WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour

The " WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour", [ [http://www.woodsongs.com/tv.html 30 minute PBS Documentary] traces the history of the program from 1999 with one station to its worldwide syndication.] hosted by folksinger Michael Johnathon is listened to by over 900,000 radio listeners on over 491 radio [http://www.woodsongs.com/affiliates.htm stations] each week all over the world. [ [http://www.woodsongs.com/webcast.htm Woodsongs.com webcast page] ] It is provided free of charge to public and community radio stations anywhere in the world. It is also available twice weekly on Channel 15 The Village of XM Satellite radio. [ [http://www.woodsongs.com/xm.html Woodsongs XM page] XM new subscriber discount information for Woodsongs fans] In 2007 selected older programs became available throughout the U.S. as television programs to all PBS television stations. It is also seen on cable TV stations in Kentucky. In 2008 mp4 [http://www.woodsongs.com/woodsongs-podcast.html podcasts] were added to the already existing mp3 podcasts.

The show tapes over 40 shows a year almost every Monday at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington, Kentucky. He occasionally takes the show on the road and then webcasts live with artists from that location. Those with high speed internet can [http://www.woodsongs.com/webcast.htm watch] the show as it is being taped from 6:45 pm to approx 8:20 pm. The music that is featured is a very wide variety of folk music from all over the world. It is very unusual in that everyone associated with the show is a volunteer. Even Mr. Johnathon and the other [http://www.woodsongs.com/wotrh.html performers] who come from all over the world are not paid. Between musical and sometimes dance performances the performers are interviewed by Michael. The show is both entertaining and educational. The show started from a very humble beginning with one radio station in 1999. The video archives contain in addition to the first hour, the audio of which will be used as the radio show; an encore section that features additional performances. In this encore section; Michael has the audience help him tape the promos for that show. He then usually invites those in the audience 6 to 16 years old to come onto the stage, chats with them and has them introduce the artist(s) prior to the encores. [ [http://128.163.130.14/woodsongs-491.wmv 07-07-2008 video featuring the Del McCoury Band] He does this for all the shows at the Kentucky Theater. An example of this can be seen one hour into this video.] The Woodsongs website contains one of the largest bluegrass and independent artist live music [http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp archives] available on the web, all available at no charge.

In a further extension of the show’s outreach and scheduled to start on October 22, 2008 at six Clearview Cinema movie theaters in the New York Ciy area; "live concerts" affiliated with this program will take place followed by a presentation on screen of a video recording of a production of the radio program. These events will take place weekly on Wednesday nights in between the normal movie schedules. [ [http://www.woodsongs.com/movies.php Woodsong at the movies] A list of the theaters and more informaion.]

References

External Links

* [http://webcast.msc.uky.edu/WS-documentary.wmv Watch the 30 minute PBS documentary.]
* [http://www.woodsongs.com WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour] official website