Americana Radio's Community Ties

 

The recent Americana CD Will Sing For Food: The Songs of Dwight Yoakam, which benefits the homeless, exemplifies the close ties that Americana (and Country) radio stations maintain with their communities. When Gavin asked folks at Americana radio what they do to give something back, we found that stations participate in a multitude of charities and special events designed to help locals as well as others on a larger scale, reinforcing the homegrown music's close-knit roots. Eric Kauffman, PD at KLOA-Ridgecrest, Calif., explains that his station's community involvement focuses on local events. Their participation in a fourth of July fair featuring local bands and lots of barbecue raised $15,000 for an annual fall parade last year. The station also conducted a remote from a spring fair, benefiting 4H and the Lion's Club. During its fifth year of participation in a children's fair, featuring cakewalks and other such kid-related activities, KLOA helped raise money for Community Connection for Childcare, a local organization that provides car seats and day care services for low income families. KLOA also recently took part in a regional hospital benefit, consisting of booths for blood testing, consultation with pharmacists, and distribution of various healthcare supplies. Broadcasting an hourly community calendar, the station publicizes nonprofit organizations and service clubs who also sponsor local events, such as the Rotary. A mission statement from the station reads, "We try not to cater to one particular charity group, but work with whichever groups contact us for support. "Kauffman sums it up this way: "You like to think that you are connecting with the community, and the best way to validate that is by getting out there with the people. That will carry over on the air." Stan Edwards of WNBR-New Bern, N.C. is pleased with his station's May 9th concert, which featured George Jones, the Hammond Brothers, Steve Williams, and Juanita Rose. Attendees brought non-perishable food to support the Feed the Children Foundation. Although it won't necessarily keep the same lineup, Edwards says the concert will be an annual event. "It was well worth the effort," he says. "The local food banks were very short on supplies, and no one was putting anything back in." Asked if the event was inspired by a natural sense of responsibility to help the community, Edwards replied, "That's it in a nutshell.

To PD Robert Wooldridge, community service is an integral part of working for KFAL-Fulton, Missouri. The station's staff members are active in the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor's Advisory Board, Fulton Breakfast Optimists, and the Family Resource Center. "That's expected of them," Wooldridge says. "They're not just a DJ for the station. "KFAL is directly involved in improving the climate of its hometown. The station recently hosted a celebrity DJ fund drive for Habitat for Humanity, wherein prominent members of the Fulton business community pledged $100 in exchange for an hour on the air to play their favorite songs and speak about Habitat for Humanity's mission. The event aided in the building of four Habitat homes in Fulton. The station currently is planning a similar benefit for the renovation of a local park, with KFAL staff members volunteering their time. Wooldridge says helping listeners comes with the territory. "It's a good feeling to know you're not just entertaining them, but you're also helping them," he says. Asked if community service goes hand-in-hand with Americana, Wooldridge says, "I do think that's part of it. Americana stations have more of a connection to their community. "Floods hit western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee last December, and WNCW-Spindale, N.C. was there to help. Performers invited from the station's five-state listening area were invited to play holiday songs live on the air for their "An Acoustic Holiday at the Crossroads" in return for clothing donations to a local charitable organization. When waters rose 100-some miles away, WNCW provided the clothing for their listeners. The station also provided public service announcements about where to seek food and shelter. On the station's agenda this year is an expansion of "Acoustic Holiday," which they plan to hold outside. WNCW will charge admission and accept donations of food and clothing for a yet-undecided charity. "One of my biggest challenges is finding organizations that will cover our entire area," says PD/DJ Mark Keefe. "We are a unique radio station, and we want to find a unique way to help our community."

Joe Daniels, PD and jock at Clovis, New Mexico’s KKYC, takes his charity work seriously. Very seriously. As an incentive for listeners to donate enough money for the station’s team to reach its goal of $2,000 in the annual Relay for Life, Daniels vowed to shave his head when the total was reached. He made good on his pledge, shearing his long locks the morning of the race. “We still have people coming by to see the new hairdo,” he quips. “It was a good way to let people know about the event, and helped spread word of mouth. People are still talking about it.” Proceeds for the race reached around $75,000 and benefitted the American Cancer Society. KKYC also is the media sponsor for a Christmas time Festival of Trees, raising money for the local Lifesaver Food Bank by encouraging local businesses to sponsor and decorate trees, and charging admission for viewing. Another pet project is the True Value Hardware/Jimmy Dean Foods Country Showdown featuring local talent, which contributes all door receipts to Rotary Club. “Personally, it makes me feel good to know I’m giving back to the community,” Daniels says. “I’m kind of a throwback. Now you have people who are [in radio] because they want to be a star. When I got into it, you did it first because you enjoyed it, and second because you wanted to give something back. “We like to be perceived as a station that cares about its community,” Daniels continues. “With Americana radio, it’s not just about the music, it’s kind of the everyman format.” J.D. Rose, PD and DJ at KFAN-Fredericksburg, Texas, describes his station as having a soft spot for “the needy.” Adopting the slogan “Texans helping Texans,” owners Jan and Jayson Fritz of Fritz Broadcasting (who also own a News/Talk/Country station as well as Americana-formatted KEEP-Bandera, Texas) are busy throughout the year with a multitude of events surrounding their home base in central Texas. Every year the station emcees the EMS Chili Cookoff, a benefit for local Emergency Medical Services, helps out with EMS’ auction, and lines up entertainment for an accompanying concert. Rose also created Radio-Thon, which has raised over $100,000 in the last ten years for New Horizons, a regional learning center for the developmentally delayed. The event is a 12-hour live broadcast featuring local entertainers, during which listeners call and make pledges. The Fritzes also organized the Toys for Tots program in Fredericksburg, encouraging listeners to donate gifts and food during the holiday season. The couple even takes on the task of delivering the items to residents of central Texas’ hill country. Additionally, the three Fritz-owned stations are involved in an annual pig roast to raise funds for the Cherokee Children’s Home for Abused Children, the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, the Ken Hall Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting a local scholarship fund, and the Lions Club Crippled Children’s Camp. But Fritz Broadcasting’s most impressive undertaking directly benefits Americana. The Pickin’ and Puttin’ Americana Benefit, an annual event instituted this year, is a two-day happening of live music, auctions, and barbecue feast with a celebrity golf tournament the following day. The plan is to recruit as many participants as possible from the Americana industry to raise money for a specific charity or individual within the community in need of help. The beneficiary could be someone at a radio station, a performer, or anyone associated with the genre in need of medical or financial assistance. Jayson Fritz says, “Aside from it being what every good broadcaster does, we get the warm fuzzies from it. We enjoy helping the community, and there are so many like-minded people in various organizations when it comes to music. There is an Americana family.” Hoping the Pickin’ and Puttin’ benefit will grow or inspire other stations to spawn similar events, Rose adds, “There’s a bit of an obligation to give something back as a station to those who support us, and the bottom line is helping out your fellow man.”