Broadcasting Hey, everybody.

Hey there.

Hi there.

Hello there.

What's up?

Thanks you guys for being here.

My name is Adam Harris.

I'm the producer of mountain stage.

Great to have yo Thanks for supporting live music.

We have a great show for you all tonight.

And no matter who you came to see, you'll walk away a fan of something new tonight because that's one of the reasons I think mountain stage is middle of our 40th year of live performance Radio.

Thank you so much for coming.

There's a spray flows to the town from Indiana music.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support provided by Bailey Glasser and by the West Virginia Department of Tourism.

Welcome to another mountain stage with your host, Cathy Mattia Larry Groce: mountain stage is an anachronism it's a live music show that his music done live and then put on radio.

Unknown: Now this age is a two hour radio show that we record in front of an audience a ticketed audience for delayed broadcasts to about 280 or so NPR stations across the country to the variety show, in a sense, typically John Inghram: about five acts on every show.

Unknown: And each of the shows ca and also on podcast.

And anywhere that people find music.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, and welcome once again to mountain stage live performance radio from the Mountain State of West Virginia.

I'm Kathy Mattia, and we are at our home, the culture center theater in Charleston, West Virginia.

Larry Groce: We started really we did a pilot in 1981.

And it came about because West Virginia Public Broadcasting was building towers there were only two at that time.

And they knew they were going to build a lot more.

And so there was an idea that it would be more like a statewide network, and the head of the NBA.

And the general manager of radio, thought it would be good idea to do a show.

That would be a new show, some kind of variety show arts show, not not news.

And Andy right now who worked for public broadcasting had produced some things like that music, he went to Concord college, and he brought in people and it's a little bit of music production there.

And Frances Fisher had done a lot of live radio in New York City for NBC.

And so those two were friends.

And but they knew that they needed to have someone else do the one on one to be the host.

And they also knew that they needed to have more knowledge of music.

And so those guys call me and said, Would you be interested in doing this once a month show?

And I said, Sure, I mean, back then, everybody knew Prairie Home Companion.

And that was two hours.

So that was our template in a way because it was two hours long, and it was live.

And we ended up being focused very different than that show.

But that was the kind of format.

So that's what that's how we started, they call me and I said, Sure, I'd like to get involved in that.

We were almost totally naive about it was, which I think worked to our advantage.

Because if we'd waited until we had enough money, expertise or equipment, we never would have started.

And we begin to put together a show.

Thank you.

Anyone was a pilot.

Unknown: Thank you very much and the arts and cultural center, and ev listening at home.

This is the first of series mountain stage Larry Groce: took him two more years before they could raise even enough money to do a f So we hung around at three in December, we did the first show, we only do on one show a year for the first year, then 16 The second year.

And then the third year, we went national.

And we still we started doing more started doing more shows.

It was an amalgam of things and then through the years we've we've taken that beginning and broadened it out and you know, sharpened it up.

And that's basically what we have today.

Unknown: Every show starts with a venue I mean we have to have a place to do the show before we can send any offers out so it usually starts with us negotiating calendar dates with the Culture Center, which is our home and it's where we most of our shows.

We're lucky to have it it's beautiful venue fits our size perfectly.

So once you have the date in the books, then it just becomes a search of who can we get and when Larry Groce: when you get an artists that we call an anchor artist.

they're good enough to say, we can that we have this artist, that's an anchor artist, we get one of those, that's how it starts, then we try to figure out who can we put in there.

Also, that fits with that person that works with that person that could work with the same crowd would be the same crab might be interested in this person that we started that, might start taking shape.

At this point, stylistically, it may also still have a lot of directions that can go if it's the right artists, and we can get by with a lot because of o format, you know, we would not be able to do the things we do if we were all bluegrass, or all jazz, or all country we would run out of styles, it would get stale really quickly, man with our show, it's like, you couldn't have some stone cold country this week, the next week, it's gonna be a seriou jazz flavored show, we might have a band from West Africa Next week, you know, it's so much different stuff.

And I think that's what keeps it interesting for me staff, but then also the audience.

And that formula has served us pretty well for 40 years now.

Scheduling everything.

And sometimes you don't exactly intend to have that eclectic of a show.

But you end up wit of the day, it's like, wow, that was really great.

And of most eclectic shows are the ones where the artists enjo other the most they're sitting backstage and going wo really liked that.

Because that's different than They're engaged you know, and I love that part a stage is that often the artists are backstage just chill watching each other's talking, you know, mutual admiration backstage, all the time, love seeing.

Larry Groce: But the week before the show, I would start when was host, and Kathy does this now.

Start l artists that are on that show, listening to their latest stuff, and then listen to other stuff and then read stuff about him and read more than just their what they give you more their promo, so that you yourself have a feel and opi that you try to that you try to put it into a context for yourself, therefore, hopefully, for the listener.

And then you also have to do that one thing, which seems trivial, but which is funny enough that we've seen is is more important than you think, which is the finale song, you get to pick a finale song.

And hopefully the finale song has your money making some statement with economics on either about what's happening in the world, what's happening in the show, or what's happening in music.

And you're trying to pick something that maybe everybody in that could relate to, or is willing to try to relate to?

It's It's fascinating to do that.

And one of the things that finale song does is put it together in your mind, what is this show?

What's the flavor of this show this specific show, because every show is like a diff, it'd be like an artist, every shows a different canvas.

And then the next sh different thing.

And it might even be a different know, this, this is abstract expressionism.

And this is photorealism.

And that's what makes it interesting.

Unknown: So we've got the venue, we've got an act or and then we have to decide when the show goes on sale.

And so I like for no reason at all.

I like to have tickets on sale for three months, at least if we can, we usually now presale for our members.

And then they'll go on sale to the public about a week later.

And then hopefully, it'll be sold out by the time we get to show day.

So once the artists it's on sale, that's marketing, which is basically a lot of earned media, a lot of social media, just word of mouth, trying to get the show in front of the people we think might want to buy a ticket for it.

And sometimes we have to work really hard to get those crowds.

But it's worth it.

You kn We like putting all this work into it.

We want as many people to be there as possible.

And having a great a what sounds great on radio, Adam will start adding acts.

I will have a block reserved at the Marriott Town Center here in town.

As Adam announces acts, I will generate contracts for that performance agreements that come from us, which basically covers our right to broadcast.

One of the next things I do is we'll secure our catering for the show.

I just worked with the caterer we come up with a menu.

And honestly if we can please 70% of the people.

That's a win.

I spent a lot of Saturdays Saturday morning Saturday nights at airport waiting for people and driving them around.

That can be fun and also very nerve wracking when you know that person was needed.

soundcheck early tomorrow and late night flight delay, didn't change the whole schedule of the day, following the venue, Adam then books, artists and then he sends all of that information to me and I start building out our website, our events on social media, our events on Eventbrite and also emails that go out to our members and then also people that have signed up for our newsletters.

So a mountain stage show day is usually about 12 hours and it starts here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting where we load up the rental vans we get our beverages, anything that we need to set up camp at the Culture Center.

You're here in Charleston, West Virginia.

We load up the vans and we head over to the culture center.

Get the green room set up and situated with coffee being made everything to make our artists comfortable when they arrive, which usually starts about noon.

In between that time I sit down and check our ticketing, answer any emails that have come through in the morning.

And then I start getting our dressing rooms prepped around noon base camp printing company drops off our posters.

They're beautiful, one of a kind prints that are available each of our shows, and we actually gift at least one to each of our artists.

So after we get our dressing room setup, I head upstairs and help Jeff set up our merch tables, get everything set out, ready to get our artists loaded in with their merchandise.

And I also set up our ticketing booth or table where I have all of our comp tickets ready for folks or guests of the show.

And I have all of our systems up and running and ready to check people in for Showtime, our doors typically open at 5pm.

So we like to have the lobby prepped and ready.

And then at 6:30pm, the doors to the theaters open where our ushers actually check in each of the attendees for the night.

Once the show is complete, everyone comes out of the theater and out to the merch table.

When this happens, we are full speed ahead, we are selling left and right.

It's a beautiful chaotic moment to end the show.

And also this is when I have the opportunity to talk to some of our members, as well as sell some tickets to the next s that are coming up.

Larry Groce: The editing of the show used to be just me and engineer, I never did want to learn how to use the machines because I wanted to have somebody else in the room.

And doing it with me was Francis Fisher and I for years.

And then Patrick joined us then when Francis passed away, Patrick took over it was Patrick and I.

And then in recent years, we've added two more guys to be there.

And what happens is you listen to the show the first time through.

And as you do that, you take out all the obvious things that are going on all the gaps, all the restarts, then the next thing you do is go through.

And then you decide what's going to stay in terms of this person talk too much before is it working?

What they're doing?

Can we help them out by taking out a little bit of their talk?

And that includes the host?

You know, that becomes the next thing.

And then the final thing after you get that streamlined as you can then you decide, Is there anything in here that needs to be remixed?

Now we have the ability to remix things, but you tweak it basically more than remix it.

Finally, you get all that done.

mixes are good.

And the show is still two hours and 20 minutes long.

You can only get 158.

Now, what are we going to take out?

That becomes an art.

Unknown: And you have five acts on the show you think three, four minutes a song, it's about five songs you're lookin take out give or take with a little bit of banter John Inghram: a lot of times yeah, of course we're keeping notes on this performance was stronger tha we think there's some subjectivity there.

But often, and this is very often the timings make these decisions kind of reveal themselves in the process of the moment.

If it's a great performance, it would be hard to make that decision to cut it based on time.

And sometimes you just have to do it you have to do I mean there's no one way to do it.

But yeah, it can be tricky.

You're Unknown: cutting g I can't believe we have to cut, so and so's third song, but we need two minutes, Larry Groce: w want them to look great.

So take out anyt seem even if it's our fault, and the mix was weird or something, take them out because they'll it'll always reflect on the artist.

So you're going through and you're trying to set, as best as it can be.

So that the listener will like it, the artist and the listener won't turn off the show.

Unknown: We have a great crew and thankfully I do not have to worry about a lot of things.

The best part if you hire the right people and you have exper fields, then thankfully they're gonna ge everybody look good.

And it is a team effort.

Everybody knows their role.

But also there's lots of people who jump from role to role to role as needed.

We have a crew that broadcast engineer.

We have two people that sit with him to monitor the recording and also the mix during the show.

We have a stage manager, we have a monitor engineer, we have the front of house engineer.

And we have two stage hands.

It's n growing to about four stage hands that work on a regular basis on stage to help get the artists on and off c have the support team that includes you know, Jeff, who's going to be taking care of the catering.

He tells everybo what time they need to be there and when he'll call them i they're late, he'll go and wait on Him.

If they're lost, h help tuck them in.

And then of course Mallory handles a lot o Day of show hospitality stuff.

A lot of artists relation things she's bound to be shooting some video for instance, gram, she takes the photos from our photographer who's another person that shows up on show day that photograp to Mallory to post to our Instagram during the show.

Then we also have our caterers who come in for each show, union stagehands who show up to help us load the artists in and make sure we get our gear built, we have to build the recording system when we get there, we have to build the stage time we get there.

And so all of that stuff has to happ and every time.

It's a two hour show five artists but they're gonna be five different artists and they're gonna be completely different.

But it's the same format every t thing completely different.

It takes a lot of that's how I started here anyway, so I actually take extra special care when it comes to the merch people and making sure their quality folk and that they get taken care of as well.

People like Mary Lee on our show, who does the timing of the show is one of those unsung heroes of mounts.

She has impeccable handwriting, she's timing the whole show.

She's timing each individual song.

And we use those sheets to a pay people through their publishing look to the composers of the songs.

And we also use it for editing purposes.

But it's she's a very under appreciated person on our team that I'm definitely I like to tell people about her.

It's a tough job.

My first show in February of oh five I was backstage and I watched Chuck profit do a rehearsal with the band.

And it was the first time I'd seen anything like a rockstar land from San Francisco go up on stage with five people he's probably never met before.

They've listened to his music.

He doesn't know who they are.

And he gets up there and has to orchestrate this situation and works with Ron or bandleader to make sure the arrangements are correct.

And and he talks through it in these musical terms that aren't like some music student terms.

He says things like it's the Don't worry baby changes like that.

And I go oh, you just said don't worry, baby.

Like I know what that is a beach boy song.

It's cool.

It's the same changes.

Yeah, that's cool.

And I watched Chuck profit just worked out with the band this whole set and then they came out and killed it.

And I'm like these g rehearsed for about 45 minutes about five songs.

And then went out and oh, yeah, taped for national radio, you know, and probably never started anything over.

You know, they're used to being in the highest pressure situation there could possibly be.

And I have to say something about Julie Adams because she does something that most people could not even comprehend.

And that's learning harmony vocals and delivering the retakes no overdubs.

No fix it in the mix.

Larry Groce: Denise Monet and Julie Adams, Julie's still on the show, they were guests on the first show.

And I Andy, we really need a female presence on this show permanently.

And Julie, since then, has sung harmony with so many hundreds of people.

And unbelievably talented at doing that, which is extremely hard.

I mean, the two hardest backup people, in my opinion are the drummer.

And the harmony singer, drummer has to go 123 And they're the first downbeat, their honor, they're wrong.

And a harmony singer, you got to listen to all these different people with their different style, a different phrasing.

To me that's like, th big talent, big deal.

But Unknown: the fat and any of the st ep up and perform on the highest professi could possibly be with very little work, very little preparation.

But at this point, they've done it so many times nothing rattles them.

Larry Groce: Most of the ban Ahmed, Ron, Julie, and even Michael have been ther the mid 80s.

Bob since 90, and Brian in the last 10 years, John Inghram: that was like the highlight of terms of me performing on the show as a musician.

The night that I bands played on the show as a as a guest.

I was pulling double duty that night.

So I was had my band on there.

And then I was also subbing for Steve Hill, my longtime bass player.

So I was playing with a couple other acts that night and playing in the house band.

So with the themes and the drop ins and things like that, Julie and Julie song, I'm a bass player, you know, so I geek out on playing the bass, and providing a foundation for other people.

So any chance I get to sub for Steve is exciting.

For me.

It's more utilitarian, if I'm playing other people's songs, I'm making other people's music as good as it can be, you know.

And so that's always exciting to I mean, there's just no way to overstate how much I love that.

Unknown: Any musician that's played knows what it's like to have those people that you've played with 1520 25 years years for some of these people.

And so there's this intricate understanding it's intimate understanding between the musicians they just think on the same level Larry Groce: There are several reasons why we go on the road.

While we do road shows, it isn't just because we want to get out of Charlson, it has to do with doing something that's a high profile like going to the Kennedy Center.

We did Town Hall in New York City, Berklee School of Music.

In Boston, this last December, if we have an opportunity to do those kinds of venues, we want to do that went to Scotland, for the connections, we want to do that, first of all, we have to have somebody that wants us there, we don't choose to go somewhere, they have to want us and pay us to come there.

So that's one reasons because the venue is, is like, important place.

And other one is, because the venue may be just a nice venue.

But the station that wants us there is an important station, we want to be there.

You know.

And, and then the third reason is because like we've got, we're going down to Franklin, Tennessee, we want to do a show near Nashville, you know, at the time we're doin it's near the Americana conference and stuff that that's an important reason to go.

And there's a fourth reason.

And this is practical, we make more money doing a show on the road than we do doing a show here.

And some years, we've had to do that, because we didn't have the money.

Unknown: When I first became executive producer and underwriter to the tune of about 50 or $60,000.

And we were short.

And without any prospects at that time we took to the road.

And I think in 2012, that was the first year we did more shows on the road than we did in Charleston proper.

And that was out of necessity, because we spend less when we go on the road, we get a fee to do the show, and we cover our costs.

And there's some things we would normally pay for that we don't pay for, we still get the radio show.

But it at a discount because we saved all those monies on some of that expense.

And so that was essential at that to the hosts who welcome us, you know, and program mountain stage not knowing which artists are going to be on the show.

This year, our 40th year, there's been a ton of interest it is our 40th anniversary, we've been getting a l press, we brought in Kathy Matteo a couple in a lot of ways is more popular than the show.

So that's brought a lot of attention.

And then we also brought in Cathy's agent to help sell the show.

And so she's gone to pla have a proven track record with Kathy.

And then she says, Kathy, now host this radio show, you could have them and they bring five artists, it's this really cool thing.

And is going to be heard on 280 stations across th of course we want to go where we're invited.

I mean, that's the key is if somebody wants to have invited, and we should try to take them up on it.

So p may be a little bummed we're not in West Virginia as mu only helps West Virginia.

And it only helps the show for us to go out to these areas for lots of reasons.

And there's a reason we get support from the tourism industry.

It's because w share the same goal.

And that's to improve the image of West Virginia to those who may live outside of our borders, bringing the show on the ro listen.

So where they live, we're able to bring the actual production to them.

Some of these places for the first so they're able to experience what live radio looks like and sounds like and be a part of our live audience.

When we went to Alaska, those people had been listening to mountain stage for 30 years, these people in these small Alaskan towns we went to Fairbanks did two nights sold out both nights, you know, 800 people twice as many as we'll be here, the things that they told me at the merch table were amazing.

Number of people said I didn't realize they played the theme song live every time.

I had little old ladies come out and say, I didn't know Larry Gross was so cute.

But you know, they the reason why we would go to a place like that they ask us to come because it's something you know, you listen, they've listened to for, like I said three decades, generat people, we John Inghram think we're good ambassadors of the you know, I get I get a kick out of that.

So, and everybody travels pretty well, on this show.

I mean, it's, it's pretty considering what a heavy lift it is.

We're we do pretty good.

Unknown: It's really neat to get an invitation to the prestigious place like the Kennedy Center.

I mean, that's one of th echelon venues that everybody recognizes.

And we d well at the Kennedy Center.

I mean, I think we did remarkably well.

And when we went back, we did even better and cool.

Again, the recognition is great.

It's not why you do it, but I hope it's gratifying for Larry.

And for Andy, you know, again, I like I like to message them and just say I hope you realize how cool this is.

And you know, we're shoulders that we're standing on Andy especially I feel I him all the credit in the world because I mean, he laid these relationships.

People answer my phon Adam Harris.

They answered my phone calls because I worked for mountain stage.

And I work at mountain stage because of and I mean all these relationships, all these agencies, they know about mountain stage because of the relationships that Andy forged.

And there's people who were youngun now in charge of their own agents.

And that's invaluable as well because there's been people who their entire career have been booking artists on that.

onstage, and they know it's no for the money, they know it's going to help their artists real recognition for a very dedicated and loyal audi And if you can win that audience over, then you're more likely to sell more tickets, the next time you come to town you can get public radio support, they're the most musi loving listeners in the world, and they'll support you a lifetime, if you can turn them on.

John Inghram: You know, I think the legacy of the show has already kind of been set, all the people t through this organization and done the thankless work done, the thankful work, it's been done.

So our job now is to preserve that legacy.

Unknown: The legacy really lies he re and appreciate it and enjoy it.

They like it here, you know, we are our own unique thing.

And people come there and find comfort and knowing that we're going to welcome people with open arms, and everyone is equal when they walk through the doors of mountain stage.

It's a family, Larry Groce: I think the show's legacy is to show that you can do a national high quality production in a small place.

Here we are Charleston, West Virginia, USA.

We're doing this show from here.

These are all people from here.

And we're bringing in people from everywhere, because we understand just like you do that they're good performers.

Unknown: If Mountain Sage had relied on ticket sales, it probably wouldn't have made it five years, years.

And that's why state support is so es arts, because these things can't sustain themselves.

But yet, I think everybody has a right to see them.

That's why it's an essential service.

Humanity's remind us where hu connects us with all the things that are important about what's beautiful about being alive.

And I'm glad we get to do th I love when we can turn people on to new music, because that means they're going to have a recurrence of that momen their memory.

Every time they hear that song every t hear that artists.

Believe to the show in Bristol, Tennessee, the backstage door was connected to the parking lot where all the artists Park.

You know, like I say we all just want to make everyone comfortable and happy and treat you real the last person on this show, a car pulls into the parking lot.

Just as I'm coming back down the alley from wherever I was at out front, I see a guy getting out of his car with two guit I go to him, I said, Oh, let me help you with that in you with something.

And he said, I'm here for Doc Watson.

So I take his guitars and I walk him into the backstage door and I'm carrying on like, oh, yeah, great.

I'm glad you're glad you made it.

And we walk into the backstage door.

And it opens right into this big common space.

So there's all my people are your Joey Adam.

Larry's sitting in there.

Doc Watson and his people are in there.

They're all just kind of out in this common area.

I'm going to introduce him and he's, let's uh, he was there to get his guitars signed by dog Watson.

And as I realized what's going on here, I'm like, Oh, my God, you gotta go and I'm shuffling him out the door.

He did eventually get his thing signed, but through the proper channels, not through me walking into the backstage, but we always joke that there's a huge difference between.

I'm here with Doc Watson, and I'm here for Doc Watson.

Then I told him he couldn't park there too.

He had to.

He's parked in artists parking.

Oh, it's just so funny, but they tease me about that for a good a good long while on that one.

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