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Never better
etown has been weathering the musical and cultural storm for some time—15 years to be exact. More than merely music, the program has been a mainstay in American music radio for years. Providing an artistic outlet for listeners from coast to coast, etown serves to stimulate and cultivate an open dialogue between music, culture and community. In doing so, it has become a mission-driven, nonprofit organization aimed at educating, engaging and entertaining a diverse listening public. The weekly broadcast, while maintaining an emphasis on the individual musicians highlighted live each week, also encompasses, celebrates and enlightens the communities it touches. Via this open forum, fans, listeners, cast and musicians alike are able to share ideas about society and the environment in which we live and communicate thoughts on how to make this world a better place. For those on the Front Range, etown has special significance. The weekly event is often hosted here in Boulder at the Boulder Theater. Eclectic guests as far ranging as Ani DiFranco, Lyle Lovett and Ben Harper are only a few of the finer artists to grace the theater's stage. They were also three of the artists that performed in the program's first year in existence. Boulder and etown just seem to fit well together. "In some ways etown is the personification of Boulder," says Nick Forster, the well-spoken and friendly longtime host and co-producer of the show. "We reflect what happens in Boulder fairly accurately, both good and bad. etown is a very unique voice. Radio programming wasn't really ready for this concept, and here we are 15 years later and our audience is larger than it's ever been." Roger Menell, talent coordinator of etown, agrees. "From a newcomer's perspective, I think there are a lot of people in Boulder who support our mission statement," he says. "It's certainly a good fit." Forster, along with wife Helen, has been contributing greatly to the program's lasting success since its inception in 1991. For 12 years, the musician and songwriter performed all over the world with Grammy-nominated group Hot Rize. Travelling the world (possibly most notably their 1990 trip to Bulgaria) helped lay a sizeable portion of etown's foundation. It was that, "power of music to bring people together and essentially create community" that Forster says helped create one of the most thriving syndicated music radio shows today. "It really made me imagine that there were opportunities for us to make a difference. I was naïve in thinking this would be easy. It turned out that it really wasn't easy; it was a real struggle. Without sounding self-congratulatory, the really cool thing is that we've made something that's really value based. And we've really kind of beaten the odds in a way, and we're really proud of that. etown is a mission-driven nonprofit organization. It's something we believe in," says Forster. Now broadcast weekly on National Public Radio (NPR) across the country, as well as on both public and commercial stations in many major markets, the show has expanded into an exciting conversation that reaches across barriers. It delves into the hearts and minds of its listeners. Whether it's Dr. John talking about the good old glory days, a local audience member's thoughts on mountain lions on Flagstaff Mountain or the inviting sounds of the etones (the show's house band), etown offers a gift to those who witness it. Whatever walk of life—bluegrass, zydeco, soul, Cuban or African—they're all sprinkled throughout the season, and each artist and each performance brings with it yet another colorful contribution toward the finished mural. One of the show's brightest and most popular contributions is the e-chievement award. For the award, listeners all over the country are urged to reveal personal tales of people in their lives who have positively changed the communities they live in. Those selected for the awards (there have been hundreds since 1991) offer living proof that anyone anywhere can make a difference. Again, etown is about more than music. Forster, wife Helen, Menell and a dedicated cast and crew have kept that 1960's idealism alive for 15 years, lending to etown's growth and success along the way. As a matter of fact, to help ring in those hard worked and devoted years, the show welcomes one of their favorite artists, James Taylor, for their celebratory 15th anniversary show. "There's a bunch of factors that go into it," says Menell of the artist selection process. "Do we like what the artist represents? We're trying to use the music to get people thinking how to make the world a better place. It's music that we know our audience loves and has for a long time. [James Taylor]'s a guy who gets involved in causes that we believe in, the environment for example. We're well aligned with him." Taylor was also one of the many etown guests that have been along since the beginning of the 15-year ride. Other notables include the likes of Graham Nash, Buddy Guy, Charlie Musselwhite, Taj Majal and Willie Nelson. The list could go on for miles, and it would only be fitting for etown and their lasting legacy to continue their rich tradition for years to come. "We've always focused on music that's based on some fundamental truths, never on some fad, trend or flavor of the month," says Forster. With the Paramount Theatre's anniversary show arriving this Tuesday, etown will both celebrate years past as well as look forward to the future of the show. "James is playing more music than we normally provide in the radio show format," says Menell. "There's more that the audience is going to get. There's one more guest. He's a great artist that will complement James' music very well. He could've headlined the show as well." Readers will have to find out Tuesday night who this special guest may be. One thing is certain: The collaboration at the end of the show will be well worth it. Buzz Word The etown 15th Anniversary Show with James Taylor starts at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 16, at the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver, 303-825-4904. For more information, visit www.etown.org. Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com |
Not too many things in the music world stick around for 15
years. While there will forever be the lasting legacies of the Led Zeppelins,
Robert Johnsons and U2s, there will forever be an infinite number of one-hit
wonder has-beens and scores of those who never even made it past go. As fads
and trends in popular culture wade in and out almost as predictably as the
spring tides, there remains a rather small minority that has capably weathered
the storm.
