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, September 16, 2026
Mike McCoy + Erin Eades + Silver Wesley + Tim Miller with Heather Carver & William Horner
- “It’s Showtime Folks”]
from: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to All That Jazz / 1980
[WMM’s theme song]
- The Womack Sisters – “If I Let You”
from: The Womack Sisters / Daptone Records / August 14, 2026
[The Womack Sisters are indeed the nieces of Bobby Womack, as well as the granddaughters of the legendary Sam Cooke. They are part of a musical lineage that has significantly influenced soul and R&B music. The Womack Sisters: Kucha, Zeimani, and BG Womack, were singing before they could walk. The Sisters grew up on the road. Their schools were stages & studios all over the world, where they sang behind their parents, Zekkariyas & Zeriiya (fka Womack & Womack), alongside their four siblings. Nowhere was home for long. No matter where they lived they were always surrounded by music and family. // Their 2026 debut album,The Womack Sisters, is the musical culmination of the Sisters’ long and winding journey to find them-selves. Over an intensely soulful collection of tunes that harkens back to when pop music had substance, vibe and purpose, each of their distinct voices have their moments in the spotlight. // www.thewomacksisters.com.]
- Wood Roses – “My Darlin'”
from: We Call It Maize / Michael George McCoy / April 3, 2020
[Austin Texas based band that includes Kansas City’s Mike Stover. The band was founded by Mike McCoy grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas. After graduating High school he moved to Kansas City. Mike has been making music for more than 30 years, playing country-roots to punk to performance art and power pop. Mike founded the KC band Cher UK in the mid 1990s and fronted the Black Rabbits of Lawrence, Kansas, and the Austin, bands: American People and The Service Industry. Mike is the founder of The North vs. South Music Festival. Mike McCoy, lives in Austin Texas where he builds all kinds of cool things with his construction company. ]
[Mike McCoy’s band Cher UK plays Woodyard BBQ, 2001 Merriam Lane, KCK on Thursday, September 17, at 6:00pm followed by Medicine Theory at 7:00pm.]
10:11 – Interview with Mike McCoy
Mike McCoy grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas. After graduating High school he moved to Kansas City. After his gap year ended he left KC to attend Texas Christian University. After college Mike returned to KC to work at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Mike has been making music for more than 30 years, playing country-roots to punk to performance art and power pop. Mike founded the KC band Cher UK in the mid 1990s and fronted the Black Rabbits of Lawrence, Kansas, and the Austin, bands: American People and The Service Industry. Mike is the founder of The North vs. South Music Festival. In 2019 Mike McCoy’s Trompe-l’œil released “Eyein’ Lies” one of WMM’s 119 Best Recordings of 2019. Mike McCoy, lives in Austin Texas where he builds all kinds of cool things with his construction company.
Mike McCoy drops by to share music from his band, Wood Roses. Mike McCoy’s other band Cher UK plays Woodyard BBQ, 2001 Merriam Ln, KCK, Thur, Sept 17, at 6:00pm followed by Medicine Theory at 7:00pm.
Wood Roses – Smooth, easy and pensive all at once. Creepy, self-indulgent back-slapping true crime country.
Mike McCoy was back in Kansas City for the Celebration of Life for Rob Morrow Memorial this past Sunday, September 13 at The Ship
Rob Morrow’s band members from The Pedaljets wrote on socials:
On Monday, June 29th Rob Morrow passed away peacefully at his home due to complications after an appendectomy.
We are shocked, deeply saddened and heartbroken to lose our sweet friend and bandmate. Words cannot express the intensity of our grief at this moment.
Rob was the powerhouse backbeat, the rhythm and soul behind the Pedaljets. More importantly he was the positive energy force that bonded us together over decades of making music together.
He always had a smile, he always looked for the best in people and he loved his family and friends more than any of us could realize.
He had the ability to light up a room and put a smile on your face no matter what!
Raise a glass and toast our Brother Rob!
May he Rock eternally!
Rest In Peace Dear Friend.
You left us with love that will live in our hearts forever.
Rob Morrow’s daughters Nicki and Jacilyn wrote:
After 65 years of making noise and people laugh, Rob has exited the stage….though anyone who knew him knows he probably argued with the timing.
He spent a lifetime proving that a good drumbeat could get you through anything. Whether he was behind a drum kit or tapping out rhythms on the steering wheel, the kitchen table, or literally anything within reach, music wasn’t just something he loved—it was the soundtrack of his life.
And then there was his sense of humor and the most generous heart that loved without any expectation. If you ever laughed until your stomach hurt because of something he said, you made his life that much more full.
He leaves behind his daughters and grandchildren who adore him, his loving girlfriend and family, the most incredible friends a guy could have, his sister, his nephew, and countless people who are better because they knew him. He also leaves behind an alarming amount of drumsticks, a number of unfinished projects that he swore he’d get around to, and stories that get funnier every time they’re told.
Keep the beat going, Dad. We’ll miss you forever.
After graduating High school Mike McCoy moved from Hutchison, Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri. It was considered his “gap year.” Mike’s older bother had gone to the Art Institute of Kansas City so Mike already had discovered Kansas City and seen area bands, After his gap year ended he left KC to attend Texas Christian University. After college Mike returned to KC to work at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Mike McCoy has been making music for more than 30 years, playing country-roots to punk to performance art and power pop. Mike founded the KC band Cher UK in the mid 1990s and fronted the Black Rabbits of Lawrence, Kansas, and the Austin, bands: American People and The Service Industry. Mike is the founder of The North vs. South Music Festival. Mike McCoy, lives in Austin Texas where he builds all kinds of cool things with his construction company.
Mike McCoy is here to share music from his band, Wood Roses. Mike McCoy’s other band Cher UK plays Woodyard BBQ, 2001 Merriam Ln, KCK, Thur, Sept 17, at 6:00pm followed by Medicine Theory at 7:00pm.
Cher U.K. was signed to Red Decibel in 1993 after Brent Ashley, head of promotions at Red Decibel saw them in KC. Their first album, She’s a Weird Little Snack, was released on Oct. 12, 1993, followed by Go-Go Fish, released in Nov. 1994. While the albums featured such classics as “College Song,” “Go-Go,” and “Kibbles’n’ Bitz,” it’s the live shows that always attracted the most attention. Angie Scharnhorst of the Kansas City Star probably described them best as a “neo-punk trio combining screaming, almost disembodied vocals with staccato rhythms, and a guitar that seems to throb with a life of its own.”
Kansas native and Austin resident Mike McCoy is a man for all seasons. A gifted singer, composer, songwriter, social commentator and conceptual artist from the heartland, McCoy has been making music for more than 30 years, incorporating a whiplash array of styles and genres from country-roots to punk to performance art and power pop. All overlap in McCoy’s world. Mike founded the KC power-pop band Cher UK (Cargo/FistPuppet) & (Red Decibel/Columbia Records) in the mid 1990s and has fronted other quirky conceptual bands such as the Black Rabbits of Lawrence, Kansas, and two Austin critics’ darlings, the American People and the Service Industry.
Mike is also a prolific solo artist. A religion studies and art-history graduate of TCU, fund-raising researcher at Yale, a carpenter/designer in Austin, an online “word contortionist” and a former museum administrator in KC, McCoy’s truest calling is the crafting of songs. He’s a hayseed intellectual-philosopher whose compositions strike the right balance of plaintive and high-brow, sardonic and humble. McCoy brings a singular, poet’s sensibility to the music equation. He writes about a wonderful waitress in a rundown town who has the power to make or break your stay (“if you treat her well, you might get what you want…”), about an immigrant woman whose dreams of America lead her to a lonesome life as a domestic (“feather duster I believe her, no one sees the way I see her…”), about American apathy and how winter is a submarine (“winter is a submarine — I lay inside and I no longer dream…”).
In most of McCoy’s songs, there is something deeply wistful, despite the freighted narratives and their dizzying wordplay. He’s a serious guy and he writes about serious stuff. Yet in the lyrics and in the spaces between words and melody, you can almost hear that lone whistle blow in the dark of a heartlands night; you hear a style of writing that combines political commentary and snarky populism with an inextinguishable belief that somehow, with the right blend of gumption and fortitude, we humans might just pull off something good. He’s equal parts punk-rock-Americana — a strange brew of Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, John Mellencamp, Ramones and Burl Ives. But no matter in what incarnation you encounter Mike McCoy, you’ll find he’s driven by the same basic themes: ideas and ideals of humanity, principles and hopes, outrage and indignation, absurdism and dadaism, puns and poetry and parody, with a large dose of red-white-and-blue wishful thinking.
Mike has worked as a fund-raising researcher at Yale, a carpenter & designer in Austin.
Mike McCoy Thanks for being with us on WMM.
Cher UK play Woodyard BBQ, 2001 Merriam Lane, KCK on Thursday, September 17, at 6:00pm followed by Medicine Theory at 7:00pm.
10:29
- Wood Roses – “Pinot Grigio”
from: We Call It Maize / Michael George McCoy / April 3, 2020
[Austin Texas based band that includes Kansas City’s Mike Stover. The band was founded by Mike McCoy grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas. After graduating High school he moved to Kansas City. Mike has been making music for more than 30 years, playing country-roots to punk to performance art and power pop. Mike founded the KC band Cher UK in the mid 1990s and fronted the Black Rabbits of Lawrence, Kansas, and the Austin, bands: American People and The Service Industry. Mike is the founder of The North vs. South Music Festival. Mike McCoy, lives in Austin Texas where he builds all kinds of cool things with his construction company. ]
[Mike McCoy’s band Cher UK plays Woodyard BBQ, 2001 Merriam Lane, KCK on Thursday, September 17, at 6:00pm followed by Medicine Theory at 7:00pm.]
10:34 – Underwriting
10:36 – Interview with Silver Wesley
Welcome back to Wednesday MidDay Medley. Our next guest is Silver Wesley a Music Producer, Audio Visual Engineer, Writer, Comedian, and Artistic & Technical Director for WEBCORE Multimedia Production House. Silver also works as a lighting and sound tech at The Bird Comedy Theatre, The Unicorn Theatre, KC Fringe, and others. More information at ko-fi.com/webcoreprodhouse
Silver Wesley Thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
Keertika Gullipalli, Managing Director of WEBCORE Multimedia Production House. also joined us in conversation.
Silver Wesley a Music Producer, Audio Visual Engineer, Writer, Comedian, and
Silver also works as a lighting and sound tech at The Bird Comedy Theatre, The Unicorn Theatre, KC Fringe, and others
Artistic & Technical Director for WEBCORE Multimedia Production House.
(Media Skills History) – Silver writes:
I do some work in the administrative side of the music industry. In the past, I have done A&R, brand design, and event management for ONWARD Collective and Floppa Collective.
Currently doing work for Webcore Multimedia Productions, including social media, branding, event management, A&R, and creative/technical direction.
Silver went to high school in Dallas, Texas.
I have a music production project under the name Jsilver. I am an audio/visual tech for the local theatre scene, doing shows with Unicorn Theatre, KC Fringe, William Jewell College, and Leawood Stage Company.
I have proficiencies in soundboard operation and programming, audio network engineering, mixing, mastering, live sound, and sound design/audio production.
You can check out Webcore’s “drop-in’ classes starting on Monday, September, 21 at 7:00pm, focusing on the basics of digital production. Everyone is welcome fregadless of experience level.
Silver Wesley and Keertika Gullipalli thank you for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
More information at: https://www.instagram.com/webcoreproductionhouse/
10:52
- Run With It – “One Way Ticket”
from: “One Way Ticket” – Single / Run With It / September 10, 2026
[Run With it writes: We made a lot of changes this year. The biggest was deciding to go all in on One New Song — Every Month. And somewhere along the way, it stopped being just about releasing more music. It opened our eyes to what we’re capable of—and how many different places these songs can live. So we’re digging deeper. Writing more. Creating more. And doing everything we can to keep putting new music in your hands every single month. At the same time, we’re diving headfirst into the world of Sync Licensing, with the hope that some of these songs find their way into the TV shows, films, and stories where they belong.More songs. More chances to connect. More places for the music to live. We’re just getting started.Every month, // Fans of Kings Of Leon, The Killers, and AWOLNATION will connect with its soaring vocals, atmospheric guitars, and nostalgic energy. The band also documents the full creative process online as they release one new song every month. // One of 20 new singes the band has produced over the past two years. // Miguel Antonio on lead vocals & guitar. Daniel Cole on drums. Cody Ryan Stapleton on lead guitar. // The band has always been known for their energetic live shows, leaving it all on the stage, and working their musical assets to make their audiences happy. The band has toured extensively. Run With It are influenced by The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Bill Withers, and more. With backgrounds in gritty rock, groovy soul, stylish R&B. // Miguel Carabello was born June 11, 1980 originally from Junction City, Kansas, Married. Daniel Cole was born April 8, 1991 and graduated from Lee’s Summit West HS in 2009. Cody Ryan Stapleton lives in KCK he has played with several bands including The Dear Misses.]
- Artista Selene & The Chingona Band – “Fat Barbie Chola”
from: “Fat Barbie Chola”- Single / Artista Selene / July 14, 2026
[Artista Selene lead singer says we are: This Latin Alternative pop band pulls from all their worlds, mexican roots,Body postivity and turns it into bilingual tracks and stories that hit you in the chest. Their lyrics are real,political, layered and powerful. Soulful voice & rhymes, Latin beats, and a ragey Alt pop edge. // Artista Selene told Voyage Magazine: I am a immigrant artist. Juárez m`Puro frontera + Midwest energy. // Growing up as a immigrant in our country was not easy and my family encountered many obstacles. One thing my father and mother both taught me was to never give up on your dreams, and perseverance and hard work WILL and CAN pay off as long as we continue onward or as they said, //and now im honoring their sacrifice by not wasting it. I am pursuing my dreams of being a fulltime music artist. Their bravery , gives me courage to be brave too and to dream BIG and go after whats in my hearkt. // Artista writes, “Lately iIwrite a lot about our current political climate and have been known for my cover and revision of zombie. // My lyrics are not always comfortable to hear. But i am a artist not just a entertainer. My lyric risk to share political music and lyrics with a vulnerable message reflecting your own world and community affected with the very sometimes harsh public. But I would rather sing about whats real rather than whats comfortable and entertaining/popular. Artist are here to remind us of our humanity, and to help us connect to one another. We encourage all artist to stand in their authenticity and be bold and brave to TAKE THE RISK.]
[Artista Selene & The Chingona Band play Grinder;s Patio TONIGHT, Wednesday, September 16 at 8:00pm.]
11:00 – Station ID
- Erin Eades – “Eye For an Eye”
from: Monsters / Erin Eades / September 8, 20246
[Erin Eades sings the stories she finds hard to talk about. Her sound harmonizes Americana and modern folk with 90’s alternative swagger while supporting lyrics that aren’t afraid to be authentic. Raised in Appalachia, she’s found a home in the heartland in Kansas City and plans to tour in support of Monsters throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2027.Erin Eades is an Americana singer-songwriter and solo acoustic performer from Kansas City, drawing influence from indie rock, alternative, and country music. Through her music, she weaves a narrative of resilience and transformation, inviting listeners to embrace the bittersweet complexities of the human experience. Erin frequently performs in Missouri and Kansas. More info at: www.erineadesmusic.com]
11:04 – Interview with Erin Eades
Thanks for tuning into WMM on 90.1 FM KKFI. I’m Mark Manning. Erin Eades joins us to shares music from her debut album MONSTERS. Erin Eades sings the stories she finds hard to talk about. Her first full-length album collects songs written over the course of almost 15 years. Eades takes listeners through the ending of her marriage and the depth of emotions that came with it, addressing themes of accountability, infidelity, double standards, and the pendulum of heartache. Recorded in both Kansas City and Nashville, Erin worked with award-winning songwriter and producer Helena Hallberg (2026 Kerrville New Folk winner) to create raw storytelling, with supportive instrument-ation. Monsters includes seven original songs and one reimagined work, a cover of Mike Doughty’s “Down on the River By the Sugar Plant.” Raised in Appalachia, she’s found a home in the heartland in Kansas City and plans to tour in support of Monsters throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2027. More info at: www.erineadesmusic.com
Erin Eades thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
“Eye for an Eye” is a pop-forward, driving rhythmic track that challenges the double-standard on infidelity I experienced in a marriage. Sassy B3 organ and crispy electric leads support this song that isn’t afraid to stand up and call it what it was.
It’s a concept album that took almost 15 years to write – grief is anything but linear – and takes listeners through the ending of my marriage and the depth of emotions that came with it.
I’m so proud of the Americana and modern folk sound I achieved with the help of Swedish-Swiss Nashville-based producer and singer-songwriter Helena Hallberg (2026 Kerrville New Folk Winner).
Kansas City musician Devon Teran (Timbers) played electric and acoustic guitar on the album. We did some recording at his studio and with Wills Van Doorn, both in KCK (Wills lives in CO now). It was exciting to watch the process unfold as the album came together layer-by-layer, often from a distance. Please let me know if it’s helpful to follow up with a CD and one sheet via mail to the station!
11:13
- Erin Eades – “Echoes of You”
from: Monsters / Erin Eades / September 8, 20246
[Erin Eades sings the stories she finds hard to talk about. Her sound harmonizes Americana and modern folk with 90’s alternative swagger while supporting lyrics that aren’t afraid to be authentic. Raised in Appalachia, she’s found a home in the heartland in Kansas City and plans to tour in support of Monsters throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2027.Erin Eades is an Americana singer-songwriter and solo acoustic performer from Kansas City, drawing influence from indie rock, alternative, and country music. Through her music, she weaves a narrative of resilience and transformation, inviting listeners to embrace the bittersweet complexities of the human experience. Erin frequently performs in Missouri and Kansas. More info at: www.erineadesmusic.com
11:17 – More Interview with Erin Eades
Thanks for tuning into WMM on 90.1 FM KKFI. I’m Mark Manning. Erin Eades joins us to shares music from her debut album MONSTERS. Erin Eades sings the stories she finds hard to talk about. Her first full-length album collects songs written over the course of almost 15 years. Eades takes listeners through the ending of her marriage and the depth of emotions that came with it, addressing themes of accountability, infidelity, double standards, and the pendulum of heartache. Recorded in both Kansas City and Nashville, Erin worked with award-winning songwriter and producer Helena Hallberg (2026 Kerrville New Folk winner) to create raw storytelling, with supportive instrument-ation. Monsters includes seven original songs and one reimagined work, a cover of Mike Doughty’s “Down on the River By the Sugar Plant.” Raised in Appalachia, she’s found a home in the heartland in Kansas City and plans to tour in support of Monsters throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2027. More info at: www.erineadesmusic.com
Erin Eades thanks for being with us on Wednesday MidDay Medley
- Erin Eades – “Just Getting By”
from: Monsters / Erin Eades / September 8, 20246
[Erin Eades sings the stories she finds hard to talk about. Her sound harmonizes Americana and modern folk with 90’s alternative swagger while supporting lyrics that aren’t afraid to be authentic. Raised in Appalachia, she’s found a home in the heartland in Kansas City and plans to tour in support of Monsters throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic in 2027.Erin Eades is an Americana singer-songwriter and solo acoustic performer from Kansas City, drawing influence from indie rock, alternative, and country music. Through her music, she weaves a narrative of resilience and transformation, inviting listeners to embrace the bittersweet complexities of the human experience. Erin frequently performs in Missouri and Kansas. More info at: www.erineadesmusic.com]
11:30 – Underwriting
11:30pm – Interview with Tim Miller, Mary Heather Carver & William T. Horner
iMark Manning writes, “One of my personal heroes is….internationally acclaimed performance artist, Tim Miller and film directors Mary Heather Carver & William T. Horner, who join us to share details about their new documentary film, TIM MILLER CITIZEN ARTIST Performing Stories to Change The Ending. The film explores the life and career of Tim Miller who, over his long career gave the first known performance onstage about HIV/AIDS, fought a free speech case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court as one of the “NEA Four,” and started two groundbreaking performances spaces, one in New York and one in Los Angeles which continue to be hubs for creativity and change. He uses his creative work to fight for social change and human decency. A fierce defender of the First Amendment and an uncompromising figure for LGBTQ rights and the rights of marginalized people for more four decades, Tim Miller is an artist who performs to change the world for the better.
William T. Horner is Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He has written, or co-written, multiple books.
William T. Horner is a director known for his work on the documentary “Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way” and the podcast “The Atlanta Film Chat.” His contributions to film and media have garnered attention in various platforms, showcasing his storytelling abilities and insights into significant cultural topics.
M Heather Carver is a professor and department chair in the Department of Theatre at the University of Missouri. She is the co-director of the university’s Writing for Performance Program (2017 Gold Medallion winner from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival). M Heather Carver hlds aB.S. Performance Studies, Honors, Certificate in Writing for the Media, Teaching Certification in Drama, English & Speech, Northwestern University, 1990, also M.A. Communication/Performance Studies Arizona State University, 1994, also Ph.D. Communication/Performance Studies University of Texas, 1999.
M Heather Carver began studying acting, musical theatre, clowning and improvisation at Camelot Academy and the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City. She continued her studies at Northwestern University, joining the improvisation group Rubber Teeth and performing on stage and in comedic films. At Northwestern she studied acting and devising with Tony-award winning directors Frank Galati and Mary Zimmerman. Carver had several favorite acting roles at NU, most memorable included Anna in the adaptation of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina and Mrs. Penmark in Maxwell Anderson’s The Bad Seed. Carver also earned her Writing for the Media certificate, taking courses in playwriting from Charles Smith and screenwriter Julia Cameron. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Performance Studies in 1990, Carver began her Master’s Degree at Arizona State University where she studied applied theatre, devising, and social justice performance with Fred Corey and Kristin Valentine. Carver performed in plays addressing sexual violence and created a performance troupe on HIV/AIDS prevention. After earning her MA (1994), she continued her studies of personal narrative as a means of addressing health issues at the University of Texas where she earned her doctorate in Performance Studies (1999) with Lynn Miller as her dissertation advisor with research on women’s autobiographical performance and representation in cinema. While at Texas, Carver taught courses in acting, adaptation, and screenwriting—she also performed in Gertrude Stein’s “My Wife Has a Cow a Love Story” and directed performances such as Zooman and the Sign. In 1999, as an Assistant Theatre professor at Lake Superior State University, Carver taught courses in acting, improvisation, stage movement and oral interpretation. In Fall, 2000, she was hired by the University of Missouri where she has continued to teach acting, performance of literature, playwriting, screenwriting, solo performance, devising, and graduate seminars in applied theatre and performance studies. Since 2001 she has annually directed the Life and Literature in Performance Series, and she co-created and began directing the Troubling Violence Performance Troupe in 2003. She has written and co-written several books, articles and plays in addition to producing and co-directing award-winning documentary films. Carver has been honored by the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and the National Communication Association for her performance work, and by campus organizations for her teaching, creative research, service, and mentorship. A Professor in the Department of Theatre & Performance Studies, she currently serves as Director of the Center for Applied Theatre and Drama Research.
Selected Publications
Co-editor, Voices Made Flesh: Performing Women’s Autobiography, University of Wisconsin Press, 2001.
Co-author, Troubling Violence: A Performance Project, University of Mississippi Press, 2009.
Co-author, Saturday Night and the 1976 Presidential Election: A New Voice Enters Campaign Politics, McFarland, 2018
TIM MILLER CITIZEN ARTIST all have its World Premiere, Saturday, September 19, at 12:15pm at AMC Ward Parkway Theatre as part of the 30 Annual Kansas City Film Fest.
Tim Miller, Heather Carver & William Horner, Thanks for being with us on WMM
Tim Miller is an internationally acclaimed performance artist and gay rights activist. Tim has performed in such venues as the Yale Repertory Theatre, the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He has sold out shows from London to DC to Australia to Los Angeles. He addresses issues of gender, immigration, homophobia, and censorship. As one of the “NEA Four,” who successfully sued the federal government for violating their First Amendment rights when their funding was rescinded in the early 1990s, Miller has always played an important role in defending queer artistic expression on stage. Tim is cofounder of the two most important performance spaces in the country: PS 122 now known as, Performance Space New York and Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, California. Tim Miller’s autobiographical explorations into identity, politics, and art through the lens of his own experiences lead to visceral, humorous, and poignant performances. Tim Miller is the author of Shirts & Skin, Body Blows: Six Performances, and 1001 Beds: Performances, Essays, and Travels. Tim Miller’s newest book, A Body in the O, Performances and Stories was released last year from University of Wisconsin Press.
Mark Manning first met Tim Miller in 1992. He led performance art workshops for gay men in Kansas City. While Tim was in Kansas City to perform his piece “My Queer Body” at the Granada Theatre in Kansas City, Kansas. And was Grand Marshall in the Kansas Cit Gay Pride Parade.
For Mark, Tim Miller has been a teacher, and guide. In 1990 Mark wrote and performed his first performance piece, in an art space in Kansas City, about a “gay bashing.” Mark didn’t know where this fit in the world of theatre. Tim’s work, and sense of community helped Mark understand that he was part of something bigger. That the personal is political. Mark searched out opportunities to find Tim’s writings, to witness all of the “NEA Four artists” live on stage, and even ritualize the works by Karen Findley in our performances in Kansas City.
As one of the “NEA Four,” who successfully sued the federal government for violating their First Amendment rights when their funding was rescinded in the early 1990s. Tim has written a lot about the Supreme Court.
Tim Miller travels all over the world performing his works, teaching workshops, doing residencies in Colleges and Universities, often in smaller communities. Still he encounters audiences that have never heard a gay person tell their story, out loud, in a theatre or space.
Alistair McCartney Tim’s husband has brought their experiences with immigration, and marriage equality into Tim’s work.
And now Tim Miller’s work is being performed by high school students in state speech competitions. Tim Miller’s most recent book, A Body in the O, Performances and Stories was released from University of Wisconsin Press.
TIM MILLER CITIZEN ARTIST all have its World Premiere, Saturday, September 19, at 12:15pm at AMC Ward Parkway Theatre as part of the 30 Annual Kansas City Film Fest.
Tim Miller, Heather Carver & William Horner, Thanks for being with us on WMM
More info at: www.timmillerperformer.com
11:48
- Crys Matthews – “Citizen”
from: “Citizen” – Single / Crys Matthews / April 24, 2026
[A troubadour of truth, Nashville resident Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. An award-winning, prolific lyricist and composer, Matthews blends Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies punctuated by honest, original lyrics. She is made for these times. Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation adds, her gift is a “reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.” In her own words, Matthews says her mission is: to amplify the voices of the unheard, to shed light on the unseen, and to be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to equity and justice. Matthews is the 2025 and 2022 Song of the Year winner at the International Folk Music Awards, making her the first person to win the award twice since its inception, and she is also the 2024 Artist of the Year winner.]
- The Freedom Affair – “Get My Share”
from: The Freedom Affair / Sunflower Soul Records / May 9, 2025
[Shon Ruffin on vocals, Paula Saunders on vocals, Seyko Groves on vocals, Cole Bales on guitar, Branden Moser on bass & Acoustic Guitar, Chris Hazelton on Hammond B3 Organ, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Piano, Bass (Track 4), Vocals; Dave Brick on drums; Pete Carroll on trumpet & flugelhorn; Brett Jackson on tenor sax, baritone sax, tambourine. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, TN. Recording Engineer: Boo Mitchell. Tape Operator: Wesley Graham. Produced by: Chris Hazelton, Dave Brick, and The Freedom Affair. Mixed by: Vince Chiarito. Mastered by: JJ Golden at Golden Mastering. Horn Arrangements by: Hazelton, Carroll, Jackson, and Bales. Design and Layout: Tracy Lenihan // The Freedom Affair has planted deep roots in soul music from their start, but after nearly a decade together, the group’s self-titled sophomore album focuses their sound squarely where Muscle Shoals meets Memphis Soul. It’s a masterstroke of impassioned message-music exploring ageless themes of inequity, love, and togetherness. // A fateful February 2023 encounter with Grammy Award-winning recording engineer Boo Mitchell (Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars, Al Green) at Royal Studios created a spark that sent the band back to Kansas City with new musical conviction. By November, the band had returned to record all-new Southern Soul-inspired songs in the legendary Memphis studio. // The ever-powerful female trio fronting the band–Paula Saunders, Seyko Groves, and Shon Ruffin–has been the hallmark of The Freedom Affair’s sound and identity, and their collective vocal prowess is on full display ranging from tough to tender, touching on heartache and hope. The experience at Royal studios convinced the band that there isn’t a better room to record horns. The “one take” horns of Pete Carroll on trumpet and Brett Jackson on saxophone prove their years together as a unit have paid off with their precision and lines written to meet the vibe perfectly. With rhythm section personnel remaining the same from their debut album Freedom is Love, a shift in instrumentation moves Chris Hazelton from bass to his primary instrument of the Hammond B3 organ along with various keyboards. Branden Moser swaps in the bass, which also happens to be his primary instrument, from his former rhythm guitar. Cole Bales continues to dig into timeless riffs on lead guitar, and Dave Brick maintains the backbone with the heavy boom-bap on drums. This album has cemented The Freedom Affair’s sound: enduring melodies with rich arrangements, backed by a gritty pulse. // Royal was the perfect site for this album, and the band took full advantage of the studio’s history by incorporating studio tools and relics throughout the process. With only four days to fully track the ten-song album, the band insisted on using the same Ampex 1” tape recorder that produced all the Hi Record hits from 1974 and prior to preserve authenticity. It was the first time the machine had been used for an album since 1974. The limitations and quirks of using vintage, analog gear made way for magic moments that shape the album’s charm. The record calls fresh attention to classic Southern Soul with all the coziness and warmth you’d expect from listening to Al Green or Ann Peebles, captured in the very same room. Mixed by Vince Chiarito (Hive Mind, Jalen Ngonda, Charles Bradley) and mastered by JJ Golden (Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, The James Hunter Six, Antibalas), this album is a truly an all-killer, no-filler lesson in soul music.]
[Shon Ruffin, Paula Saunders , and Seyko Groves of The Freedom Affair, also known as The Freedom Threedom are staring in ARETHA: The Music of Aretha Franklin opening tonight September 16 and and running through Sunday, September 20, at Music Theatre Heritage, in Crown Center Level 3, 2450 Grand KCMO.]
- Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”
from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]
For WMM, I’m Mark Manning. Thanks for listening!
Next week, on Wednesday, September 23, we’ll talk with Marilyn Maye, Michelle Shocked, Spike Hellis and Zachary Van Benthusen.
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Our Script/Playlist is a “cut and paste” of information.
Sources for notes: artist’s websites, bios, wikipedia.org
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Show #1165
Wednesday MidDay Medley 