year – Turn Into the Ground
5. Grant Farm – The Grant Farm
Blues/Rhythm & Blues
1. Otis Taylor – Otis Taylor’s Contraband
2. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Punches and Hugs
3. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis
4. John Oates – Mississippi Mile
5. Taylor Scott & Another Kind Of Magick – Back To Beale Live
Bluegrass
1. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
2. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
3. Dave Richey & Ruined Nation – No Peace of Mind
4. Grass It Up – Grass It Up – Live
5. Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
Folk/folk-rock/singer-songwriter
1. Haunted Windchimes – Out with the Crow
2. Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
3. Churchhill – The Change EP
4. Harry Tuft & Friends – Treasures Untold
5. Jeff Finlin – Live Songs for the Ice Age
Dance/Funk/Hip-Hop/Urban Contemporary
1. Broken Tongues – Crooked Skyline
2. Blackout Beat Production Company – The Circus House
3. Beats Noir! – 13 Tracks From The Dark Side Of The Beat
4. Rebel Tongue – Movin’ On
5. Juno What?! – Late Night
Indie/New-Alternative
1. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
2. Tennis – Young & Old
3. Bad Weather California – Sunkissed
4. Achille Lauro – Flight or Flight
5. Gauntlet Hair – Gauntlet Hair
Jazz
1. Eric Gunnison – Trios
2. Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra – Sharks & Manatees
3. Josh Quinlin Quintet – Mountain Time Standards
4. H2 Big Band – You’re It!
5. Rene Marie – Voice Of My Beautiful Country
POP / Alternative Adult Contemporary
1. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
2. Coles Whalen – I Wrote this for You
3. Megan Redmond – Dreamland
4. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down
5. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
ROCK / AAA / AOR
1. Mosey West – Merica
2. Muskeeteer Gripweed – Staight Razor Revival
3. Leftover Salmon – Aquatic Hitchhiker
4. The Swayback – Double Four Time
5. The Congress – Whatever You Want
If you can’t get excited about a new Leftover Salmon record, you’re just not not a true Colorado music lover. So, HELL YEAH I’m excited to get Aquatic Hitchhiker. Vince Herman messaged me this week … record’s on the way. I’m stoked. It’s the first new album of all original tunes in like 8 years! Hope to have it in time for EP16 next week. Here’s a taste of what we can expect on the new album, courtesy of eTown. If you can’t tell I’m excited, you don’t this old goat too well 😉 
Megan Redmond – Dreamland — a tasty bit of crossover pop country/americana from this young lady who is playing damn near every festival event of the summer from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins in 2012. Not since Katie Moffatt in the early 70s has there been, to the best of my knowledge, a top female pop country artist break out of Colorado. Her 6 song debut ep is full of songs she wrote or co-wrote, and was produced in Nashville with some top session players. The first single, “Falling,” was placed on industry news leader ALLACCESS.COM’s “Cool New Country” highlight list… then landed on Clear Channel Media’s show on hot new country propelling “Falling” onto the Top 100 Country charts on both Mediabase and Nielsen BDS. 
Rebel Tongue – Movin On … several years ago now I got hipped to U.S. Pipe – a band that featured lead MC Azma Holiday. That band broke up. Azma and some of the members of the Pipe moved on – to REBEL TONGUE. I knew Azma as a rapper – NOW I know him as a soulful singer and rapper with a group of funk masters backing him up. Give me a band with a wickedly tight and groovin rhythm section, a couple of horns, and a front guy who OWNS an audience and I’m a sucka for love like this anytime. Here’s the official teaser they came up with. 
Happy Spring. As I sit and write today we’re expecting record setting temps along the Front Range. And as I sit and review the adds and spins for the month it appears we’ve had a record setting month. The Lumineers self-titled debut on Dualtone Records was added by more stations (commercial and non-comm) than I’ve seen the past couple of years, aside from much more well established and nationally popular acts like DeVotchKa, landing the debut far in front of the pack in scoring. I fully expect that The Lumineers release will rise up quickly on the national 
KDNK (Carbondale)
KGNU (Boulder)
KRCC (Colorado Springs)
KRFC (Fort Collins)
KVNF (Paonia)
Open Air 1340 (Denver)
The Colorado Sound
Folk/singer-songwriter/folk-rock
Jazz
POP / adult contemporary
Rock / adult alternative 
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 