Jim Blum
Jim Blum has been sharing his love of folk music as a radio host on WKSU-FM for more than 25 years and, since 2003, also on FolkAlley.com. Blum graduated with a B.A. from Kent State University, played bass in a bluegrass and swing band and used to be a landscaper. As host and music programmer for Folk Alley and WKSU's weekend folk music, Blum has nearly three decades of experience broadcasting to a folk community that is now, thanks to the Internet, global in scope. His broadcasts include his own mix of musical influences featuring classic folk heroes, acoustic instrumentals, world rhythms, contemporary singer/songwriters, Americana, bluegrass and other roots-based sounds. He also acts as a valuable resource for area venue owners and concert coordinators as well as holding the position of artistic director for the Kent State Folk Festival, the nation's second oldest folk fest held on a college campus.
Blum grew up in Northeast Ohio and still calls the region "home." An avid backcountry skier, he lives in a timberframe house that he helped build set down in a wooded area in the Snow Belt's sweet spot. Along with folk and traditional music, Blum also has a passion for the environment and animals (he's currently "Dad" to four dogs and seven cats). His listeners often come to him for local nature stories and updates on dogs up for adoption at the nearby shelter. They recognize him as a conversational, confident guy who is more of a companion than an announcer. He says, "I look at the folk programs as a meeting place... a place to gather each weekend or like a virtual coffeeshop online." Even though his home and his many folk-related projects keep him very busy, Blum tries to make time each year to head into the mountains with his dogs, "To rebuild my soul."
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Whether conjuring an old-time string band with their instruments, or punk ethos with their appearance, this trio can keep an audience on its toes. Watch them perform in Folk Alley's studios.
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The prolific folksinger and guitarist took 17 years off from recording before returning to the scene with 2007's Try Me One More Time. Watch him perform with a full band.
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The celebrated Irish folksinger speaks with Folk Alley's Jim Blum about her decision to leave Celtic headliner Solas, the disintegrating record industry and her children's love for Lady Gaga. Hear the interview and a riveting in-studio performance.
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After a chance meeting at an open session in Toronto, Lisa MacIsaac and Brenley MacEachern began writing songs together. Between songs at Folk Alley, the duo talks about MacIsaac's initial fear of singing (she was a fiddler first), and how Adrian Lawryshyn, their quiet bass player, is an equal part of the trio.
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When the continent-straddling bluegrass group launches into the Grammy-nominated "Crystal Merchant," a meticulously crafted studio session springs to life. Once the band plays, it's easy to forget the technique involved, because the music is so engaging. Here, the group pulls off a remarkable performance for Folk Alley.
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Compiling a Top 10 list for Folk Alley is difficult because it wears so many different musical hats. Each hour, the music stream from WKSU presents more than just the typical folksinger, so care was taken to create an all-encompassing list of great songs. The songwriter still prevailed, though — probably because there are so many of them. -
With roots coming from everywhere, it was refreshing to find the same Southern charm and friendliness effused through every member of The Dixie Bee-Liners at Folk Alley's studios. The band performed its sweet mix of bluegrass and roots music in a session.
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Gorka passes along musical traditions while also showcasing his own modern voice. In his songs, he tells real stories about real people — you, me, your family and friends. Gorka pays tribute to Pete Seeger's 90th birthday with "Water Is Wide" in a session from Folk Alley.
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By the time she was 16, Janis Ian already had a Grammy and a permanent place in the American consciousness. Her new autobiography shares the sometimes shocking stories behind her life and music. In a session from Folk Alley, she performs a cross section of her songs.
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Bonneville's songs are full of characters who stumble their way through a rough-and-tumble world of violence, hope, and despair. In four videos from Folk Alley, Bonneville stomps his cowboy boots on a piece of wood and tells his stories.
