Friday, June  1, 8PM

• Tune in at 8PM for another edition The First Friday Series on Blues Live as WEFT 90.1FM collaborates with Community Partner Prairie Crossroads Blues Society in presenting Blues artist,  Tee Dee Young, live on air for an interview and performance, prior to his concert down the street at Memphis on Main.  Come on down to the station and be a part of the WEFT studio audience at 113 N. Market St., Champaign, IL.
• There will be an opening band from 8:30 – 9:30PM, live at Memphis on Main.
  
• Tee Dee Young and his band will hit the stage around 10PM
• Check out Tee Dee Young’s videos.

Tee Dee Young born in Lexington, Kentucky, got his start playing the guitar at the age of thirteen mentored by the late Mr. Harrison Coleman. He learned to sing from his father, gospel singer Leonard Young, and was influenced by his brother George Young, who encouraged him to never change his style. Tee Dee has performed at blues clubs such as The Cotton Club, Albert King’s, B.B. King’s and Kington Mines. He has opened for Johnny Rawls, Guitar Shorty, Big Bill Morgan, Albert King and Lil “Howling” Wolf among others.

Tee Dee was voted 2011 Beale Street Blues King by the Beale Street Merchants Association in Memphis, Tenn. He has four albums, the most recent, Dream the Blues, released in January 2011.

A WEFT 90.1FM Benefit – Friday, May 25, 8PM Live @ The Iron Post

Join us for a special evening beginning at 8PM, Friday, May 25, live at The Iron Post  as WEFT 90.1FM presents The Grateful Dead Hour producer and host, solo singer-songwriter, author, David Gans, all the way from Oakland, CA.  Opening up, will be CU’s own, The Curses, with a mix of their brand of Americana.  Come on out and be a part of the WEFT audience.  Support the station and enjoy the music.

• YouTube Videos of David Gans
• Discography of David Gans
• Books by David Gans
• Other Writings by David Gans
• Photography of David Gans

• Music and Videos of The Curses
• The Curses on facebook
  

David Gans started out as a musician in 1970, playing guitar and writing songs and performing both as a soloist and as a member of various bands around the San Fracncisco Bay Area.  Then, in a pretty much unprecedented career change, he became a music journalist, where he was quite successful.  He worked for BAM, a free San Francisco-based magazine, worked for Rolling Stones founder and publisher, Jann Wenner’s Record, a music magazine, from its beginning to its end, and was music editor of Mix Magazine for a while. As he says, “Writing for music magazines gave me access to musicians and producers and record company publicists. I got a million-dollar education from interviewing Leo Fender, Randy Newman, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Goodman, T Bone Burnett, Warren Zevon, Ted Templeman, and people like that. I spent time in recording studios, learned how the music business operates, rode in limos with the Doobie Brothers, got lots of records for free, and got paid for all of it.”

Magazine work gave way to book work.  In 1985, his first book, Playing in the Band: an Oral and Visual Portrait of the Grateful Dead (co-authored with Peter Simon) about his long-time favorites, the Grateful Dead was published to critical acclaim. While he was working on his second book, Talking Heads: The Band and Their Music, he merged his talents and interests with the emergence of his first “Grateful Dead Radio Hour” on a local station, and found that he enjoyed the work. The program was syndicated on dozens of stations across the United States. Today he hosts the nationally syndicated radio show, “The Grateful Dead Hour“; “Tales from the Golden Road” on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio with co-host Gary Lambert, editor of “The Grateful Dead Almanac”; and the local weekly show, “Dead To The World,” on Berkeley’s KPFA.

Gans is credited by many for encouraging Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh to emerge from retirement. Lesh played several shows with David Gans and the Broken Angels in late 1997 and early 1998. Gans assembled interesting combinations of musicians for Lesh to jam with in a series of benefits for Lesh’s Unbroken Chain Foundation, culminating with a sold-out show at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco on January 31, 1998. Shortly after that event, Lesh began assembling ensembles of his own and touring as Phil Lesh and Friends.

All during this period, though, he was aware that he’d gotten away from his first love: actually making music. In the mid-1990s, with Jerry Garcia dead and the band on hiatus, Gans saw his last excuse evaporate: time to get to work.  Get to work he did: using everything he’d learned about the music industry as a journalist, everything he’d learned about networking from the incredible Grateful Dead web of fans, and everything he’d always known about the kind of music he liked, he resumed performing and writing songs in earnest. With the radio show paying his living, he released a duet album of himself playing with Berkeley singer-songwriter Eric Rawlins, Home By Morning, in 1997, backing it up by performing around the Bay Area. This was followed the next year by a topical single, “Monica Lewinsky,” that got a lot of airplay and publicity and enabled David to expand his touring base.

After more than twenty years of performing in theSan Fracncisco Bay Area as a solo singer-songwriter and with various bands (The Reptiles, Crazy Fingers, David Gans and the Broken Angels), Gans began touring nationally, which he continues to do today. He performs at many festivals including the Gathering of the Vibes, the High Sierra Music Festival, MagnoliaFest and the Suwannee SpringFest (both held annually at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park), Grateful Fest (in Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, Ohio), the Master Musicians Festival (in Somerset, Kentucky); the Terrapin Hill Music Festival (in Harrodsburg, Kentucky), Hookahville (in Ohio), the Sunshine Daydream Music Festival (in Terra Alta, West Virginia), the Berkeley (California) Free Folk Festival, and others. He has appeared in concert all over the country, from Seattle to Atlanta, Burlington to Phoenix.

In 2002, Gans became one of the first independent musicians to release a DVD. Live at the Powerhouse documents a stirring outdoor afternoon performance at a northern California brewpub, featuring some of his best material and demonstrating his work multi-tracking himself live, using a Boss RC-20 Loop Station.

He has performed onstage with members of the Grateful Dead, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Donna the Buffalo, Peter Rowan, Ollabelle, The Waybacks, Blueground Undergrass, Dark Star Orchestra, Keller Williams, moe., Hot Buttered Rum, the Rowan Brothers, and Henry Kaiser.

Friday, May 4, 8PM

• Tune in at 8PM for another edition The First Friday Series on Blues Live as WEFT 90.1FM collaborates with Community Partner Prairie Crossroads Blues Society in presenting Blues artist,  Gerome Durham, live on air for an interview and performance, prior to his concert down the street at Memphis on Main.  Come on down to the station and be a part of the WEFT studio audience at 113 N. Market St., Champaign, IL.
• Junior and The Blues Rockers will open up for Gerome Durham from 8:30 – 9:30PM, live at Memphis on Main.
  
• James “Junior” Angel fronted the Champaign band Unfinished Business several years ago.
• Gerome Durham and his band will then hit the stage around 10PM.

Mississippi Blues Boy, Gerome Durham, as a young boy picked cotton and plowed fields in Durant, MS. He later moved to North Carolina, back to Jackson, MS and in 1965 moved to Milwaukee, WI. In Milwaukee, he met Mr. Johnny Rawls and started his music career. Johnny took him under his wing, and began taking him on the road with him.

Gerome’s music career has spanned 20 years. He’s released 4 previous CD’s titled; “Walk In”, “Stepping Out”, “Gerome Durham” and “Blues After Dark”. Gerome’s recent performances include: 930 Blues Club in Jackson, MS; Morgan Freeman’s Place in Clarksdale, MS; Starlight’s Lounge in Sterling, IN; Buddy Guy’s Legend in Chicago, IL; Edge of Town in New Albany; Checker’s in Cedar Rapid. IA; Pomeroy Blues Festival in Pomeroy, OH.

Friday, April 6, 7PM

(Our condolences to Johnny Rawls due to the passing of a family member.   He will re-schedule with us.)

• Tune in at 7PM for an extended edition of Blues Live as WEFT 90.1FM collaborates with Community Partner Prairie Crossroads Blues Society in presenting Blues legend,  Smilin’ Bobby, live on air for an interview and performance.  Come on down to the station and be a part of the WEFT studio audience at 113 N. Market St., Champaign, IL.
  

• Blues Live will begin at 7PM
• Interview with Smilin’ Bobby  at 7:30PM
• Live on air performance with Smilin’ Bobby at 8-8:30PM
• Sugar Prophets open live at Memphis on Main at 8:30PM
• Smilin’ Bobby live at Memphis on Main at 10PM

One of the most underrated bluesman on the Chicago scene! Smilin’ Bobby has a unique, biting guitar attack and great, tuff vocals, and is an absolutely fantastic entertainer. They don’t call him Smilin’ Bobby for nothin! Smilin Bobby plays most often on small, funky west side taverns, along with his long time running monthly gig at Phyllis’ Musical Inn, along with European Festivals. He recently cut a new CD for Austria’s Wolf Records – Big Legged Woman. He is also the step-dad of great guitarist, Carlos Showers, who can usually be found playing with Grana’ Louise.  Smilin’ Bobby always played in small clubs or in corner taverns way out in the suburbs. He is for many blues lovers the favorite unknown bluesman in Chicago. His guitar style is a cross between Magic Slim’s stinging leads and Magic Sam’s cool little rhythm fills while his great singing doesn’t really sound like anyone else.

In 1958 Smilin’ Bobby started to play music in clubs and playing at Maxwell Street Sunday mornings beginning around 1961 or 62. He became a close friend to Magic Sam and used to hang around at his house. Smilin’ Bobby got his nickname around 62 or 63 because he was always grinning so much. He was influenced by Jimmy Reed and Willie Mabon, also Little Milton, Albert Collins and Albert King. His guitar style is not Delta Blues it is much more modern, somewhere in between R’n‘B and Chicago Blues,  He is now 69 years old and his son Carlos Showers is another great guitar player who played in Willie Kent’s band the Gents.  Nobody knows why Smilin’ Bobby has no CD out until now – but it doesn’t matter. On his Wolf Records CD you will listen to the best hidden Chicago Blues talent since Vance Kelly.

Check out this great article on Bobby
http://chicagobluesmusicnews.blogspot.com/2009/06/smilin-bobby-west-side-great.html

Listen/watch him tear up “Welfare Problem”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_doYqdCtDE
http://www.allmusic.com/album/big-legged-woman-r1675657

• Tune in May 14 from 10-11PM to Gordy Wilson, on keyboards.
• Listen to The WEFT Sessions at 90.1FM or online at www.weft.org every Monday night from 10-11PM for live local music performances.   Be part of the studio audience and join us at the WEFT Studios at 113 N. Market St., downtown Champaign.
• You can view the upcoming schedule as well as past performances at www.sessions.weft.org.
• To book your band, e-mail weftsessions@gmail.com.

• Support WEFT Online
• Other Ways To Contribute to WEFT
• Information on WEFT Membership

The WEFT 90.1FM Spring Membership Drive began Monday, April 16! 

• Your donation supports WEFT’s daily programming and operational services, the acquisition and maintenance of our broadcast equipment, paying utilities, supporting a small staff, purchasing supplies, and more.

• No pledge is too small, none too large.  Our suggested levels of giving are $40, $75, $120, and more.

• To select your Thank You Gifts and to pledge online, click here:  Support WEFT Online

• You can call us at 359-9338.  Or, send in your donation to WEFT PO Box 1223, Champaign, IL.  61824-1223

• WEFT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, which means that your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law, for the amount of the pledge, minus the fair market value of any thank-you gift you elect to receive.

• Support WEFT Online
• Other Ways To Contribute to WEFT
• Information on WEFT Membership

The WEFT 90.1FM Wine Tasting Benefit and Boneyard Arts Festival WEFT Art Exhibit, Featuring the works of Ed Hadley.

• Join us for the WEFT 90.1FM Wine Tasting Benefit and Boneyard Arts Festival WEFT Art Exhibit on Saturday, April 21, 3 – 6:30PM at The Corkscrew and Buvon’s Wine Bar, 203 N. Vine St., Urbana, with food provided by Black Dog Smoke and Alehouse.

• $10 donation at the door.

• There will be a silent auction and wines to sample from around the world.

• We will be presenting “WEFT Artwork” through t-shirts, posters, and other items, incorporating the designs by and alongside the artwork of Ed Hadley.  Ed is a visual and audio artist, and the host of Incoming Wounded, 12AM – 4AM, Sunday mornings, on WEFT.

Slider:  Wine, Art, and WEFT.  A Benefit and Art Exhibit. Featuring Ed Hadley.  Saturday, April 21.

WEFT Wine Tasting and Art 2012 Flyer

• Support WEFT Online
• Other Ways To Contribute to WEFT
• Information on WEFT Membership

WEFT 90.1FM Radio Food Drive

• Let’s bring our community together as WEFT 90.1FM and the Eastern Illinois Foodbank collaborate for the 4th Annual Radio Food Drive.  It’s not too late to contribute if you missed us during our Food Drive.  Donations can still be made online or by sending in your contribution to WEFT, PO Box 1223 , Champaign, IL  61824-1223.  For every $10 donated to the station, WEFT will donate $1 to the Foodbank.  The Foodbank will then purchase up to $10 worth of food for families in need through its network of wholesale food distributors.

• Each month, the Foodbank serves 46,000 clients in a 14-county region.   8,000 children are considered “food insecure” in Champaign County alone.  That’s over 21% of all kids under 18.   Many people find themselves having to make choices between paying for food, housing, medication or fuel.  Those in need are our friends, relatives, or neighbors, and far too many are children.  If you can afford to give a little more during these difficult times, know that your generosity helps to serve others in need.

• Help WEFT 90.1FM make a difference in our community, as we celebrate 30 years of service, broadcasting throughout East Central Illinois.  Faces of Hunger | Eastern Illinois Foodbank

*Live Blues on Blues Live, First Friday*

Join us tonight, February 3, from 8-10PM, for a live power blues performance on Blues Live with Born Ready.  Spread the word and tune into our webcast .  That’s tonight, 8-10PM on WEFT 90.1FM.

All proceeds benefit WEFT 90.1FM!

The donation is $10. — Drawings, prizes, good times.

Thanks to the following groups for their upcoming performances:

• Ol’ No. 7
• Strings Attached
• Black Ridge Road
• The Big Bluestem Stringband