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_outlineWith a career spanning over four decades, Steve Earle has proven himself a master storyteller and one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. In 1986, his record Guitar Town, was released to wide-spread critical acclaim, shooting to number one on the country charts, and is today, regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. While he first won an audience as a country artist, it didn't take long for him to demonstrate that designation was too narrow for him.
His rough neck poetics, outspoken and unapologetic lyrical stance, and literate yet down to earth musings, have captivated audiences across genres, with his music running the gamut from country, bluegrass, and folk to the blues, roots, and rock. With 22 studio albums under his belt, he has found room for both personal and the political, often writing about the stuff of everyday life and the forces that shape and define our existence. Some of his most notable releases including his commercial breakthrough Copperhead Road (1988), and Grammy Award winning records The Revolution Starts...Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009).
The versatility in his discography, the strength of his work, and consistent critical acclaim has helped Earle attract a loyal following, who are more than happy to continue following his stylistic evolution.
Cut from the same cloth as legendary folk singer-songwriters like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell, Zandi Holup's raw brand of original folk country flourishes through raw unfiltered storytelling reminiscent of Dolly Parton and emphasized by her emotive vocals. Her edgy, deeply emotional lyrics and unique voice set her apart. She sings about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Her music is a voice for the unheard.
A Grassroots following placed her on the map as snippets of demos and unreleased songs resonated across social media in increasing numbers. Her first release, “Wait for You,” sat at No. 1 on the all-genre Spotify Fresh Finds playlist, amassing over a million streams with no promotion outside of her TikTok following. Named a 2023 Artist to Watch by The Nashville Briefing, Holup signed a publishing deal with Arthouse Entertainment and TurnTable Music in partnership with Universal Music Publishing, and a record deal with Big Loud Records in 2023.
EPISODE CREDITS
Michael Perry - Host
Phillip Anich - Announcer
Keenan McIntyre - Engineer
Gina Nagro - Marketing Support
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2024 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
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Cable Area Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cable4fun.com/
SPECIAL THANKS
Wisconsin Public Radio - https://www.wpr.org/