Radio Tipsheet
July 28, 2000
Cookin' on World Café
by Lynne Margolis
'Ben Folds credits the show for his label deal and subsequent success.'
David Dye wouldn't argue with anyone who says he's got one of the best jobs in the world. Five days a week, he spins a diverse array of tunes from almost any genre he wants, conducts radio interviews with artists he chooses simply because he likes their music, and exposes listeners to talent they might not hear anywhere else.
And public radio fans in 106 markets structure parts of their days around Dye's air slot. That's called "appointment radio," and in broadcasting that's about as good as it gets.
Dye's World Café has been syndicated for nearly ten years, emanating from WXPN-FM on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia. The show is so well respected, Dye now has the clout to get just about anyone he wants into the studio to chat with him and perform a few tunes. (The only notable exceptions being Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, two rock 'n' roll holy icons who also remain just out of the grasp of Austin City Limits host Terry Lickona.)
Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, and Willie Nelson have all been heard on World Café. So have Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Hackberry Ramblers, the Klezmatics, and Zap Mama. Ben Folds credits WXPN and the show for his label deal and subsequent success. Entrain, Indigenous, Fred Eaglesmith, Moxy Fruvous, and Jonatha Brooks are just a few other artists who point directly at World Café as their most important early exposure.
Part of World Café's appeal is Dye's ability to conduct interviews from the perspective of a knowledgeable fan. Though he prepares extensively for each session, it's his enthusiasm that carries the day. The show more or less focuses on singer/songwriters, but there's really no way to pigeonhole its sound or style. The station's blurb suggests it's a mix of rock, folk, alt-country, rhythm and blues, world beat, and jazz -- but even that doesn't fully express World Café's scope.
It's basically classic non-commercial AAA (Adult Album Alternative) radio, and since Dye's the godfather of the format, he's still making it up as he goes along. During a typical two-hour show, he'll spin at least 20 songs -- both old and new -- and interview one artist or band. The featured performer will also play a handful of songs live on the air, usually from the station's studio, occasionally at a larger outside venue.
World Cafe host David Dye with Texas-based artist Terri Hendrix at the
recent WXPN Singer/Songwriter Weekend 2000.
(Photo by Mark Silver)
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An artist-friendly environment
'We want those artists to be able to quit their day jobs.'
-- Bruce Warren
When World Café embraces an artist, it's not just on the air. Bruce Cockburn, Lucinda Williams, Moxy Fruvous, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore are among the people World Café has trotted out to perform at industry gatherings, such as Gavin conventions and public radio conferences where influential radio programmers hang out. Even for established artists like Cockburn, well-timed exposure can draw attention to a new album and help it succeed.
Bruce Warren, the show's senior producer and WXPN's program director, scouts constantly for new talent. "We're on the front line," Warren says, "It's like we're taste-makers. If we're gonna hang our hat on an unsigned band, or an independent band that's kind of obscure, we have a sensibility about what's going to happen."
Dye says the station also provides a test market of sorts. "We can have our hunches and then we can find out right away. We'll play it, we'll get reaction, we'll see if it's working, we'll see how it sounds. We'll see how people on the staff feel. Mostly I give credit to Bruce's gut, my gut."
Right now they're hot on Los Angeles resident Phil Roy, who's got an established songwriting career but no label affiliation as a performer. Dye says Roy's album, grouchyfriendly, "has a couple of the most heartfelt songs on it that just clicked with people unbelievably."
They tried a song from the album on World Café first and, based on audience response, added it to the station's playlist. Since then, Roy's album has been in the top 10 of Amazon.com's sales for Philadelphia and the surrounding area.
That disc just happened to be among the 25 or so Warren listens to each week. When he hears something he likes, he immediately contacts the artist or a manager. "Building relationships is a big part of my job," he says. "And we're doing it for the right reasons. We want those artists to be able to quit their day jobs."
Next Page: Wider airplay, bigger artist roles; Getting on the show....
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Each installment of Radio Tipsheet, a recurring column at Harmony Central, focuses on a radio show that gives exposure to unsigned and independent artists. The column is written by Lynne Margolis, a former associate editor and twice-weekly columnist for RadioDigest.com.
Before chucking her newspaper job to write for the Web, she established the pop music and radio/TV beats at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Margolis has also contributed to six MusicHound Essential Album Guides. |
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