Wednesday MidDay Medley
TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org
90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio
Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

WMM presents: Cheyenne Jackson + HuDost + She Speaks in Tongues

1. “Main Title Instrumental – It’s Showtime Folks”
   from: Orig. Motion Picture Soundtrack All That Jazz / Casablanca / December 20, 1979
   [WMM’s Adopted Theme Song]

2. Be / Non – “A Mountain of Yeses”
   from: A Mountain of Yeses / Unipegadong / May 12, 2009
   [It’s been over 16 years since this project began. A Mountain of Yeses was released in May of 2009 and was always meant to have a visual accompaniment associated with it. Still a work in progress… On May 30th, 2025, Be/Non will finally have visuals to accompany the story of AMOY for a live setting. Performed in its entirety, for the first time since 2009, featuring the original AMOY members, plus one. This is a once in a lifetime performance. // A Mountain of Yeses was made by: Brodie Rush on vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards; Ben Ruth on bass guitar; Ryan Shank on drums & percussion, and Jeremiah James on guitar, Moog & Vocals. // Brodie Rush is a musician, songwriter, band leader, graphic artist, actor, father and survivor. He is a Director of Animation & Motion Graphics and has created music videos for several bands and poster designs for theatre and music events. He is also the creative genius behind Be/Non, a Kansas City band that has been making music for over 20 years. // Be/Non founder Brodie Rush is a musician, songwriter, band leader, graphic artist, actor, father and survivor. He is a Director of Animation & Motion Graphics and has created music videos for several bands and poster designs for theatre and music events. He is also the creative genius behind Be/Non, a Kansas City band that has been making music for over 20 years. Brodie Rush has been working to get his life back after surviving an Aortic Dissection in October 2019, and after being in a coma, and after months of therapy, recovery, and healing through two dangerous years of Covid-19.// On April 8, 2020 Be/non released, A Valley of No: The Alternative A Mountain of Yeses through Haymaker Records. Brodie wrote: “This album is a journey into the sculpting process of creating “A Mountain of Yeses”. In contrast to the original release, this compilation contains alternate mixes, isolated tracks and demo versions. Be/Non presents a bizarro-like version of the AMOY album, showing an alternate universe what could have been if the creation of the album went on a divergent path. Behold the paradoxical serendipity of Be/Non’s unique take on constructing a space-themed story/album. // Warehouse on Broadway is Kansas City’s newest 650 capacity music venue featuring Super Awesome Events & Killer F*ing Food, 7 days a week. Located in the Westport neighborhood one of Kansas City’s premiere bar districts. Our venue is your venue, as we all gather to celebrate extraordinary experiences with the finest local, regional, and national artists the universe has to offer. Our restaurant is open weeknights, 5p-1a. Entrance to the venue is located on the north side of the building, and is ADA accessible.]

[BE/NON will be Performing ‘A Mountain of Yeses’ in full on Friday, May 30, at 7:00pm, at Warehouse On Broadway, 3951 Broadway, KCMO with Gemini Parks & Still Ill.]

3. Sisterbot – “Feel The Color”
   from: Truth House / Sisterbot / July 10, 2021
   [Sisterbot is a performing artist dedicated to breaking genre boundaries, creating cosmic musical and theatrical experiences. The 9-piece Sisterbot Band is a “punk pop chamber orchestra” complete with electric guitar, drums, piano, strings and horn. “Truth House (2021) is a concept album written over the span of three years, encapsulating a chapter of my life that I spent in a house alone, dealing with the aftermath of trauma and rebirth.”- Sisterbot (Adee Dancy). Written by Sisterbot. Produced by Jametatone and Sisterbot. Engineered, Mixed, Mastered by Jametatone, except “Approval” which was Produced, Engineered, & Mixed by Andrew Bonci Jr. at Magnolia Tree Studios, with AJ Bonci on guitar, Just Angel and Sisterbot on vocals. Cover Art by Mazzy Mann. Adee Rocket Dancy released the single “Hello Moon (feat. The Swallowtails)” on April 26, 2021. (This is on the Sisterbot album.) Produced by Jametatone & Adee Rocket Dancy. Adee Rocket Dancy on piano & vocals & cello; Rachel Lovelace on bassoon; Mikala Petillo on guitar & background vocals, Mixing & Mastering by Jametatone. Adee Rocket Dancy writes, “This is a song about my life-long love for the moon. Adee chose April 26, 2021 to honor “The Pink Moon.” Info: Sisterbot.bandcamp.com]

[Sisterbot plays The Benefit for Amplify Lawrence Saturday, May 31, at 8:00pm at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. with She Speaks in Tongues, Cheery, Lauren Lovelle, True Lions.]

4. Malek Azrael – “SELF!SH (feat. SISTERBOT)”
   from: Feels Like EP / Malek Azrael / March 1, 2025\
   [On February 28, 2025, Malek Azrael released the single “Room 4U”. // On March 1, 2024 Malek Azrael released his single, “in ur mind.” On October 15, 2021 Malek Azrael released his 10-track album “Waves” which first featured members of his live band “The Vibez”. Since then, they have grown their fanbase in KC and surrounding areas through live concerts land appearances at Boulevardia Festival, Ameri’Kana, and the 18th and Vine Gumbo Fest, and shows at RecordBar, The Truman, Grinders, and Knuckleheads and collaborated with larger acts such as Making Movies, The Greeting Committee, and D Smoke debut. Male Azrael lives in KCMO. He has worked for Boys Grow, and Art As Mentorship (Making Movies non-profit organization). He sometimes plays with Making Movies and played the Ameri-Kana Fest. Malek Azrael played KKFI’s 18th Annual Crossroads Music Fest, on Aug. 27, at The Black Box, in West Bottoms. Malek & The Vibez played Boulevardia Festival at Crown Center, on June 16, 2024.]

[Malek Azrael play Night Seven of Manor Fest 7 on Friday, May 30 at 7:00 at Ruby Jean’s Juicery 3000 Troost Ave, KCMO with Shay Lyriq, and Supermoto (All ages)]

5. Saving Miles Lemon – “The Line” – Single
   from: “The Line” – Single / Saving Miles Lemon / March 28, 2025
   [Performed by: Saving Miles Lemon. Written by: Miguel Silva-Leon. Produced by: Saving Miles Lemon. One of three new singles released in the last few months from Saving Miles Lemon. Saving Miles Lemon released “Hidden Inventory” on May 2, 2025. Saving Miles Lemon released “The Line” on March 28, 2025. // Saving Miles Lemon released “In The Night” on January 16. 2025// Saving Miles Lemom released the 13-track full-length album LOVELY/ on October 6, 2023. Saving Miles Lemon is the psychedelic-pop project of Miguel Silva-Leon. Formed in 2019 with the goal of releasing an album by the end of the year, the project has transformed into a full-blown musical odyssey for Miguel (who likes to go by Mig) to explore new sounds. It’s hard to define what genre Saving Miles Lemon fits into as they like to let the music go where it wants to go. From smooth dance pop, to blown-out stoner rock, Mig likes to keep things interesting and never stay with one sound for too long.​ // Having grown up learning to play the piano at the age of 7, Miguel found themselves picking up new instruments frequently from the clarinet, saxophone, and oboe to guitar/bass and drums. Just as with their instruments, Mig began practicing their production skills in high school with small bedroom projects and hardcore bands. In a way, nothing has changed, as all of Saving Miles Lemon’s music is recorded and produced entirely by Mig in their bedroom studio to this day. // Their live members include Jacob Frisbee (bass), James Wiltfang (keys), and Zeke Bockleman (drums). // As a live act, the band began performing in 2021 and quickly took over the DIY scene in Kansas City before moving on to the bar/venue scene with sold-out shows at The Rino (KCMO) and The Bottleneck (LFK). They’ve opened for national and international touring bands such as Cub Sport at The Encore at Uptown Theatre (KCMO). // Saving Miles Lemon has released two full-length LPs and a handful of singles.]

6. Stereolab – “Melodie Is A Wound (Edit)”
   from: Instant Holograms On Metal Film, / Duophonic UHF / Warp Records / May 23, 2025
   [Stereolab are an Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group’s sound features influences from krautrock and 1960s French pop music, often incorporating a repetitive motorik beat with the use of vintage electronic keyboards and female vocals sung in English and French. Their lyrics have political and philosophical themes influenced by the Surrealist and Situationist art movements. While performing, they play in a more feedback-driven and guitar-oriented style. Since the mid-1990s, the band have drawn from funk, jazz and Brazilian music. // Stereolab were formed by Gane (guitar and keyboards) and Sadier (vocals, keyboards and guitar) after the break-up of McCarthy. The two were romantically involved for fourteen years and are the group’s only consistent members. Other longtime members included 1992 addition Mary Hansen (backing vocals, keyboards and guitar), who died in 2002, and 1993 addition Andy Ramsay (drums). The High Llamas’ leader Sean O’Hagan (guitar and keyboards) was a member from 1993 to 1994 and continued appearing on later records for occasional guest appearances. // Throughout their career, Stereolab have achieved moderate commercial success. The band were released from their recording contract with Elektra Records, and their self-owned label Duophonic signed a distribution deal with Too Pure and later Warp Records. After a ten-year hiatus, the band reunited for live performances in 2019. // Stereolab announces their first new record in 15 years. It includes 13 new studio recordings as well as guest contributions from Cooper Crain, Rob Frye, Ben LaMar Gay, Ric Elsworth, Holger Zapf, Marie Merlet and Molly Read. Alongside the announcement, the group shares a first glimpse into their forthcoming project with first single “Aerial Troubles.” // Instant Holograms On Metal Film will be available on double vinyl LP in standard and colour variants, as well as compact disc and digital formats. The album will arrive two days ahead of the launch of their world tour in Brussels on May 25th. They will then take their discography across Europe with dates in Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris, among others. They’ll be kicking off the North American leg of the tour this coming October with shows across the United States before heading back to perform a string of shows across the UK.]

7. True Lions – “8th of January”
   from: MidCoast LIVE! / True Lions / January 6, 2025
   [Recorded LIVE on 90.1 FM KKFI Kansas City community radio, hosted by Mark Manning! Performed on May 17, 2024. Special thanks to Chad Brothers for the audio files, and huge thanks to Betse Ellis for teaching us tracks 1, 2, and 3! “Hamilton Ironworks” by John Hartford. “Hog of the Forsaken” by Michael Hurley. // Fritz Hutchison~ drums, synth, vocals. Alison Hawkins~ fiddle/ // Alison Hawkins is a queer artist, writer, multi-instrumentalist, and music teacher in KCK. They dropped out of music school (after studying classical piano) and dedicated their life to intersectional activism through community organizing and self-expression. In 2018 they founded the alt-pop band True Lions, releasing two EPs in 2019, and a keytar-inspired full-length album THE FEMPIRE STRIKES BACK in 2021, released by Manor Records. In 2022 they became enchanted by the fiddle and obsessed with Ozark old time music while hiking through North American national parks. In 2023, Al teamed up with their partner Fritz Hutchison to create THE GREATEST PLANET IN THE WORLD released February 21, 2023 playing song taught to them by Betse Ellis, and also released TRUE LIONS FRITZ HUTCHISON SPLIT CASSETTE though Manor Records on April 26, 2023. // Fritz Hutchison is a multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter based in Kansas City. Fritz landed in the KC Music Community in 2008 playing drums with: She’s a Keeper. He played for several years with Grand Marquis, was part of the band Freight Train Rabbit Killer. As a guitarist he has played with True Lions, J Ashley Miller, Lauren Krum, Miki P, Calvin Arsenia, and many others. His second solo album, MOVIE NIGHT was released on April, 15, 2022 through Manor Records. He released his debut album Wide Wild Acres in March 2020 on Center Cut Records, receiving positive reviews in the US, Australia, the UK and the Netherlands. Fritz has also released the sweet and sad country single “All the Way From Here (Happy Holidays)” in January 2021 and “Zack Attack!” in March 2022. // True Lions released COLD GRAVY BOWL on March 1, 2024 ands played an Album Release show March 2, 2024 at The Emerald, 1717 W. 9th Street, KCMO [West Bottoms]. Called “a theatrical punk drag rock and roll folk event” The night also featured: The Matchsellers, Scary Cherry, Ezra Prince, and Nora Demented.]

[True Lions plays The Benefit for Amplify Lawrence Sat, May 31, at 8:00pm at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. W/ She Speaks in Tongues, Sisterbot, Cheery, and Lauren Lovelle.]

8. She Said – “Time”
   from: What! / May 10, 2025
   [Jennie Ferguson on vocals & guitar, Scott Mize on guitar, Doug Hitchcock on drums, and Matt Kesler, on bass. Matt Kesler and Scott Mize used to be in a band called Sylvan Grove. Lyrics by Jennie Ferguson, music by Jennie Ferguson and She Said. Produced by She Said. Recorded and Engineered by Paul Malinowski at Massive Sound in Shawnee, Kansas. Mixing by Paul Malinowski and She Said. Mastered by Mike Nolte at Eureka Mastering. Jennie Ferguson and Scott Mize used to play in a band called Shotgun Solution. This was after the time of Jennie’s all-girl psych/pop band PMS. Doug Hitchcock has played with Matt Kesler in the Midtown Jazz Quartet. Doug has played with Freedie Johston, and the band Near Death Experience. Matt Kesler also plays in the famous bands The Pedajets and The Doo Dads.]

[She Said play a special “What!” Album Release Show Friday, June 6, at 6:00pm at Replay Lounge, 80 East 10 Sreeet, Lawrence, Kansas, with The Mad Kings.]

10:29 – Underwriting

10:31 – Interview with Kate McCandless

Kate McCandless performs as SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES. Kate writes: “My work is about reclaiming agency. It is about giving voice and liberation to what was repressed and silenced.” Described by Sasha Geffen as “Best Feminist Rock n’ Roll Exorcism”. Armed with body, voice, and a fierce, shamanic energy, SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES often lures with nostalgia – simultaneously embracing and questioning its comfort and authority with a dark, feminist bent. McCandless creates & performs her work solo, and in collaboration with other musicians. The effect is jarring, haunting, and a cathartic call to healing. A transplant from Chicago since 2020, McCandless now calls KC her creative home base. SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES plays The Benefit for Amplify Lawrence Saturday, May 31, at 8:00pm at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. with Sisterbot, Lauren Lovelle, True Lions, and Cheery. // And – TQ Headquarters House Show, May 10, 6:30pm, KCMO with: Drew Black, Fenwa Teryen, Emily Davis. // And – SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE//Alanis Morissette, May 13, at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, KCMO with Katie Gilchrist and Project1994 performing JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Info at: http://www.shespeaksintongues.com

Kate McCandless thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES is artist, vocalist, performer Kate McCandless. Armed with body, voice, and a fierce, shamanic energy, SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES often lures with nostalgia – simultaneously embracing and questioning its comfort and authority with a dark, feminist bent. McCandless creates and performs her work solo, and in collaboration with other musicians. The effect is jarring, haunting, and a cathartic call to healing. A transplant from Chicago since 2020, McCandless now calls KC her creative home base.

About SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits series: SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: is a live, album listening experience with a femme/feminist edge; twists,turns and script flipping. Featuring artist, vocalist, performer Kate McCandless and an assembly of top notch Kansas City musicians and collaborators, this is not your typical tribute. Collaborators have included Cody Wyoming, Katie Gilchrist, Matt Richey just to name a few. Recent performances as part of the series include: EASTER//Patti Smith (2023-2024) TO BRING YOU MY LOVE//PJ Harvey (2023-2024) and currently, SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE//Alanis Morissette

About SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES’ Bjork-inspired album/performance DOMESTIKA

“Kate McCandless samples music as hungrily as Girl Talk, but she doesn’t use a computer. With her band Speaks in Tongues, the singer repurposes well-worn rock and blues classics into new narratives…unravels threads from the music she loves to knot together her own bizarro-world reimaginings, a process she describes…as ‘a necessary feminist act…a reclaim of agency.'” – Sasha Geffen, The Chicago Reader

1 day, 1 take per song. Just me, my voice, and my looping pedal, live and in the moment, recorded in Chicago and released in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

This album is my bloody valentine to Bjork, Motherhood, Feminism, and all the wisdom they have given me. My hope is that this music/performance serves as a stinging yet redemptive balm for my listeners, especially during these trying times. In addition to performing excerpts from DOMESTIKA live in local music venues, my intention with this work is to create a more intentional performance, to debut in Kansas City and to tour.

This project began as an exploration of what I believed were feminist themes in Bjork’s music and a desire to highlight them, especially given her latest releases Vulnicura & Utopia, and subsequent interviews. “Domestika” was the original title intended for what became Bjork’s iconic Vespertine, during which she fell in love with Matthew Barney … the partner who would later cheat on her and file for divorce. There was something I wanted to reclaim in that. This desire was highlighted by my more recent struggles with Motherhood, mental health, and the wounding of being homebound.

What I didn’t expect was how this project would become a cathartic space in which to process the unfolding reckoning with injustice in our times … #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, the Trump presidency, the collective isolation/struggle during a pandemic…In the process I formed a chain of channeled messages … as if from my Mother ancestors, or Mother Earth herself. Messages of unheard stories, pain, healing, justice, and hope.

For, SHE SPEAKES IN TONGUES – DOMESTIKA, released May 8, 2020 – Kate McCandless writes DOMESTIKA began as an exploration of what I believed were feminist themes in Bjork’s music and a desire to highlight them. This was especially given her latest releases Vulnicura & Utopia, and subsequent interviews. “Domestika” was the original title intended for what became Bjork’s iconic Vespertine, until she met Matthew Barney … the partner who would later cheat on her and file for divorce. There was something I wanted to reclaim in that. This desire was highlighted by my more recent struggles with Motherhood, mental health, and the wounding of being homebound. // In the process I formed a chain of channeled messages … as if from my Mother ancestors, or Mother Earth herself. Messages of unheard stories, pain, healing, justice, and hope. // This album is my bloody valentine to Motherhood and all the wisdom She gave me. My hope is that this music serves as a kind of balm for my listeners, especially during these trying times. // Vocals, looping pedal, arrangement/mashup, select lyrics: Kate McCandless.Electronic music (Light Bearer): Nigel Harsch. Engineering: Steve Marek. Mixing and Mastering: Steve Marek. Music & Lyric Inspiration: Bjork.

10:38

9. She Speaks in Tongues – “All That She Said Was True”
   DOMESTIKA / She Speaks in Tongues / May 8, 2020.
   [This 8-track album project began as an exploration of what I believed were feminist themes in Bjork’s music and a desire to highlight them, especially given her latest releases Vulnicura & Utopia, and subsequent interviews. “Domestika” was the original title intended for what became Bjork’s iconic Vespertine, until she met Matthew Barney … the partner who would later cheat on her and file for divorce. There was something I wanted to reclaim in that. // This desire was highlighted by my more recent struggles with Motherhood, mental health, and the wounding of being homebound. In the process I formed a chain of channeled messages … as if from my Mother ancestors, or Mother Earth herself. Messages of unheard stories, pain, healing, justice, and hope. // This album is my bloody valentine to Motherhood and all the wisdom She gave me. My hope is that this music serves as a kind of balm for my listeners, especially during these trying times. // Kate McCandless on vocals, looping pedal, arrangement/mashup, select lyrics; Nigel Harsch on Electronic music (Volva, Make it Right, Light Bearer). Engineering: Steve Marek. Mixing and Mastering: Steve Marek. Music & Lyric Inspiration: Bjork. Album Art: Kristina Carr, Tom Gonzalez // I want to express my deepest love and appreciation to Adrian and Simon. Special thanks to Steve M, Nigel H, Donnie M, Rachael G, Tom G, Kristina C, Carly S, Kirstin F, Liz JS and of course to Bjork for her incredible artistry and inspiration.]

10:11 – More Interview with Kate McCandless

Kate McCandless who performs as SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES.

Kate McCandless Thanks for being with us on WMM

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES plays The Benefit for Amplify Lawrence Saturday, May 31, at 8:00pm at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. with Sisterbot, Lauren Lovelle, True Lions, and Cheery.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES plays TQ Headquarters House Show, May 10, 6:30pm, KCMO with: Drew Black, Fenwa Teryen, Emily Davis.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE//Alanis Morissette, May 13, at The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave, KCMO with Katie Gilchrist and Project1994 performing JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Info at: http://www.shespeaksintongues.com

This first time Kate was on the WMM show was on April 5, 2023 when Kate and Cody Wyoming came on the show to share details about SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: Patti Smith’s EASTER on EASTER, Sunday, April 9, 2023, at 7:00 PM, at recordBar 1520 Grand Blvd, KCMO. SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES is thrilled to partner with Kansas City forces: THE CODY WYOMING DEAL, Julia Othmer, and Teri Quinn to create a cathartic, sacred homage to Patti Smith and her work…with a surprising, shamanic edge where nothing is sacred… Sacred is all.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES started in Chicago and has transitioned to Kansas City.

Many of us first became aware of She Speaks in Tongues in 2022 when she played the Outer Reaches Festival.

About SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES//// HEALING ARTS

Kate McCandless (SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES) is as an artist, writer, energy healer, and tarot reader in the Kansas City area, after studying and practicing in Chicago IL. Her Shamanic approach takes the work beyond the basic hand positions or interpreter role, and flows seamlessly with her artistic practice and expression. Kate was attuned and initiated into the Reiki practice at levels 1-Master through Sara Gaines of Red Bird Reiki’s 1 Year Shamanic Reiki Apprenticeship (Chicago/Galena IL.) There she studied and explored Shamanism in the open tradition/practice of the Andean Peruvian shamans/Q’ero. Kate’s path to Tarot came naturally and intuitively and she is mostly self taught, though counted among her teachers is Lindsay Mack. Kate has completed Mack’s renowned and in depth course, Tarot for the Wild Soul and continues to study and practice on her own. Kate believes tarot and energy work is for every person and can be used as an excellent tool for self reflection, healing, and self care for any one who is curious, interested, and/or called. She serves as a compassionate facilitator and holder of space. She believes the journey is yours and she is here to support that without dogma nor judgement. Kate believes that tarot and energy work is intended to be inclusive, compassionate, healing, unpretentious and easeful, while rooted in the here and now. By reflecting on “what’s here now” we can curiously and kindly bring our awareness to reach for a more whole and healing present, and therefore, future. Other practitioners/artists she considers teachers and inspirations are Chani Nicholas, Sarah Faith Gottesdiener, Tatianna Morales, Renee Sills (Embodied Astrology,) Michelle Tea, Julia Cameron, and Rachael Gonzalez (FAMILIAR) just to name a few.

Kate McCandless was last on our show on October 18, 2023 when she and Cody Wyoming who joined us to share details about SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: PJ Harvey’s To Bring You My Love W/ THE CODY WYOMING DEAL, Friday, October 20, 8:00 PM at The Brick, 1727 McGee, KCMO.

ABOUT THE SHOW and SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES SUBMITS series

Born out of the impulse to reclaim joy after the heaviness of these many years… Artist/Vocalist and Chicago transplant SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES ( Kate McCandless) pairs up with local legend Cody Wyoming and his “deal”…a crew of some of KC’s finest…to create a quality, live performance of albums that have been creative touch points of inspiration, nostalgia, and sweet sweet nerdery.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES is Kate McCandless on vocals, performance, percussion.

CODY WYOMING DEAL is Cody Wyoming on guitar, organ, synth, & backing vocal; Matt Richey on drums; Justin Muschinske on bass, baritone, organ, guitar, & synth; J. Howell on guitar, prepared guitar, & sound design; Katie Gilchrist on backing vocals,

10:20

10. She Speaks in Tongues – “Make It Right”
    DOMESTIKA / She Speaks in Tongues / May 8, 2020.
    [This 8-track album project began as an exploration of what I believed were feminist themes in Bjork’s music and a desire to highlight them, especially given her latest releases Vulnicura & Utopia, and subsequent interviews. “Domestika” was the original title intended for what became Bjork’s iconic Vespertine, until she met Matthew Barney … the partner who would later cheat on her and file for divorce. There was something I wanted to reclaim in that. // This desire was highlighted by my more recent struggles with Motherhood, mental health, and the wounding of being homebound. In the process I formed a chain of channeled messages … as if from my Mother ancestors, or Mother Earth herself. Messages of unheard stories, pain, healing, justice, and hope. // This album is my bloody valentine to Motherhood and all the wisdom She gave me. My hope is that this music serves as a kind of balm for my listeners, especially during these trying times. // Kate McCandless on vocals, looping pedal, arrangement/mashup, select lyrics; Nigel Harsch on Electronic music (Volva, Make it Right, Light Bearer). Engineering: Steve Marek. Mixing and Mastering: Steve Marek. Music & Lyric Inspiration: Bjork. Album Art: Kristina Carr, Tom Gonzalez // I want to express my deepest love and appreciation to Adrian and Simon. Special thanks to Steve M, Nigel H, Donnie M, Rachael G, Tom G, Kristina C, Carly S, Kirstin F, Liz JS and of course to Bjork for her incredible artistry and inspiration.]

10:27 – More Interview with Kate McCandless

SHAMANIC ENERGY WORK + TAROT //// SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES

“KATE IS INCREDIBLE! I don’t have the words to fully relay what happened but Kate created the most healing safe cocoon of reiki energy magic I have ever experienced. I was able to feel and release challenging emotions and I feel we accomplished deep healing work for myself and ancestors… my experience was so epic. Thank you Kate for doing this kind of work in the world.” – Amy W., Energy Healing Client, Kansas City, MO

Kate McCandless Thanks for being with us on WMM

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES plays The Benefit for Amplify Lawrence Saturday, May 31, at 8:00pm at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., Lawrence, KS. with Sisterbot, Lauren Lovelle, True Lions, and Cheery.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES plays TQ Headquarters House Show, May 10, 6:30pm, KCMO with: Drew Black, Fenwa Teryen, Emily Davis.

SHE SPEAKS IN TONGUES submits: SUPPOSED FORMER INFATUATION JUNKIE // Alanis Morissette, May 13, at The Black Box, 1060 Union, KCMO with Katie Gilchrist and Project1994 performing JAGGED LITTLE PILL. Info at: http://www.shespeaksintongues.com

11:00 – Station ID

11. HuDost – “Broken Down in America”
    from: The Monkey in the Crown / Open Sesame Music / June 6, 2025
    [HuDost’s new album, features a collection of songs that have already begun to captivate listeners, including the fiery Fire of Eden, the introspective Sol Searcher (Light Upon the Water), and the call for change in Acting Out the Outrage. These songs set the tone for the full album, which explores themes of societal breakdown, personal transformation, and collective healing. Tracks like Broken Down in America, Take It Back, and Nothing Left grapple with disillusionment, while Shine On (Knick of Time) and Mercy offer hope and reconciliation. Each song is a testament to HuDost’s unique sound—raw, authentic, and deeply connected to the human experience. // HuDost were delighted to be joined by a slew of amazing musicians on this album including drummer Chris Powell as well as SistaStrings, who both play with Brandi Carlile. They are also joined by the Jars of Clay guys; Charlie Lowell on keys, Matthew Odmark doing various magical things and two new songs written with Dan Haseltine. Singer Rachael Davis joins on a few songs with her beautiful distinctive harmonies and Kai Welch (Abigail Washburn/Kacey Musgraves/The Fray) plays on accordion & horns. Long time HuDost alumni Anit Ghosh adds his gypsy world touch on a couple of tracks. Matt Nelson contributes astonishing string arrangements. Last but not least, HuDost’s ‘5th Member’ Dan Walters, the only other person besides Moksha and JW that has played on every single record over the past 20 years, on bass! // THE MONKEY IN THE CROWN is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a journey into the complexities of identity, transformation, and choice. From the hopeful Shine On (Knick of Time) to the paradoxical Child of Children, the album invites listeners to explore the tension between illusion and truth, the sacred and the profane, the personal and the collective. It’s a call to action, to change, and to embrace our shared humanity, no matter the form it takes. // This album also marks a significant milestone for HuDost—celebrating 20 years as a band, a couple, and a family. For two decades, the partnership of Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines has produced music that is deeply rooted in their experiences as activists, parents, and musicians. Their journey has been one of artistic evolution and social engagement, building a devoted global fanbase through their powerful lyrics and genre-blurring sound. HuDost’s live performances continue to inspire, proving that music can not only entertain but also catalyze change.]

[HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thursday May 29 at 7:00pm with Calvin Arsenia. Info at: http://www.hudost.com]

11:04 – Interview with Moksha Sommer & Jemal Wade Hines of the band HuDost

Many years before receiving praise from NPR, ranking on the Billboard charts, or winning prestigious awards, something magical happened; a teenaged Moksha Sommer was reading the lush words of the Persian poet Rumi in her Montreal apartment and wildly decided to join friends for a spur of the moment trip to North Carolina for a Rumi Festival put on by Turkish Sufis. It was there that, from across a room of dancers, Jemal Wade Hines was playing frame drum and heard Sommer’s voice cutting through the crowd and jolting his heart awake. That moment was the beginning of HuDost. Today we are featuring music from their new album THE MONKEY AND THE CROWN, that marks the band’s 20th Anniversary. HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 BelleviewAve, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thurs, May 29 at 7:00pm. Info at: http://www.hudost.com

Moksha Sommer & Jemal Wade Hines Thanks for being with us on WMM

We just heard Broken Down in America – Rock, anthemic vocals, call-to-action. As parents of two children that we love dearly, there is a painful daily awareness of gun violence and school shootings. Written from that perspective; asks questions about politics.

Broken Down in America (lyrics)

Hey my son, it’s Monday morning
Use your teacher like a human shield
No one ever sees the time bomb
Counting down the wounds that never healed, never healed
Broken down in America, broken down in America this time

Daughter, you should use protection
Don’t get hurt by games the rich men play
When they shelter in position
I want you to run the other way, the other way
Broken down in America, broken down in America again

The only arms I bear are here and open
Waiting for their turn

Every day I pray for living
To last longer than the stench of fear
Keep my babies safe from gunmen
I want children not just souvenirs, souvenirs
Crying out in America, crying out in America again

The only arms I bear are here and open
Waiting for your love

Can you pull the bullets out
Before the words come form your mouth
Fight them on your own side
Before deepening the divide
When the shots are fired from the inside
And we bear the wounds of false pride
There’s nowhere left to go nowhere to hide

Is it love that will decide? Is it love that will decide?
Is it love that will decide what stops the war? What stops the war?
Is it love that stops the war? Is it love that stops the war?
Broken down in America again

HuDost’s new album, THE MONKEY IN THE CROWN, marks the band’s 20th anniversary and invites listeners to confront the paradox of human nature—are we the fools hiding behind pretense, or humble beings with dignity in unexpected forms? This bold release challenges us all to reflect on our choices in a world full of complexity and contradiction. Blending elements of electric folk rock, world music influences, and acoustic soul, the album weaves a sonic tapestry that resonates with both urgency and introspection. The tracks are an exploration of the human spirit, filled with raw emotion and an invitation to rise above, embrace truth, and reclaim agency.

The album features a collection of songs that have already begun to captivate listeners, including the fiery Fire of Eden, the introspective Sol Searcher (Light Upon the Water), and the call for change in Acting Out the Outrage. These songs set the tone for the full album, which explores themes of societal breakdown, personal transformation, and collective healing. Tracks like Broken Down in America, Take It Back, and Nothing Left grapple with disillusionment, while Shine On (Knick of Time) and Mercy offer hope and reconciliation. Each song is a testament to HuDost’s unique sound—raw, authentic, and deeply connected to the human experience.

HuDost were delighted to be joined by a slew of amazing musicians on this album including drummer Chris Powell as well as SistaStrings, who both play with Brandi Carlile. They are also joined by the Jars of Clay guys; Charlie Lowell on keys, Matthew Odmark doing various magical things and two new songs written with Dan Haseltine. Singer Rachael Davis joins on a few songs with her beautiful distinctive harmonies and Kai Welch (Abigail Washburn/Kacey Musgraves/The Fray) plays on accordion & horns. Long time HuDost alumni Anit Ghosh adds his gypsy world touch on a couple of tracks. Matt Nelson contributes astonishing string arrangements. Last but not least, HuDost’s ‘5th Member’ Dan Walters, the only other person besides Moksha and JW that has played on every single record over the past 20 years, on bass!

THE MONKEY IN THE CROWN is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a journey into the complexities of identity, transformation, and choice. From the hopeful Shine On (Knick of Time) to the paradoxical Child of Children, the album invites listeners to explore the tension between illusion and truth, the sacred and the profane, the personal and the collective. It’s a call to action, to change, and to embrace our shared humanity, no matter the form it takes.

This album also marks a significant milestone for HuDost—celebrating 20 years as a band, a couple, and a family. For two decades, the partnership of Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines has produced music that is deeply rooted in their experiences as activists, parents, and musicians. Their journey has been one of artistic evolution and social engagement, building a devoted global fanbase through their powerful lyrics and genre-blurring sound. HuDost’s live performances continue to inspire, proving that music can not only entertain but also catalyze change.

For Radio Promo/Interviews: Kari Estrin

“HuDost has a folk quality yet is quite postmodern; the band offers new takes on ancient words and melodies, cross-cultural hybrid transcendental chill-out music with an edge.… This is not fluffy new-age music—it’s serious, complex fare with no aversion to addressing agony. Sommer’s vocal execution is precisely orchestrated, her voice-opening, hollow-toned vortexes piercing through the tough spots. ” – Chronogram Magazine

Many years before receiving praise from NPR, ranking on the Billboard charts, or winning prestigious awards, something magical happened; a teenaged Moksha Sommer was reading the lush words of the Persian poet Rumi in her Montreal apartment and wildly decided to join friends for a spur of the moment trip to North Carolina for a Rumi Festival put on by Turkish Sufis. It was there that, from across a room of dancers, Jemal Wade Hines was playing frame drum and heard Sommer’s voice cutting through the crowd and jolting his heart awake. That moment was the beginning of HuDost.

Since then, Sommer and Hines have married as a couple, as musicians, as activists, and as parents; in all of those they are guided by love. They are highly engaged activists, doing advocacy work as Representatives for ONE (a non-profit organization working to end extreme poverty) and joining forces with other non-profit organizations. They have discovered the alchemy and power of the combination of music and activism and how change can be effectively created through those tools.

HuDost has a new album that is being released in 2025. Their previous albums have received rave reviews and have reached #4 in the Canadian National Folk/Roots/Blues Chart, #9 in the US Folk Radio Charts, reached #24 in the BILLBOARD SALES CHARTS for Folk/Americana and won an Independent Music Award for Social Action Song. In 2020 they received two of the ‘Best of Nashville’ awards. On past albums HuDost has worked with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel) and GRAMMY Award-winning mixers Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Primus) and Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Pearl Jam, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Beyonce, Beck, Alicia Keys, Melissa Etheridge, Kings of Leon).

HuDost functions as a duo or as a band, including guest musicians of varying sensibilities and backgrounds, and often including dance in their shows. As a duo their instrumentation includes vocals, harmonium (Indian Pump-Organ), live looping and beats, NORD Keys, guitars, Dulcinet, percussion, and a slew of sonic ambient effects. Their music is a rich, eclectic blending of pop and rock with traditional Sufi music, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian and Balkan folk music, Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, and folk. Their sound crosses all borders and barriers, taking the listener on a journey they will never forget.

HuDost’s music is a powerful voice for life’s journey and discovery. In 2008, Moksha went through a painful process of brain surgery due to a tumor. The healing from this included re-learning language skills, losing and regaining proper sight, and experiencing seizures. This could have been staggering but instead served as learning that has fueled a potent desire to bring healing through sound. In 2013 their amazing son, Kaleb, was brought into the world and their sweet baby Sylvan was born in 2022. It is through music that the losses and gains, pains and triumphs, and excruciating beauty of life can be given a voice of empathy. Both critics and fans have said time and time again that the music of HuDost is this very expression.

Highlight Performances/Collaborations: Bonnaroo, FloydFest, Blissfest, The ARK, Vancouver Island MusicFest, the Salvador Dali Museum, The Levitt Pavilions, WoodSongs, Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Music City Roots, Tim Robbins’ WTF?! Fest, The Montreal Folk Festival, Hillside Festival, LEAF Festival, Stan Rogers Folk Fest, BhaktiFest, World Café Live, Alex Grey’s CoSM, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, CaveFest (The Caverns, TN), headlining The Islands Folk Fest (Vancouver), and many more. Highlight collaborations and opening slots for other artists include Ani DiFranco, Philip Glass, Jon Anderson (YES), Snatam Kaur, Steve Kilbey (The Church), Ramy Essam, California Guitar Trio, Bell Orchestre, Neko Case, Jim Lauderdale, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Mercan Dede, and many more.

“Teeming with rich, iridescent vocals layered over powerful electric guitar licks, driving percussion and the haunting church organ-esque tones of the harmonium accented by the shimmering strings of Shahi Baaja (Electric Indian Auto-Harp), Bazouki and Dulcinet, HuDost’s one-of-a-kind sound is built on the impeccable musicianship of life-partners Jemal Wade Hines and Moksha Sommer. HuDost performs as either a duo or along with a band of fellow eclectic musicians—often engaging concertgoers through multiple mediums by weaving performance art and dance into their shows for an unforgettable experience that will leave audiences spellbound. ” – Levitt Foundation

HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 BelleviewAve, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thurs, May 29 at 7:00pm. Info at: http://www.hudost.com

“Nothing Left” – Pop, singer/songwriter. This song explores the bittersweet duality of having nothing left, where emptiness feels about like a weight and a release. Through haunting melodies and reflective lyrics, it captures the complex emotions of loss, freedom, and the unknown space that lies in between. It is the zen reality of nothingness.

11:13

12. HuDost – “Nothing Left”
    from: The Monkey in the Crown / Open Sesame Music / June 6, 2025
    [HuDost’s new album, features a collection of songs that have already begun to captivate listeners, including the fiery Fire of Eden, the introspective Sol Searcher (Light Upon the Water), and the call for change in Acting Out the Outrage. These songs set the tone for the full album, which explores themes of societal breakdown, personal transformation, and collective healing. Tracks like Broken Down in America, Take It Back, and Nothing Left grapple with disillusionment, while Shine On (Knick of Time) and Mercy offer hope and reconciliation. Each song is a testament to HuDost’s unique sound—raw, authentic, and deeply connected to the human experience. // HuDost were delighted to be joined by a slew of amazing musicians on this album including drummer Chris Powell as well as SistaStrings, who both play with Brandi Carlile. They are also joined by the Jars of Clay guys; Charlie Lowell on keys, Matthew Odmark doing various magical things and two new songs written with Dan Haseltine. Singer Rachael Davis joins on a few songs with her beautiful distinctive harmonies and Kai Welch (Abigail Washburn/Kacey Musgraves/The Fray) plays on accordion & horns. Long time HuDost alumni Anit Ghosh adds his gypsy world touch on a couple of tracks. Matt Nelson contributes astonishing string arrangements. Last but not least, HuDost’s ‘5th Member’ Dan Walters, the only other person besides Moksha and JW that has played on every single record over the past 20 years, on bass! // THE MONKEY IN THE CROWN is more than just a collection of songs; it’s a journey into the complexities of identity, transformation, and choice. From the hopeful Shine On (Knick of Time) to the paradoxical Child of Children, the album invites listeners to explore the tension between illusion and truth, the sacred and the profane, the personal and the collective. It’s a call to action, to change, and to embrace our shared humanity, no matter the form it takes. // This album also marks a significant milestone for HuDost—celebrating 20 years as a band, a couple, and a family. For two decades, the partnership of Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines has produced music that is deeply rooted in their experiences as activists, parents, and musicians. Their journey has been one of artistic evolution and social engagement, building a devoted global fanbase through their powerful lyrics and genre-blurring sound. HuDost’s live performances continue to inspire, proving that music can not only entertain but also catalyze change.]

[HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thursday May 29 at 7:00pm with Calvin Arsenia. Info at: http://www.hudost.com]

11:16 – More Interview with Moksha Sommer & Jemal Wade Hines of the band HuDost

Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines are the heart of the band HuDost. Today we are featuring music from their new album THE MONKEY AND THE CROWN, that marks the band’s 20th Anniversary. HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 BelleviewAve, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thurs, May 29 at 7:00pm. Info at: http://www.hudost.com

Moksha Sommer & Jemal Wade Hines Thanks for being with us on WMM

About HuDost
The music of HuDost weaves a seamless tapestry of Folk, World, and Rock that renders tears and laughter in listeners, cultivating the nameless longing that abides somewhere in all our hearts and invoking total celebration. HuDost’s core musicians are Moksha Sommer, from Montréal, and Jemal Wade Hines from Kentucky. Having toured the U.S., Canada, and Europe constantly since April 2006, HuDost has grown and expanded, travelled rocky and glorious terrain and marveled at all they can learn and explore. Moksha and Jemal Wade in this time have grown as artists, as seekers, as a couple and as a family. Since 2015 they have also been highly engaged activists, doing advocacy work as KY Congressional District Representatives for ONE (a non-profit organization working to end extreme poverty and, specifically, the sexism of poverty).

HuDost’s last album ‘of Water + Mercy’ received rave reviews and as an independent release reached #24 in the BILLBOARD SALES CHARTS for Folk/Americana also winning the 2020 Independent Music Award for Social Action Song. In the last year they also received two of the ‘Best of Nashville 2020’ awards. On past albums HuDost has worked with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel) and GRAMMY Award-winning mixers Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Primus) and Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Pearl Jam, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Beyonce, Beck, Alicia Keys, Melissa Etheridge, Kings of Leon).

In November, 2021 HuDost released, ‘Anthems of Home’ that defines real, honest love and is a lush, breathtaking original collection of compositions that ask important questions. In this time of loss and awakening HuDost’s new album gives powerful voice to this journey in a way that will remain timeless and will prove the resilience that we all share. Special guests on the album include Jars of Clay, The Accidentals, Christie Lenée and others. Their early release from the new album, ‘Our Words Will Be Louder’, included additional music video cameos from Kevin Clash (Elmo), Kevin Hearn (from the Barenaked Ladies), Cy Curning (from The FIXX), GangstaGrass, Alana Bridgewater, Nawal, Hymn for Her, Jai Uttal, and more. HuDost worked with minister/activist William J. Barber II and all proceeds from it went to the Poor People’s Campaign. It received press coverage in over 130 major news publications and radio including CTV News, The Observer, Roots Music Canada, All Access Music, and received the ‘Best Music Video of the Week’ from Blues and Roots Radio.

HuDost functions as a duo or as a band, including guest musicians of varying sensibilities and backgrounds, and often including dance in their shows. As a duo their instrumentation includes vocals, harmonium (Indian Pump-Organ), NORD Keys, guitars, Dulcinet, percussion, and a slew of sonic ambient effects. Their music is a rich, eclectic blending of pop and rock with traditional Sufi music, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian and Balkan folk music, Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, and folk. Their sound crosses all borders and barriers, taking the listener on a journey they will never forget.

Highlight performances include Bonnaroo, Resident band at FloydFest, BhaktiFest, World Café Live, Blissfest, The ARK, Alex Grey’s CoSM, the Salvador Dali Museum, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, headlining The Islands Folk Fest (Vancouver), WMNF’s Tropical Heat Wave Festival, The Levitt Pavilions, WoodSongs at the Kentucky Theater (on PBS), Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Music City Roots, Tim Robbins’ WTF?! Fest, The Montreal Folk Festival, The Stan Rogers Folk Festival, and many more. Highlight collaborations and opening slots for other artists include Ani DiFranco, Philip Glass, Jon Anderson (YES), Snatam Kaur, Steve Kilbey (The Church), Ramy Essam, California Guitar Trio, Bell Orchestre, Neko Case, Jim Lauderdale, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Mercan Dede, and more.

HuDost’s music is a powerful expression of life’s journey and discovery. In 2008, Moksha went through a painful process of brain surgery due to a tumor. The healing from this included re-learning language skills, losing and regaining proper sight, and experiencing seizures. This could have been staggering but instead served as learning that has fueled a potent desire to bring healing through sound. In 2013 their amazing son, Kaleb, was brought into the world. It is through music that the losses and gains, pains and triumphs, and excruciating beauty of life can be given a voice of empathy to the synonymous lives of all people. Both critics and fans have said time and time again that the music of HuDost is this very expression.

HuDost’s message comes from real experience, real emotion, and real concern for the world – from the birth of a child, to the healing of the body, to the healing of the planet, their words and music echo the human experience.

“Take It Back (3:33)” – Americana, singer/songwriter. This song gently weaves a story of healing, where letting go of past hurt makes space for rediscovering a quiet sense of self. With soft, tender melodies, it captures the quiet strength found in embracing vulnerability and moving toward with grace.

“Take It Back” (Lyrics)

Take it back, take it back

Here’s the prescription for all of the questions you never would ask
Take the eviction for all of the hurt you have held from the past
And let it go

Take it back, take it back

We’re numb to the violence, because denial is safer than rage
Bring us back silence where we can see again, hear and engage
And let us sing

Take it back, take it back

When I’ve come back, back from the limit of where we are numb
We’ve all been dumb, break back the edges, the ugly, the lies

Please remind me of mornings, when I was simply an innocent child
Listening for bird songs, and waiting for light to return to my eyes

This is where
I take it back, take it back, take it back

Moksha Sommer & Jemal Wade Hines Thanks for being with us on WMM

HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 BelleviewAve, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thurs, May 29 at 7:00pm, with Calvin Arsenia. Info at: http://www.hudost.com

11:25

13. HuDost – “Take It Back”
    from: The Monkey in the Crown / Open Sesame Records / June 6, 2025

[HuDost play Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave, 2nd Floor, KCMO on Thursday May 29 at 7:00pm with Calvin Arsenia. Info at: http://www.hudost.com]

11:28 – Underwriting

14. Cheyenne Jackson – “Celebrate Your Face (Zach Wallis Remix)”
    from: Celebrate Your Face (Zach Wallis Remix) – Single / Ooze House of Music / Sept. 1, 2022
    [Speaking to his fans in the Instagram post below, the Cheyenne Jackson reported: “I wrote this song several years ago for someone in my family who was suffering with depression. I wanted her to see how beautiful and important and how much she actually mattered, even though she couldn’t see it at the time. I never did anything with it, I guess I just figured it would find a home when the time was right. Well, for the season 2 finale of the Fax TYV show Call Me Kat, I pitched it to my producers and they loved it for the show…so I made a proper recording of it and channeled my inner Duran Duran / Neverending Story / TOP GUN fantasy.” // ‘Celebrate Your Face’ was released to streaming outlets by Ooze House Music from producers Jay Levine and Rob Schustack. Cheyenne wrote, sang and aided Jason Brett Levine and Jessica Charlotte Vaughn in composing the new bop. Find ‘Celebrate Your Face’ on Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, Deezer and Pandora. Or you can stream it on YouTube below. Because laziness. // On top of three albums as part of a Broadway cast and one album from the recently cancelled Netflix musical Julie and the Phantoms, Cheyenne has released five singles as a solo singer with three accompanying solo albums. His latest catalog, 2016’s Renaissance, reached #9 on the Billboard Jazz chart. // Most known for his roles in 30 Rock, Glee and American Horror Story.]

[Cheyenne Jackson plays the Folly Pride Concert, Friday, June 13, at 7:30pm at The Folly Theater, 300 W 12th St. KCMO. More information at http://www.follytheater.org]

11:34 – Interview with Cheyenne Jackson

Cheyenne Jackson, is a Grammy and Emmy-nominated actor, singer, and songwriter known for his work on Broadway in XANADU, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Aida, The Performers, Once Upon a Mattress, Finian’s Rainbow, All Shook Up, The Secret Garden, Into the Woods, and Damn Yankees. His TV credits include American Horror Story, 30 Rock, Glee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Call Me Kat, The Morning Show, Law and Order, Ugly Betty, Matlock, Modern Family, and Rupaul’s Drag Race. For Julie and the Phantoms, he earned an Emmy nomination. Film roles include, the OSCAR-nominated UNITED 93, and HBO’s Behind the Candelabra. Jackson has sold out shows at Carnegie Hall and Disney Hall. His live performances have graced Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Kennedy Center showcasing his unique blend of jazz, pop, and folk. Cheyenne has released three full length albums and multiple singles. Cheyenne Jackson plays the Folly Pride Concert, Friday, June 13, at 7:30pm at The Folly Theater, 300 W 12th St. KCMO. More information at http://www.follytheater.org

Cheyenne Jackson thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley!

Cheyenne Jackson is a GRAMMY and Emmy-nominated actor, singer, and songwriter known for his versatile work across Broadway, television, film, and concert stages. He received a GRAMMY nomination for his collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony as Tony in West Side Story conducted by the legendary Michael Tilson Thomas.

Three albums, Multiple singles. 25 films. Over 40 TV Shows. 25 stage shows, Multiple tours

Cheyenne’s mother Sherrie taught Jackson, his sister, and his two brothers to sing. Cheyenne grew up hearing Joni Mitchell music playing through the house.

Jackson was born in Spokane, Washington to David and Sherri Jackson, and was named by his father after the 1950s Western series Cheyenne. The 3rd of four children, he was raised in Oldtown, Idaho, a “teeny mill town” in a rural area in northern Idaho near the Washington border. His father was a Vietnam veteran. His mother taught Jackson, his sister, and his two brothers to sing and regularly played music by Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Elvis Presley at home. Throughout his childhood, Jackson lived with his family in a rural home that had an outhouse and no running water. He moved to Spokane as a teenager.

Cheyenne states is professional work on stage – did the discipline of Theatre give you the strength to balance all the work you do on TV, Film, on Stage”

After beginning his acting career in regional theatre in Seattle, Washington, Jackson moved to Manhattan and was an understudy in the Broadway productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) and Aida (2003). He next originated the role of Matthew in the workshop production of Altar Boyz (2004) for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and was replaced by Scott Porter for the Off-Broadway run. Jackson’s first leading role on Broadway was in All Shook Up (2005), which earned him a Theatre World Award for “Outstanding Broadway Debut”

Having done a lot of work with Ryan Murphy reoccurring roles on Glee Multiple seasons on American Horror Story with Lady Gaga

Jackson appeared on the March 26, 2008, cover of The Advocate and was named “Entertainer of the Year” by Out and appeared alongside Gus Van Sant, Katy Perry, and Sam Sparro on the cover of the magazine’s commemorative 100th issue in December.

He also appeared on the cover of Out’s November 2010 issue. In July 2012, he appeared on the cover of attitude.

Jackson is an LGBT rights advocate. He is an international ambassador for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).

Jackson is also a national ambassador and spokesperson for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of LGBT youth.

With Husband Jason Landau married in Encino, California, in September 2014. Jackson and Landau became the parents of twins, a girl named Willow and a boy named Ethan, in October 2016.

Cheyenne Jackson Has made several appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

On Cheyenne’s most recent Television series “Call Me Kat” staring Mayim Bialik Cheyenne played Max, Kat’s boyfriend. One of the cast members of the show was the legendary Leslie Jordan. Cheyenne and Leslie became good friends and recorded a Christmas Single “The Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth” together for the November 20, 2021 release. We tragically lost Leslie Jordan the following year.

On Broadway, Jackson’s career spans iconic roles in XANADU, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Aida, The Performers, Once Upon a Mattress, Finian’s Rainbow, and All Shook Up, where he won a Theatre World Award. His other credits include The Secret Garden, Into the Woods on Broadway (2022), and the acclaimed Encores! production of DAMN YANKEES. Jackson’s remarkable stage presence and ability to bring depth to a wide range of characters have made him a beloved figure in musical theater.

His TV credits include notable appearances in American Horror Story, 30 Rock, Glee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Doctor Odyssey, Call Me Kat, The Morning Show, and American Woman. He also starred in Julie and the Phantoms, where his portrayal of a rock star earned him critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination. Other TV and film roles include Descendants 3, the OSCAR-nominated UNITED 93, HBO’s Behind the Candelabra, Law and Order, CSI, Ugly Betty, Saved By The Bell, Matlock, and Modern Family.

As a concert performer, Jackson has sold out major venues including Carnegie Hall and Disney Hall. His live performances have also graced prestigious stages such as Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Kennedy Center. As a recording artist, Jackson has released albums including The Power of Two, I’m Blue, Skies, Love, Dad, and Renaissance, showcasing his unique blend of jazz, pop, and folk. His musicality as both a vocalist and songwriter continues to earn praise from critics and fans alike.

With an ever-expanding body of work, Cheyenne Jackson remains a leading talent in the entertainment industry, captivating audiences with his exceptional performances, creative artistry, and open-hearted vulnerability.

Cheyenne Jackson – Born – Cheyenne David Jackson – July 12, 1975 (age 49) in Spokane, Washington, U.S.

With spouse Jason Landau ​(married 2014)​ Cheyenne has two children twins

After beginning his acting career in regional theatre in Seattle, Washington, Jackson moved to Manhattan and was an understudy in the Broadway productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) and Aida (2003). He next originated the role of Matthew in the workshop production of Altar Boyz (2004) for the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and was replaced by Scott Porter for the Off-Broadway run. Jackson’s first leading role on Broadway was in All Shook Up (2005), which earned him a Theatre World Award for “Outstanding Broadway Debut”. Since then, on the New York stage, he has starred in The Agony & the Agony (2006), Xanadu (2007; Drama League, Drama Desk nominations), Damn Yankees (2008), Finian’s Rainbow (2010; Drama Desk nomination), 8 (2011), The Heart of the Matter (2012), The Performers (2013), The Secret Garden (2016), Into the Woods (2022), and Once Upon a Mattress (2024).

He has also appeared in a number of films, including the 2006 Academy Award-nominated United 93, in which his portrayal of Mark Bingham earned him the Boston Society of Film Critics 2006 award for Best Ensemble Cast. He also had a leading role in the 2014 independent romantic comedy ensemble, Mutual Friends, and guest roles in television series such as NBC’s 30 Rock and Fox’s Glee. Beginning in 2015, Jackson starred in the FX horror anthology television series American Horror Story in its fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth seasons.

In concert, Jackson has sold out Carnegie Hall twice: The Power of Two in 2010 and Music of the Mad Men Era in 2011. He also performs in cabarets. In addition to his Broadway cast albums, he has released three albums of popular music, including a joint album called The Power of Two with Michael Feinstein in 2008. In 2012, Jackson released two singles, “Drive” and “Before You”, from his 2013 album I’m Blue, Skies. In 2016, Jackson released his third studio album, Renaissance, an album adapted and expanded from his solo concert Music of the Mad Men Era.

He also stars as Hades in Disney Channel’s Descendants 3. In 2020, he reunited with Descendants alumni Kenny Ortega and Booboo Stewart in Netflix’s Julie and the Phantoms.

Early life – Jackson was born in Spokane, Washington to David and Sherri Jackson, and was named by his father after the 1950s Western series Cheyenne. The third of four children, he was raised in Oldtown, Idaho, a “teeny mill town” in a rural area in northern Idaho near the Washington border. His father was a Vietnam veteran. His mother taught Jackson, his sister, and his two brothers to sing and regularly played music by Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Elvis Presley at home. Throughout his childhood, Jackson lived with his family in a rural home that had an outhouse and no running water. He moved to Spokane as a teenager.

In Seattle, Jackson worked as an ad executive at a magazine and did some theater work on the side, earning his Equity card. He moved to New York City after 2001 to pursue an acting career.

Career – Theatrical – In regional theaters, Jackson has appeared as Tony in West Side Story, as Joey in The Most Happy Fella, as Cain in Children of Eden, as Berger in Hair, as Billy Bigelow in Carousel, as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees, as Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show, and as The Poet in Kismet, among many other productions.

Jackson made his Broadway debut understudying both male leads in the Tony Award-winning musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. He later served as the standby for the character of Radames in Aida, then originated the role of Matthew in the NYMF production of Altar Boyz. In 2005, he originated his first Broadway leading role in the musical All Shook Up, a tribute to Elvis Presley. His performance as Chad earned him the Theatre World Award and nominations from the Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor. In 2006, Jackson starred off-Broadway in playwright Nicky Silver’s The Agony and The Agony with Victoria Clark. In June 2007, less than a week before the scheduled opening night, Jackson assumed the lead role of Sonny on Broadway in Xanadu, replacing James Carpinello who had been injured during rehearsal. Previous workshop productions of the musical starred Jackson and Jane Krakowski. However, both Jackson and Krakowski opted out of the initial Broadway run, citing schedule conflicts. His performance as Sonny earned him nominations from the Drama League and Drama Desk for Outstanding Lead Actor. Xanadu had several Tony Award nominations including “Best New Musical” for which Jackson and the cast performed on the 62nd Tony Awards show.

In 2008, Jackson joined Jane Krakowski and Sean Hayes in the New York City Center’s Encores! production of Damn Yankees. He returned to Encores! in 2009, playing Woody Mahoney in a staged concert of Finian’s Rainbow. Jackson also starred in the development workshop of The Book of Mormon by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez, who co-wrote the music for Avenue Q.

In October 2009, Jackson opened on Broadway reprising the role of Woody Mahoney in the revival of the 1947 musical Finian’s Rainbow at the St. James Theatre, costarring with Jim Norton and Kate Baldwin. The Wall Street Journal wrote, “The way that [Kate Baldwin] and Cheyenne Jackson sing “Old Devil Moon” is the stuff best-selling cast albums are made of.” The show closed on January 17, 2010. Along with the company of Finian’s Rainbow, Jackson recorded the Broadway revival cast album in early December 2009, with a release date of February 2, 2010.

In September 2011, Jackson joined Morgan Freeman, Ellen Barkin, Matt Bomer, Christine Lahti, and John Lithgow as part of the Broadway-premiere cast of Dustin Lance Black’s new play 8, directed by Joe Mantello. In June 2012, Jackson starred opposite Krysten Ritter in Neil LaBute’s The Heart of The Matter produced by MCC Theater at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

In the 2012–2013 Broadway season, Jackson, Henry Winkler, Alicia Silverstone, Daniel Breaker, Jenni Barber and Ari Graynor starred in David West Read’s play The Performers which started previews on October 23, 2012, at the Longacre Theatre.[28] The play closed on November 18, 2012, after 23 previews and 7 regular performances.

In 2016, Jackson appeared in the 25th Anniversary Concert of The Secret Garden as Dr. Neville Craven at the Lincoln Center.

In 2019, Jackson made his Hollywood Bowl debut playing the roles of the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in the show Into the Woods opposite Sutton Foster, Sierra Boggess, Patina Miller, Skylar Astin, Chris Carmack, and Shanice Williams. He later reprised these roles while temporarily filling in for Gavin Creel in the 2022 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre opposite Miller, Sara Bareilles, Brian D’Arcy James, Phillipa Soo, Joshua Henry, and Julia Lester.

In 2024, he portrayed Sir Harry in the New York City Center production of Once Upon A Mattress as a part of its Encores! series. In November, he starred as Georges in the Pasadena Playhouse production of La Cage aux Folles.

Film career – In films, Jackson most notably portrayed 9/11 victim and hero Mark Bingham in United 93 which won the Boston Society of Film Critics 2006 award for Best Ensemble Cast. He has also appeared in several other films including: Curiosity (2005), Hysteria (2010), Smile (2011), the critically lauded The Green (opposite Julia Ormond and Illeana Douglas), and 2012 Sundance Film Festival selection Price Check (with Parker Posey). He portrayed Greta Gerwig’s boyfriend Roger in the 2012 Fox Searchlight Pictures film Lola Versus. In 2013, he starred in the HBO biopic of Liberace, Behind the Candelabra, with Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. He also appeared in the independent films Mutual Friends (2013), Lucky Stiff (2014), and A Beautiful Now (2015). More recently, he played Hades in the Disney Channel original movie Descendants 3 (2019).

Jackson had a lead role in the film version of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks in 2014. He played Michael Minetti, who is hired by retiree Lily Harrison (Gena Rowlands) to give her private dance lessons at her home for six weeks. The film is based on Richard Alfieri’s Broadway play of the same name and is directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman.

TV career – From 2009 – 2013, Jackson had a recurring role on the award-winning series 30 Rock playing Danny Baker. Jackson also portrayed Dustin Goolsby, the coach of “Vocal Adrenaline”, the main rival of “New Directions”, on the 2nd season of FOX’s show Glee.

He has guest starred on several television series, including Lipstick Jungle, Life on Mars, and Ugly Betty, and was featured in a prominent guest role during Season 8 of Curb Your Enthusiasm. His character “Terry” was the personal trainer to Larry David and Wanda Sykes. On March 15, 2010, Jackson made his guest-starring debut on the NBC series Law & Order in an episode entitled “Innocence”.

In 2008, Jackson played series lead Sebastian Kinglare for the Lifetime Television pilot Family Practice opposite Anne Archer and Beau Bridges. The series was not picked up for distribution.

In 2010, Jackson filmed a sitcom pilot for ABC-TV called It Takes a Village, co-starring Leah Remini, which was not picked up for the fall 2010 season.

In 2012, Jackson and Nathan Lane were cast as series leads in the USA Network comedy pilot Local Talent. The series was not picked up for distribution.

Additionally, Jackson guest starred on the pilot episode of NBC’s revamp of The Munsters, Mockingbird Lane, written by Bryan Fuller and directed by Bryan Singer. Jackson portrayed Scout Master Steve, a competing love interest for Portia de Rossi’s character Lily Munster; the show also stars Eddie Izzard and Jerry O’Connell.[39] NBC aired the pilot as a Halloween special on October 26, 2012.

Jackson also appeared in the 5th season of American Horror Story as one of the leads alongside Lady Gaga & Matt Bomer. Jackson returned to the show’s 6th season to play Network Executive Sidney Aaron James as well as the 7th season to play psychiatrist Dr. Rudy Vincent Anderson and 8th season of the show to play warlock John Henry Moore.

Jackson made several appearances on RuPaul’s Drag Race. He also appeared in the tenth episode of Season 2 of Sense8 as Blake Huntington, an award-winning actor who is cast opposite Miguel Ángel Silvestre’s Lito Rodríguez in a Hollywood film. In 2019, he played the role of Hades, Mal’s father in the Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants 3.

Jackson has starred in several notable webisode series including Cubby Bernstein opposite Nathan Lane, Legally Brown with Allison Janney, and The [title of show] Show from the meta-fictional Broadway musical [Title of Show].

Since 2020, Jackson costars as Max in the Fox comedy series Call Me Kat opposite Mayim Bialik and Kyla Pratt.

In 2022, Jackson competed in season seven of The Masked Singer as “Prince” of Team Good who resembles a frog dressed as a prince. He finished in third place.

Musical career – Early in his career, Jackson worked as a back-up singer for Vanessa Williams and Heather Headley.

In March 2009, Jackson made his nightclub debut at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency with a sold-out one-man show titled Back to the Start. He later teamed up with Michael Feinstein to create a nightclub act titled “The Power of Two”. A CD of the show was released on November 3, 2009.

The Power of Two, a concert reuniting Jackson and Feinstein, was presented at Carnegie Hall on October 29, 2010. Jackson was the guest artist performing with the New York Pops in concert, Cheyenne Jackson’s Cocktail Hour: Music of the Mad Men Era, at Carnegie Hall on November 18, 2011. Joe Dziemianowicz of The New York Daily News wrote, “There, in Judy (Garland)’s spot singing Joni (Mitchell)’s song, (Cheyenne) Jackson turned the bittersweet ballad into a beautiful highlight in an evening filled with luscious moments with the New York Pops.”]

On Dec 31, 2012, Jackson reprised Music of the Mad Men Era at The Kennedy Center Concert Hall with 96 members of the National Symphony Orchestra and Nina Arianda.

In March 2012, Jackson was signed to Sony/ATV publishing as a songwriter and given a developmental artist deal through Sony/ATV’s Hickory Records and Red Distribution.

On May 10, 2012, Jackson released his single “Drive”, his first non-theatrical single and his first music video release. The video was directed by Austrian music video director Christian Hörlesberger and the track produced by Thomas “Tawgs” Salter. It was the first single released from I’m Blue, Skies, which was eventually released in June 2013. The album was co-written by Jackson with Sia, Stephen “Stevie” Aiello, and Charlotte Sometimes.

On July 10, 2012, Jackson released his second single from I’m Blue, Skies, “Before You”, also produced by Salter. In August 2012, “Before You” reached a peak of No. 31 on the Hot 100 AC chart.

In 2013, he released three singles, “She’s Pretty, She Lies”, “Look at Me”, and “I’m Blue, Skies”, followed in 2015 with the single “Don’t Wanna Know”, all accompanied by music videos. On June 3, 2016, Jackson released Renaissance, an album on the PS Classics record label, adapted and expanded from his solo concert Music of the Mad Men Era.

In the media – Jackson appeared on the March 26, 2008, cover of The Advocate. In 2008, he was named “Entertainer of the Year” by Out and appeared alongside Gus Van Sant, Katy Perry, and Sam Sparro on the cover of the magazine’s commemorative 100th issue in December. In April 2010, he appeared on the cover of Canadian fab magazine under the title “Cheyenne Jackson: I Love New York” with photographs by Mike Ruiz. He also appeared on the cover of Out’s November 2010 issue. In July 2012, he appeared on the cover of attitude.

Charity work – Jackson is an LGBT rights advocate. He is an international ambassador for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).

Jackson is also a national ambassador and spokesperson for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of LGBT youth.

Personal life – Jackson is gay. He began dating Monte Lapka, a physicist, in 2000. The two married on September 3, 2011, in New York City. In July 2013, they announced plans to divorce. They filed for divorce in September 2013.

In October 2013, Jackson announced he was dating actor Jason Landau on his official Instagram account. They announced their engagement in February 2014 and married in Encino, California, in September 2014. Jackson and Landau became the parents of twins, a girl named Willow and a boy named Ethan, in October 2016.

Jackson has discussed his struggles with alcoholism, and in 2023 said that he had relapsed after 10 years of sobriety.

Discography – Studio albumss

The Power of Two (with Michael Feinstein) / Released: November 3, 2009 / Qualiton Imports, Harbinger Records

I’m Blue, Skies / Released: June 25, 2013/ Shiny Boy Music LLC

Renaissance / Released: June 3, 2016/ PS Classics

Original Broadway cast albums
All Shook Up (2005)
Xanadu (2007)
Finian’s Rainbow (2009)

Soundtrack appearances
Descendants 3 (2019)
Julie and the Phantoms: Music from the Netflix Original Series (2020)

Singles
2012: “Drive”
2012: “Before You”
2013: “Don’t Wanna Know”[77]
2015: “Find the Best of Me”
Music videos
2012: “Drive”
2012: “Before You”
2013: “Don’t Wanna Know”
2013: “Don’t Look at Me”
2013: “She’s Pretty, She Lies”
2013: “I’m Blue, Skies”

Filmography- 23 films
2005 Curiosity Luke Short film
2006 United 93 Mark Bingham
2010 Photo Op Zig Short film
2019 Hysteria Scott
2011 The Green Daniel
2011 Smile Doctor Steve Short film
2012 Price Check Ernie
1012 Lola Versus Roger
2013 Mutual Friends Christoph
2014 The One I Wrote for You Ben Cantor
2014 Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Michael Minetti
2014 Dragula Mr. Newton
2014 Love Is Strange Ted
2014 Lucky Stiff MC
2015 A Beautiful Now David
2015 Day Out of Days Phil
2016 Bear with Us Hudson
2016 Opening Night Eli Faisel
2017 Hello Again Robert (The Writer)
2018 Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate Boris
2021 Werewolves Within Devon
2024 Borderlands Jakobs Scenes cut
2025 Queens of the Dead

Television – (Over 40 TV Shows)
2008 Lipstick Jungle Bryce Episode: “Chapter 15: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Prada”
2008 Family Practice Sebastian Kinglare Television film
2009 Life on Mars Sebastian Grace Episode: “Let All the Children Boogie”
2009 Ugly Betty Timothy D’Artagnan Episode: “Sugar Daddy”
2009–2012 30 Rock Danny Baker 12 episodes
2010 Law & Order Jon Sorrentino Episode: “Innocence”
2010 It Takes a Village Scott Unsold television pilot
2010–2011 Glee Dustin Goolsby 3 episodes
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Terry Episode: “Car Periscope”
2012 Mockingbird Lane Steve Unsold television pilot
2013 Onion News Empire Cameron Grey Unsold television pilot
2013 Behind the Candelabra Billy Leatherwood Television film
2013 Full Circle Peter Barlow 3 episodes
2014 HR Tim Harcourt Unsold television pilot
2014 Royal Pains Sam Episode: “Oh, M.G.”
2014 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nebula1 Episode: “Kitty”
2015–2016 American Horror Story: Hotel Will Drake 9 episodes
2016 American Horror Story: Roanoke Sidney Aaron James 7 episodes
2016 American Housewife Johnny Diamond Episode: “Disconnected”
2017–2019 RuPaul’s Drag Race Himself 3 episodes (“Draggily Ever After”, “Evil Twins”, “L.A.D.P.!”)
2017 The Real O’Neals Mr. Peters Episode: “The Real Mr. Nice Guy”
2017 Sense8 Blake Huntington Episode: “If All the World’s a Stage, Identity Is Nothing But a Costume”
2017 American Horror Story: Cult Dr. Rudy Vincent 9 episodes
2017 Modern Family Max Episode: “In Your Head”
2018 American Woman Greg Parker 7 episodes
2018 Will & Grace Michael Episode: “The Beefcake & the Cake Beef”
2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse John Henry Moore 4 episodes
2019 Descendants 3 Hades Television film
2019 The Morning Show Himself Episode: “No One’s Gonna Harm You, Not While I’m Around”
2019 Watchmen Hooded Justice 3 episodes
2020 Descendants Remix Dance Party Hades Television special
2020 Equal Dale Jennings Docuseries
2020 Julie and the Phantoms Caleb Covington 5 episodes
2020 Saved by the Bell René 3 episodes

2021–2023 Call Me Kat Max Main role
2021 RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Himself Special guest, Episode: “Snatch Game of Love”
2021 A Clüsterfünke Christmas Frank Television film
2021 Descendants: The Royal Wedding Hades (voice) Animated television film
2022 The Masked Singer Prince Season 7 contestant; Third place
2024 Doctor Odyssey Bryan Episode: “Oh, Daddy!”

Stage credits
1995 Kiss Me, Kate Bill Calhoun / Lucentio Spokane Civic Theatre
1996 Kismet Hajj
1997 Carousel Billy Bigelow
1998 Children of Eden Cain / Japheth Jane Addams Theatre
2002-2003 Thoroughly Modern Millie Dishwasher / Ensemble / u/s Jimmy Smith / u/s Trevor Graydon III Marquis Theatre Broadway
2003 The Rocky Horror Show Rocky 5th Avenue Theatre Regional
2003 Aida s/b Radames Palace Theatre Broadway
2004 Altar Boyz Matthew Puerto Rican Traveling Theater NY Musical Theatre Fest
2005 All Shook Up Chad Palace Theatre Broadway
2005 On the Twentieth Century “Life is Like a Train” Porter New Amsterdam Theatre
2005 The 24 Hour Plays Kevin American Airlines Theatre
2006 The Agony and The Agony Chet Vineyard Theatre Off-Broadway

2007-2008 Xanadu Sonny Malone Helen Hayes Theatre Broadway
2008 Damn Yankee Joe Hardy New York City Center Off-Broadway Encores!
2009-2010 Finian’s Rainbow Woody St. James Theatre Broadway
2011 8 Paul Katami Eugene O’Neill Theatre
2012 The Heart of the Matter Him Lucille Lortel Theatre Off-Broadway[2012
2012 The Performers Mandrew Longacre Theatre Broadway
2013 West Side Story Tony Davies Hall Concert
2014 The Most Happy Fella Joe NYC Center Off-Broadway Encores!
2016 The Secret Garden Dr. Neville Craven Lincoln Center 25th Anniversary Concert
2019 Into the Woods The Wolf Cinderella’s Prince Hollywood Bowl July 26–28
2022 Into the Woods The Wolf Cinderella’s Prince St. James Theatre Broadway
2024 Once Upon a Mattress Sir Harry NYC Center Off-Broadway Encores!
2024 La Cage aux Folles Georges Pasadena Playhouse Los Angeles

Cheyenne Jackson thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley!

Cheyenne Jackson plays the Folly Pride Concert, Friday, June 13, at 7:30pm at The Folly Theater, 300 W 12th St. KCMO. More information at http://www.follytheater.org

11:49

15. Cheyenne Jackson – “Drive”
    from: I’m Blue, Skies / Shiny Boy Music / June 25, 2013
    [On May 10, 2012, Jackson released his single “Drive”, his first non-theatrical single and his first music video release. The video was directed by Austrian music video director Christian Hörlesberger and the track produced by Thomas “Tawgs” Salter. It was the first single released from I’m Blue, Skies, which was eventually released in June 2013. The album was co-written by Jackson with Sia, Stephen “Stevie” Aiello, and Charlotte Sometimes. // On July 10, 2012, Jackson released his second single from I’m Blue, Skies, “Before You”, also produced by Salter. In August 2012, “Before You” reached a peak of No. 31 on the Hot 100 AC chart. // In 2013, he released three singles, “She’s Pretty, She Lies”, “Look at Me”, and “I’m Blue, Skies”, followed in 2015 with the single “Don’t Wanna Know”, all accompanied by music videos.]

[Cheyenne Jackson plays the Folly Pride Concert, Friday, June 13, at 7:30pm at The Folly Theater, 300 W 12th St. KCMO. More information at http://www.follytheater.org]

16. Valerie June – “Superpower”
    from: Owls, Omens, and Oracles / Concord Records / April 11, 2025
    [Rooted in the belief that what we focus on is what we manifest, June dreams a song path forward with Owls, Omens, and Oracles that leaves no one behind. Halfway through a decade of immense and rapid global change, June asserts a multidimensional Blackness steeped in laughter, truth, magic, delight, and interdependence. This album is a radical statement to break skepticism, surveillance, and doom scrolling – let yourself celebrate your aliveness. Connect, weep, change, open. Throughout the M. Ward-produced Owls, Omens, and Oracles, Juneʼs distinctive Tennessee twang grips the listener. Visceral twists and a fierceness of raw emotion thread textures and tones through the needle of a multi-genre American quilt, striking against notions that voices should always sound polished and pretty. Gracefulness and gentleness harmonize with dissonance, edginess, and precarity in the sharpest parts of her voice. // Juneʼs singular sound is a North Star as steady and undeniable as any true love story, telling us to “trust the path.” She is inviting us out of the small boxes that keep us apart from each other, her music creating a space where we are already together, already one. The horizon changes as we get closer to it, but our artist is sure-footed in the face of uncertainty and change. She wants everyone who listens to this music to want to be alive, to love, co-creating a future together. Valerie June returned to CBS Saturday Morning where she performed several songs off Owls, Omens, and Oracles. Accompanied by her band, she played lead single “Joy, Joy!,” the unreleased “All I Really Wanna Do,” and debuted “Endless Tree,” a song that was released on Tuesday as a single with an accompanying video. Juneʼs spirited performance gives a taste of what to expect on the upcoming Owls, Omens, and Oracles Tour, which kicks off next week and runs through late June. // Valerie June Hockett was born January 10, 1982, known as Valerie June, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Her sound encompasses a mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, country, Appalachian and bluegrass. She is signed to Concord Music Group worldwide. // Born in Jackson, Tennessee on January 10, 1982, June is the oldest of five children. As a child growing up in Humboldt, June was exposed to gospel music at her local church and R&B and soul music via her father, Emerson Hockett. As a teenager, her first job was with her father, owner of Hockett Construction in West Tennessee, and a part-time promoter for gospel singers and Prince, K-Ci & JoJo, and Bobby Womack. She helped by hanging posters in town. Her father died in late 2016. // June relocated to Memphis in 2000 and began recording and performing at the age of 19, initially with her then-husband Michael Joyner, in the duo Bella Sun. After her marriage ended, she began working as a solo artist, combining blues, gospel and Appalachian folk in a style that she describes as “organic moonshine roots music”, and learning guitar, banjo, and lap-steel guitar. She became associated with the Memphis-based Broken String Collective. // In 2009 she was a featured artist on MTV’s online series $5 Cover (following the lives of Memphis musicians attempting to make ends meet), and in 2010 she recorded the EP Valerie June and the Tennessee Express, a collaboration with Old Crow Medicine Show. // In 2011 she was honored by the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission at the Emissaries of Memphis Music event. She raised funds to record an album with producer Craig Street via Kickstarter.com, raising $15,000 in 60 days. Later that year she relocated from Memphis to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Shortly after, record producer Kevin Augunas introduced June to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, which led to the recording of June’s album Pushin’ Against a Stone in July 2011, which was co-written and produced by Dan Auerbach and Kevin Augunas. // In 2012, June performed with producer John Forté on a collaboration called Water Suites (on the hip-hop-blues song “Give Me Water”), and with Meshell Ndegeocello on the song “Be My Husband”. She contributed The Wandering’s 2012 album Go on Now, You Can’t Stay Here: Mississippi Folk Music Volume III. In 2012 she performed in the UK for the first time, playing at Bestival and appearing on Later… with Jools Holland. // She has received substantial radio play in Europe on BBC Radio 6, including a feature on Cerys on 6 with Cerys Matthews. Mary Anne Hobbs of XFM has said of June: “This woman has already touched my heart, she really, really has.” // In February 2013, June was invited to support Jake Bugg on the UK leg of his tour. In March 2013, June performed two nights at South By Southwest. The first performance was on March 14 as part of the Heartbreaker Banquet. On March 16, June performed again, this time as part of The Revival Tour. Rolling Stone June’s second album, The Order of Time one of the 50 Best Albums of 2017, citing “her handsomely idiosyncratic brand of Americana, steeped deep in electric blues and old-time folk, gilded in country twang and gospel yearning….a blend of spacey hippie soul, blues and folk with June’s pinched, modern-Appalachian voice at the center”. In a 2017 interview, Bob Dylan was asked what artists he listened to and respected; June was among the artists he mentioned in reply. More info at: http://www.valeriejune.com]

17. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
    from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]

Next week, on Wednesday, June 4 – Chris Haghirian joins us to share al the details about Boulevardia 10, Saturday, June 14, with 5 stages and over 45 bands/artists, celebrating Kansas City with the biggest urban street festival at Crown Center, 2396 Grand Boulevard, KCMO. We’ll survey the music of the festival. At 11:30 we’ll talk with Meighan Piefer and James McGee about the Kansas City Music Industry Commission

In two weeks on June 11 we welcome back to thew show the man of 1001 Faces Michael McQuary AND we’ll talk with Michael’s friend – stage, screen and recording artist – Joey Arias who will share stories about his work and friendships with Klaus Nomi, Andy Warhol, Pee Herman aka Paul Reubens, Lady Bunny and More!

Big THANK YOU TO THE FABULOUS 44 PEOPLE WHO DONATED in support of Wednesday MidDay Medley for KKFI 90.1 FM’s during our On-Air Winter Fund Drive! With the help of my amazing co-hosts, we raised $2,693.00 toward our goal of $2,685.00. We achieved 100% of our goal for KKFI 90.1 FM. Thank you Betse Ellis, Rachio Head, and Mikal Shapiro and J Kelly Dougherty and all our fabulous donors and listeners!

THANK YOU to our incredible KKFI Staff; Director of Development & Communications – J Kelly Dougherty, Volunteer Coordinator – Darryl Oliver, Chief Operator – Chad Brothers and Shaina Littler – Office Manager Book Keeper

This radio station is more than the individual hosts of each individual radio show. Instead it is about a collective spirit of hundreds of hardworking people, unselfishly setting aside ego, to work for the greater good of community building and the gigantic goal of keeping our airwaves free, non-commercial, and open to all! Congratulations and thank you to all programmers & volunteers who went the extra effort to keep our station alive.

Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org

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Show #1097