Riding The Wind
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, experience the show that started it all as Big Top's famed house band the Blue Canvas Orchestra present Riding The Wind. Created in 1985 by Warren Nelson and Betty Ferris, “Riding The Wind” was the first show performed on the Big Top Stage and 38 years later it remains a season highlight. Ride the winds of time as you experience "illuminated musical history" of Bayfield and the Island Environs, with secrets of Red Cliff and Old LaPointe. Original music, evocative story-telling, and spectacular visuals lead you through a journey with lighthouse keepers,...
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Gaelic Storm
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, the critically acclaimed, chart-topping, international outfit Gaelic Storm bring their unique, high-energy Celtic sound to the Big Top stage. It’s hard to imagine Gaelic Storm coming into its own after 20 years of success, but that’s precisely what makes the group a true anomaly. Founded in 1996, the band’s first major career breakthrough arrived before they had even recorded their first album. Appearing as the "steerage band" entertaining passengers with “An Irish Party in Third Class” in James Cameron's massive 1997...
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John Prine
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, we pay tribute to the late John Prine with highlights of some of his best performances under the Big Top. One of the most celebrated singer/songwriters of his generation, John Prine was a master storyteller whose work was often witty and always heartfelt, frequently offering a sly but sincere reflection of his Midwestern roots, writing about the lives of ordinary people in a remarkable and perceptive way. While Prine's songs were most often rooted in folk and country flavors, he was no stranger to rock & roll, R&B, and rockabilly, and...
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Riders In The Sky
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy masterful musicianship and quick-witted humor from Grammy Award winners Riders In The Sky! Regarded as one of the “most historically significant acts in the history of American music” by Billboard magazine, the GRAMMY award-winning quartet of Ranger Doug, Woody Paul, Too Slim, and Joey the Cowpolka King, have kept the heritage of Western music alive as they have entertained audiences across the world for more than 40 years. Riders In The Sky kick off each performance with their trademark greeting, “Mighty fine and a great big Western...
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy a thrilling hour of music from South Africa’s Five Time Grammy Award winning singing group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Called South Africa’s Cultural Ambassadors to the World by Nelson Mandela, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, was founded in the early 1960s by Joseph Shabalala, then a teenage Zulu farm boy living on the lands just outside the small town of Ladysmith. In 1970, a radio broadcast of one of their concerts opened the door to their first record contract. Singing a traditional style called isicathamiya (is-cot-a-ME-Ya), developed in the...
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Them Coulee Boys
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, experience a high voltage hour of countrified rock & roll as Wisconsin bred band Them Coulee Boys play tunes from their album Namesake. Them Coulee Boys craft a brand of Americana that blends folk, punk, bluegrass, and rock & roll. They sing their conversational songs in 4-part harmony, often with a banjo stomp and rhythm section punch that drives the audience onto the dance floor and into community. Their trusty van has propelled them thousands of miles across the country and into the hearts of strangers, who tend to leave each show...
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Anishinaabe Dibaajimowin: An Ojibwe Story
Tent Show Radio
On this poignant episode of Tent Show Radio, celebrate the rich culture, history, and spirit of the Anishinaabe people in a musical theatre experience that honors the indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes region. The acclaimed original show “Anishinaabe Dibaajimowin: An Ojibwe Story,” which debuted in 2021, features Michael “Laughing Fox” Charette and Severin Behen, members of the Blue Canvas Orchestra, and artists from Red Cliff, Bad River, LCO, and Fond du Lac. Observe, as talented indigenous artists and tribal elders, weave compelling stories with profound and lucid narrations that...
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Different Drums of Ireland
Tent Show Radio
On this special throwback episode of Tent Show Radio, Different Drums of Ireland take the stage for a celebratory performance showcasing Irelands unique indigenous sounds and rich cultural diversity. Different Drums of Ireland was created in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1991 as an exercise to use art and music as a vehicle to do something positive in the community. Different Drums of Ireland celebrates the musical traditions, customs, and sounds of that wee part of the world, crossing boundaries in an effort to promote peace and unity. Primarily a joint celebration of the Bodhrán and...
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Joyann Parker: The Music of Patsy Cline
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy a nostalgic trip back in time as Joyann Parker beautifully weaves the stories of Patsy Cline’s life and career in and out of the music you know and love. In this powerful tribute performance, Parker and her seasoned band showcase the most popular and best loved of Pasty’s songs. Vintage costumes and ambiance enhance Joyann’s uncanny and authentic channeling of Cline’s classic vocals. Hear Patsy’s iconic songs like “Crazy,” “Walking After Midnight,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Faded Love,” “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray,” “She’s...
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Michael Perry & The Long Beds
Tent Show Radio
On this episode of Tent Show Radio, host & New York Times best-selling author Michael Perry and his band The Long Beds hit the Big Top stage. Michael Perry 's original songs are a direct reflection of his life experiences. Raised in rural Wisconsin by farmers, preachers, and tough country women, his songs reflect "certain wisdoms" available only from whistlers, frauds, and sinners. Ranging from straight-up twang to churchly harmonies and populated by characters drawn straight from rural and small-town America, they launch from places like the overpass outside Perry’s beloved hometown of...
info_outlineAfter more than a decade, audiences "fishing" for a good time and wanting to "reel" with "lunker" laughs, celebrated the return of one of Big Top Chautauqua's most beloved original productions. In the summer of 2022, Big Top's famed house-band the Blue Canvas Orchestra delighted audiences in the triumphant revival of Riverpants, the musical comedy revue written by Warren Nelson. Having originally debuted during the summer of 2003, this knee slappin' musical is full of hearty fishing songs, mirthful interludes, energetic musical numbers and classic bits & skits.
Warren Nelson's Anglin’ Wayne guided the audience on his top fishing tips & trips, Jack Gunderson, Liz Woodworth, & Tom Mitchell shined as Midwest Folk characters Ole Lena, and Sven, and Ed Willet, Severin Behnen, Phil Anich, Otis McLennon, Betty Ferris, Randy Sabien, and Billy Knoblauch were on hand for additional hijinks and to provide the driving music behind the production.
First broadcast in 1994, Tent Show Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program showcasing the best live recordings from acclaimed music acts and entertainers who grace the Big Top Chautauqua stage each summer in beautiful Bayfield, WI. In the program's nearly 30-year history it has featured artists like Johnny Cash, B.B King, Brandi Carlile, Willie Nelson, Don McLean, and many more. Hosted by celebrated New York Times best-selling author Michael Perry-who weaves stories and humor throughout each episode - Tent Show Radio features performances from renowned national & regional artists, with regular appearances featuring Big Top’s own unique brand of shows that feature songs and stories performed by its acclaimed house band, The Blue Canvas Orchestra. Tent Show Radio is independently produced by Big Top Chautauqua, a non-profit performing arts organization, with a mission to present performances and events that celebrate history and the environment - along with their annual summer concert series - nestled in the woods on the shores of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands.
EPISODE CREDITS
Michael Perry - Host
Phillip Anich - Announcer
Jaime Hansen - Engineer
Gina Nagro - Marketing Support
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FOLLOW MICHAEL PERRY
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2023 TENT SHOW RADIO SPONSORS
Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.visitashland.com/
Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau - https://www.bayfield.org/
Bayfield County Tourism - https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/150/Tourism
The Bayfield Inn - https://bayfieldinn.com/
Cable Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cable4fun.com/
Washburn Area Chamber of Commerce - https://washburnchamber.com/
SPECIAL THANKS
Wisconsin Public Radio - https://www.wpr.org/