2007 Induction of KFAI Community Radio Station
"Non-Performer Supportive of the Blues"
Larry Englund
Introduction by Larry Englund
Thank you Mickey. Members of the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society and honored guests. It's a privilege to be here and an honor to make this presentation to an organization that's been an important part of my life for the last thirty years.
How many people remember the Twin Cities Airwaves about 1976? KQ at the time was considered progressive - they had Taj Mahal do in-studio concerts. You might hear the Temptations or BB King alongside Cream and Led Zeppelin. 1280 WWTC, well, they played hits of the late 50s and early 60s. Chuck Berry, Motown, and if we were lucky, maybe Fannie Mae by Buster Brown. The blues was scarce, to say the least. To quote Muddy Waters, I just couldn't be satisfied.
Fast forward to the summer of 1978. One Thursday evening I was going down the dial and happened on this tiny station called Fresh Air Radio. It was playing James Brown. Now this wasn't "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", or "I Feel Good", great as they are. No. they were playing Get Up Offa that Thing - nine minutes of pumpin, jumpin' shiver your liver, bump your rump, get on the good foot ecstasy. On the radio. I felt like a Bob Dylan Character - something was happening but I didn't know what it was. So I tuned in the next afternoon and heard Willie Murphy giving us his insights as he spun Howlin' Wolf, Koko Taylor, Ray Charles, Lamont Cranston, and others. I was hooked. Soon after, I went to one of KFAI's first fundraisers. I don't remember much - there was lots of beer - but I do remember that it was held in Kenwood, and it featured a young guitarist named Curt Obeda laying down the blues.
In fact, Fresh Air's dances and fundraising functions - and there have been lots of them - have often featured the blues, whether held at the old Union Bar, The late Blues Saloon, Famous Daves, here at the Junction, at the Cedar, or on the streets during Cedarfest.
Blues has always been part and parcel of KFAI. Chicago blues, delta blues, piedmont blues, east coast, west coast, Twin Cities blues, jump blues, city blues, country blues, folk blues, soul blues, jazzy blues, rhythm & blues. It's all on KFAI.
Early on, the Lazy Bill Lucas show became a touchstone of sort, the place for fans to hear the real thing. Started by Lazy Bill himself, Steve Babbitt carried the torch on Bill's passing, and then passed it on to our dear friend, the late Joel Johnson. The popularity of that show and others helped the programming committee come up with the afternoon drive time blues strip. There, we've heard the blues on Pete Lee's Bop Street, Lady J's Rollin & Tumblin, Lolly Obeda's Sugar Shop, Rockhouse, hosted by Sara Oxton and Tad Selzer, Jackson Buck's Juke Joint, Harold Tremblay's House Party, and from Rose Robinson (better known as the Blues Lady), and her Time Machine.
Janis Lane-Ewart
Additionally, blues is often integrated into other shows on the station's schedule, such as Greg Carr's Dig Up the Roots, The Dakota Dave Hull show, Jackson's Freewheeling show, and others. Interviews and live performances abound. Twin Cities blues performers have always found a warm welcome in Fresh Air's studios. Visiting artists, from Hubert Sumlin, and Jimmy Dawkins, to Little Johnny Taylor, Lucky Peterson, and many, many more, have also been guests on KFAI.
In short, the Blues has permeated the sound and soul of KFAI. In turn, KFAI has won the hearts of blues lovers here in the Twin Cities, and with the advent of the internet, overseas.
And so, in recognition of its on-going commitment to blues programming and its support for Twin Cities Blues artists KFAI is this year's inductee into the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame in the category for non-performer, supporter of the blues. Please welcome Janis Lane-Ewart, director of KFAI, to accept this honor on behalf of the station.
This Page Last Updated: Tuesday, July 10, 2012
