Three of the WHFR blues brotherhood, DJ's Mike Holloway,
Anderson Coleman and Mr. White.

The Volunteer Station
with all them Blues
WHFR 89.3 FM
Henry Ford Community College
5101 Evergreen Rd., Dearborn, MI 48128
request lines 1-313-845-9676 option #1 for the studio
toll free 1-800-585-4322 x 9676
www.whfr.fm on line

Times are tough but nowhere has a city been hit harder than Detroit. Recently the major non commercial public radio station in the city abandoned it’s popularly supported eclectic music programing for a talk/news format and everybody’s feelin’ the blues. Not willing to give up on Detroit, the staff at the small but mighty community based radio station WHFR is saving the airwaves. Completely listener supported it can be heard at 89.3fm on Detroit’s west side and surrounding communities as well as www.whfr.fm on line. By providing a venue for the music not heard anywhere else in the Motor City, WHFR has taken the music out into the streets of Detroit and over the Internet and are giving the people what they crave. When you consider the neighborhood within the range of the WHFR broadcast signal its understandable that blues and R&B are some of the most popular shows in the line up. Operating with a staff of volunteer DJ’s who have a passion for what their playing WHFR provides its listener with six shows a week featuring seventeen hours of blues, and each show is as different as the individuals who host them.
You’ve got the blues both night and day and the blues broadcast week starts off with Ms. Kitty Luv, host of “The Circle Within” Tuesday night 11pm-2am. As a singer / musician and former manager of a blues club, Ms. Kitty’s focus is on guitar driven rockin’ blues and local bands while she purrs the praises of her favorite artists for her late night listeners. She also has one of the sexiest voices on the airwaves in Detroit.
The afternoon blues cruise commences with Mr. White’s “Bluestime” Thursday noon till 2pm. Mr White proves without a doubt that a white boy can play the blues. Some call him the “professor” because of his knowledge of the blues, but he says it’s a verb not a noun as he just professes the blues with many rare cuts from his personal vaults and the newest CD’s he reviews for Big City Rhythm & Blues. Growing up in the Detroit area back in the 60’s the first record he bought at 13 was the Howlin’ Wolf’s Memphis sessions “Moanin’ In The Moonlight” and was the only underage white kid in the club to see the Wolf at an inner city lounge. Talking his Dad into taking him to see the Paul Butterfield Blues Band when he was to young to get in by himself or seeing Jimi Hendrix in a small club before his first record was out Mr. White has always been looking for something to thrill his soul and motivate his metabolism As a writer for Big City Rhythm and Blues, Mr. White has had the opportunity to meet and interview some blues legends, encourage some of the younger cats, he lets the good times roll where ever he’s at. “Bluestime” has become his personal blues crusade, he’ll “turn your lunchtime blahs into blues, give you all the blues you can use and get you motivated for the rest of the day”.
Thursdays Midnight till 2am, The Jumper takes his listeners down to the delta on “Southern Blues at Midnight”. Jumper hopped off a Trailway Bus from Louisiana years ago, and has a personal collection of rare southern blues both old and new that he shares with his listeners. He sometimes adds his personal touch commenting on the lessons within the songs both before after and even during their playing, reminiscent of Detroit broadcast legend the Famous Coachman himself.
Having received a lifetime achievement award from the Detroit Blues Society, Jo Ann Korczynska has been keeping the blues alive, while taking her listeners down “Highway 61” Friday afternoon from 2-6pm for over fifteen years. With a loyal listener base of fans she prides herself on being the first to play many new recording in the Detroit area. Over the years just about every blues artist in Detroit has been a guest on her show.
The newest addition to the WHFR blues line up is “Blues with a Feeling” on Saturday afternoon 3 till 6pm with Anderson Coleman. AC feels his blues are therapeutic, everyone gets the blues but your not all alone, give a listen and he’ll make you feel good with a variety of blues and R&B as he gets you ready for Saturday night. Mr. Coleman is also on the Board of the Detroit Blues Society, he doesn’t just talk the talk, he’s got that blues walk.
Rounding out the blues week is “The Go with the Flow, Mike Holloway Show” on Saturday night, midnight till 3am. Mike takes more effort putting together a set than most DJ’s put into their entire show. Each set has a theme, it may be about relationships, transportation, cooking or maybe its the reading off of the titles that creates a story line, but its always a delight to listen for what he’ll put together next. “I try and make a statement putting them together in a way that makes sense, it may be funny or serious. We have a large library at WHFR, and sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store, I get so excited when I see all this great music”. Listen up Saturday night Mike will get you home from the club safe and sound and of course in style.
WHFR can also be heard streaming on the Internet at www.whf.fm, the mission of the station is to play music the commercial stations won’t while focusing on local and independent artist. The station also supports the music community of Detroit with a weekly live show, Motor Live Drive @ 5 produced by Margaret White who is also blues fan and a writer and photographer for Big City Rhythm and Blues. Each Thursday at 5pm the station showcases a local band for a full hour of music preformed live in the studio. The shows are available at the web site as a pod cast and listeners can enjoy them at their leisure anytime for twelve weeks after the performance.
Since 1985, WHFR 89.3fm has been broadcasting with a volunteer staff of on-air hosts providing a variety of music one hundred hours a week for the people of Detroit and the greater community of supporters on line. WHFR is a non commercial station and depends on the financial support of listeners for it’s operational expenses. WHFR will be interrupting its regular programing for it’s annual pledge drive April 6-12, 08. Other fund raising ideas are in the works including a benefit concert scheduled for April 11, 2008 at the Lager House in Detroit featuring some of Detroit’s finest bands. Just by reading this magazine we know your a lover of the blues, but if your also a supporter of independent radio and want your voice heard support WHFR. Be active and involved in keeping the airwaves open to the public and the blues alive. — Roger & Margaret White
bluestime@sbcglobal.net

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