Inspired Silliness

The other night I participated in a birthday bash for Jim Kloss in Talkeetna, Alaska. Jim celebrated in a small but dedicated group of musicians and music fans as the founder of Whole Wheat Radio, an internet radio station that plays an amazing variety of independent music not heard in most places, certainly not in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jim, known to wheatheads as Jimbob, turned 50 on January 8. About 80 people around the US, one in Tokyo and a few in the UK listened to a live broadcast that was often chaotic, not at all scripted and lots of fun. Forty or so people, including me, participated in a live chat with Jim, his partner, Esther and each other. We offered comments, posted photographs and drawings and called in phone messages (known as wheatgrams) to thank this strange man who has created a most amazing space. Esther wrote a moving tribute to the man she met while hiking the Appalachian Trail 16 years ago. It was a lot of fun. J-Walk has a couple of posts about the event on his blog. One is a collage of photos. The second is one of many photos posted to the Whole Wheat site during the event.

Whole Wheat Radio is a godsend for me.It is one place where I can hear the music I want to hear. I can also link to the artists’ web sites, find lyrics and buy their work. Jim and Esther also host "in-house concerts" with musicians touring the area. These are informal events held in the Wheathole constructed next to the 12'x 12' plywood shack that is jim and Esther's home where Whole Wheat Radio was born. Thanks, Jim and Esther, for giving me and other music lovers this opportunity.

Check it out at www.wholewheatradio.org.