I recently found out the radio program, Pacific Street Blues, was nominated for a 'Keeping the Blues Alive' award. KTBA is a national recognition by the industry that "you" are among the best in the country for the category you've been nominated in. Last year Terry O'Halloran won the award for his efforts in promoting live blues. It's cool to be nominated although I wonder if they've heard this "blues" show. On some level the nomination is recognition that perservance pays off; through three radio stations, numerous guest hosts, emceeing hundreds of events and lasting a span of nearly two decades. For more than ten years PS Blues has been aired from 9 - Noon in KIWR 89.7 fm.
Over the years the show has changed quite a bit. When the show began, John Draus and I played archival blues - albums like, "Blood Stains on the Wall." Yeah, gutteral. When the late, and dearly missed, John Lastovica co-hosted he introduced blues based Classic Rock to the mix. After meeting for the first Omaha Blues Society meeting we began to focus on playing bands that we coming to town; something I think we can do a better job at. Joe Putjender was instrumental (pun intended) in getting us to play local artists: something we remain very committed to and very proud of.
Highlights include spending 90 minutes on the phone with Bill Wyman (The Rolling Stones), interviewing Johnny Winter on his bus and interviewing a recently sober Dr. John while B. B. King's band smoked pot, pun intended, thus clouding up the process. I meet Mato Nanji (Indigenous), a gentle soul, early and since then our kids play together whenever we can swing it. It was especially cool when, for nine months, listener's kept the show alive since campaign laws forbid me from being on the air. Getting to know Mark Tilsen, former Indigenous Manager, who assisted in the legal defense of 600 Native Americans at Wounded Knee, made me better than I was.
As best as we can manage Pacific Street Blues is a conduit between listeners and music. Sometimes we do a good job but sometimes I don't. (Syntax error intended) I want PS Blues to be unpredictable and challenge listeners schema of what the blues is. Thanks to Iowa Western Community College, Vicki, Bill and Sophia for letting me share the music. Thanks to Terry for running the dials. Thanks to the Blues Society of Omaha and "Thank-You" to the many listeners of Pacific Street Blues. I don't know if we'll win any national awards but as chessy as it sounds we've been winning for the past 1,032 weeks. Thanks for listening.
Post script: Our friends in Canada won this year's award and we wish them the best. This means no trip for Rick to Memphis in February - LOL
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