Cultural Shorts

Josh Berwanger was a member of the highly revered Lawrence, Kansas, band The Anniversary, which issued a series of enduring albums and EPs between 1997 and 2003.

Released in January 2019, Old News is the sophomore release from Nashville's The Steel Woods. The record encapsulates the collective's musical diversity. Neither entirely country nor entirely southern rock, the band appeals to fans of a variety of idioms, often within a single tune.

"I love James Brown as much as I love bluegrass as much as I love Bill Monroe. I like good music," says co-founder Jason "Rowdy" Cope. "I guess we're a classic rock band. We're just not old enough to be classic rock."

Brit Floyd is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd's classic double album The Wall. Guitarist Damian Darlington recently spoke with KMUW about his love of Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's playing.

Four-time Grammy award-winning singer Yolanda Adams will headline the Gospelfest at Wichita’s Riverfest on Monday night.

If you lived in Lawrence between 2000 and 2002, there's a good chance you remember some of the city's key bands: The Get Up Kids. The Appleseed Cast. Mates of State. Laces Loose.

Laces who?

The quartet made its mark on the scene at the time with idiosyncratic compositions that defied songwriting logic and probably had more than one listener uttering, "They're an acquired taste."

Steve Martin and Martin Short will perform at Hartman Arena on Wednesday, May 8. The stop is part of the duo's "Now You See Them, Soon You Won't" tour.

The pair first worked together on the 1986 film Three Amigos with Chevy Chase and appeared together in Father of the Bride (1991) and Father of the Bride II (1995). Their most recent effort is the concert film An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest Of Your Life.

The pair's current tour features both comedy and song. They are joined by musician Jeff Babko and opening act Chatham County Line.

Jimmy Webb will perform an evening of music that finds him focusing on his relationship with musician Glen Campbell at the McPherson Opera House on Friday, April 26.

Titled Jimmy Webb: The Glen Campbell Years, the show finds the Oklahoma native performing hits such as "Galveston," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman," all of which Campbell had chart success with. In addition, Webb has assembled a series of photos as well as video and audio clips of himself and Campbell.

(Note: The concert has been relocated to the Burford Theater in Arkansas City.)  

Folk music legend Pete Seeger would have turned 100 years old on May 3.

For his friend and fellow musician John McCutcheon, it was important to mark the elder performer’s legacy. The result is the album To Everyone in All the World: A Celebration of Pete Seeger.

Wayne "The Train" Hancock's songs are a confluence of jazz, country, Western swing and just about every American style that is pre-rock ‘n' roll.

The Texas native and former Marine has been making albums since the 1990s, including Thunderstorms and Neon Signs, Swing Time and, most recently, Slingin' Rhythm.

Hancock and his band perform Wednesday, April 3, at Wave.

The guitarist and singer recently spoke with KMUW from his home in Texas.

Over the course of three albums, Oklahoma native JD McPherson has built a reputation for his soul-filled songwriting and high-powered live shows. Bridging the distance between garage rock and soul and R&B, McPherson's songs speak to the most universal of human experience with both familiarity and originality.

McPherson performs at Wave on Thursday, March 28, with Nashville-based singer-songwriter JP Harris opening.

McPherson recently spoke with KMUW from his home in Nashville, Tennessee.