MN's Blues Man Big Walter Smith

by Doug MacRostie

Big Walter Smith is the lead vocalist with the Groove Merchants and has personified the blues in MN for 40 years. Winner of multiple MN music awards, his 300 pound presence and velveteen voice have graced nearly every blues and R&B stage in the Midwest and he joins us to talk about “Royal Blue Cadillac,” his new album with the Groove Merchants this week on Centerstage MN. He came to Minneapolis back in 1970 for a two week MC gig which lasted over a year and a half. He fell in love, both with MN and his future wife, and has been here ever since.

Big Walter Smith and Groove Merchants will be performing at the “Home is Where the Heart Is” dinner and Dance on Sat. Dec. 4th at the Timberlake Lodge in Grand Rapids starting at 5, music at 8, to benefit the GRACE House Homeless Shelter.

We'll also hear from Mason Jennings brand new album "The Flood" which came out this week. It's a return to his acoustic sound. It's a collection of unreleased songs that Mason re-recorded in March. On his website he says, "It was really fun looking through all my old tapes and finding these, some I hadn’t thought about for years."

All that and more this week on Centerstage MN.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on KSRQ in Thief River Falls Saturday nights at 11 & Wednesdays at Noon, and on WTIP in Grand Marais Thursdays afternoons at 4. Often featured on MNartists.org.

Mark Olson Guest DJs Centerstage MN

by Doug MacRostie

When MN music legend, and founding member of The Jayhawks, Mark Olson came to KAXE for a house concert, I asked him to join me and a microphone in the MN section of the KAXE music library for him to pick out some of his favorite MN musicians. It's a fine mix, from Paul Metsa to Martin Zellar, Boiled in Lead to Koerner, Ray & Glover. You can enjoy Mark's ramblings as he flows through the alphabet of MN musicians this week on Centerstage MN.

We'll also hear another song from Aurora Baer; considering I only have a "not my first actual release" CD, the music is amazing - she opened for the previously mentioned Mark Olson KAXE House Concert.

And we'll hear from MN legend Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchant's new CD "Royal Blue Cadillac." And a folksong favorite from The Bitter Spills, representing the Iron Range.

And there will be a set representing the Twin Cities with Mason Jennings, The Golden Chariots of Mars and The Idle Hands.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on KSRQ in Thief River Falls, and on KMSU in Mankato. Sometimes heard on KFAI in Minneapolis & St. Paul and WTIP in Grand Marais. Often featured on MNartists.org.