Watch For These Performances Coming To Our Blues Archives

We’re working to clear the way to hear selected Wednesday Night Blues ‘live’ performances from WLSU’s studios:

In June 2013, Tami welcomed Innocuous Voodoo to the studio for a live Wednesday Night Blues broadcast. Influenced by music from artists from The Meters, Dr. John and Professor Longhair, to Tab Benoit, John Lee Hooker and Aretha Franklin, Innocuous Voodoo is a New Orleans-style funk, jazz, rock, blues, and reggae band based in La Crosse. Founded in 2012, this band has a standing gig Sunday nights at the Popcorn Tavern. Learn more on the band’s Facebook page.

The five-piece string band May North was was in our studios for Wednesday Night Blues in May 2013. From rockin’ blues to foot-stompin’ bluegrass and traditional Americana Folk, members of The May North come from St. Paul and Winona, MN: George (guitar) and Stephanie McCorkell (fiddle), Chris O’Brien (dobro), Jeff Swanner (bass) and Matthew Byrne (banjo).

In March 2013 we heard the bluesy side of Matt Ray and Those Damn Horses, a hard-driving string band that serves up steamy helpings of roots, Americana, and old time music all with an intoxicating modern twist.

Members of the band (at left) visited with Wednesday Night Blues host Tami Bartels and performed ‘live’ in our studios during a recent visit to the Coulee Region.

Other past guests:

* Winona blues musician Mike Munson returned to share more of his own music and to introduce some of his favorite recordings by others, as he co-hosted the show with Tami Bartels. (February 2013)

* Singer-songwriter Scott Wilcox shared a selection of stories and music, from blues to rock, jazz to soul, folk to country. The Tomah, WI native, has returned to Wisconsin after living in Alabama and starting a family. (January 2013)

* Members of the local blues group Cheech & The Family Band. This group, which plays in La Crosse and for surrounding music festivals, is comprised of Andy Steeno on upright bass, Jim Zill on guitar, Steve Moen on harmonica and Greg “Cheech” Hall on slide guitar. (October 2012)

* La Crosse’s own Paul Paulie Matushek has been producing looped sounds with his acoustic and bass axes since his discovery of the art. He shared his music and discussed the joy he feels from playing his music. (July 2012)

* Minnesota blues guitarist Charlie Parr stopped by during his 2012 spring/summer tour to perform in our studios. His tour has included concerts in La Crosse, Decorah, and other area communities. (June 2012)

* Independent Music Award winners Joe and Vicki Price from Decorah, Iowa. Joe and Vicki’s music is flavored more to the juke-joint end of the blues: a bit rough and tons of fun. (May 2012)

* Western Wisconsin’s County Road G: Heather Kitching, bass; Jeff Strand, electric guitar; and Noah Hittner, acoustic guitar, vocals. Combining the influences of blues, folk, and classic rock, they perform mostly original material with selected covers. (April 2012)

* La Crosse’s Greg “Cheech” Hall (at right). (March 2012)

* Winona blues musician Mike Munson. (February 2012)

Wednesday Night Blues presents three hours of blues every Wednesday from 9-midnight. Bartels draws mainly from the WLSU music library, but also features musicians from our scenic river and bluffs region along the Mississippi River who perform solo and acoustic blues “live” in our studios.