Are you a local musician, sound engineer, promoter or venue owner who wants to help showcase the local music scene? WMCB-LP is looking for you.
Mik Muller, president of the Greenfield Community Television board of directors, has started a local music show called Franklin County Live! It airs on WMCB-LP, 107.9 FM, a project of GCTV at 393 Main St. in Greenfield, every Monday from 8 to 10 p.m. You can also listen online at WMCB.net or on the TuneIn app.
Muller is looking for people involved in the local music scene to send recordings of their performances to air on the show.
“’Franklin County Live!’ is exactly what it sounds like,” Muller explained in a recent email. “Live music, performed in Franklin County, preferably by Franklin County talent.”
The show started in August and has aired seven episodes so far.
The concerts that have aired on “Franklin County Live!” range from the 2007 Turners Falls Block Party to the most recent Coop Concert at Energy Park in Greenfield, which took place on Aug. 28. The Oct. 5 episode of “Franklin County Live!” will be a broadcast of the October 2016 Bella’s Bartok performance at the Shea Theater Arts Center.
While most radio shows featuring local talent play studio recordings, “Franklin County Live!” focuses on live music and presents full concerts.
“Pretty much all the DJ shows that we air are studio recordings mixed like any other radio station,” Muller said of the decision to devote the show to live music. “It’s always fun to hear live music, and if you are unable to get out, this may be the only way to hear free live music.”
And now you understand why he is looking for more material to broadcast on the show. And not only past shows — if there is a show coming up and the performers are open to it, Muller is encouraging them to record it and submit the recording to the show. Muller stressed that everyone involved in the show will be credited and the performance will play uninterrupted.
“The station as a whole is always looking for more community participation, especially with local musicians and bands,” he said. “But the show ‘Franklin County Live!’ is specifically looking for recordings of local bands playing locally. That’s not to say we wouldn’t want local musicians to come to the station and record a ‘Tiny Desk’ kind of show on occasion. We’d have to figure that out if the situation presented itself.”
Muller added that he would ideally like to get a show from each town in Franklin County and he is open to a wide variety of genres for the weekly two-hour program.
“If we get enough regular submissions, we could go to four hours, or two shows a week,” Muller noted.
“I am also working with Simon Says Promotions on some of their recorded shows, starting with Max Creek from September 2022,” he continued. “Next summer, we will also include more Coop Concerts at the Energy Park.”
All shows are archived on the website, so you can learn more about the program or catch up on episodes you missed at wmcb.net.
If you’re a local venue, PA operator, band or anyone in the music scene with a recording to share, contact Muller at mik@gctv.org.
Sam Grisman Project coming to the Shea Theater
If you love acoustic music, don’t miss the Sam Grisman Project at the Shea Theater Arts Center on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.
The group is led by upright bass player Sam Grisman, son of legendary mandolinist and composer David Grisman. Instead of a fixed lineup, the project is a rotating collective of top acoustic musicians. Depending on the show, you might see different combinations of guitarists, mandolinists, fiddlers, banjo players, cellists and dobro players.
For this show at the Shea Theater, Grisman will be joined by Max Flansburg on guitar, Todd Livingston on dobro and Joe K. Walsh on mandolin. Walsh also plays with Mr. Sun, which recently performed at the Watermelon Wednesdays series.
The project is inspired by Grisman’s upbringing, surrounded by some of the best musicians in bluegrass and beyond. Artists like Jerry Garcia, Doc Watson, John Hartford, Tony Rice and Mike Seeger often visited his home, where his father ran a studio.
Grisman grew to love this music and, together with his talented bandmates, aims to celebrate it and highlight its influence.
You can expect lots of traditional and old-time music, David Grisman tunes, Bob Dylan songs, original pieces from the participating musicians and plenty of Jerry Garcia — one of Sam Grisman’s favorites. He is a big fan of the music Garcia and his father made together, as well as the Grateful Dead.
Although the Sam Grisman Project focuses on the artists mentioned above, this is not a tribute show. The performers’ outstanding musicianship and love for improvisation make each song their own and help make them one of the most exciting acoustic groups today.
Make sure to arrive early in Turners Falls for First Friday, Oct. 2, where you can enjoy music throughout the village. The Hilltown Ham Hocks will play at LOOT found + made, 62 Avenue A, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. There is also a hip-hop showcase featuring Unagi and others at Music Connection, 187 Avenue A, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the Sam Grisman Project and the show is for all ages. You can purchase general admission seated or standing tickets for $28 to $32, plus fees, at sheatheater.org.
The loss of a major local talent
I just want to wrap up this week and express my sadness over the loss of an important member of our local music community. Robert “Tex” LaMountain died on Sept. 5 at the age of 84.
Tex was a kind and warm individual whose career lasted more than 50 years. He first gained widespread attention as the guitarist for the country rock band Clean Living, which helped put Western Mass. on the national map with two albums on Vanguard Records and the hit “In Heaven There is No Beer.”
Later, Tex spent many years performing with his wife, Pat. They recorded eight albums and played countless shows in Franklin County.
Early in their career, the couple was very involved in the anti-nuclear movement. This led them to release a single in 1977 called “No Nukes (Hanging Tree),” which became an anthem for the movement.
Tex cared deeply about his community and brought people together through music. In 2003, he co-founded the Franklin County Musicians Cooperative. I first met Tex through this group, which organizes the weekly Coop Concerts every summer.
One of the group’s missions is to make Franklin County a hub of live music, and he worked toward that goal, not only by playing the Coop shows every summer with Pat, but also by helping promote the concerts of his fellow musicians.
And then there are all those songs he left us. Tex’s songs, many of which were written with Pat, are like short stories about what mattered most: family, friends and the natural world in Franklin County. Whether he sang about listening to Emmylou Harris, driving behind a slow tractor or taking in the Franklin County landscape, he captured the details and feelings of daily life in our area. Listeners could relate, as they tapped their toes and sang along.
Tex will be greatly missed, but his music will live on.
According to his obituary, a celebration of life, “Tex Fest II,”will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, 289 Main St. in Greenfield.
Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at soundslocal@yahoo.com.