I’ve hooked up as a volunteer with a local, listener-supported community radio station, Asheville FM (WSFM-LP 103). Their Fall Fund Drive has been underway for the past week. Yesterday (Thursday, November 2, 2017), I was honored to be a “pitch partner” for the first hour of a great Progressive Rock program, Closer to the Edge, hosted by Professor JD. I brought with me some classic Prog rock tracks by Touch, Yes, the Moody Blues, Renaissance, Uriah Heep, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, and Jethro Tull. We played the music, shared a story or two, and talked about the value of community radio while pitching for donations.

I stuck around for second hour of the show during which JD had invited Andre Cholmondeley, Asheville guitar legend and guitar technician for Steve Howe of Yes, Adrian Belew, and Derek Trucks among others, to share the mic.  Andre was also the guitar tech for Greg Lake when Sylvia and I saw Lake perform at the Woodstock Opera House in 2012.  I met and spoke with Andre.  I showed him some photos I’d snapped from that Woodstock, Illinois show.  Andre immediately recognized the Opera House and the city of Woodstock, mentioning the movie Groundhog Day being filmed there, of course, and also sharing some stories about the gig itself.

Volunteer extraordinaire Dr. Cat Ashe, host of Calling All Species, a call-in veterinary advice and discussion show for you and your pet, shared the third hour of the Closer to the Edge as a “pitch partner” with JD, presenting music of women-fronted and all-women Prog bands.  Some awesome selections!

We all had a great time and I invite you to have a listen to the archive of that show at: MixCloud (https://www.mixcloud.com/closertotheedge/).  If you enjoy the best in  contemporary and classic Progressive Rock, I also urge you to become a regular listener to Closer to the Edge on Thursday afternoons, 2:00 – 5:00 pm. Eastern time.

And while I’m at it, I urge you to take a look at the Asheville FM On-Air Schedule to check out other programs in which you might be interested.  Click on the name of the show to get a detailed description and playlists.  And while you’re on any Asheville FM page, please notice the DONATE link.  Community radio needs your financial support, in Asheville and beyond.

You can Listen Live on your computer at: http://www.ashevillefm.org/player/.  You can also stream it through an app like TuneIn Radio.

Happy listening!