Tasty Brew Music

The community radio station for which I am a programmer has the following mission statement:  We seek to stimulate, educate and entertain our audience, to reflect the diversity of the local and world community, and to provide a channel for individuals and groups, issues and music that have been overlooked, suppressed or under-represented by other mediaCrys Matthews has her own personal mission statement that perfectly aligns with community radio:  To amplify the voicesof the unheard; to shed light on the unseen and to be a steadfast reminder that hope and love are the truest pathways to equity and justice.  An award-winning, prolific lyricist and composer, Matthews blends Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies punctuated by honest, original lyrics. She is made forthese times.  I look forward to meeting up with Crys again this summer at the 2026 Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah,OK.  Enjoy this conversation and musical performance from North Carolina’s own Crys Matthews.#communityradio #folkmusic #rootsmusic

I recently welcomed my friend Sky Smeed to spend an hour with me on the Mid-Coast Live! program on KKFI. I have a fifteen-year history with this Kansas songwriter; he was the first artist I had join me live in the KKFI studios as I launched The Tasty Brew Music Radio Show in 2010. I’ve  hosted Sky at my home for a house concert.  A good number of the songs masterfully captured by Barak Hill on his latest album, a live recording at The Rock House in Reeds Spring, Missouri are familiar to me as are some of Sky’s life experiences that gave rise to songs like “Don’t Know What to Do” “Lunker Bass” and “Without Music.”  That familiarity does not diminish the emotional impact of hearing these songs on this recording nor is it required to appreciate the underlying artistry of the words, stories and guitar accompaniment.  It is ALWAYS a treat to hear a new (to me) Sky Smeed tuneand this recording introduces me to precious guitar work on “Hangin’ On”, the affirmation that “Good Luck” is indeed “sick” according to Sky’s daughter Rosalie, the bittersweet and comedic reality of not wanting to work “Nine to Five” anymore and concurrence with “Keep Rolling On” that things do/life does change in the blink of an eye.Sky exhibits wonderful crowd work and pacing on this record;his Prine-like sense of humor is front and center on tunes like “Chicken of the Trees,” “Barbecue” and “Bumper Sticker.” I have always appreciated his homage to those masters that came before him. His take on Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” is stellar.  Just sing along…it’s okay.I have been privileged to attend a number of musicalevenings at The Rock House over the years.  The folks that were in attendance on this particular evening got to witnesslightning being caught in a bottle.  Kudos to Rock House Co-Hosts Jeanette Bair and Bruce Anderson, recording engineer (and awesome songwriter in his own right) Barak Hill and of course, to my friend, Sky Smeed.  Well done!#songwriter #rootsmusic #communityradio #tastybrewmusic

Award winning Songwriter, leadership and management expert and business book author Steve Farber is an artist that came to my attention a couple of years back through open mics and song sanctuaries in Kansas City. As you will hear in this conversation and in studio musical performance, hisworking career and life long passion for music has merged in a unique way.  He returns to the Tasty Brew to celebrate therelease of a new five song EP “Echoes in the Well.”  In addition to top rankings as a leadership and managementexpert, his book “Radical Leap: A Personal Lesson in Extreme Leadership” has been named one of the top 100 Best Business Books of All Time.  He’s been writing songs and playing guitarfor 50 years and his business clients ask him to play his original songs during keynote speeches at events all over the world.Rooted in the folk and Americana tradition, Steve’s guidinglight has been the artistry of John Prine.  As a kid, he dreamed of playing music for folks… he just never imagined it would play out as it has. Enjoy my conversation with musical interludes from "Echoes in the Well" courtesy of Steve Farber.https://stevefarbermusic.com/