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Strike up the Band: "Americana!"

I don't see what the big deal is.
No matter what your opinion on the format is, it's just a format run on a network available to be run on the cheap.
Maybe if it were live and local like many of us here seem to wish for, it would be a different story.

> Maybe radio won't shoot its own two feet off after all with
> worn out play lists that make chalk on a chalkboard sound
> refreshing. Just maybe, just maybe someone "gets it!"
>
> It's a start....
>
>
> Thursday, July 14, 2005
>
> Americana Radio To Debut Sept. 1
>
http://ww> w.radioandrecords.com/Newsroom/2005_07_14/americanaradio.asp
>
 
> I don't see what the big deal is.
> No matter what your opinion on the format is, it's just a
> format run on a network available to be run on the cheap.
> Maybe if it were live and local like many of us here seem to
> wish for, it would be a different story.


Yes, but it is a format that is currently unavailable to listeners in Houston. And Americana is mostly fresh music being made today. Commercial radio can no longer afford to just keep slinging out tired playlists of Top 40, Classic Rock, and Oldies. People want more and if they don't get it they go else where.

Have you ever looked through a music collection (CDs, downloads) of a 20-30 year old? Most of the artist they listen to you have probably never heard of and certainly have never made it to radio. They listen to such stuff as acid jazz rock and the like.

As for Americana music being offered to larger markets at least its a start of offering something that has never really been played by radio but people do buy and listen to the music.

Radio needs to get over it self. They are no longer calling the shots. People have instant access to the music they want. For example, my friends and I all have laptops at home connected to an amplifier and speakers. I have any music for any occassion at any time for any person that comes over. Why would I listen to radio if it's the same old, same old, playlist year after year after year? Especially if the playlist contains song I never want to hear again?

The ONLY thing that radio has going for it at the moment is that almost everyone has an FM receiver in their car or at home or both. But that isn't going to last and once that last string breaks, radio is in for a hurtin'.

People have been too frustrated with radio for too long. Once they gain freedom they will never look back. I don't even have an FM receivver in my house. It's all Internet downloads straight to 300watt speakers.

JMHO
 
"Americana!"

It's actually a format unavailable to most of America. How would you describe an "Americana" format on the radio? thanks.
>
> Yes, but it is a format that is currently unavailable to
> listeners in Houston. And Americana is mostly fresh music
> being made today. Commercial radio can no longer afford to
> just keep slinging out tired playlists of Top 40, Classic
> Rock, and Oldies. People want more and if they don't get it
> they go else where.
 
Re: "Americana!"

> It's actually a format unavailable to most of America. How
> would you describe an "Americana" format on the radio?
> thanks.
>


Excellent question! The first thing I would do is NOT associate Americana with Country music. You'd have many people running for the hills and the implied association would be incorrect.

Americana is really a mix of folk, rock, country, blues, with a bit of hippe thrown in. It's basically American roots music heavily steeped in singer/song writer tradition and is highly enjoyed across the USA at outdoor festivals (think Kerrville) and in small bars.

I would probably present it to the radio listener much like the way the PBS show "Austin City Limits" is presented.

This format, especially here in Houston would certainly give the DJs and the station a broader opportunity to connect with the listeners via concerts and festivals due to the large number of acts that are from Texas. Much more of a community feel and involvement.

Anyway I noticed that one of the persons involved with "Americana Radio" is from Houston and involved with KNUZ in some fashion. Maybe Houston will get some good fresh tunes soon.

The station "Texas Mix" 98.7 in Victoria, Texas does an excellent job of presenting Americana music to the public.

Texas Mix 98.7
http://texasmix.com/

In Houston I think Americana could span a number of demos: easily listening, country listening, hippy types, and rock listeners. Not saying those demos would give up their mainstay but certianly would find Americana agreeable to their ears. Plus, us Texans are proud and a lot of that music is Texas music... Never underestimate that.


JMHO
 
Re: "Americana!"

> > It's actually a format unavailable to most of America.
> How
> > would you describe an "Americana" format on the radio?
> > thanks.
> >
>
>
> Excellent question! The first thing I would do is NOT
> associate Americana with Country music. You'd have many
> people running for the hills and the implied association
> would be incorrect.
>
> Americana is really a mix of folk, rock, country, blues,
> with a bit of hippe thrown in. It's basically American
> roots music heavily steeped in singer/song writer tradition
> and is highly enjoyed across the USA at outdoor festivals
> (think Kerrville) and in small bars.
>
> I would probably present it to the radio listener much like
> the way the PBS show "Austin City Limits" is presented.
>
> This format, especially here in Houston would certainly give
> the DJs and the station a broader opportunity to connect
> with the listeners via concerts and festivals due to the
> large number of acts that are from Texas. Much more of a
> community feel and involvement.
>
> Anyway I noticed that one of the persons involved with
> "Americana Radio" is from Houston and involved with KNUZ in
> some fashion. Maybe Houston will get some good fresh tunes
> soon.
>
> The station "Texas Mix" 98.7 in Victoria, Texas does an
> excellent job of presenting Americana music to the public.
>
> Texas Mix 98.7
> http://texasmix.com/
>
> In Houston I think Americana could span a number of demos:
> easily listening, country listening, hippy types, and rock
> listeners. Not saying those demos would give up their
> mainstay but certianly would find Americana agreeable to
> their ears. Plus, us Texans are proud and a lot of that
> music is Texas music... Never underestimate that.
>
>
> JMHO
>


This station looks like a dream. Now all they need are Carolyn Wonderland's "Bloodless Revolution," Tracy Conover and Roger Tausz's "Rainforest," a little Opie and the Tallboys (maybe "My Favorite Waitress"---nah!) and the Guppies' new tune, "John Wayne" to go along with it. Thank GOD somebody is doing this.
 
Re: "Americana!"

> In Houston I think Americana could span a number of demos:
> >
> >
>
> Something along the same lines:
>
> http://www.dangalloproductions.com/coming_soon.html
>

I checked out the site. EXCELLENT! ABSOLUTELY! Are you part of this?

"a new, syndicated program for radio, designed to showcase new music from all around the country."

If radio starts going in this type of "innovative" direction I just may have to go dust off my old FM receiver out in the garage and plug it back in.

Note: (the word innovative is in quotes because this type of radio should be obvious to the powers at be.)

Thanks for the link!
 
Re: "Americana!"

> > Something along the same lines:
> >
> > http://www.dangalloproductions.com/coming_soon.html
> >
> Lookin' good, Uncle G!
>

Thanks, Mojo1 & Radiodial! It's not my speed to just sit on my pants and holler about how bad radio is. I'd rather try to find a solution. Alan Shapiro and Rod Tanner have the experience with music. I've got the studio and the production experience. I've been spending a lot of time, just listening to music, over the last several months. There's so much great material being produced that no one would hear, were it not for the Internet. In fact, even WITH the Internet, there's still lot of music that's not being heard.

The show will be free to the stations. All they have to do is run our spots and sign the affidavits. Just let us know how we're doing.

P.S. The station in Victoria is awesome!
 
I hope you didn't misunderstand my post.
I wasn't really knocing the format or the effort to get knew or lesser-known stuff out there.
I'm all for that.
I am also one of those whose cd collections consist mostly of artists you never hear on the radio or at least not any more.
I could see this working well as a syndicated program such as the American Road mentioned below, but I wouldn't really want to see a whole station run that way.
If it were to happen as a full time format, I think it would be best as a local product, which I think should go for any format.
I guess this is a good start, though.

> > I don't see what the big deal is.
> > No matter what your opinion on the format is, it's just a
> > format run on a network available to be run on the cheap.
> > Maybe if it were live and local like many of us here seem
> to
> > wish for, it would be a different story.
>
>
> Yes, but it is a format that is currently unavailable to
> listeners in Houston. And Americana is mostly fresh music
> being made today. Commercial radio can no longer afford to
> just keep slinging out tired playlists of Top 40, Classic
> Rock, and Oldies. People want more and if they don't get it
> they go else where.
>
> Have you ever looked through a music collection (CDs,
> downloads) of a 20-30 year old? Most of the artist they
> listen to you have probably never heard of and certainly
> have never made it to radio. They listen to such stuff as
> acid jazz rock and the like.
>
> As for Americana music being offered to larger markets at
> least its a start of offering something that has never
> really been played by radio but people do buy and listen to
> the music.
>
> Radio needs to get over it self. They are no longer calling
> the shots. People have instant access to the music they
> want. For example, my friends and I all have laptops at
> home connected to an amplifier and speakers. I have any
> music for any occassion at any time for any person that
> comes over. Why would I listen to radio if it's the same
> old, same old, playlist year after year after year?
> Especially if the playlist contains song I never want to
> hear again?
>
> The ONLY thing that radio has going for it at the moment is
> that almost everyone has an FM receiver in their car or at
> home or both. But that isn't going to last and once that
> last string breaks, radio is in for a hurtin'.
>
> People have been too frustrated with radio for too long.
> Once they gain freedom they will never look back. I don't
> even have an FM receivver in my house. It's all Internet
> downloads straight to 300watt speakers.
>
> JMHO
>
 
Houston...the largest market in the country without Air America, AAA, Bob/Jack/Carol/Ted or Alice...show me a freq that will carry Americana...before considering one of the other options...and make money...

BTW, FM NewsChannel 97.5 is steadily improving as it adds features like Bloomberg and Accuweather...I just wish they would put something else on besides Neal Boortz...what we DON'T need is another "me too" conservative pundit who thinks he is God's gift to political analysis--graduate of A&M or not!
 
Re: "Americana!"

>
> The station "Texas Mix" 98.7 in Victoria, Texas does an
> excellent job of presenting Americana music to the public.
>
> Texas Mix 98.7
> http://texasmix.com/

I wish the station was available on the internet. Will this ever happen?
 
> BTW, FM NewsChannel 97.5 is steadily improving as it adds
> features like Bloomberg and Accuweather...I just wish they
> would put something else on besides Neal Boortz...what we
> DON'T need is another "me too" conservative pundit who
> thinks he is God's gift to political analysis--graduate of
> A&M or not!
>

He's a libertarian, quite different than the typical syndicated talk show.
 
Re: "Americana!"

It would be nice if some Inbred, tone deaf, corporate slob down here would wake up, smell the coffee and air an "Americana" or "Texas Music" format, but I wouldn't hold my breath. In the meantime, I'll play CD's in my car or listen to Lone Star Jukebox on KPFT and at home listen to Radio Free Texas www.radiofreetexas.org
or 95.3 The Range
http://www.khyi.com/
out of Dallas thru my tuner, via my laptop.
At least the rest of the state has their $#it together.





> > It's actually a format unavailable to most of America.
> How
> > would you describe an "Americana" format on the radio?
> > thanks.
> >
>
>
> Excellent question! The first thing I would do is NOT
> associate Americana with Country music. You'd have many
> people running for the hills and the implied association
> would be incorrect.
>
> Americana is really a mix of folk, rock, country, blues,
> with a bit of hippe thrown in. It's basically American
> roots music heavily steeped in singer/song writer tradition
> and is highly enjoyed across the USA at outdoor festivals
> (think Kerrville) and in small bars.
>
> I would probably present it to the radio listener much like
> the way the PBS show "Austin City Limits" is presented.
>
> This format, especially here in Houston would certainly give
> the DJs and the station a broader opportunity to connect
> with the listeners via concerts and festivals due to the
> large number of acts that are from Texas. Much more of a
> community feel and involvement.
>
> Anyway I noticed that one of the persons involved with
> "Americana Radio" is from Houston and involved with KNUZ in
> some fashion. Maybe Houston will get some good fresh tunes
> soon.
>
> The station "Texas Mix" 98.7 in Victoria, Texas does an
> excellent job of presenting Americana music to the public.
>
> Texas Mix 98.7
> http://texasmix.com/
>
> In Houston I think Americana could span a number of demos:
> easily listening, country listening, hippy types, and rock
> listeners. Not saying those demos would give up their
> mainstay but certianly would find Americana agreeable to
> their ears. Plus, us Texans are proud and a lot of that
> music is Texas music... Never underestimate that.
>
>
> JMHO
>
 
Re: "Americana!"

> It would be nice if some Inbred, tone deaf, corporate slob
> down here would wake up,



Hey I resemble that remark!!!
 
Re: "Americana!"

> > In Houston I think Americana could span a number of demos:
>
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Something along the same lines:
> >
> > http://www.dangalloproductions.com/coming_soon.html
>
> Wassa'matta wit you, ya never write, ya never call...:)
>

Radiomojo1, you are so right...and I'm going to correct that....today! I hope some bright program director, (and yes, there are still a few out there), has heard your work and is getting ready to put you to work. If not, when I becoming rich and famous, (screw famous), I'LL put you to work!
 
Re: "Americana!"

> It would be nice if some Inbred, tone deaf, corporate slob
> down here would wake up, smell the coffee and air an
> "Americana" or "Texas Music" format, but I wouldn't hold my
> breath.


Well, according to David Eduardo ALL of our musical needs are being met and we are ALL very happy about it (radio). So I agree with you not to hold our collective breath.


> In the meantime, I'll play CD's in my car or listen
> to Lone Star Jukebox on KPFT and at home listen to Radio
> Free Texas www.radiofreetexas.org
> or 95.3 The Range
> http://www.khyi.com/
> out of Dallas thru my tuner, via my laptop.
> At least the rest of the state has their $#it together.
>


Thanks for the links and thank god for the Internet streams. I can stream those stations right into my 300 watt speakers.
 
Re: "Americana!"

> > > In Houston I think Americana could span a number of
> demos:
> >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Something along the same lines:
> > >
> > > http://www.dangalloproductions.com/coming_soon.html
> >
> > Wassa'matta wit you, ya never write, ya never call...:)
> >
>
> Radiomojo1, you are so right...and I'm going to correct
> that....today! I hope some bright program director, (and
> yes, there are still a few out there), has heard your work
> and is getting ready to put you to work. If not, when I
> becoming rich and famous, (screw famous), I'LL put you to
> work!
>

Uh, oh. Here it comes:
"You don't have to be rich..."
*sigh*
Sorry. Poor impulse control results in spontaneous Prince singing.
 
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