Wednesday, January 18, 1934
Page 12
Daily Nebraskan
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Byran Bowers appeared in Lincoln test Nov
ember. The event was sponspored by Lincoln
Association For Traditional Artists.
By Dawn Watson
While big-name rock acts such 3 Styx and Pat
Benatar play Lincoln annually, folk music lovers
have until recently been hard-pressed to see their
favorite musicians. '
What started as a loose association of folk musi
cians has grown into an incorporated organization
with more than 200 members responsible for bring
ing five traditional musicians to town within the last
two years.
The Lincoln Association For Traditional Arts
(LAFTA) was incorporated April 1, 1082, according
to Gwen Meister, a LAFTA board member. LAFTA
had put together several benefits before that, Meis
ter said, but decided to get officially organized
before producing a big concert.
LAFTA's first major effort was a John McCut
cheon concert and square dance in May of 1082,
LAFTA President Bill Behmer said. The group has
since featured Bryan Bowers, Kevin Burke and
Micheal 0. Domhnalll, Ken Bloom, and Bill Staines.
"We want to provide opportunities for this com
munity to see really exceptional talent," Meister
said.
LAFTA also supports local artists, she said. Events
called "LAFTA Presents," staged four or five times a
year at the Zoo Bar, showcase local musicians, sto
rytellers and dancers, Meister said.
A bi-monthly newsletter including articles, tradi
tional recipes and "tidbits about traditional folk
celebrations" is another LAFTA project aimed at
raising community awareness of the traditional
arts. LAFTA encourages folk artists to use the news
letter to reach other artists, she said.
"We want to promote information exchange
amongst traditional artists kind of a support
group," Meister said.
LAFTA would also like to work with traditional
visual artists, she said, but wonders if thut would be
duplicating services already offered elsewhere.
One of LAFTA's goals is to establish a coffee house,
Meister said. Lincoln needs one, she said, but run
ning a coffee house is a big job. "We probably
wouldn't take it on ourselves."
Lincoln boasted two coffeehouses in the late
1060s and early 1070s The Hungry Id and Cross
winds, Meister recalled. They had chessboards, she
said, because "everybody had heard about Green
wich Village and you always had a chessboard
there."
Another LAFTA idea-in-the-works which will pro
bably materialize sooner than the coffee house is an
all-folkdance event.
LAFTA's next concert, featuring Irish musician,
singer and songwriter Andy Irvine, is Sunday, Feb. 5
at 7:30 p.m. in Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.
The annual meeting April 1, a pot-luck supper, is
open to the public. The meeting place isn't known
yet, Meister said.
LAFTA welcomes volunteers and people inter
ested in being on the board of directors, she said.
"We'll give them a trial subscription to our
newsletter."
For more information, write LAFTA at 1043 Euc
lid, 68502, or call 474-2275.
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Competition rocks Lincoln;
change is 'in the air (waves ) 9
Some Lincoln radio stations aren't
.secure with a piece of the rock any
more. They want it all
Consequently, stations in Lincoln,
four in particular, moved closer to
each other in sound in the past year as
formats changed, wider audiences
were sought and competition gener
ally rose in the Lincoln listening area.
As Omaha stations played a game of
"who's-on-first-what's-on-second?" with
frequencies and formats, Lincoln's con
temporary music stations played vari
ations on a theme. They manipulated
their music to appeal to the masses
conservative ball, as it were.
Atylum Records
Linda Ronstadt: an affectionate ear for big band music.
Ronstadt's oldies 'refreshing1
JoAnne
Young
Linda Ronstadt
What's New
Asylum
What's New features Linda Ron
stadt and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra
playing hits from the Big Band Era of
the 40s. Ronstadt's latest LP is defi
nitely a nostalgic trip but that doesn't
mean it's nauseating.
Records
In fact, it's beautiful, bold and clear,
with the combined strength of the Nel
son Riddle Orchestra underscoring Ron
stadt's big booming and particularly
sexy and sweet vocals.
Vihat 's New is a refreshing revival of
the finely-tuned full orchestra with
artistically-crafted, emotional singing.
In this effort, Ronstadt has come full
circle from her typical rock 'n' roll
rhythms. The deviation is brilliant. That
Ronstadt has strived to develop a very
different musical style from that for
which she is acclaimed confirms her
talent as a vocal artist.
The songs are romantic, melancholy,
whimsical and bluesy. "What's New?"
"I've Got a Crush on You" and "Crazy
He Calls Me" are a few of the tunes in
which Ronstadt croons on themes of
lost love, lust and longing, soured rela
tionships and reminiscing.
The tone and style of the album are
soothing, airy and melodious. The pure
trumpet and tenor sax solos that bel
low and whine of loneliness are so pre
cise they could make anyone sigh.
Ronstadt developed an affectionate
ear for Big Band music during her
formative years.
The dedication of the album cover
reads: "When I was growing up my
father, who has an infallible ear for a
great melody, taught me "a lot about
these songs and the people who sang
them. It is to him that this album is
most affectionately dedicated."
. Cc;.tl.ir:cJ on 14
At least two of those stations say
they are providing that theme.
"Whenever you do well at something,
people try to imitate you," said Charlie
Huber, KHAT general manager, talking
about the increase in competition in
his format.
But Tim Kelly, program director of
newcomer KXSS-FM, credits his sta
tion for being the pacesetter.
"KXSS (pronounced "kiss") has chang
ed the complexion of the market," he
said. "Everybody jumps on the band
wagon. They all follow the leader.
They're not innovators."
Most of the stations in this battle for
the 18 to 34 year-old listeners are on
the FM band. They range from the
more mellow sound of KHAT to the
harder pace of KFMQ. The two sta
tions that fall in the middle, KFRX and
KXSS, play varying degrees of both
ends of the Contemporary Hit Radio
(CHR) format.
Most of the stations point to re
search as the guiding factor for changes
in their sounds.
Ray Farrington, general manager of
KFMQ, said his station has made a
long-term commitment to researching
the market in order to bring Lincoln
has for many years been the tradi
tional FM rocker in Lincoln. But as a
result of tne research, Farrington said
his station shifted last spring from
AOR (Album Oriented Rock) to the
CHR format, with more current artists
and new music. But, he said, you won't
hear the repetition you might hear on
other stations with the same format.
More changes in the music are on the
way, he said.
Most station managers agree the
competition is good - for the listener.
"It forces the station to analyze its
format," Farrington said, "so you get
better radio."
Tracey Johnson, KFRX program di
rector, agrees that competition is good
for the listener. Competition forced his
station to change direction from an
AOR format to one with more mass
appeal, he said, and to "up the pace" of
its presentation.
"We talk over intros now and keep
the excitement level up," he said.
But Kelly said he thinks part of the
changes in format stem from the scare
of album rock dying across the coun
try. He said AOR stations are looking
for new formats.
Although most stations will hang on
to what theyVe got, at least through
the spring Arbitron rating period, there
are, no doubt, changes in the air (waves)
in 1984.
It is rumored that KHAT and its sis
ter AM station, KECK, have been sold
to Hanna-Barbera Corp. Already there
is speculation in broadcast circles that
Lincoln may be the test market for all
cartoon radio. KHATs Huber has no
comment on the sale at this time, but
promises information in the near
future.
At the same time, KSRD in Seward
has been sold and word is the new
owners have applied for new call let
ters. Can a format change from con
temporary country be far behind?
In the meantime, keep those cards
and letters coming in.
PROGRAM NOTE: For all those
with IIASH mania . . . who can't func
tion without their daily dose of Alan
Alda . . . KOLN-TV (Channel 10) has
moved the popular sitcom from 6:30
p.m. weeknights to 5 p.m. (same nights).
ii w yi.aK.nt yja ouuuiU liAtU tliOSt
three zany, madcap kids of Three's
Company.
