Programming Notes
KRPS is your station for NPR News® and great music!

In September the focus is on “great music!” Join KRPS for some of the best in jazz, soul and folk.

Jazz
It all begins on Wednesday, September 3, with Hot Summer Jams: The Newport Jazz Festival 2008. Since its inception in 1954, The Newport Jazz Festival has been a magnet for top jazz performers, as well as the source of storied jazz recordings. Past festivals have included iconic performances by Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Nina Simone. This year the tradition of greats continues. Highlights will include performances from Herbie Hancock, Guillermo Klein and George Wein & The Newport All-Stars. This two-hour special airs on KRPS on Wednesday, September 3 at 7pm.

Soul
Perhaps more than any other genre of popular American music, soul music is the result of merging previous styles and sub-styles. At its inception, soul music combined the African-American concepts of gospel and the sensibilities of blues to create a passionate and soulful presentation of the African-American spirit.

Last month soul music lost one of its pioneers with the death of Isaac Hayes. Hayes, who would have celebrated his 66th birthday on August 20 was a longtime songwriter, producer and recording artist, as well as an Academey and Grammy award-winning composer. Hayes was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

KRPS invites you to join us for an hour-long biography celebrating Hayes’ life and career. The R & B Chronicles: Isaac Hayes will air Saturday, September 20 at 9pm.

Folk
At 10pm on Saturday, September 20, KRPS presents Pushing the Boundaries: Live from the Newport Folk Festival 2008.

In this two-hour special, NPR Music takes you to the historic Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. This year, the traditional folk music is left behind to make room for performances by some of today’s best-known folk-rock, alternative- country and even reggae artists. Performers will include The Black Crowes, Brandi Carlile, Jakob Dylan, Willy Mason and more.

You keep KRPS strong!

Fall is coming and in public radio land that can only mean one thing. It’s time for the staff of KRPS to gear up for the membership campaign!

If your KRPS membership expires this fall you will soon be receiving a letter from Bob Burk asking you to renew your KRPS membership for another year. This will be Bob’s first membership campaign. You can help him have a successful beginning by doing your part once again!

Also, as this column is being written, the KRPS “Members’ Only” Surveys are still coming in. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill out and return their survey!

One of the comments we’ve noticed repeatedly is how much KRPS members appreciate the new “lighter” fundraising. By lighter we mean shorter and more interesting. And, sometimes even fun! We really appreciate these comments. It’s nice to know when your hard work pays off! But, the one thing that has made it possible for KRPS to lighten up on the fundraising is ... YOU!

By renewing your membership when you receive that first letter or by making an additional contribution to the KRPS Philanthropist Society, you are helping to make the KRPS membership campaigns successful in a shorter amount of time.

If you’d like to get a jump on us, don’t wait for that letter to show up in the mail. Go ahead and renew your KRPS membership today by clipping out the form located just to the left. Enclose your payment and send it off to:

KRPS

PO Box 899

Pittsburg, KS 66762

Remember, even if it’s not time for you to renew your KRPS membership, you can help out by using the same form to mail your additional contribution to be used as matching money as part of the KRPS Philanthropist Society!

Thank you for being a loyal KRPS member. You really do keep KRPS strong!