Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Once Famous
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 05:10 PM

Count your blessing for what you have in the 21st Century.

We still have good local folk, bluegrass, and old country music programming on WDCB in chicago, an NPR outlet.

When I listen, I cherish it like it will be the last time it's on.

One day, it probably will be.

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 04:09 PM

Wow... that blows... Matts show was the only thing I'd tune into Nation Pretentious Radio for... On the off chance I was near a radio when it was on...

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:58 PM

What is even more heartless is that Matt never had a chance to say goodbye to his audience.

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:57 PM

Here is a note that Matt posted on the Folk-DJ listserv and asked us to share:

DJ Pals:

As shocking as this may sound, I was told Thursday by WDET management
that my contract will not be renewed and that the Folks Like Us program
was canceled at WDET in Detroit. My last show, after almost 18 years in
the same time slot, was last Saturday. They also pulled the plug on the
bluegrass show that follows mine. They said that the trend is going
away from, what they called, "fringe" or "specialty" shows. Keep in
mind that these back-to-back shows consistently had the highest weekend
ratings and consistently did very well during pledge drives. I'm hoping
that another station around town will be interested in picking up a
folk show that will bring with it thousands of loyal listeners and
proven contributors, but for now Folks Like Us is not on the schedule.
We will keep www.folkslikeus.org very active, and are encouraging the
folk music community in Michigan to continue using it as a vibrant
resource. I am not currently subscribed to any of the other listserves
and would appreciate it if someone passed this message along to Folk
Alliance etc...
Thought you all should know...

Matt Watroba
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:28 PM

Send Matt to www.folkalley.com!

:-)

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: pdq
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:23 PM

In the last two or three years, the same thing happened to a bluegrass show on an NPR supported station in Washington DC, which happened to be the most popular show on that station!

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: saulgoldie
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:22 PM

NPR is committing slow and painful suicide, much to the probable delight of conservatives. I am as saddened and disgusted as anyone about this decline. Perhaps the place to go is XML, where Bob Edwards has recently found a new home.

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:14 PM

I have heard from Matt, and he definitely is looking for a new home for the show.

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:13 PM

Maybe Matt Watroba and Larry McDaniel just didn't want to do it any more?

I'm afraid I need to hear more details before I consider sending letters or any such....

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Big Mick
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 03:07 PM

I sent my protest immediately upon reading this, and I bcc'ed Matt. There simply is no finer singer, musicologist, father, husband and person, than Matt Watroba. I have always watched him from the sidelines and envied his knowledge and talent. This is a blow to all of us, and extremely shortsighted on the part of WDET. I hope that all that read this forum will take 30 seconds and let this entity know that they are, indeed, a PUBLIC radio station. They have an obligation and a mandate to be inclusive in what they cover. They are not a "for profit" and ratings driven entity. One of the reasons these were created was to create and maintain outlets for traditional music.

I am sick over this one.

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: GUEST,Art Thieme...
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 02:42 PM

Damn, I'm so sorry to hear this! Matt's show was a great one--and one of the few left on public radio. Rockford, IL - WNIJ - is our station, and ALL the folk programs, one-by-one, were strangled by execs who never learned the value of our music. (It's the same with big bands and be bop and cool jazz.) Seeing the programs wink out like stars on a cloudy night is rather like watching an old person s-l-o-w-l-y die. The breathing diminishes---and then--the room is more silent than you ever thought it could be. The beloved voice(s) -- the music -- will not fly through-the-air to impinge on our mind's ear because of seemingly arbitrary bottom line considerations.

But MATT WOTROBA is a fine singer and musicuan. He will be doing a concert for the Hogeye Concert Series in Chicago/Evanston, Illinois soon. Be sure to catch it---and give Matt your support !

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 01:40 PM

I am in shock. I have met Matt on several occasions and he is brilliant. His knowledge of folk music is vast. I never met Larry, but I have only heard good things about him. I hope some station in Detroit will have the intelligence to pick them both up.

Subject: RE: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Once Famous
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 12:55 PM

Wow. 2 weeks ago on my way to Detroit to visit my wife's family, I stumbled upon this show on the car radio and absolutely loved it. Heard old Roy Acuff, Stanley Bros., Jim & Jesse.

What a shame.

Subject: Obit: Folk, bluegrass radio in Detroit
From: Cool Beans
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 11:52 AM

Effective immediately -- no time for good-byes -- WDET-FM in Detroit has canceled its wonderful Saturday folk and bluegrass programs: Matt Watroba's "Folks Like Us" and Larry McDaniel's "The Arkansas Traveler." Watroba's been on the air for about 20 years, McDaniel for 25 or more. They're being replaced by general music programming, which is what the station offers every other damned day of the week. What a loss.
'Catters who want to complain should log on to www.wdetfm.org and search for appropriate phone numbers or e-mail addresses.