Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Randy Foster, Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts

Arts in Education Program Manager Diana Green interviews Randy Foster, Program Manager for Alabama Institute for Education in the Arts 

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Christmas Music

This program features Christmas songs selected from the Fretted Instruments Christmas CDs. In years past 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.

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Robert Haygens white oak basketry

In this program Anne Kimzey, folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews Robert Haygens of Opp about making white oak baskets and teaching his traditional craft through the support of the Alabama Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program.   Mr. Haygens walks listeners through the entire basketmaking process from selecting the right tree, to weaving the oak splits, to attaching the rim and handles.

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Alabama Dance Festival 2011

Yvette Jones-Smedley, Performing Arts Program Manager interviews Alabama Dance Council Executive Director Rosemary Johnson about the 2011 Dance Festival.

Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Artitst William Christenberry program 2 of 2

This is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner, Director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, interviewing Alabama native, and renowned artist, William Christenberry at his home in Washington D.C in 2007.  This is the second of two interviews with Christenberry discussing his life’s work as an artist that includes his acclaimed photographic documentation of rural Alabama, his unique dream house sculptures, the Klan Tableau, and ongoing mixed-media work.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Artitst William Christenberry program 1 of 2

This program is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner, Director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture, interviewing Alabama native, and renowned artist, William Christenberry at his home in Washington D.C in 2007.  This is the first of two interviews with Christenberry discussing his life's work as an artist that includes drawing and painting as well as his unique dream house sculptures and acclaimed photographic documentation of rural Alabama.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Sculptor Bruce Larsen

Georgine Clarke interviews Bruce Larsen, Fairhope sculptor known for his use of a wide variety of found objects. He discusses the range of his sculpture, from pieces used in popular films to  commissions for the Mobile Museum of Fine Art and the City of Decatur.  Larsen's sculptures of athletes are collected by the United States Sports Academy in Daphne.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, ASCA Program Manager Randy Shoults

This program is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner, Director of the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture interviewing Randy Shoults, Community Arts and Literature Program Manager for the Alabama State Council on the Arts. Shoults describes various aspects of the grant programs that he manages.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Robert Stripling

In this program Joyce Cauthen, author of With Fiddle and Well-Rosined Bow: The History of Old-Time Fiddling in Alabama, interviews Robert Stripling, the oldest son of Charlie Stripling (1896-1963).  Charlie Stripling was a master fiddler who, with his brother Ira on guitar, recorded 42 fiddle tunes for Brunswick and Decca Records between 1928 and 1936.  He was a popular performer in his hometown of Kennedy and surrounding communities in Lamar, Fayette, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties, where he played for hundreds of fiddlers’ conventions and dances.  When his recordings were reissued in the 1980s, his music found new fans across the nation. 

 For more information on Charlie Stripling, visit the Encyclopedia of Alabama Online.  For information about the event in Belk visit www.alabamafolklife.org.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Author Rick Bragg

This program is a rebroadcast featuring Alabama State Council on the Arts Executive Director Al Head interviewing 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 newest book The Most They Ever Had which is a group of essays built around stories of mill workers at the now defunct Union Yarn Mill in Jacksonville Alabama.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Stacy Bryan and Linda Swann, Alabama Communities of Excellence

Design Alabama Executive Director Gina Clifford interviews Stacey Bryan, Director of the Alabama Communities of Excellence and Linda Swann from the Alabama development Office and current President of ACE. ACE is an organization which works closely with Design Alabama to create quality communities in Alabama. Founded in 2002, The Alabama Communities of Excellence (ACE) program is a comprehensive three-phase approach to economic and community development for cities with populations between 2,000 and 18,000. With the mission of helping Alabama’s smaller communities to plan, grow and prosper, ACE partners from the private sector, governmental agencies, and universities work with each community to successfully achieve the vision and goals created during the ACE program.
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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Steve Miller Bookarts, program 2

This is a rebroadcast of a 2007 program in which Anne Kimzey, Folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, continues a conversation with professor Steve Miller, coordinator of the Book Arts Program at the University of Alabama.    This is the second of a two-part series where Miller describes hand papermaking and discusses two recent book projects featured in the Southern Arts Federation exhibit conceived through American Masterpieces, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Steve Miller Bookarts

This is a rebroadcast of a 2007 program in which Anne Kimzey, Folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews professor Steve Miller, coordinator of the Book Arts Program at the University of Alabama.  This radio show is the first in a two-part series, where Miller discusses the art of making books by hand, including letterpress printing and hand papermaking.  Hear how the faculty and students of Alabama’s Book Arts Program use ancient technology to produce cutting edge work. The second part of this interview will take place next week.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast; Dr. Henry Panion, III

Yvette Jones-Smedley, Performing Arts Program Manager interviews internationally known producer, composer, arranger,  orchestrator, conductor, and educator, Dr. Henry Panion, III.   ASCA Music Fellowship recipient, Dr. Panion, shares his wealth of experiences in the music industry from Gospel to Classical, and everything in between. Hear reflections of his professional affiliations with superstars such as Stevie Wonder,  jazz luminaries such as Jonathan Butler and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as Gospel legends the Winans and Juanita Bynum.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast; Thomas Hylton, of Save Our Land, Save Our Towns

To help promote Thomas Hylton's upcoming keynote presentation at the Alabama Communities of Exellence (ACE) organization's kickoff event, Completing the Puzzle to Build a Successful Community on September 23, 2010;  this is a rebroadcast of an earlier program.  DesignAlabama was honored to have Thomas Hylton, of Save Our Land, Save Our Towns as a speaker at their 2008 DesignAlabama Mayors Design Summit. As a former newspaper, man, this Pennsylvania native and resident has turned a passion for a walkable world into a successful non-profit organization promoting walkable communities, downtown redevelopment and historic preservation. Join us during this radio program as we learn more about what individuals and communities can do to save our land and save our towns.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast; Hannah Leatherbury, ArtsReady

Barbara Edwards, Deputy Director for ASCA, interviews Hannah Leatherbury, co-manager of ArtsReady, an initiative of South Arts. South Arts, in partnership with its nine member state arts agencies, urges the arts community to engage in continuity planning through their Be ArtsReady campaign. Being ArtsReady means preparedness, readiness and business continuity for arts organizations.

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Alabama Arts Radio Podcast, Betty Moon Sampson, Master Artist in the Folk Apprenticeship Program

Steve Grauberger interviews Betty Moon Sampson, bluegrass musician and  Master Artist in the Arts Council's Folk Arts Apprentice Program. Betty tells stories about various aspects of her life growing up in Holly Pond, Alabama and learning to play and sing music with her father, banjo maker and musician Arlin Moon. She talks about her family band Dixie Bluegrass and shares examples of her music.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Tom Davenport Folkstreams.net

Anne Kimzey, folklorist with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, interviews Tom Davenport an independent filmmaker and founding director of Folkstreams.net.  During the program Davenport discusses how Folkstreams preserves and gives new life to documentary films about American folklore and roots cultures by streaming them on the internet.  He talks about several important Alabama films featured on the website, as well as his own work making folklore documentaries and dramatic adaptations of Grimm’s fairy tales.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Belinda George-Peoples

Yvette Jones-Smedley, Performing Arts Program Manger interviews Birmingham’s own, Belinda George-Peoples, a recipient of the Alabama State Council on the Arts Fellowship Award in Music.  Belinda shares the inspiring tale of her journey which began at the age of six, singing from the church pews  and led her to center stage in a musical written especially to showcase her immense talent in the Red Mountain Theatre’s world premier of “Respect.”

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Teresa Hollingsworth, Gerri Combs, South Arts

In this program, Deborah Boykin talks with South Arts Senior Program Director Teresa Hollingsworth about the programs and services offered through this regional arts organization. In the second half of the program Gerri Combs, Executive Director of South Arts discusses the organization's role in  helping to shape arts policy and advocacy in the Southeast.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Deborah Rankins, Assistant Director of Library Services at Alabama Southern Community College

Folklife Specialist Anne Kimzey interviews Deborah Rankins, Assistant Director of Library Services at Alabama Southern Community College and the Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum in Thomasville.  Rankins furnishes information about the Windham Museum and discusses a calendar of events that feature various regional storytelling groups that are part of the Kathryn Tucker Windam Storytelling Club in Southwest Alabama.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Robin Wade Furniture Builder in Florence AL

Georgine Clarke interviews Florence, Alabama furniture builder Robin Wade. He discusses the techniques used in making his large slab tables and benches and describes cutting trees up to 60" in diameter using a special Austrailian saw mill. The slabs are then both air-dried and kiln dried before the construction begins. Wade talks about his philosophy in working with wood and the aesthetics of the pieces. He describes the finishing process, care of the furniture in a business or home and also his interest in finding and using large historic trees when they have been taken down.

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Alabama Arts Podcast, Elie Lazar, Artistic Director of Montgomery Ballet

Performing Arts Program Manager Yvette Jones-Smedley interviews Elie Lazar, Artistic Director of Montgomery Ballet and recipient of a Fellowship Award in Dance from the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA).  Elie talks about his journey as a dancer and choreographer from Israel to New York to Alabama and his professional accomplishments that led to statewide recognition with the ASCA Fellowship Award.  Mr. Lazar also discusses the upcoming season at the Montgomery Ballet and about the exciting collaboration with the Montgomery Choral and other performing arts organizations.

Alabama Arts Podcast, APT production Sloss: Industry to Art

Alabama Center for Traditional Culture Director Joey Brackner interviews Chris Holmes, Executive Producer at Alabama Public Television (APT) and Paige Wainwright, Curator of the Metal Arts Program at Sloss Furances about the new APT production Sloss: Industry to Art having its public premiere July 23rd at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark at 7 P. M. The television premiere  is on July 25th at 7 P. M. on APT.

Alabama Arts Podcast, New Book Gospel Shapenote Singing CD

Folklife Specialist Deb Boykin interviews Steve Grauberger about the new CD project Traditional Musics of Alabama Volume 5 New Book Gospel Shapenote Singing produced by the Alabama Center for Traditional Culture and the Alabama Folklife Association.

Alabama Arts Podcast, Wood Turner Joseph Wujcik

Visual Arts Program Manager Georgine Clarke interviews wood turner Joseph Wujcik of Calera. Wujcik is a recipient of the Council's Individual Artist's Fellowship in Craft. He describes his source of the natural wood burls and the process of creating hollow formed vessels. He also talks about the finishing and care of the pieces as well as marketing his work at Art Festivals throughout the United States.

AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Susan Robertson and Alison Beeson Wiregrass Museum of Art

In this program Joey Brackner interviews Susan Robertson and Alison Beeson of Dothan's  Wiregrass Museum of Art, The Wiregrass Museum of Art is the result of a community’s genuine desire for the arts in the city of Dothan, Alabama and surrounding communities of the Wiregrass Region. Begun in 1991, WMA has grown to be the flagship of the arts in the Wiregrass with a mission to bring the fine arts and art education to Dothan and the Wiregrass Region.
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AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Jan Pruitt, Executive Director of the Kentuck in Northport, Alabama

Georgine Clarke interviews Jan Pruitt, recently appointed Executive Director of the Kentuck program in Northport, Alabama. They discuss the nationally recognized Kentuck Festival of the Arts, celebrating its 39th year in October 2010. The Kentuck art center facilities are located in historic downtown Northport and include resident artists, exhibition spaces, and a shop. Other Kentuck activities including the December celebration "Dickens Downtown" are covered in the program.
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AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Larry Register and Don Fabiani Wiregrass Festival of Murals

Joey Brackner interviews Larry Register and Don Fabiani about the Wiregrass Festival Of Murals project in downtown Dothan. As proclaimed by the Governor, Dothan is a Mural City. Murals painted on many downtown buildings by nationally and internationally known muralists showcase early scenes of local and state history.
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AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, Ted Rosengarten

This show is a rebroadcast of Joey Brackner interviewing Ted Rosengarten about his award winning book All God's Dangers: The Life of Nat Shaw and his book  A Portion of the People: 300 Years of Southern Jewish Life
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AlabamaArts Radio Podcast, David Dionne and Mike Mahon

Joey Brackner interviews David Dionne of the Red Mountain Park and Mike Mahon of the Friends of Red Mountain Park.  Red Mountain Park is a new urban park in Birmingham featuring both the natural and cultural history of the area. 
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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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