Etown (radio program)

etown is a national nonprofit organization and syndicated radio program produced in Boulder, Colorado and heard on National Public Radio, community radio stations and a limited number of commercial stations.

As a nonprofit, etown's mission is to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience, through music and conversation, to build a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world. etown's broadcast emphasizes human commonality and collective responsibility for building a better, more sustainable world. The show has three key elements: 1) An eclectic array of world-class musicians (two per show) perform individually; 2) Each performing artist is interviewed on stage, with emphasis on exploration of the artist’s musical roots and musical and non-musical influences; and 3) Each show includes a live interview with the show's "e-chievement award" recipient. This individual, chosen each week through nominations from etown's national audience, is typically someone who has identified an environmental or social issue at the community, national or global level, and whose efforts are very effectively addressing that need.

Etown was founded in 1991 by Nick Forster - a performing musician with the progressive bluegrass band, Hot Rize - and his wife Helen Forster. Nick's inspiration for the show came from his experiences touring and performing in eastern Europe in 1990. Nick was struck by music’s unique ability to bring otherwise disparate groups of people together – former communist bosses, new democratic leaders, school teachers, business executives, dissident poets and common citizens connected through the joy of music. Linking this insight to some deeply disturbing observations of eastern Europe’s environmental degradation under communist control, Nick conceived the idea of a radio program that would channel the energy and human spirit common among live-performance audiences into dialog about larger issues in the world, and the need for all humans to participate as engaged citizens.

The etown archives include performances with hundreds of legendary artists and innovative newcomers including: Aaron Neville Quintet, Ani DiFranco, Barenaked Ladies, Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, Bill Frisell, Blind Boys of Alabama, Bruce Cockburn, Buddy Guy, David Crosby & Graham Nash, Dee Carstensen, Doc Watson, Dr. John, Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris, Fairfield Four, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, James Taylor, Jerry Jeff Walker, Keb' Mo', Los Lobos, Lyle Lovett, Nickel Creek, Odetta, Pops Staples, Randy Newman, Richard Thompson, Rickie Lee Jones, The Dixie Hummingbirds, The Flatlanders, Townes Van Zandt, Wanda Jackson, Willie Nelson.

Etown is recorded before a live audience, typically at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. Approximately 26 new shows are recorded each year.

External links

* [http://www.etown.org/ Official Etown Website]
* [http://jrabold.net/radio/2eto.shtml "Etown" via streaming audio]