Tapestry

Local Music

Other Music and Stories

Cast & Crew

WBHM Interviews

August 28, 2008...

• Local bands cope with high gas prices
• Sample the new CD from Act of Congress
• Broadcasting legend Shelley Stewart
• I Do, I Do at the Virginia Samford Theatre
• Birmingham singer-songwriter Kate Taylor

For many local bands, hitting the road is essential. It gives them a chance to meet fans, flex their performance muscles and sell a few CDs and T-shirts. It increases their chance of getting noticed by a talent agent, which could lead to a record deal. But this year, high fuel costs have eaten a lot of what these modern day troubadours bring home. After losing money playing live shows, some bands are taking a second look at their touring strategy. Les Lovoy reports.

How gas prices effect local bands...

Birmingham band Act of Congress is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the top acoustic bands in the Southeast. They've only been together since May of 2007. But early on, the group saw the potential in what they were doing and noticed the attention they were getting. That led them to toward making their new CD -- "Declaration".

Here's an exclusive preview...

Act of Congress has a CD release party at Workplay on Friday September 5th.

Shelly "The Playboy" Stewart is an original. He grew up poor. Found a love for radio. Preached the civil rights gospel by using code words on-the-air during Birmingham's most tumultuous times. He wooed black and white kids to the music he played at a time when they couldn't go to school together. He's an entrepreneur, a self-proclaimed humanitarian and a recently-inducted Alabama Broadcasting Hall of Famer. WBHM's Steve Chiotakis spoke with the pioneer who cracked the mic and the ears of those who didn't want the city to evolve.

Shelly Stewart interview...

In October, there'll be a celebration of Stewart's life and career, featuring Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

It's a sweet, sentimental, and often hilarious look at a marriage that spans two lifetimes. The musical I Do, I Do! follows Agnes and Michael through their early marriage, childbirth, family life, and the "empty nest" years. The show opens next Friday at Birmingham's Virginia Samford Theatre, with Leah Luker playing Agnes. She tells WBHM's Tanya Ott the character is challenging on many levels - professional and personal.

Leah Luker interview...

What to know what's going on around town? Activeculture.info is a one-stop source for finding out what's going on in the Birmingham metro area.

There's almost no way that music wouldn't end up being a part of Birmingham singer-songwriter Kate Taylor's life. When she was a kid her father played sessions and wrote jingles. A brother and an older sister both played in their own bands. So when Taylor was ready to record her first CD, she called on friends and family to play along. The result - a CD called 'Overtime' -- is a collection of rock, folk-styles and ballads, with a little country flavor, for good measure. This is From The Start. (AUDIO MONTAGE) You can hear Kate Taylor live at the Bottletree on September 6th.

Tapestry is produced by Tanya Ott and Michael Krall, with help this week from Steve Chiotakis, Coleman Lipsey and Islara Vazquez. Next week on Tapestry we hear from a British musician with firm roots in American music -- a visit with singer songwriter Teddy Thompson. I'm Greg Bass, and we'll see you next week.