#1053 – July 3, 2024 Playlist | Wednesday MidDay Medley

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

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

WMM Shines a Light on the 20th Annual KC Fringe Festival with Audrey Crabtree + Mitzi McKee plays LIVE!

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

Common & Pete Rock – “Dreamin’ (Radio Clean Edit)”
from: The Auditorium, Vol. 1 / Loma Vista Recordings – Concord / July 12, 2024
[Common and Pete Rock have announced their first full-length collaboration The Auditorium, Vol. 1. Created by the perfect pairing of one of hip hop’s most evocative emcees (Common), with one of its most heralded producers (Pete Rock), The Auditorium, Vol. 1 will undoubtedly make its mark on Hip Hop history. The album is the past, present, and future happening all at once and in any decade, guaranteed to be an absolute banger. // In addition to the album announcement, Common and Pete Rock released the second single from the project “Dreamin’.” // On working with Pete Rock on the record, Common says “Pete Rock is one of The Greatest Creators Hip Hop and Music has ever seen. It has been a dream of mine to work with him on an album. And once we got together and I I was around him and all his records and his MPC I felt the spirit of what I always loved in hip hop in soul music and why I wanted to be a part of the artform. His beats, his production, his scratches, took me to a place where I could just MC freely. It felt I like I was home.” // Late last month, Common and Pete released “Wise Up” the first single off of their new project.]

Mavis Staples – “Worthy”
from: “Worthy” – Single / Anti / June 18, 2024
[A legendary performer who will turn 85 on July 10, Mavis Staples continues to be a tour-de-force in music and a voice for the voiceless in today’s divided society. Well known for her work in the gospel and Americana space, Staples is also an R&B icon who famously worked with the one and only Prince in his 80’s heyday. Reminiscent of those records, today she is sharing the new song “Worthy.”// Written and produced by Mark Ronson protégé MNDR, the song came to fruition via an all-women team, while Ms. Staples makes it all her own. “It’s a pick-me-up song – it’s a celebration, and you can’t help but move,” she says. “Certain songs just cover you, and this song is just so sassy and fire. It’s got me fired up.” As a black woman who lent her voice to the civil rights movement, the song vibrates through Mavis’s unique perspective as both a call to action and an infectious, dance-worthy tune. // “Working with the legendary Mavis Staples seems like a dream,” MNDR gushed. “Listening to her soulful voice, spending time in her grace, and watching her artistry in the studio as the trailblazing icon of music and culture was an experience too profound to put into words and one that I will never forget. As I listened to her breathe life into our song ‘Worthy’ – a song of celebration through good times and hard times, a song to celebrate ourselves and others – I realized that there is no other artist who could give this song more spirit and soul than Mavis Staples, a legend, an icon. It was one of the most profound moments of my life, and I am forever grateful.” // The artwork for “Worthy” features the painting The Darker the Berry, The Sweeter the Juice (2015, acrylic on canvas) by distinguished American artist Henry Taylor. Much like Staples, Taylor’s pieces are driven and defined by empathy, engaging the dynamic subtleties of his eclectically sourced subjects and their environments, historical and personal, each work a holistic visual narrative. // Hailed by NPR as “one of America’s defining voices of freedom and peace,” Staples is the kind of once-in-a-generation artist whose impact on music and culture would be difficult to overstate. She’s both a Blues and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer; a civil rights icon; a GRAMMY Award-winner; a chart-topping soul/gospel/R&B pioneer; a National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient; and a Kennedy Center honoree. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House. // At a time when most artists begin to wind down, Staples ramped things up, releasing a trio of critically acclaimed albums in her 70’s with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy that prompted Pitchfork to rave that “her voice has only gained texture and power over the years” and People to proclaim that she “provides the comfort of a higher power.” “I sing because I want to leave people feeling better than I found them,” Staples says. “I want them to walk away with a positive message in their hearts, feeling stronger than they felt before. I’m singing to myself for those same reasons, too.” // On July 9, Staples and award-winning children’s poet Carol Boston Weatherford will release the new children’s book ‘Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples’, a vibrant and poetic new picture book that introduces young readers to Staples’ life story, who began singing at age 8 and ever since has used her voice as a rallying cry to the country at numerous civil rights protests and continues to sing and share her message of love, faith and justice in front of large audiences today. // Staples recently celebrated her upcoming birthday early in stellar fashion at Los Angeles’s YouTube Theater this past April, gracing the stage alongside a star-studded lineup including Hozier, Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Black Pumas, and more. Currently on tour in Europe, Staples will return to the US and perform at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July picnic on the nation’s birthday. The next day she begins a run of dates with Norah Jones, who she affectionally calls “my baby sister.” All upcoming dates are listed below. // Mavis Staples (born July 10, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer and civil rights activist. She rose to fame as a member of her family’s band The Staple Singers, of which she is the last surviving member. During her time in the group, she recorded the hit singles “I’ll Take You There” and “Let’s Do It Again”. In 1969, Staples released her self-titled debut solo album. // Staples continued to release solo albums throughout the following decades and collaborated with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Prince, Arcade Fire, Nona Hendryx, Ry Cooder, and David Byrne. Her eighth studio album You Are Not Alone (2010), earned critical acclaim, and became her first album as a soloist to reach number one on a Billboard chart, peaking atop the Top Gospel Albums chart. It also earned Staples her first Grammy Award win. Following this, she released the albums One True Vine (2013), Livin’ on a High Note (2016), If All I Was Was Black (2017), and We Get By (2019); she is also featured on the single “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier. // Staples is the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and has won three Grammy Awards, including one for Album of the Year as a featured artist on We Are by Jon Batiste.[6] Named one of the ‘100 Greatest Singers of all Time’ by Rolling Stone in 2008; Staples was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2018, as a member of The Staple Singers. Additionally, she was made a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2016. The following year, she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a soloist. In 2019, she received the inaugural Rock Hall Honors Award from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a soloist. // Staples was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 10, 1939. She began her career with her family group in 1950. Initially singing locally at churches and appearing on a weekly radio show, the Staples scored a hit in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day” for the Vee-Jay label. When Mavis graduated from what is now Paul Robeson High School in 1957, The Staple Singers took their music on the road. Led by family patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples on guitar and including the voices of Mavis and her siblings Cleotha, Yvonne, and Pervis, the Staples were called “God’s Greatest Hitmakers”. // With Mavis’ voice and Pops’ songs, singing, and guitar playing, the Staples evolved from enormously popular gospel singers (with recordings on United and Riverside as well as Vee-Jay) to become the most spectacular and influential spirituality-based group in America. By the mid-1960s The Staple Singers, inspired by Pops’ close friendship with Martin Luther King Jr., became the spiritual and musical voices of the civil rights movement. They covered contemporary pop hits with positive messages, including Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and a version of Stephen Stills’ “For What It’s Worth”. // During a December 20, 2008, appearance on National Public Radio’s news show Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, when Staples was asked about her past personal relationship with Dylan, she admitted that they “were good friends, yes indeed” and that he had asked her father for her hand in marriage. // The Staples sang “message” songs like “Long Walk to D.C.” and “When Will We Be Paid?,” bringing their moving and articulate music to a huge number of young people. The group signed to Stax Records in 1968, joining their gospel harmonies and deep faith with musical accompaniment from members of Booker T. and the MGs. The Staple Singers hit the Top 40 eight times between 1971 and 1975, including two No. 1 singles, “I’ll Take You There”, produced by Al Bell and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning, “Let’s Do It Again,” and a No. 2 single “Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?” // Mavis made her first solo foray while at Epic Records with The Staple Singers, releasing a lone single “Crying in the Chapel” to little fanfare in the late 1960s. The single was finally re-released on the 1994 Sony Music collection Lost Soul. Her first solo album would not come until a 1969 self-titled release for the Stax label. After another Stax release, Only for the Lonely, in 1970, she released a soundtrack album, A Piece of the Action, on Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom label. A 1984 album (also self-titled) preceded two albums under the direction of rock star Prince; 1989’s Time Waits for No One, followed by 1993’s The Voice, which People magazine named one of the Top Ten Albums of 1993. Her 1996 release, Spirituals & Gospels: A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson, was recorded with keyboardist Lucky Peterson. The recording honors Mahalia Jackson, a close family friend and a significant influence on Mavis Staples’s life. // Staples singing during the 2006 NEA National Heritage Fellows concert. // Staples made a major national return with the release of the album Have a Little Faith on Chicago’s Alligator Records, produced by Jim Tullio, in 2004. The album featured spiritual music, some of it semi-acoustic. // In 2004, Staples contributed to a Verve release by legendary jazz-rock guitarist, John Scofield. The album, entitled That’s What I Say, was a tribute to the great Ray Charles and led to a live tour featuring Staples, John Scofield, pianist Gary Versace, drummer Steve Hass, and bassist Rueben Rodriguez. A new album for Anti- Records entitled We’ll Never Turn Back was released on April 24, 2007. The Ry Cooder-produced concept album focuses on gospel songs of the civil rights movement and also included two new original songs by Cooder. // Her voice has been sampled by some of the biggest selling artists, including Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Ice Cube, Ludacris, and Hozier. Staples has recorded with a wide variety of musicians, from her friend, Bob Dylan (with whom she was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award in the “Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals” category for their duet on “Gonna Change My Way of Thinking”, from the album Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan) to The Band, Ray Charles, Prince, Nona Hendryx, George Jones, Natalie Merchant, Ann Peebles, and Delbert McClinton. She has provided vocals on current albums by Los Lobos and Dr. John, and she appears on tribute albums to such artists as Johnny Paycheck, Stephen Foster and Bob Dylan. // In 2003, Staples performed in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater alongside a cadre of her fellow former Stax Records stars during “Soul Comes Home,” a concert held in conjunction with the grand opening of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music at the original site of Stax Records, and appears on the CD & DVD that were recorded and filmed during the event. In 2004, she returned as guest artist for the Stax Music Academy’s SNAP! Summer Music Camp and performed again at the Orpheum with 225 of the academy’s students. In June 2007, she again returned to the venue to perform at the Stax 50th Anniversary Concert to Benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, produced by Concord Records, who now owns and has revived the Stax Records label. // In 2009, Staples, along with Patty Griffin and The Tri-City Singers, released a version of the song “Waiting For My Child To Come Home” on the compilation album Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration. // On October 30, 2010, Staples performed at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear alongside singer Jeff Tweedy. In 2011 she was joined on-stage at the Outside Lands Music And Arts Festival by Arcade Fire singer Win Butler. The two performed a version of “The Weight” by The Band. // Staples also performed at the 33rd Kennedy Center Honors, singing in a tribute to honoree Paul McCartney. // Staples headlined on June 10, 2012, at Chicago’s Annual Blues Festival in Grant Park. // On June 27, 2015, Staples performed on the Park Stage of Glastonbury Somerset UK. On October 31, 2015, Staples performed with Joan Osborne in Washington, D.C. at The George Washington // University’s Lisner Auditorium as part of their Solid Soul Tour. // In February 2016, Staples’s album Livin’ on a High Note was released. Produced by M. Ward, the album features songs written specifically for Staples by Nick Cave, Justin Vernon, tUnE-yArds, Neko Case, Aloe Blacc, and others. Discussing the album Staples said: “I’ve been singing my freedom songs and I wanted to stretch out and sing some songs that were new. I told the writers I was looking for some joyful songs. I want to leave something to lift people up; I’m so busy making people cry, not from sadness, but I’m always telling a part of history that brought us down and I’m trying to bring us back up. These songwriters gave me a challenge. They gave me that feeling of, ‘Hey, I can hang! I can still do this!’ There’s a variety, and it makes me feel refreshed and brand new. Just like Benjamin Booker wrote on the opening track, ‘I got friends and I got love around me, I got people, the people who love me.’ I’m living on a high note, I’m above the clouds. I’m just so grateful. I must be the happiest old girl in the world. Yes, indeed.” // In January 2017, Staples was featured as a guest vocalist on “I Give You Power”, a single from Arcade Fire benefiting the American Civil Liberties Union. In February 2017, Staples appeared on NPR’s Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me! in the “Not My Job” segment, answering questions about the rock band The Shaggs. In April 2017, “Let Me Out”, a single from the fifth studio album by Gorillaz, Humanz, was released, featuring Staples and rapper Pusha T. // Staples’s sixteenth album If All I Was Was Black was released on November 17, 2017. The record was again produced by Jeff Tweedy and contains all original songs cowritten by Mavis and Tweedy. Following the release, Staples toured with Bob Dylan. She also appeared on the 2017/18 Hootenanny. In 2018, she sang on Hozier’s single “Nina Cried Power”. // In May 2019, Staples celebrated her 80th birthday with a concert at the Apollo Theater, 63 years after first appearing at the theater as a teenager with her family band, the Staple Singers, in 1956. The show, which featured special guest artists, including David Byrne & Norah Jones, is one of a series of collaborative concerts she staged in May to commemorate her 80th birthday. She performed at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival. // In 2022, Staples released Carry Me Home, a collaboration with Levon Helm, recorded at Helm’s Midnight Ramble in 2011.]

Audrey Nuna – “Starving (feat. Teezo Touchdown)”
from: “Starving (feat. Teezo Touchdown)” – Single / Arista Records / February 23, 2024
[Audrey Chu (born April 2, 1999), known by stage name Audrey Nuna, is an American R&B singer and rapper. She is best known for her singles “Damn Right” and “Comic Sans” (featuring Jack Harlow). She was born and raised in New Jersey, and studied in the Clive Davis Music Institute of NYU for her freshman year, but has since taken a break to focus on music.[4] Her songs are known to combine multiple genres such as pop, R&B, rap and trap. She is signed with Arista Records, under Sony Music Entertainment. // Raised in suburban Manalapan, New Jersey, Audrey Nuna – known first professionally as Audrey – started making music in her teens covering artists from Childish Gambino to Drake and uploading the videos to combat the boredom of her hometown. Her first experience singing for a big crowd was performing ‘America the Beautiful’ at the US Open Tennis when she was ten. Producer– and future manager – Anwar Sawyer contacted her after seeing her Instagram covers while she attended the Clive Davis Institute in Brooklyn. In 2018 she began releasing independent tracks. After producing three striking ballads, the confident sound of “Honeypot” showcased her musical versatility as a multi-genre artist. In 2019, after releasing two more singles, Sony Arista Records – coincidentally the record company that was founded by her university—signed her to the label. She made her label debut with her single “Time”, then “Paper”, and her assertive collaboration with Jack Harlow in “Comic Sans”. She changed her stage name to Audrey Nuna. After the name change, in 2020, she released more singles alongside “damn Right” and its DJ Snake-assisted sequel. She issued a ten-track project of previous singles and new tracks in 2021 named ‘A Liquid Breakfast’.]

Ivory Blue – “Bad Dreams”
from: “Bad Dreams” – Single / IVORY BLUE / June 7, 2024
[IVORY BLUE released the single “Batter Up” on April 22, 2024. IVORY BLUE released the single “Flashback” on March 15, 2023 // IVORY BLUE released the single “Howl” on February 16, 2024. // IVORY BLUE released their second full length album, STARLIT LOVE CHILD, on November 17, 2023. The 10-track album was in the top five of Wednesday MidDay Medley’s 120 Best Recordings of 2023, and in the “Best of” lists at 90.9 The Bridge and other radio stations around the world. For STARLIT LOVE CHILD, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, and vocalist. // On October 27, 2023 IVORY BLUE released the sIngle “Ghost of Life.” This single followed IVORY’s previous releases,”In A World Like This” from September 22, 2023, ”The Best of Life” from August 4, 2023 and “Control” from May 26, 2023. IVORY released the single “All Outta Love” on February 24, 2023. IVORY BLUE released their full length debut album COMPOUND LOVE on February 25, 2022. COMPOUND LOVE was in the Top Ten of WMM’s 120 Best recordings of 2022. For COMPOUND LOVE, IVORY BLUE served as songwriter, producer, vocalist and played all instruments with the exception of: Lester Estelle on drums, Klaartje Van Lue on piano, Craig Kew on bass, Lennon Bone on drums, and Marco Pascolini on pedal steel guitar. Nick Poortman served in mixing, with Kurt Festge who also served in mixing & Mastering. IVORY BLUE’s debut EP, Ready Get Set was released in June 2015. While the EP helped spread the word and give IVORY BLUE attention from regional radio and TV stations, a big break would come in 2017. In 2017 Ivory was among 1800 artists/bands that competed in neXt2Rock. Ivory won local & regional challenges and advanced to nationals in Los Angeles to win the top prize. // IVORY BLUE has played Crossroads Music Festival, The Middle of the Map Festival, The Westport Roots Festival, the KCPT Screening of “Real Boy” at The Kansas City Public Library, and Kauffman Stadium. // Ivory Blue was born in 1986 in Peoria Illinois, as Devin James Miclettet. Ivory’s birth mother put them up for adoption at the age of four. Ivory speaks about how it was difficult to find trust in people offering their home to someone denied it for so long, Ivory lived with eight different families, before running away at 15. // Ivory has talked with us about how in their life they have turned to music to express pain. Ivory spent most of their childhood looking for a family. In 2010 Klaartje Van Lue saw Ivory performing in a YouTube video and contacted them, flying Ivory to Kansas City, and adopting Ivory into the Van Lue family. During the past 10 years Ivory came out as “Non-Binary Transgender”. // As a multi-instrumentalist, Ivory began refining their performance style, using digital looping pedals to stack harmonies and guitar parts live on stage, giving their solo shows the feel of a full band. In 2011, Ivory settled in Kansas City, MO and quickly began attracting an intense regional following for their strong vocals and incisive, deeply personal lyrics. // By 2013, IVORY BLUE was playing regularly in and around Kansas City and the first EP ‘Ready Get Set’ was released. in 2015. IVORY BLUE released the video of “Family Table” directed by Mikal Shapiro, on August 21, 2021 and the audio track was released on September 7, 2021. IVORY BLUE released the single “Good Changes” on Oct 26, 2021. Ivory Blue released the singles: “Heavy,” “Bad Weather,” “It Must Have Been Me,” “Compound Love,” and “The Start” on December 14, 2021. IVORY BLUE released their debut album COMPOUND LOVE on February 25, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “Red Light” on July 29, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “Starlit Love Child” on October 28, 2022. IVORY BLUE released the single “All Outta Love” on February 24, 2023. More info at: https://ivorybluemusic.com%5D

David Bowie – “Star (Take 5 alternative version)”
from: Rock “N” Roll Star / Parlophone / June 14, 2024
[ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!, is a 5CD and 1 Blu-Ray Audio set chronicling David Bowie’s journey through the creation of the Ziggy Stardust character and the recording of the iconic …Ziggy Stardust… album. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR! contains 29 unreleased tracks, covers early songwriting demos, recordings from Bowie’s band, The Arnold Corns, rehearsals at Bowie’s then-home, Haddon Hall, BBC sessions, singles, live performances, plus outtakes and alternative versions from the original album recording sessions, which have been newly mixed by original album co-producer, Ken Scott. // Last night, the KEF Music Gallery London, 32-48 Great Portland St, London, hosted the world premiere of tracks from ROCK ‘N’ ROLL STAR!, the Dolby Atmos mix of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, along with a Q&A with Ziggy co-producer Ken Scott. // Also unveiled was a previously unreleased treasure trove of footage from the Ziggy Stardust tour shot in the UK during 1972 and 1973 by late Bowie collaborator, photographer Mick Rock, featuring the album version of “Ziggy Stardust” as its soundtrack. // The Dolby Atmos spatial audio mix of David Bowie’s The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars will be released on Blu-Ray Audio and Streaming on September 6. // The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars is the breakthrough album that catapulted David Bowie into the international spotlight. Over the past 50 years, it has remained a touchstone record, growing in stature with each passing year. It is now ingrained in popular culture, its undeniable influence spanning musicians from Arcade Fire to Lady Gaga, to Harry Styles’s androgynous fashion sense to Noel Fielding’s shirts on The Great British Bake-Off to Ziggy make-up challenges on Tik-Tok. David Bowie laid to rest the Ziggy Stardust persona in July 1973 at his infamous last show with the Spiders From Mars at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, but Ziggy’s impact reverberates to this day.]

Carla Thomas – “Pick Up The Pieces (Live at Wattstax)”
from: Stax Songs From Episodes 3 & 4 of HBO Original Documentary Series STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A. / Stax / May 21, 2024
[The HBO Original four-part documentary series STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A., winner of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival TV Premiere Audience Award and newly nominated for the Gotham TV Awards, is produced & directed by filmmaker Jamila Wignot. The series, a production of Laylow Pictures and White Horse Pictures in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, and Warner Music Entertainment. All four episodes are available to stream on-demand via MAX now.. // Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942)[1] is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is best known for her 1960s recordings for Atlantic and Stax including the hits “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)” (1960), “B-A-B-Y” (1966) and “Tramp” (1967), a duet with Otis Redding. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas. / Thomas was born and raised in the Foote Homes Projects in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Along with her siblings, Marvell and Vaneese, she was one of three musical children of Rufus and Lorene Thomas. Despite growing up in the projects, the Thomas family lived near the Palace Theater on Beale Street, as Rufus was the theater’s Master of Ceremonies (MC) for their amateur shows. This access not only gave Thomas her first taste of the music world but it also provided a springboard for her transformation into the Queen of the Memphis Sound. // In Memphis, the African-American-centered WDIA radio station sponsored a rotating musical group of high school students called the Teen Town Singers; notable alumni include Anita Louis and Isaac Hayes. Although the requirements to join the Teen Town Singers stated that the person should be of high school age, Thomas became a member in 1952 at the age of 10. She was able to sneak into their ranks thanks to the fact that her father Rufus was an on-air personality for the radio station. This opportunity with the Teen Town Singers did not come without its drawbacks though. // As a 10-year-old student, Thomas was responsible for not only attending classes and completing her schoolwork, but she also had to attend rehearsals on Wednesdays and Fridays after school and then perform at the station on Saturday. Despite the grueling schedule, she enjoyed the experience: “It was a lot of fun, it really was.” She remained with the Teen Town Singers until the end of her senior year. // Thomas is best known for the work she completed for both Atlantic Records and most notably, Stax Records in the 1960s. Her first record, “‘Cause I Love You” (1960), was a duet with her father, with brother Marvell on keyboards, that was released by Satellite Records, which eventually became Stax Records. Recorded when Thomas was still attending Hamilton High School in Memphis, the record drew enough local attention to catch the interest of Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records. // He signed a deal with the owners of Satellite Records, Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, to distribute “Cause I Love You” and thus paved the way for Thomas’ most famous single, “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)”, reaching number 10 on the pop chart and number 5 on the R&B chart. While she continued to have success on the R&B charts throughout the 1960s, her only other solo top 40 pop hit was “B-A-B-Y”, reaching number 14 in 1966. Her duet, “Tramp”, with Otis Redding reached number 26 on the pop chart the following year.and her album of duets with Otis Redding, King & Queen, was a number 18 hit in the UK Albums Chart. // Although this single would eventually chart within the Top 10 on the pop chart and within the top 5 on the R&B chart, it had an inauspicious beginning. Initially recorded at the Thomas family home, Rufus shopped the song to Vee-Jay Records in Chicago. Vee-Jay never followed through or actively pursued securing the distribution rights. Because of his belief in the song’s potential, Rufus returned to Memphis and in the summer of 1960, Thomas would cut the teen love song that she wrote when she was only 15 years old. The song was released by Rufus and Carla in October 1960, to not much fanfare. By February 1961, thanks to a distribution deal between Satellite and Atlantic Records, the song was being distributed nationally through Atlantic just as Thomas was in the midst of her first year at Tennessee A&I University in Nashville. The success of the single also propelled Thomas into the spotlight, as she performed on American Bandstand.[4] According to Thomas, “The record was young-sounding, romantic and it expressed what a lot of people wanted to say at that age, but still, I was surprised at how well it did”. Not only did this song provide a launching pad for Thomas’ first album, but it also gave Stax Records national exposure and label recognition. // After her last Stax recording in 1971, Love Means…, and an appearance in Wattstax in 1972, Thomas slipped into relative obscurity when compared to her 1960s musical heyday. She featured in a number of modern-day projects, including a 1994 compilation of her greatest hits, a 2002 live recording of a Memphis performance and the 2007 release Live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C., a long lost live recording of Thomas in 1967. She would also occasionally tour during the 1980s and became heavily involved in the “Artists in the Schools” program that provided Memphis schoolchildren with access to successful artists. These workshops were organized to talk to teenagers about music, performing arts and drug abuse. In 1991, she appeared with her father at the Porretta Terme Soul Festival. In 1993, Thomas was awarded the prestigious Pioneer Award, along with such musical heavyweights as James Brown and Solomon Burke, from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in honor of her career achievements. She was also featured in the 2003 documentary Only the Strong Survive, that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and showcased important Stax recording artists. In 2021, Thomas featured on Valerie June’s single “Call Me a Fool”, which received a GRAMMY nomination for Best American Roots Song. // Carla’s biggest influence was her father, Rufus. Besides accompanying him during his ‘MC’ days at the Palace Theater, Rufus also encouraged and believed in his daughter’s ability. According to Carla, “My dad probably discovered I could sing before I did”. He was also instrumental in setting the stage for her Teen Town Singers gig and for actively pursuing and promoting her breakthrough single, “Gee Whiz”. // Musically, Thomas was inspired by Jackie Wilson and Brenda Lee.]

Booker T & Ther M.G.’s – “Soul Limbo”
from: Stax Songs From Episodes 3 & 4 of HBO Original Documentary Series STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A. / Stax / May 21, 2024
[The HBO Original four-part documentary series STAX: SOULSVILLE U.S.A., winner of the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival TV Premiere Audience Award and newly nominated for the Gotham TV Awards, is produced & directed by filmmaker Jamila Wignot. The series, a production of Laylow Pictures and White Horse Pictures in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, and Warner Music Entertainment. All four episodes are available to stream on-demand via MAX now..// Booker Taliaferro Jones Jr. was born November 12, 1944. He is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known as the frontman of the band Booker T. & the M.G.’s. He has also worked in the studios with many well-known artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, earning him a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement. // Booker T. Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was named after his father, Booker T. Jones Sr., who was named in honor of Booker T. Washington, the educator. Booker T. Jones, Sr. was a science teacher at Memphis High School, providing the family with a relatively stable, lower middle-class lifestyle. // Booker T. Jones was musically a child prodigy, playing the oboe, saxophone, trombone, double bass, and piano at school and organ at church. Jones attended Booker T. Washington High School, the alma mater of Rufus Thomas, and contributed with future stars like Isaac Hayes’s writing partner David Porter, saxophonist Andrew Love of the Memphis Horns, soul singer/songwriter William Bell, and Earth, Wind & Fire’s singer/songwriter Maurice White. // Jones’s entry into professional music came at the age of 16, when he played baritone saxophone on Satellite (soon to be Stax) Records’ first hit, “Cause I Love You”, by Carla and Rufus Thomas. Willie Mitchell hired Jones for his band, in which Jones started on sax and later moved to bass. It was here that he met Al Jackson Jr., whom he brought to Stax. Simultaneously, Jones formed a combo with Maurice White and David Porter, in which he played guitar. // While hanging around the Satellite Record Shop run by Estelle Axton, co-owner of Satellite Records with her brother Jim Stewart, Jones met record clerk Steve Cropper, who would become one of the MGs when the group formed in 1962. Besides Jones on organ and Cropper on guitar, Booker T. and the MGs featured Lewie Steinberg on bass guitar and Al Jackson Jr. on drums (Donald “Duck” Dunn eventually replacing Steinberg on bass). While still in high school, Jones co-wrote the group’s classic instrumental “Green Onions”, which was a massive hit in 1962. // Bob Altshuler wrote the sleeve notes on the first Booker T. & the M.G.’s album Green Onions released by Stax Records in 1962: [His] musical talents became apparent at a very early age. By the time he entered high school, Booker was already a semi-professional, and quickly recognized as the most talented musician in his school. He was appointed director of the school band for four years, and in addition, organized the school dance orchestra which played for proms throughout the Mid-South. In the classroom, he concentrated on the studies of music theory and harmony. … Booker’s multiple activities earned him a coveted honour, that of being listed in the students’ “Who’s Who of American High Schools.” Booker’s first instrument was the string bass, but he soon switched to the organ. Booker came to the attention of record executive Jim Stewart in Memphis, and while still in high school he worked as a staff musician for Stax Records, appearing as sideman on many recording dates for that label. It became obvious that one day Booker would be ready to record under his own name and several months later Booker’s first recording session was set. // Over the next few years, Jones divided his time between studying classical music composition, composing and transposition at Indiana University, playing with the MGs on the weekends back in Memphis, serving as a session musician with other Stax acts, and writing songs that became widely regarded as classics. He wrote, with Eddie Floyd, “I’ve Never Found a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)”, Otis Redding’s “I Love You More Than Words Can Say”, and, with William Bell, bluesman Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign” (later popularized by the British rock group Cream). // In 1970, Jones moved to California and stopped playing sessions for Stax after becoming frustrated with Stax’s treatment of the MGs as employees rather than musicians. Even though Jones was given the title of Vice President at Stax before leaving, as he put it, “There were titles given (to us) but we didn’t actually make the decisions.” While still under contract to Stax, he appeared on Stephen Stills’s eponymous album (1970). The 1971 album Melting Pot would be the last Booker T. & the M.G.’s album issued on Stax. // Jones was married to Priscilla Coolidge in 1969, sister of singer Rita Coolidge. He produced Priscilla’s first album Gypsy Queen in 1970; then the pair collaborated as a duo on three albums: 1971’s Booker T. & Priscilla, 1972’s Home Grown, and 1973’s Chronicles, and Jones produced Priscilla’s final solo album, Flying, in 1979, right as their marriage ended that year. // Making the charts as a solo artist in 1981 with “I Want You”, he produced Bill Withers’s 1971 debut album Just as I Am (on which Jones played guitar as well as keyboards), Rita Coolidge’s album Love Me Again (1978) and Willie Nelson’s album Stardust (1978). Jones has also added his keyboard playing to artists ranging from the R&B/pop/blues of Ray Charles to the folk rock/country rock of Neil Young. // On June 18, 1985, Jones married Nanine Warhurst. They have three children together, and an additional five stepchildren from their prior relationships. One of their daughters, Olivia Jones, is also a performer, and starred in Candy Girls. // On March 1, 1995, Booker T. & the MGs won their first Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the song “Cruisin'”. Jones still plays with the MGs and his own small combo called the Booker T. Jones Band. His current touring group includes Vernon “Ice” Black (guitar), Darian Gray (drums), and Melvin Brannon (bass). // Jones was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and was honored with a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement on February 11, 2007. // In 2007, Jones was also inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. // In 2009 he released a new solo album, Potato Hole, recorded with the Drive-By Truckers,[9] and featuring Neil Young. He performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival with Drive-By Truckers on June 6, 2009, with a set including most tracks from Potato Hole as well as some Truckers tracks. On January 31, 2010, Potato Hole won the Best Instrumental Album award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. He is featured on the Rancid album Let the Dominoes Fall (2009), playing a Hammond B-3 on the track “Up to No Good”. Jones also played his B-3 on the track “If It Wasn’t For Bad” from the Elton John and Leon Russell 2010 collaboration album titled The Union. The track was nominated at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. // Jones received an honorary doctorate degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music at its 2012 undergraduate commencement. Jones originally attended Indiana University in the 1960s, even staying after his smash-hit Stax Records recordings. // Jones was featured on organ for singer Kelly Hogan on Hogan’s 2013 release on Anti-Records, I Like to Keep Myself in Pain. // In June 2013, Jones released his 10th album, Sound The Alarm, on Stax Records after originally leaving the label more than 40 years previously in 1971. The album features guest artists Anthony Hamilton, Raphael Saadiq, Jay James, Mayer Hawthorne, Estelle, Vintage Trouble, Gary Clark Jr., Luke James, and Booker’s son Ted Jones. That summer, he performed at the TD Kitchener Blues Festival in Ontario. .. On September 1, 2017, Jones performed live at the Royal Albert Hall BBC Proms with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra in a tribute concert honoring the 50th anniversary of Stax Records alongside Steve Cropper, Sam Moore, William Bell and British artists Beverley Knight, Ruby Turner, James Morrison and Tom Jones. // On October 29, 2019, his memoir Time Is Tight: My Life, Note by Note was released. The memoir was mentioned on Fresh Air on October 25, 2019.]

10:30 – Underwriting

10:32 – Interview with Audrey Crabtree

Audrey Crabtree is the Executive Director of the KC Fringe Festival. She grew up in Kansas City and went to Raytown South Senior High and Truman State University. She is an award-winning producer, actor and director. She is the Artistic Director and cofounder with Lynn Berg of Ten Directions, a theatre and film creative team. Audrey founded and ran the international NY Clown Theatre Festival for 10 years. She worked as a performance coach for Circus Harmony in St. Louis. She worked for 5 years as a clown at Clowns Without Borders in Blue Lake California. Audrey is Co-Founder & Director of NY Clown Theatre Festival. She also worked for the Big Apple Circus. Audrey Crabtree is a longtime Fringe participant herself, as performer, producer and patron in New York, Minneapolis, San Francisco and St. Louis. Her work has also been featured in the Dublin and Perth Fringe Festivals. Audrey Crabtree told Libby Hanson of KC Studio Magazine, “I’m inspired every time I see a show. I love to watch artists in their career and their growth,” said Crabtree “I love to go to museums, listen to music. I’m inspired every single day by nature. I’m really excited to meet everyone and dig in and get to meet all the artists who are coming to our festival.”

Audrey Crabtree joins us to share details about the 20th annual KC Fringe Festival, July 12-28, 2024, that will showcase 53 productions, 7 films, Workshops, and 2 galleries featuring multiple visual artists, by creators from Kansas City, and across the country, and around the world.

KC Fringe Festival presents a special preview on First Friday, July 5, at 7:00pm at The Bird Comedy Theatre, 103 West 19th St., KCMO.

KC Fringe Festival presents a special free, sneak peek of family-friendly performances, Thursday, July 11 at 6:00pm at The Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch – Truman Forum Auditorium, 4801 Main St, KCMO. Tickets, buttons and Free Programs will be available. More info at http://www.kcfringe.org

Audrey Crabtree thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

The stage is set, the curtains ready to rise, as the KC Fringe Festival returns for its milestone 20th season from July 12th to 28th, 2024. Embracing the spirit of creativity and diversity, the KC Fringe Festival stands as the largest celebration of arts and culture in the vibrant Kansas City metropolitan area.

Since its inception in July 2004, the KC Fringe Festival has been a beacon for artists and audiences alike, offering a platform for innovation, experimentation, and expression. This year, the festival promises a two-week explosion of performance, film, visual arts exhibitions, and events, showcasing the rich tapestry of talent from both local and international artists.

Festival Highlights:

36 Visual Artists: Explore a diverse range of visual artistry from 36 talented artists, spanning mediums and styles.

53 Productions: Immerse yourself in 53 captivating productions, ranging from cutting-edge theater to exhilarating dance performances.

489 Artists: Witness the collective brilliance of 364 artists, coming together to ignite the stage with their passion and creativity.

7 Films: Be captivated by 8 thought-provoking films that push the boundaries of storytelling and visual narrative.

6 Special Events/After Parties: Extend the celebration beyond the stage with 6 special events and after-parties, promising unforgettable moments of camaraderie and fun.
With 2 Visual Arts Venues, 1 Film Venue, and 9 Performance Venues, the festival offers a multitude of spaces for artists to showcase their talents and for audiences to immerse themselves in the arts.

“Join us in celebrating two decades of uncurated independent performance, visual art, and film right here in Kansas City with KC Fringe,” says Audrey Crabtree/KC Fringe Executive Director. “We’ve cultivated not just a platform, but a vibrant community where local, regional, and international artists converge. Here, every artistic voice is valued and celebrated. It’s a journey I’m truly proud to be a part of.”

For more information about the KC Fringe Festival 2024, including the lineup of events and how to participate, visit us at kcfringe.org.

About KC Fringe Festival:
KC Fringe Festival is the largest celebration of arts and culture in the KC metropolitan area. Established in July 2004, the festival is a mostly volunteer-run organization dedicated to supporting artists, cultivating creators, and attracting adventurous audiences. With its non-juried & non-censored approach, the KC Fringe Festival provides a platform for artists to showcase their work and connect with diverse audiences.

KC Fringe offers three free events:

The Bird Comedy Theatre – Friday, July 5

KC Fringe presents a special preview on First Friday, July 5, at 7:00pm at The Bird Comedy Theatre, 103 West 19th St., KCMO. Description: Come in from the heat and and enjoy the AC, buy yourself an icy cocktail, or a frosty beer and relax and enjoy comedy from KC Fringe previews hosted by Brandon Durkes of The Bird Comedy Theater!

Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch – Thursday, Juiy 11

KC Fringe presents a special free, sneak peek of family-friendly performances, Thursday, July 11 at 6:00pm at The Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch – Truman Forum Auditorium, 4801 Main St, KCMO. Tickets, buttons and Free Programs will be available. Doors at 5:30 and performance at 6:00 pm.

Description: We are nearing the start of the 20th annual KC FR!NGE Festival – a two-week performing and visual arts extravaganza spread across multiple Kansas City venues – and some of its hottest acts will deliver a special preview, one-night only! At this sneak peek you will see a range of family-friendly performances showcasing dance, live music, musicals, comedy, dance, and fun surprises!

There will also be a visual arts display in the LOBBY with a brief reception with snacks and non-alcoholic beverages at 5:30 pm and the performance starting at 6:00 pm. Doors to the AUDITORIUM will open at 10 minutes prior to the performance.

The Arts Asylum 824 E. Meyer Blvd. Thursday July 18
KC Fringe presents Flash Preview Night – Doors 7:30 Audiences get to see 54 shows in 1 and 1/2 hours. Flash Preview present each of the KC Fringe’s 54 productions in one minute, to entice audiences to see their shows during the festival. Audiences are invited to come into the Air Conditioning, grab a cool beverage and chill out as the performers tease them with snip-its. Then they can mix and mingle with performing and visual artists, staff and volunteers, while getting your tickets, festival buttons, show passes.

Kick off the live performances for the KC Fringe artists will tease you with a flash one-minute previews of their shows to kick off the 2024 Festival. Teasers start at 8:00.
10:54

Audrey Crabtree thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

20th annual KC Fringe Festival, July 12-28, 2024, that will showcase 53 productions, 7 films, Workshops, and 2 galleries featuring multiple visual artists, by creators from Kansas City, and across the country, and around the world.

KC Fringe Festival presents a special preview on First Friday, July 5, at 7:00pm at The Bird Comedy Theatre, 103 West 19th St., KCMO.

10:56

X – “Big Black X”
from: Smoke & Fiction / Fat Possum Records / Expected August 2, 2024
[X is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles. The original members are vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist-bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D. J. Bonebrake. The band released seven studio albums from 1980 to 1993. After a period of inactivity during the mid-to-late 1990s, X reunited in the early 2000s and continues to tour as of 2024. // X achieved limited mainstream success but influenced various genres of music, including punk rock, Americana, and folk rock. In 1991, Music critic Robert Hilburn identified them as one of the most influential bands of their era. In 2003, X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift, were ranked by Rolling Stone as being among the 500 greatest albums of all time. Los Angeles was ranked 91st on Pitchfork’s Top 100 Albums of the 1980s.

“John Doe, Exene Cervenka, DJ Bonebrake and that wild, crazy rockabilly guitar weirdo, Billy Zoom, are four of the most important people in the history of American music, and I do not say that with hyperbole. I genuinely mean that.” – Brian Oake (KCMP)

“flashes back to the freewheeling, rockabilly-infused punk rock of their early records. Exene Cervenka’s voice sounds as intense and titanic as ever.” – Stereogum

“pays tribute to the last 40+ years and sounds like classic X.” – Brooklyn Vegan

“Few bands before or since have captured the sound & feel of LA quite as well as X.” – Louder Sound

“the band name “X” in some way “marks the spot” at the nexus where punk, folk, and rock came together.” – American Songwriter

“Exene’s iconic harmonies with singer/bassist John Doe kick in during the chorus, as Billy Zoom holds down slick rockabilly riffs alongside the steady rhythms of drummer DJ Bonebrake.” – Consequence of Sound]

[X plays Uptown Theatre, 3700 Broadway Blvd., KCMO, Saturday, Juy 6, at 7:00pm with Jesse Ahern]

11:00 – Station ID

Low Pressure System – “Is This What it Is (Radio Edit)”
from: “Is This What it Is (Radio Edit)” – Single / Low Pressure System / March 17, 2023
[Dylan Guthrie on guitar & vocals, Nathan Showalter on keyboards & vocals, Kurt Wheeler on saxophone, and Alex Hartmann on drums. A “Pandemic Baby” supergroup from KC. Rooted in retro pop, funk, roots–this group is SOUL at heart. Their simmering stew of sonic delight is represented by a soulful mélange of influences – retro pop, soul, roots, funk, southern rock, hip-hop, Americana, and blues. With a sound as timeless as it is hip and relevant, their audience members span generations. The band combines current and previous members of Kansas City heavy hitters Not a Planet, Dylan Guthrie & the Good Time Guys, Pink Royal, Black Light Animals, and The MGDs. Their debut single “Is What it Is” – was tracked by KC’s own Groove King Records (Freedom Affair, Black Light Animals).]

[Low Pressure System plays The Ship, 1228 Union, WEST BOTTOMS. Friday, July 5, at 6:00pm.]

Leah Sproul – “Devil Woman”
from: “Devil Woman” – Single / Leah Sproul / June 28, 2024
[This is first single off Leah Sproul’s upcoming solo album, WILD HEART QUEEN. // Coming from a family of European opera stars, suburban church organists, flower child Reggae guitarists, and breezy Western campfire pickers, Leah was bound to have an eclectic sound and set of influences. She has a voracious interest in music of all genres, having earned a doctorate in music composition from UMKC conservatory. But her mother tongue, the voice where she’s at her most vulnerable and honest, is that of the achy-breaky, belting balladeer. It’s found in country, folk, and those genres that give equal weight to words and music. It’s in the storytelling where some of the deepest human connections are forged. // Leah Sproul is also part of the KC 4-piece band Cowtown Country Club. More info at: http://www.leahsproul.com]

[Leah Sproul plays an album release party at The Ship, 1228 Union ave, KCMO, WEST BOTTOMS on Tuesday, July 30, at 7:00pm, with Cowtown Country Club]

My Oh My – “I Just Don’t Understand”
from: “I Just Don’t Understand” – Single / My Oh My / June 28, 2024
[My Oh My is a three-woman, five-man band from Kansas City, Missouri, that plays a big, bear-hugging blend of Americana, classic rock and folk. The band’s second release, the 2015 EP Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way, delivers six weighty tracks of full-throated choruses, jagged guitar, rowdy keys and tent-revival-sized anthems about life as it’s lived. // A.M. Merker on guitar & lead vocals; Stephen Berry on guitar; Grant Buell on
keyboards; Sarah Wittman on vocals, Melissa Geffert on vocals; Justin Rogers on bass; Jacob Horpinjuk on drums. // Equally at home in a saloon or an outdoor festival, Kansas City’s My Oh My draws from the broad history of American song to deliver a big, bearhugging musical experience. // Crafted around the powerful songwriting and soulful vocals of A.M. Merker, My Oh My covers the entire range of emotion: from joyful, two-steppin’ dance tunes to heart-wrenching ballads and rollicking rock burners. Singers Sarah Wittman and Melissa Geffert add depth and shine to Merker’s grit. Grant Buell keeps it all cohesive with his deft keyboard skills, even while Stephen Berry’s rowdy guitar work threatens to tear everything in the place down. Jacob Horpinjuk (drums) and Justin Rogers (bass) keep everything nailed down from the backline. // With well over a decade of shows and releases, My Oh My has proven its unique approach to Americana not only has staying power but also continues to surprise, elate, and enrapture audiences.]

[My Oh My plays The Ship at 1228 Union KCMO WEST BOTTOMS Saturday, July 6, at 7:00pm.]

11:11 – Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi McKee grew up in Phoenix, Arizona in a musical theatre household, and performed in nearly 40 stage productions in Phoenix and played in punk & hardcore bands for over 10 years. Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency. Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair. Mitzi played her first solo show in 2022 at the Pairing, where she also works the front-of-house. Mitzi has been doing a standing residency on first Saturdays, at Chartreuse Saloon in the Crossroads. Mitzi’s band, Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, call them-selves a “spacey KC rock & roll trio” w/ Mitzi on guitar, piano, & vocals; Brendan Bennett on bass, and Caleb Robertson on drums.

Mitzi McKee will play LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios.

Mitzi McKee plays Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak, KCMO, Sat, July 6, 10:00pm (Final residency show). More info at: http://www.chartreusesaloon.com

Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo play The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, August 2, 7:00pm-9:00pm.

Mitzi McKee plays with Mikal Shapiro at The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, Sept. 6, 7:00pm-9:00pm

Mitzi McKee, Thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley

11:27

Mitzi McKee – “Threads and Branches” (LIVE)
original song from Mitzi McKee

11:31 – Underwriting

1:33 – More Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency.

Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair.

Mitzi played her first solo show in 2022 at the Pairing, where she also works the front-of-house. Mitzi holds a standing residency on first Saturdays, at Chartreuse Saloon in the Crossroads. Mitzi’s band, Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo, call themselves a “spacey KC rock & roll trio” w/ Mitzi on guitar, piano, & vocals; Brendan Bennett on bass, & Caleb Robertson on drums.

Mitzi McKee thank you for being with us today on WMM.

Mitzi McKee plays Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak, KCMO, Sat, July 6, 10:00pm (Final residency show).

Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo play The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, August 2, 7:00pm-9:00pm.

Mitzi McKee plays with Mikal Shapiro at The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, Sept. 6, 7:00pm-9:00pm

11:41

Mitzi McKee – “The Duality Rag” (LIVE)
original song from Mitzi McKee

THE DUALITY RAG
Music & Words by Mitzi McKee

Watching the trees sway in the breeze
Waving “good afternoon”
Canine companion wanders the garden
Winter will be here soon
Hearing the birds all speaking their words
They know that the time is nigh
The rainstorm’s passed, there’s sunlight at last
From a cloud-kissed bright blue sky

Quiet my mind from things I find
Inside it that turn me out
Echoes of pain they burn in my brain
And strengthen my self-doubt
Trying to breathe but instead I seethe
At how I can’t seem to get it straight
But I just can’t stay the rest of my life this way
And I’ve run out of time to wait

Runnin’ blind on a treadmill in reverse
And every lazy excuse just makes it worse

How do I marry together
The world I love with the one I don’t
Will they be able to work with each other?
Maybe they will, maybe they won’t
Some days I wish I could run away with all my animals, kids, and wife
Go buy a farm in the country and gift ourselves with a quiet life

Isn’t it quaint how the media paints
A perfect picture of modern life?
But under the guise of being truthful and wise
Is an oppression of daily strife
Why would it be that they don’t want us to see
The real depiction of who we are?
Justify war with your god at the core
As we fund it all from afar

We’re running blind on a treadmill in reverse
And your misinformation makes it worse

How do we bridge the gap
Of the world we want and the world we’ve got?
Will they be able to live with each other
Maybe they will, possibly not

We’ve only got each other
Yet we are the ones who helped let this be
We kill our land, our natives, our people
In the name of “staying free”

And the ones who sorely need to most
Just can’t seem to see…
Or is that just me?

11:45 – More Interview with Mitzi McKee

Mitzi has lived in KC since 2011 where she began singing in the jazz fusion band Valency.

Mitzi has also played drums, keyboards, and sang backup in the KC proto-punk Iggy & The Stooges cover band, No Fun, and the New York Dolls cover band, Trashed with Britt Adair.

Mitzi McKee thank you for being with us today on WMM.

Mitzi McKee plays Chartreuse Saloon, 1625 Oak, KCMO, Sat, July 6, 10:00pm (Final residency show).

Mitzi McKee & The Precious Cargo play The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, August 2, 7:00pm-9:00pm.

Mitzi McKee plays with Mikal Shapiro at The Pairing, 1615 Oak St, KCMO, Sept. 6, 7:00pm-9:00pm

11:48

Static Phantoms (Now called: Re:Vis:Er) – “Bathed in a Blue Light”
from: BATHED IN A BLUE LIGHT [EP] / The Record Machine / November 11, 2022
[Debut 6-track EP from Static Phantoms: Dedric Moore on synths, drum programming, backing vocals, & production; and Krysztof Nemeth on baritone guitar, bass, synths, lead vocals. The Pandemic offered Dedric Moore and Krysztof Nemeth the opportunity to pass the time and get creative in the studio exploring the music and themes of New Wave music of the 1980s. Those who follow the bands: Monta at Odds, The Republic Tigers, Emmaline Twist know about the passion Dedric and Krystoff bring their synths and guitars. As Static Phantoms, the duo is influenced by the 1080s trailblazing bands: The Glove, Tones on Tail, Tears For Fears, and Soft Cell. WMM premiered “Bathed in Bluer Light” on February 2, 2022. The first single from the EP, BATHED IN A BLUE LIGHT. Their 2nd single “Ghostwalk was released March 18, 2022.]

[Re:Vis:Er play miniBar, 3810 Broadway, KCMO, Saturday, July 6 with New Obsessions, Redder Moon, and Remains To Be Seen]

Clarke Wyatt – “Just Checking In (Radio Edit)”
from: CLARKES IN SPACE / Clarke Wyatt / March 19, 2024
[CLARKESINSPACE is an ongoing project by Clarke Wyatt: multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, recording and video engineer. Clarke is a lifelong creator of original music. He has written string quartets, original compositions and songs, studio project parts and production, and video creations. And that’s just the start. His latest project in the works is called “Guitar Party”, where he plays drum kit with electric guitarists (sometimes switching places if the guitarist is also a drummer). It’s the beginning of a video series, first created for youtube, with options for multiple media.

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

Next week on Wednesday, June 10, Luke Harbor aka Music by Skippy joins us to share music from his new album. Plus The Lone Stranger – Zach Phillips plays LIVE in our 90.1 FM Studios. AND Danielle Anderson aka Danielle Ate The Sandwich joins us to talk about her KC Fringe show, The Greatest Garage Sale Ever. AND we’ll talk with The Baseball Project.

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

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

Wednesday MidDay Medley in on the web:
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http://www.WednesdayMidDayMedley.org,
http://www.facebook.com/WednesdayMidDayMedleyon90.1FM
https://www.soundcloud.com/wednesdaymiddaymedley
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Show #1053