During the week, Ohio University Public Radio's schedule consists of classical and jazz music and in-depth news. But on Sunday the schedule takes a decidedly folksy tone. Continuing a tradition of more than 20 years, D28+5 takes to the air every Sunday afternoon at 1:00.

Bluegrass programming came about in the mid-1970s when Marie Dickson of Albany, Ohio paid a visit to the WOUB-FM Program Director's office. She convinced station staff that there was a potentially large audience for this unique music, and volunteered to host a program every Sunday. Marie and her husband Neil were ardent bluegrass fans, who travelled frequently to festivals and had a number of personal contacts with musicians. They were also collecting an impressive number of bluegrass recordings. So they would box up some records and make the 10-mile drive to Athens each week to treat others in the region to their favorite music.

Although the station didn't put much money into promoting the show, word spread and before long the program was reaching both existing fans and creating an entirely new generation of bluegrass enthusiasts. Students and senior citizens alike found that they shared a love for this lonesome, bluesy derivative of country music, developed by Kentuckian Bill Monroe.

Before long the station also began broadcasting live concerts of bluegrass music, bringing both local musicians and well-known national bands to the air. It's a tradition that continues today with Showdown, a live concert broadcast on the first Sunday of each month from the Ohio University student center. The local broadcasts provide needed exposure for local musicians and attract bluegrass fans who join the coffee house atmosphere to enjoy their favorite music. It also gives the staff and students at Ohio University Public Radio a chance to enjoy the chance to produce some exciting live radio.

Bluegrass music fans lost a special person earlier this year, when Marie Dickson passed away. But the program lives on in testament to her love of the music and her willingness to share it with others. In our hearts, she remains "host emeritus" of public radio's bluegrass programming.

Our rotating stable of hosts includes:

• Deanna Tribe of MacArthur, Ohio. She and her husband, Ivan, have been long-time supporters of Ohio University Public Radio's weekend programming. Both are active in their community and in the education field, but have donated thousands of hours of time in putting together programming for the station. Ivan is a well-known music critic and historian, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of old-time, country and bluegrass music and the musicians who create it. In addition to Deanna's hosting of D28+5, the two of them host their own long-running Sunday show called Hornpipe and Fugue.
  
  
• Ron Vigue lives in Junction City, Ohio with his wife Pat. He's been involved as a host on D28 for 3 years, and is a past winner of the Telecommunications Center's Elizabeth Mills O'Bleness Award for Community Participation in Public Broadcasting. He became interested in bluegrass by way of country music, searching for a more traditional sound. He's a member of the band, "Whitey's Wonders," and has 3 children (including a son who plays fiddle). He got involved at the radio station first as a fan -- one of our regular Showdown attendees. During his visits, he befriended Marie Dickson, BJ Ferrebee, Deanna Tribe, and Pete Hart, and visited often in the studio. While at first shy about being on the radio, he agreed to try it after prodding from Marie and Pete. Now an old hand, he handles the studio end on Showdown Sundays, and usually hosts another Sunday during the month as well.
  
  
• Pete Hart lives in Guysville, Ohio and grew up surrounded by bluegrass. He first started playing in 1964 when his brother, the late Sam Hart, got out of the service. With Sam on guitar and brother Tib on banjo, the mandolin was his by default. The 3 brothers founded the Hart Brothers band, one of the more popular bluegrass bands in our area. The current incarnation of the group has been together for 9 years. Pete works for a local utility company. He's hosted D28 for 10 years. His involvement at the station began when the Hart Brothers performed on a live program at the station. When the pool of D28 hosts had dwindled to two, (Marie and Rusty), Marie Dickson suggested that Pete would be good. As usual, Marie was right, and Pete has been a regular ever since. Pete also builds and repairs instruments.

Thanks to these generous community volunteers, Ohio University Public Radio is able to present a unique program service each Sunday. And in case you're wondering, the title of the program was Marie Dickson's take on the popular instruments that make this music -- the D28 Martin guitar and the five-string banjo.

Public Radio | Community

Copyright © 1998 Ohio University