what I learned on my Spring Fling
WIUP is the nearby college station that airs The Soul Show, about an hour from Pittsburgh. I was invited by media prof Dr. Gonzo to participate in their first 48-hour Vinylthon, coinciding with National Record Store Day. Having pre-recorded TSS since the outset of the pandemic, a live broadcast felt exciting and nostalgic, so saying no was impossible.
Reflections
- As expected, every on-air studio is set up a little differently, and there’s a short learning curve.
- The butterflies came back, just like they used to when I was an early live host.
- Pre-production allows for seamless song transitions, but live vinyl is quirkier – both are good.
- Lugging 35 records would have been hard, so I picked a lot of albums with multiple favorite tracks and/or extended tracks.
- During host breaks, it felt intimate to actually call out the top-of-hour Station ID with call letters!
- The three hours went quickly.
- Not having archived the episode made it feel more precious.
- I may go out to IUP a couple times per year to train back up on live broadcast, and I can’t wait for the ’25 Vinylthon.
Playlist
| Artist | Track | Album | Remarks |
| Booker T. & The MGs | Hang ‘Em High | Soul Limbo | |
| Emma Donovan & The Putbacks | Black Woman | Dawn | TSS album debut |
| Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express | Second Wind | Live Oblivion | |
| The O’Jays | For The Love Of Money | Collector’s Item (compilation) | |
| The Allman Brothers Band | In Memory OfElizabeth Reed | Idlewild South (half of my “Beginnings” compilation album) | in memory of Dickey Betts |
| Mandrill | Hang Loose | Composite Truth | flowing right into… |
| Mandrill | Fencewalk | Composite Truth | |
| Dionne Warwick | Make It Easy On Yourself | Very Dionne | |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | No Woman, No Cry | Live (at The Lyceum) | flowing right into… |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | I Shot The Sheriff | Live (at The Lyceum) | |
| The Isley Brothers | That Lady | 3+3 | |
| Nation Beat | Forró de Trois Amigos | The Royal Chase | a TSS debut for this band |
| The Supremes | Love Child | from a Motown compilation | |
| Sly & The Family Stone | Higher | Dance To The Music | |
| Jimi Hendrix | Who Knows | Band Of Gypsys | flowing right into… |
| Jimi Hendrix | Machine Gun | Band Of Gypsys | (beginning of an all-Pittsburgh set, with Billy Cox on bass) |
| Betty Davis | If I’m In Luck (I Might Get Picked Up) | Betty Davis | fresh vinyl gifted by Betty’s bestie, Connie Portis (Pittsburgh) |
| George Benson | The World Is A Ghetto | In Flight | Pittsburgh |
| Phyllis Hyman | The Answer Is You | Somewhere In My Lifetime | Pittsburgh |
| Captain Sky | Wonder Worm | The Adventures Of | |
| Rufus (feat. Chaka Khan) | Please Pardon Me | Rufusized | flowing right into… |
| Rufus (feat. Chaka Khan) | Stop On By | Rufusized | |
| The Allman Brothers Band | Whipping Post | The Allman Brothers Band (half of my “Beginnings” compilation album) | more Betts tribute |
| Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson | Guerilla | The First Minute Of A New Day | |
| Slave | Coming Soon | The Concept |