Minnesota music in the spotlight up north

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Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses performs on the Great Northern Radio Show in Eveleth. One of the early members of the Iron Range Original Music Association, the band is often heard on Northern Community Radio and Centerstage Minnesota.

The Minnesota music scene is drawing a lot of attention, both in Minneapolis and up in Duluth. Even further north the Iron Range Original Music Association encourages songwriters and a wide variety of musicians here in Bob Dylan’s original North Country.

I host and produce the Great Northern Radio Show for Northern Community Radio, a station that has long supported regional musicians. This unique independent public media source now announces a format shift where Minnesota music will air for a full hour every weekday afternoon on its bolstered Centerstage Minnesota show, and at least one song every hour.

Here’s the press release:

Northern Community Radio: KAXE and KBXE is excited to announce a programming change that reflects our commitment to supporting and showcasing Minnesota musicians, and the Minnesota music landscape. Beginning in September of 2007, Centerstage Minnesota has focused on Minnesota music with one hour of new programming each week airing on Thursday’s at 6 p.m. Beginning on July 1st of 2013 Northern Community Radio: KAXE and KBXE began airing Centerstage Minnesota each weekday between 2 and 3 p.m.

Charlie Pulkrabek is the Producer and Host of the new Centerstage Minnesota format, bringing five hours of new, Minnesota focused, programming to the airwaves of Northern Minnesota each week. Northern Community Radio feels this change is possible, and called for, because of Minnesota’s rich and storied musical history, and the excellence of the current music landscape in Minnesota. Centerstage Minnesota is made possible in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Northern Community Radio is an independent, nonprofit public media organization headquartered in Grand Rapids, and Bemidji, Minnesota. Northern Community Radio has operated KAXE – 91.7 FM in Grand Rapids at 100,000 watts since 1976, and KBXE – 90.5 FM in Bemidji / Bagley at 50,000 watts since the spring of 2012. Northern Community Radio also operates translators in Brainerd at 89.9 FM, and in Ely at 103.9 FM. Northern Community Radio’s mission is “To build community in northern Minnesota.” Visit www.kaxe.org to learn more or call 800-662-5799.

UPDATE: Fox 21 in Duluth reports that a private entrepreneur is working on a music venue that will specifically cater to the growing northern Minnesota music scene.

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