Press Release: 9-15-09:
New Alliance of Musicians and Businesspeople
Call on KUT to Stay True to Austin’s Roots
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Jill van Voorhis
(512)795-8386
September 15, 2009
New Alliance of Musicians and Businesspeople
Call on KUT to Stay True to Austin’s Roots
(Austin, Texas) – Today a diverse group of Austin musicians, artists and
business leaders announced a series of concerts to raise money for Save
KUT Austin—a new advocacy group formed to draw attention to
objectionable changes at public radio station KUT that have resulted in the
decline of local programming and the cancellation or reduction of long-
running radio programs that are part of Austin’s special and diverse music
scene. The concerts – entitled Twang Dang Doodle — will feature some of
Austin’s brightest stars, performing to rally support for Save KUT Austin
and its goals.
“We formed Save KUT Austin following a town hall meeting that brought
together a large group of people who really care about the future of KUT. It
isn’t just a radio station; it is Austin’s public radio station and it should be a
platform for the artists, thinkers and music historians who add so much to
this city, “ commented group co-founder and former Austin Mayor Lee
Cooke. “It isn’t just important for the culture of Austin for the public radio
station to reflect the depth and diversity of the city; it also has an impact on
the types of businesses that locate here and the types of employees those
businesses can recruit to work here.”
Over the last nine years, KUT management has systematically cut locally
produced programs and diminished the on-air time of long-time DJs,
including the recent cuts to shows hosted by award-winning DJ Paul Ray
and Texas musicologist Larry Monroe. Other cities have seen their public
radio stations move from local programming to a format dependent on
nationally streamed content, cutting off the relationship of that city to its
station. The founders of Save KUT Austin do not want to see KUT fall
victim to this same national trend.
“Until recently, KUT has historically done a wonderful job of embracing all
that Austin has to offer on the radio and we want to make sure the station
doesn’t become simply one more stop for news and nationally syndicated
programming on the left end of the dial,” says Peyton Wimmer, a co-chair
of the group. “A citizens’ board that has some influence upon content could
go a long way to make sure there is a two-way relationship between the
station and the community that supports it.” Additionally, Wimmer said, the
group will be analyzing and reporting back to the Austinites who provide up
to 86% of KUT’s funding. Save KUT Austin representatives will also be
meeting with Dean Roderick Hart, School of Communications, who
oversees the KUT license. Increasing public awareness of the changes to
KUT’s music programming direction will be part of the fall efforts of Save
KUT Austin.
The planned concerts follow a month-long letter-writing campaign by
listeners. Besides organizing concerts and letter-writing, the group has
launched a Website (www.saveKUTAustin.com) that evolved from a
spontaneous related Facebook group of over 1500 participants (see “Support
Larry Monroe and Paul Ray at KUT” on Facebook).
TWANG DANG DOODLE CONCERTS:
Danny Crooks, a group member and former owner of the historic music
venue, Steamboat 1874, announced the line-up for the concerts: “The
groups that have agreed to contribute their talent and music to the Twang
Dang Doodle are some of the best examples of bands and songwriters in
Austin.” From jazz big band Beto y los Fairlanes (which got its start on
KUT) to the exciting Latin rock of the del Castillo brothers and Vallejo,
the artists supporting Save KUT Austin represent the rich history and
contemporary talents of Austin’s music scene. Twang Dang Doodle will
consist of several concerts all taking place on Sunday October 11th.
Crooks explained that additional groups on tour wanted to be a part of this historic
gesture for Austin, so an all-star addition to the above was added, including
Extreme Heat, Two Nice Girls (reunion show, first since 1992), Kalua,
Carolyn Wonderland, Ian McLagan and the Bump Band, Bruce
Robison, Oz Noy, Roscoe Beck, Anton Fig (from the Letterman Show),
First Band, Betty Soo, Monster Big Band, Greezy Wheels (house band
for Armadillo World Headquarters), Malford Milligan, Chris Layton,
Riley Osbourne, Derek O’Brien, Shelley King.
Threadgill’s South will open its doors for Twang Dang Doodle at 3pm on Sunday, October 11, followed by Antone’s and Cedar Street Courtyard
opening at 6:30pm. Special guests will play at each venue. Ticket sales will
be priced for individual shows or as a special discount ticket to allow entry
to all shows. Watch for more local entertainers to be onstage with Austin’s
finest music acts.
SUPPORTERS:
A J Vallejo
Alex Coke
Alex Vallejo
Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics
Anderson’s Coffee
Ann Clark
Annie’s West
Antone’s Record Shop
Austin Record Convention
Barbara Kooyman
Beth Galiger
Betty Soo
Bill Cryer
Billy Gibbons
Blind Pig
Bob Livingston
Bob Woody
Bobby Bridger
BookPeople
BookWoman
Brenda Ladd Photography
Brenden Rodgers
Brian Walkins
Broken Spoke
Bruce Castleberry
Bruce Robinson
Bruce Spelman
Carol Johnson
Carole Keeton Strayhorn
Carolyn Wonderland
Charlene Hancock
Chip Dolan
Chris Dirkx
Chris Gage and Christine Albert
Chris Layton
Chris Sensat
CJ Vinson
Cleve Hattersley
Cole El-Salah
Colin Gilmore
Conni Hancock
Continental Club
Copper Tank Event Center
Courtney Audain
Danny Crooks
Danny Schmidt
Darden Smith
David Holt
David Murray
Delbert McClinton
Denny Freeman
Derek O’Brien
Don Robinson aka M.C. Overlord
Donny Silverman
Doug Hanners
Earl Poole Ball
Eldridge Goins
Elias Haslanger
Elizabeth Lee
Elyse Yates
Ernie Durawa
Esther’s Follies
Evangeline Café
Fête Accompli
Fontaine Maverick
Francie Meaux Jeaux
Freddie Krc
Freddie Powers
Frosty Smith
George Ensle
George Kinney
George Kramer
Glenn Fukunaga
Grant and Margot Thomas
Greg White
Guero’s
Habitek International, Inc.
Hideous Liqueur
I&O Communications
Ian McLagan
Jake Andrews
James M. White
Jane Bond
Jean Spivey
Jeff Van Zant
Jesse Sublett
Jim Ellinger
Jim Franklin
Jimmy Dale Gilmore
Jo Carol Pierce
Joanna Barbera
Jodee Purkeypile
Joe Carrasco
Joe Nick Patoski
John Bush
John Conquest
John Dromgoole
John Inmon
John Jordan
John X Reed
Johnny Walker
Julianne Banks
Junior Brown
Kevin Johnson
Kim Deschamp
Kimmie Rhodes
Kinky Friedman
L.E. McCullough
Laurie Freelove
Lee Cooke
Leeann Atherton
Libbi Bosworth
Lissa Hattersley
Mac McNabb
Malford Milligan
Margaret Moser
Mark and Rick del Castillo
Mary Hattersley
Maryann Price
Matt Hubbard
Michael Barnes
Michael Hale
Michael McClellan
Mike Buck
Mike Cross
Mike Mordecai
Mike Roeder
Mike Tolleson
Murray Music
Studio
Nancy Fly
Nate Paul
Natural Gardener
Nick Connolly
one2one bar
Opal Divine’s
Oz Noy
Papa Mali
Paradise Cove Marina
Pat Brown
Patrice Pike
Penny Jo Pullus
Planet K
Ponty Bone
Precision Camera
Progress Coffee
RC Banks
Redd Volkaert
Richard Bowden
Riley Osbourn
Robb Lippincott
Robin Rather
Rock ‘n Roll Rentals
Roscoe Beck
Ruby’s BBQ
Sarah Brown
Sarah Elizabeth Campbell
Saxon Pub
Sean Crooks
Shakespeare’s Pub
Sherry Matthews
Sherry Smith and Bill Allyson
Sidney Brammer
Slim Richey
Speedy Sparks
Stephen L. Clark Gallery
Steve Bernal
Steve Wertheimer
Strait Music
Suzi Stern
Tesoro’s Trading Company
Tex Thomas
The Elephant
Room
The Old Pecan Street Café
The Ranch
The Sessions LLC
Threadgill’s
Tom Pacheco
Tomas Ramirez
Toni Price
Tony Airoldi
Traci GoudieTraci Lamar
Tracy Conover
Troy Campbell
Troy Dillinger
Two Nice Girls
U.S. Medical Systems
Urban Animal
Van Wilks
Wally Workman Gallery
Wayne Sutton
World Class Capital Group