Great Northern Radio Show homecoming June 18

Sonny Knight and the Lakers will headline the June 18, 2016 Great Northern Radio Show at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Sonny Knight and the Lakers will headline the June 18, 2016 Great Northern Radio Show at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

They say you’ve got to pick a genre and stick with it. Don’t be newsy if you want to be funny. Don’t be regional if you want to reach people in other places. Don’t talk about the arts if you want to talk about politics. This is what bloggers are told if they want to build readership and reap untold profits.

Those of you who read this blog know that I am really bad at following this advice. I cross genres and make very little money off this blog, even though people actually do read it.

So today I’m asking all the readers of MinnesotaBrown.com to come on out to the 20th Episode and Season Finale of my Great Northern Radio Show. We’re broadcasting live 5-7 p.m. from the Reif Center in Grand Rapids on Saturday, June 18. Tickets are available through the Reif Center or by calling 218-327-5720.

This show is very important to me. Mostly, it’s for fun. But it’s also my answer to the question “What are you doing to make the world a little better?” This June 18 show is the single most expensive, most talent-laden show we’e ever booked. Please, join us and bring your friends. Yes, it’s for all ages, but that includes young adults and cool people, too. We’ve got something special happening here.

Here’s the press release:

Great Northern Radio Show is June 18

Traveling Northland live show celebrates five years on the air

Charlie Parr will be one of the headliners at the June 18, 2016 Great Northern Radio Show at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. PHOTO: Peter Lee

Charlie Parr will be one of the headliners at the June 18, 2016 Great Northern Radio Show at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. PHOTO: Peter Lee

GRAND RAPIDS, Minnesota (June 6, 2016) — The Great Northern Radio Show will celebrate its 20th episode and the finale of its fifth season with a special live radio variety show Saturday, June 18 at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids.

This traveling variety program is produced by independent National Public Radio affiliate Northern Community Radio. The Great Northern Radio Show explores life in small towns and off-the-beaten-path places through comedy, stories and music.

Producer and host Aaron Brown leads a regular cast along with guest performers, musicians, and storytellers in a two hour romp through local legend and real life, highlighting the talent and culture of northern Minnesota. Each show celebrates a unique location and the people who make it special, sharing the experience with a much wider audience on the radio.

“We wanted to do something big to celebrate five years on the road and on the radio,” said Brown, an author and blogger from the Iron Range who lives in Balsam Township. “So we raised extra money to book what is essentially three headliner bands in one show. Our hope is to fill the new Reif Center in our hometown for an unforgettable show.”

Sam Miltich

Sam Miltich

Musical performers include the big band rhythm and blues act Sonny Knight and the Lakers out of Minneapolis, Duluth’s folk troubadour Charlie Parr and local jazz favorites Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club featuring vocalist Charmin Michelle.

The Great Northern Radio Players include Duluth’s Jason Scorich and Louisa Scorich, both of Duluth but originally of Mountain Iron and Buhl; C.J. Anderson of Pequot Lakes, Rachel Brandt of Ada, Minn., originally of Chisholm; and Lauren Nickisch of Pequot Lakes on foley sound effects. Special Itasca County guests include Kathy Annette of the Blandin Foundation, logger and author Jack Rajala, and accessibility advocate Myrna Peterson.

“This is a homecoming show for us,” said Brown. “We did a show here in 2013 and most agree it was a blast, but this one will be even bigger and better. Our program has developed so much thanks to the hard work of a very creative and professional team of people. I really hope people come out to enjoy the show.”

The program airs live on KAXE/KBXE at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18. Tickets cost $10 for Northern Community Radio members and $15 for adults, free for children and college students with IDs. Audience must be in their seats by 4:30. Seating is limited. Call the Reif Center to order tickets 218-327-5780 or visit reifcenter.org.

Charmin Michelle

Charmin Michelle

The June 18 program will air live on 91.7 FM KAXE in Grand Rapids, Aitkin and the Iron Range, 90.5 KBXE Bagley and Bemidji, 89.9 FM Brainerd and 103.9 FM in Ely. The show is also rebroadcast on independent public radio stations throughout Minnesota and distributed as a live stream and podcast at www.kaxe.org.

The Great Northern Radio Show is made possible in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with support from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Culture and Tourism grant program and the Blandin Foundation.

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