| blast from the past |
Mooooooving toward Ecuador
 | Painter Brandon Smith talks about his work, its impact on Ecuador, Ecuador's impact on him, and cows...always cows.
 www.brandoncsmith.com
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| tonic-esque |
tonic  |  the cellar archive has all of tonic's past webisodes
reviews, essays, winners galore and more...
Music, books, and other merchandise from the artists on tonic are often available through Amazon.com. Your Amazon purchase supports tonic and WUKY | |
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| In The Cellar |
tŏn'ĭk an invigorating, refreshing, or restorative agent or influence

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Legendary producer Chris Kimsey and singer/songwriter Ken Fletcher from Very Emergency tell tonic's Kopana about their partnership and how to make a great record
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Hadisic beatboxer turned pop hitmaker, 30-year-old Matisyahu has already racked up an impressive and undoubtedly unique resume. Hear the Mike Graves interview and two live songs from his new record, Light.

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Austin's Band of Heathens raise a ruckus at WUKY. Hear the interview with Josh James and two live songs from their latest, One Foot in the Ether.
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In a world obsessed with digital effects and overproduction, SONOS relies solely on vocal talent. Hear the interview with tonic's Mike Graves and two live songs.
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tonic's Mike Graves chats with Lexington native Stoll Vaughan about songwriting, life in L.A., and working with David Lynch.
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tonic's Josh James talks with singer/songwriter Erin McKeown about life on the road, playing with Jill Sobule, and creating one's own myth via Wikipedia.

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Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins talks with tonic's Mike Graves about going solo - and whether we'll ever see a Nickel Creek reunion.
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R&B and blues man JJ Grey sits down for a chat and a couple of lives tunes with tonic's Mike Graves.
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Bettye LaVette went from teenage success to obscurity and hard luck, to singing "A Change is Gonna Come" at President Obama's inauguration. Hear tonic's Joe Conkwright interview LaVette about the ups and downs of her long career.

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The primary singer/songwriter behind the Kentucky Bootleggers, Jenrose Fitzgerald talks with tonic's Kopana about the recording process, the Louisville music scene, and her favorite songs.

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Garrison Starr and Josh Joplin breathe new life into old folk as Among the Oak and Ash. Hear the full interview with tonic's Josh James.

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Beth Burden and Lisa Raymond, better known to music fans as Mother Jane, return to WUKY to discuss life on a record label and what to expect from the new album.
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Pittsburgh's Rusted Root is back after a seven-year-absence with a new record, a new tour, and a lemonade stand. Hear the full interview and two exclusive live songs only on tonic. http://www.rustedroot.com/

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Originator of the popular 1970's Kentucky-based folk-rock group the Little River Band, Beau Haddock knows a thing or two about his roots. Hear Beau discuss his latest projects with tonic's Jonese Franklin. http://www.beauhaddock.com/
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Reviewers love to draw attention to Kim Taylor's unique voice. Now it's our turn...
Hear Joe Conkwright's full interview with Kim Taylor only on tonic.

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Harlem's own soul songstress Shemekia Copeland stopped by for a chat with Mike Graves.

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The Boss digs him, ditto Stephen King, and we certainly love Alejandro Escovedo at WUKY too. Hear Mike Graves' complete interview with Alejandro.

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They mingle country, blues, folk, Cajun, and zydeco. And their name came from a serendipitous mispronunciation. It's Donna the Buffalo - live on WUKY.  |
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Taking their musical cues from Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of France in the 1930s, Faux Frenchmen create their own unique mix of gypsy jazz, Euro-tinged jazz, and even cartoon music. Hear Mike Graves interview the group about their latest work.

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Singer/songwriter Peter Bradley Adams
talks with Mike Graves about going solo on his latest, Leavetaking.  |
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One Man, a Cello, and the Truth
Kentucky cellist Ben Sollee isn't your garden variety string player. Before a stop on his one-man tour, Ben chatted with tonic's Josh James about inspiration, style, and the wonders of MySpace.
| WATCH Ben live at WUKY here!
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Speaking with the Soul Queen of New Orleans
tonic's Joe Conkwright chats with Grammy-winning soul and R&B legend Irma Thomas about her storied career.  irmathomas.com |
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In an interview with Joe Conkwright Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Solomon Burke says he owes it to the greats to keep on keepin' on
 king solomon burke |
See more pics of The Wood Brothers here. |
Folk favorites The Wood Brothers bring their unique sound to WUKY - filling tonic's Mike Graves with peace and love.
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lookie>>
Join WUKY's online community at NPR and see The Wood Brothers perform "Twisted" live at WUKY.
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Linford Detweiler, half of Over the Rhine's core songwriting team, (the other half is Karin Bergquist), talks about the group's evolution, the tour, and what an Over the Rhine administration would look like.
 overtherhine.com |
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"There's some muscle on this music..."
Randall Bramblett stops by tonic for a chat about his new record Now It's Tomorrow and whips out the guitar for a few tunes.
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Could they be WUKY's house band? Hear The Belleville Outfit on their latest swing through our studios.  |
A Musical Navigator
He's known as "the sixth Rolling Stone" and has played with the greats from Clapton to the Crowes. Now he can add WUKY to the resume. Keyboardist Chuck Leavell drops by for a chat with Mike Graves.

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Touring into the Promised Land
Singer/songwriter Dar Williams stopped by WUKY to talk about her forthcoming record Promised Land. Hear the full interview with tonic's Josh James.

| We kept Dar very busy at WUKY during her recent visit After talking with Josh she stopped in to chat with Kopana.
 Fans of Dar won't want to miss this insightful interview. Check her out - in two parts!
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Part 1
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Part 2
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Ben Sollee Bends Into WUKY

Ben Sollee talks about his debut CD, and plays a couple tunes, too. Mike Graves introduces you to this remarkable artist.
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Ben also stopped by NPR's All Things Considered. Hear the interview here.
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THE BELLEVILLE OUTFIT is making WUKY one of their hangouts. Hear the band that's become the talk of Austin chat about their summer tour and unveil new material with Josh James.
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bellevilleoutfit.com |
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Moviegoers may be lining up for a glimpse of the Dark Knight this summer, but those hip to Lexington's local music scene know the Bluegrass has its own breed of bat-fan.
tonic's Stacy Yelton talks with the wild women of The Bats about their new record Some Settling May Occur.
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tonic's Dr. Greg Davis has a rousing chat with funny man, storyteller, and singer-songwriter Andy Offutt Irwin

andyirwin.com
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As hosts of Sound Opinions (8PM Sundays on WUKY), Greg Kott and Jim DeRogatis have interviewed the hottest bands around, but they're quick to admit it hasn't made them any cooler. Here Jim and Greg chat with tonic's Josh James about the many perks of being utterly obsessed with music. |
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Watch an episode of Sound Opinions TV
(click the image to the right) |
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Angel on a Bicycle
Singer, songwriter, and violinist Carrie Rodriguez creates a new intimate spin on alternative country and bluegrass. In the WUKY studio, Rodriguez chats with Rusty Sharp about the trials and tribulations of touring and debuts a new song.

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Grammy-nominated New York native Peter Case has run the gamut from New Wave to solo acoustic work. In 2006, Case began publishing sections of a memoir entitled As Far As You Can Get Without a Passport, which eventually found its way to publication. Hear Mike Graves interview the songwriter and musicologist live on WUKY.
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Casing the Joint

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Merritocracy
Singer/songwriter Tift Merritt talks with Rusty Sharp about the ins and outs of playing The Tonight Show, hosting a monthly public radio show, and how a vacation in France spawned an entire album.
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Multi-instrumentalist Chris Arduser (The Bears, Psychodots, The Bluebirds, solo artist) took time from his many musical projects to ham it up with tonic's dynamic duo Stacy and Kopana. With a voice meant for radio, Arduser talks about his new solo CD Hapless, and "the famous guy."

Don't miss Arduser and George Cunningham with Adult Rock's Mike Graves. Click Here to listen. |
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Keep Your Own Counsel - The Bears; Hangman's Knot & Drag It Out - Chris Arduser
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Question: How many interviews has World Cafe's David Dye done in the 16 years he's hosted the show? Answer: The staff has lost count. tonic's Josh James talks with the man behind NPR's most popular modern music show.

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Arduser and Cunningham and Bears!
Oh My!
Listen as Bears drummer Chris Arduser and veteran guitarist George Cunningham transform a guitar into a rhythm section, while keeping their "1.5 piece" band together. Mike Graves sits down with the talented duo for a lively chat about their respective careers.

Beauty & Rhymes
Suzanne Vega's voice may drop to a whisper sometimes, but the veteran songwriter still has much to say. Mike Graves interviews Vega about her latest, Beauty & Crime.
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Watch Virtual Suzanne Vega discuss Tom's Diner on Second Life |

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Impossible to neatly categorize, singer/songwriter Erin McKeown's music borrows from pop, swing, folk, and electronic music. Mike Graves talks with McKeown about Sing You Sinners.
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Half Light
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New Orleans grown folk songwriter Mary Gauthier talks with WUKY's Mike Graves about her latest record, Between Daylight and Dark.
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Jewell in the Crown
Letters from Sinners & Strangers is Eilen Jewell's first record for a major label. Recorded in only a week, the album finds a group of musicians coming into their own. Rusty Sharp talked with Jewell during a recent stop in Lexington.
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Fickle Creek?
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Their Farewell (For Now) Tour may have a lot of fans scratching their heads or in tears, but Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins explains to tonic's Joe Conkwright why the quasi-break up makes perfect sense.
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 | The Stuff of Starr
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Garrison Starr is so tired of playing acoustic she could kill somebody. But that didn't stop WUKY's Mike Graves from braving an interview with the modern Mississippi folk chanteuse. |

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Prophecy
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"I've always pulled for the bad guys," says Chuck Prophet. On his latest record, the indie-rocker channels the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, and a host of other artists - all the while maintaining his own sound. WUKY's Mike Graves talks with Prophet about the making of Soap and Water. |
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Antsy Acclaimed
The Airstream King, the Cinder Block Serenader, the RV Artiste - whatever you call him, Antsy McClain knows how to make a scene. Hear the Adult Rock interview with Mike Graves.
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Laura Bell Bundy Drops a Name and Adds a Line to the Resume |
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Lexington's own Broadway darling Laura Bell Bundy has a new alt-country album on shelves, but it still isn't enough, is it?
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If anyone has his finger on the pulse of cool, it's WXPN Program Director Bruce Warren. As part of the gig, Warren oversees programming for XPoNential radio, the service now offered on WUKY's second channel, Wookie 2.
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Music Requires the Truth
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 Pull up a chair and listen... or David Wilcox might do it for you. The veteran folk songwriter talks with tonic's Greg Davis about great conversations in music, his future self, and why you should never read People magazine.
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"It was like being in the Beatles!"
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One of Kentucky's best musician/songwriters, Beau Haddock dropped by the tonic studios to chat with Stacy and Kopana about his outstanding experience as a traveling musician in Ecuador.
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tonic's Stacy Yelton talks with musician and conductor Marlon Hurst of First Presbyterian Church about the history of art and music in the Christian church.

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A Prayer in Sound

 tonic's Greg Davis reflects on the diversity of Jewish music and culture.
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Shinning the Night Away Can the Shins survive the world outside indie-dom? Josh James samples The Shins' latest Wincing the Night Away and comes back with an optimistic prognosis.
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WILCO announces tracklist for their new album Sky Blue Sky due May 15th.
- Either Way
- You Are My Face
- Impossible Germany
- Sky Blue Sky
- Side with the Seeds
- Shake it Off
- Please Be Patient With Me
- Hate it Here
- Leave Me (Like You Found Me)
- Walken
- What Light
- On and On and On
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Melanie Johnson's new CD, Soul of a Spy, is getting lots of airplay at WUKY, and at our "sister" station in Cincinnati. Her band, The Bats, are selling out shows. There's really no mystery here. Meet the woman behind the Stratocaster, and tonic's theme.
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 After a two year absence, Nebraska's favorite bleeding hearts, Bright Eyes, are back with what may be their best to date. Josh James reviews Cassadaga. |
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 viennateng.com
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Join Mike Graves and Vienna Teng for this outstanding live performance from WUKY's Adult Rock studio

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Trioshift is a Scofield cum Rush cum fusion kick-in-the-pants 3-piece music rocket out of Nashville. Chuck Fields, drums, Tony Nagy, bass, and John Cook, guitar, serve up a pile of home made rhythm and grooves on their first CD "YI". Stay tuned for a tonic session - in the meantime, check out a few tunes via MySpace |
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| on the burner |
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tonic only online only from WUKY
contact us Get connected with artists and fans of tonic on |
| WUKY Live@Natasha's |
WUKY Live @ Natasha's
WUKY and Natasha's have teamed up for a
series of concerts (with many recorded for later broadcast). Past
artists include Over the Rhine, David Wilcox, Punch Brothers, and
Michelle Shocked. Join us for these great upcoming shows Live @ Natasha's:
Broadcast Schedule Faux Frenchmen - March 15 (@ 8PM)
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