To celebrate Great Lakes State artists, the Grand Rapids station will exclusively play Michigan music during a special 36-hour fund drive aimed at making up for a $36,000 shortfall. The details at Local Spins.
A Legacy WYCE Artist and Part of the Michigan Music Marathon: Billy Strings (Photo/Anna Sink)
There’s little arguing the fact that Grand Rapids community radio station WYCE (88.1 FM) has always embraced “A World of Michigan Music.”
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So, it’s only apropos that the listener-supported station would use that title to promote a 36-hour, Michigan music marathon and fund drive aimed at keeping WYCE on the air and keeping local music at the forefront of its mission.
The marathon begins at noon Thursday – at 88.1 FM on the radio and online at wyce.org – and continues through Friday, focusing exclusively on Michigan-made music as well as local venues, restaurants, record shops and nonprofit groups.
Jess Martin (Photo/Cloud Bobby)
“This has been a unique and hard year for artists, bands and venues as well as local restaurants and nonprofits,” said station manager Jess Martin.
“We were unable to hold our usual spring fund drive due to the COVID-19 crisis and that left us about $36,000 short of our goal to keep this radio station funded.
“WYCE has been a proud voice and platform for these artists and locations in the community for a long time and I hear that often from our programmers and listeners. If we can’t be together like we typically would be this time of year, we can at least celebrate the amazing things we’ve enjoyed and look forward to.”
In addition to songs by Michigan artists, the marathon – which aims to raise $36,000 from listeners in 36 hours – will feature the return of some familiar programmers “and staff voices” from the past, as well as special prizes and incentives for those who sign up as monthly sustaining donors.
GRTV, which is part of the Community Media Center that houses WYCE, will also participate by airing videos of “throwback” WYCE Jammie Award performances, in-studio sessions and other features. That starts at noon Thursday with a playback of the 2002 Jammie Awards show starring regional bands.
LISTENERS’ FAVORITE MEMORIES AND SHOWCASING LEGACY MICHIGAN ARTISTS
In addition, WYCE has asked listeners to share their favorite WYCE and Jammie Awards memories by emailing remembrances, photos and videos that the station will share throughout the fund drive on-air and via social media. Listeners can email those memories and photos to wyceradio@localspins.com or jess@grcmc.org.
Listeners also can expect to hear music from some of the region’s most popular artists dating back decades.
“As far as legacy artists, you can expect to hear Billy Strings, Motown, Iggy Pop, Mustard Plug, Ralston Bowles, Organissimo, May Erlewine, Greensky Bluegrass, The Verve Pipe and more,” Martin said. “We have local albums listed in our music library dating back to 1985.”
Popular WYCE and West Michigan Artists: Molly Bouwsma-Schultz with Lady Ace Boogie. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
As part of the marathon, Friday’s Local Spins on WYCE will expand to a special 90-minute episode starting at 11 a.m., with the debut of new regional music, a chat with special guest singer-songwriter Monte Pride, and a look back at some classic tracks by West Michigan artists.
Martin, a native of Virginia who became station manager in mid-June, noted she was a big fan of Michigan artists such as My Dear Disco/Ella Riot, Billy Strings and Greensky Bluegrass before even moving to the state, and she’s since embraced music by local acts Lady Ace Boogie, Patty PerShayla, Last Gasp Collective, The Accidentals, Earth Radio, The Go Rounds, Odd Space and others.
In the end, Martin said, she’s confident WYCE listeners – who’ve long supported local artists – will come through during the “World of Michigan Music” fund drive.
“I know how much West Michigan cares about the local music scene and misses that feeling of being together at a show,” she said.
“We have received many notes from our listeners during this time thanking us for being there for them while locked down and when times are tough. I have complete faith in our community that they will be there for us now because we really need it.”
For more information or to donate to WYCE, visit wyce.org.
Copyright 2020, Spins on Music LLC
