AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Bettie Fikes Blues Singer and Civil Rights Activist

This week Deborah Boykin interviews singer and civil rights activist Bettie Fikes, who discusses her experiences as a Freedom Singer and the performers who influenced her style as blues singer. Ms. Fikes recently performed in Tuscaloosa with the Alabama Blues Project and talks about returning to her home state to sing with these students.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Poetry Out Loud National Finalist Youssef Biaz

Poetry Out Loud seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry - recitation and performance.  The program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, provides opportunities for high school students to master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. Diana Green, Arts in Education Program Manager interviews the 2010 Alabama State Champion, Youssef Biaz from Auburn High School, along with his English teacher and mentor, Davis Thompson. Following this interview, Youssef competed in Washington D.C. in the National semifinals and finals, placing as one of the top 9 finalists (out of 53 champions nationwide) receiving an additional $1000 scholarship and $500 for his school.

Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Alabama Poet Laureate Sue Brennan Walker

Joey Brackner interviews Alabama poet laureate Sue Brannan Walker about her work and Negative Capability Press.

Alabama Arts Radio podcast --MS Hill Country Bluesman Kenny Brown

This week Deborah Boykin interviews bluesman Kenny Brown, who recently appeared at the Chicken and Egg Festival in Moulton. Brown talks about R. L. Burnside and the other musicians who were his influences. He also discusses his North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic. The event pays tribute to Brown's musical roots by presenting most of the performers currently playing in the distinctive hill country blues style he learned as a child.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Ceramic Artist Guadalupe Lanning Robinson

Visual Arts Program Manager Georgine Clarke talks with Guadalupe Lanning Robinson, Huntsville ceramic artist and recipient of the Individual Artist Fellowship in Craft from ASCA. Robinson, native of Mexico City, has brought her cultural traditions into her contemporary work. She discusses ways in which she markets her pottery as well as the important role of the Alabama Clay Conference to potters of the region. She provides information about art activity in Huntsville, particularly studio spaces of Lowe Mill, a recently developed center which helps create an artist community in the area.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Author and Historian John Sledge

Joey Brackner interviews Mobile preservationist, historian, book reviewer and author John Sledge about his career and his latest book The Pillared City available from the University of Georgia Press.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Archive of Alabama Folk Culture Kevin Nutt

Anne Kimzey, folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews archivist Kevin Nutt about his work at the Archive of Alabama Folk Culture located in the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.  During the program Nutt shares samples of traditional music selected from the archive including old-string band music, a capella gospel and Sacred Harp singing.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Poet Mary Kaiser

In this interview, executive director Jeanie Thompson of the Alabama Writers’ Forum, talks with Mary Kaiser, one of two recipients of a fellowship from the Alabama State Council of the Arts and a featured poet at the 5th Alabama Book Festival, April 17 in Montgomery, Ala. Kaiser, a faculty member at Jefferson State Community College, talks about the genesis of her chapbook, Falling into Velazquez, which won the 2006 Slapering Hol Chapbook Award from the Hudson Valley Writers’ Center.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Alabama Book Festival

Randy Shoults, program manager for literature at ASCA, talks with Jeanie Thompson, executive director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum and producer of two events for the 5th Annual Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery, Alabama on April 17 in Old Alabama Town. Thompson produces the Festival’s Poetry Tent and directs the Teacher Workshops associated with the Book Festival. Thompson tells about the range of poets highlighting generations of writers in the state, from up and coming young poets through the state’s poet laureate, and reads selections of poets’ works.  For a complete list of poets and other authors at the Alabama Book Festival, go to www.alabamabookfestival.org.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Alabama Music Hall of FAme

In this program Joey Brackner interviews Alabama Music Hall of Fame director David Johnson about the 13^th Induction Banquet and Awards Show to be held in the Convention Center in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, March 25. The inductees and their categories are: Performing artist/group category- The Blind Boys of Alabama and Eddie Levert, (the lead singer of the O’Jays); Music creator- Dothan songwriter/record producer Buddy Buie and Florence session musician Jerry Carrigan; Entertainment industry-Elba native, record producer/musician Paul Hornsby; John Herbert Orr Pioneer Award- The late Muscle Shoals musician Terry Thompson and singer/Colbert-Lauderdale County State Senator Bobby Denton.

Alabama Arts Podcast, Bob McClain and Ashley Gordon Alabama Book Festival

For this program Randy Shoults, Community Arts and Literature Program Manager, interviews Bob McClain, Executive Director of Old Alabama Town and Ashley Gordon about the 5th Annual Alabama Book Festival. The Festival will be held again in downtown Montgomery at Old Alabama Town on April 17 and will feature over 50 Alabama authors. This event is free and open to the public.

Alabama Arts Podcast, David Boley, Executive Director of the Alabama Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

In this program Deborah Boykin interviews David Boley, Executive Director of the Alabama Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, about the 2010 Hall of Fame inductees and other activities of the Alabama Bluegrass Music Association. He also discusses the state's rich tradition of bluegrass festivals.

Alabama Arts Podcast, Molly Gamble and Fran Pierce of Arts Revive

In this program Community Arts Program Manager Randy Shoults interviews Molly Gamble and Fran Pierce about Selma's Arts Revive and the conversion of the Carneal Auto Service building into their organization's arts center.

Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Marcus Johnson Bay City Brass Band

This program is a rebroadcast of Anne Kimzey interviewing Marcus Johnson of the Bay City Brass Band of Mobile. They discuss brass band history and music in the Mobile Mardi Gras tradition.
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Alabama Arts Podcast, Artist Randy Gachet

This week's program features Visual Arts Program Manager Georgine Clarke interviewing artist Randy Gachet, Individual Artist Fellowship recipient in sculpture from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and art faculty member at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. Gachet discusses themes of his work, much of which is constructed with wire and tire material he picks up along roadways. He talks about the process of teaching art to high school students and directions of contemporary art using non-traditional materials.
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Alabama Arts Podcast, Henry Gipson and Lenny Madden of Gip's Juke Joint

In this program Joey Brackner interviews Henry Gipson and Lenny Madden of Gip's Juke Joint in Bessemer.

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Individual Artist Fellowship Recipient Gary Chapman

Visual Arts Program Manager Georgine Clarke interviews Gary Chapman, Professor of Art at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Chapman's paintings are in the collections of all of Alabama's Art Museums. He was included in ASCA's 2008 publication "Alabama Masters:  Artists and Their Work" and is a two time recipient of the Council's Individual Artist Fellowship. During the program, Chapman discusses his painting and teaching philosophy as well as the use of symbolism in his paintings.

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Joyce Cauthen, Bullfrog Jumped

Rebroadcast of ACTC Director Joey Brackner inteviewing Alabama Folklife Association Director Joyce Cauthen about the CD release called Bullfrog Jumped, culled from original recordings made in Alabama by Byron Arnold in the late 1940s.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Alabama Gospel Quartet Convention

This program is a rebroadcast of Steve Grauberger interviewing George Stewart, producer of the American Gospel Quartet Convention.  Also included are interviews from the convention in 2005 with veteran gospel singer  Roscoe Robinson and Ricky McKinney of the Blind Boys of Alabama. 
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast --Felecia Jones

In this show Barbara Edwards, Deputy Director, interviews Felecia Jones, Executive Director of the Black Belt Community Foundation.  The Council began working in partnership three years ago with the Black Belt Community Foundation to identify, celebrate and support the arts and culture of the black belt region of Alabama.
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Alabama Arts Podcast , Jacky Jack White

In honor of musician Jacky Jack White receiving a 2010 Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship award, this program is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner interviewing Jacky Jack White of the Sucarnochee Revue.  The Revue, a performance series of southern music is performed at Bibb Graves Auditorium on the campus of the  University of West Alabama  and broadcast throughout the region via radio. interviewing Jacky Jack White of the

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast Henry Glassie

This is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner interviewing renowned folklorist Henry Glassie in honor of Dr Glassie winning the prestigious Haskins Prize for lifetime achievement. In this program Glassie discusses his life and research of vernacular architecture in the Southern United States, and particularly in Alabama. 

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Christmas Music from Alabama Musicians

This week's program features Christmas songs selected from the Fretted Instruments Christmas CDs. For the past six years Herb Trotman, Wayne Anderson, and numerous Alabama musicians have put together CDs of Christmas music which are distributed each year at Fretted Instruments, Trotman's music store in Homewood.  The project involves what Herb calls "the Large and Amorphous Group", made up of area bands and musicians who record Christmas music especially for each year's CD. The songs include traditional carols, original songs such as Christmas in Alabama and Empty Stocking Blues, and popular favorites like White Christmas and The Christmas Song.

Alabama Arts Podcast,, Musician Herb Trotman

This week Deborah Boykin interviews Birmingham musician Herb Trotman, who talks about banjo playing and tells stories from three decades of performing old time and bluegrass music in Alabama.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Joe Watts and Colette Boehm of the Alabama Scenic Byways Program

In this program Joey Brackner interviews Joe Watts of the Alabama Scenic Byways Program   and Colette Boehm of Alabama's Coastal Connection.  Alabama's Coastal Connection has just been named a national byway by the National Scenic Byways Program.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Charlie Lucas and Chip Cooper

In this program Joey Brackner interviews Charlie Lucas and Chip Cooper about the new book Tinman published by the University of Alabama Press. Tinman features a narrative by Charlie Lucas, edited by Ben Windham, and beautiful photography of Lucas' work by Chip Cooper.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Ernestine Robinson Directory of the Plantation Heirs

Steve Grauberger interviews Auburn native Ernestine Hill Robinson about her life as a singer and the director of the a cappella Negro spiritual singing group, The Plantation Heirs. Musical example are included in the program.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Susan Perry and Fred Fussell

Joey Brackner interviews Susan Perry of the Alabama Humanities Foundation and researcher Fred Fussell about the exhibit New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Andrew Freear Director of the Rural Studio

Deborah Boykin interviews Andrew Freear, director of The Rural Studio, a project of Auburn University's School of Architecture. He discusses how this community-based program enables students to learn through projects that ultimately provide affordable homes and public spaces in rural West Alabama.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Gospel Songwriter Ezra Knight

Steve Grauberger interviews gospel songwriter and music teacher Ezra "Buddy" Knight about his career as a singing school and piano teacher, gospel songwriter, editor and distributor for the Stamp/Baxter Music Company, a major publisher of shapenote convention songbooks.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Buddy Palmer CEO of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham

Joey Brackner interviews Buddy Palmer, President and CEO of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham.

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Alabama Arts Podcast , Bobby Horton

This is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner interviewing Alabama's curator of historic song - Bobby Horton.  Best known for his CDs of Civil War era music and membership in the popular band Three On a String, Mr. Horton also discusses his family's musical heritage and his work composing songs for numerous Ken Burns' documentary films. Bobby Horton was a recipient of a 2005 Governor's Arts Award.

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Alabama Arts Podcast , Dr. Thomas Bice

For this program, Diana Green interviews our Deputy State Superintendent of Education Instructional Services, Dr. Thomas Bice. Dr. Bice talks about the need for school reform and how the arts may play a role. Evident in the discussion is Dr. Bice’s passion for reaching all of Alabama’s students by asking adults to start thinking outside the box. His premise: “Adults can fix this problem!”

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Curtis Long, and Meaghan Heinrich

For this week's program Joey Brackner interviews Curtis Long, Executive Director  and Meaghan Heinrich, Education Manager of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Alabama Author Rick Bragg

Council Executive Director Al Head interviews renowned Alabama author Rick Bragg about his upbringing in Alabama and his writing career. They discuss Bragg's books, All Over But the Shoutin', Ava's Man, The Prince of Frogtown, and his yet unnamed, upcoming novel of essays built around stories of mill workers at the now defunct Union Yarn Mill in Jacksonville Alabama.

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Richard Metzger of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Complex in Troy, Alabama

Georgine Clarke, Visual Arts Program Manager for the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews Richard Metzger, Executive Director of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Complex in Troy, Alabama. He explains how the exhibition space was created in a historic Post Office and describes the programs. The discussion features the current exhibition "Celebrating Contemporary Art in Alabama: The Importance of Being Southern." This presentation includes works by 41 artists who have received Individual Artist Fellowships from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Works range from photography, painting, sculpture and printmaking to hot glass, ironwork, ceramics and quilts. The exhibition marks the first time such an exhibition has been mounted in Alabama.

Alabama Arts Radio podcast 2009 National Heritage Fellows The Birmingham Sunlights

In this program Steve Grauberger interviews James Alex Taylor and Barry Taylor, two of the five members of the gospel a cappella group the Birmingham Sunlights. This September 22nd the Birmingham Sunlights will receive a National Heritage Fellowship for master folk and traditional artists in a ceremony in Washington D. C. from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). On the 24th of September they will preform at the 2009 NEA National Heritage Fellowships Concert. In this interview James and Barry describe the history of their group, its members and the travels they have experienced singing and representing Alabama in Africa, France, Italy and the United States. Examples of their singing are presented as well.

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Kelly Barsdate, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies

In this program Barbara Edwards interviews Kelly Barsdate. Ms. Barsdate is the Chief Program and Planning Officer for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in Washingon, DC. She was a presenter at the Council’s 2009 Bill Bates Leadership Institute and discusses some of the topics she advanced at the Institute concerning Arts Participation.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Alabama Humanities Foundations Director Bob Stewart

Joey Brackner interviews Robert Stewart, Director of the Alabama Humanities Foundation, about the AHF mission and their programs including SUPER, the speakers bureau and grants to organizations.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast

Bluegrass musician David Davis talks with Deborah Boykin about his musical influences, including shapenote singing, Charlie Louvin, and his uncle, Cleo Davis, one of Bill Monroe's original Bluegrass Boys. He also discusses his experiences as leader of the Warrior River Boys, one of Alabama's most prominent bluegrass bands. The program includes music from their latest CD, Two Dimes and a Nickle.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for August 16, Wanda Robertson

This week Anne Kimzey, folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews quilter Wanda Robertson of Florence about teaching quilt making in the Alabama Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program. Two of her students also discuss their experiences during the program.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for August 9th Bill Ivey

This program is a rebroadcast of Arts Council Executive Director Al Head interviewing Bill Ivey, Director of the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University. Subjects discussed are Ivey's background as past head of the National Endowment for the Arts, his involvement with the Curb Center and issues concerning Ivey's book published last year, arts, inc.: How Greed and Neglect Have Destroyed Our Cultural Rights.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for August 2nd

This week Anne Kimzey, folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews jazz and blues musician and bandleader Theodore Arthur, Jr., of Mobile about his music career and his recent tour of Europe and the Middle East. Several of his music students join him during the program.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for July 26th

George Devours, musician and promoter talks with Deborah Boykin about the Blackwater Bluegrass Festival and his experiences in bluegrass music, including the Brushy Creek festivals of the 1970's and his friendship with bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs.
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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for July 19th

Arts in Education Program Manager, Diana Green interviews Foster Dixon, creative writing instructor at Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery, Alabama. Mr. Dixon was named a 2009 Surdna Foundation Arts Teaching Fellow. During this interview he explains his proposed project for which he won the fellowship.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast for July 12, Heirloom Sewing Marth Pullen

Heirloom sewing is the subject of this week’s program on Alabama Arts Radio. Folklorist Anne Kimzey interviews Martha Pullen of Huntsville, an internationally-known sewing teacher, author, publisher and host of public television’s popular show Martha’s Sewing Room.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast for July 5th, Kathryn Tucker Windham

Joey Brackner interviews Kathryn Tucker Windham at her home in Selma about homecomings, unique graveyards and unusual grave stones.
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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast for June 30th

Jeanie Thompson, executive director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum, interviews poet and editor Sebastian Matthews, who appeared at the April 18 Alabama Book Festival. Matthews is the author of the poetry collection We Generous (Red Hen Press) and a memoir about his poet father, the late William Matthews, In My Father’s Footsteps. He co-edited, with Stanley Plumly, Search Party: Collected Poems of William Matthews. Matthews teaches at Warren Wilson College and serves on the faculty at Queens College Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing. His poetry and prose has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The Georgia Review, and on The Writer’s Almanac, among others. Matthews co-edits Rivendell, a place-based literary journal, and serves as poetry consultant for Ecotone: Re-Imagining Place.

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for June 23rd Blue Note Five

Steve Grauberger interviews Eric Newby, Thomas Kelly, Gerald Johnson, Charles Draper and Willie Jordan of the Huntsville Police Department's Blue Note Five a cappella quartet (quintet) group. Selections from their CD are included.

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for June 16th Fred Kuwornu Filmmaker

The Alabama State Council on the Arts sponsored a cultural exchange program with the City of Pietrasanta, Italy April 16-May 2. Barbara Edwards, Deputy Director, interviews Fred Kuwornu, an Italian filmmaker. Mr. Kuwornu wrote and directed a historical documentary entitled "Inside Buffalo." This documentary uncovers the historical and human events of the 92nd Division of the American Army, nicknamed Buffalo Soldiers. During the cultural exchange this documentary had its premiere screening at the Capri Theatre in Montgomery.

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Alabama Arts Radio podcast for June 9th New Dance Drama

As part of the Council’s International Exchange in April 2009, Diana Green interviews members of the New Dance Drama, from Pietrasanta, Italy. This Graham based modern dance company, with artistic director Adria Ferrali, spent three weeks in residency, rehearsing at the Montgomery Ballet studios, teaching and performing at Alabama State University, and performing as part of the sculpture Festival in Sylacauga. Adria Ferrali is joined in the interview by her dancers Thomas Johansen, Angelica Stella, and Sabrina Davini.

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