KISU offers special Fourth of July programming

KISU-FM will feature a day-long celebration of the Fourth of July with an entire Saturday line-up of programs revolving around the Independence Day holiday.

The special broadcasts includes a live performance of music and fireworks from the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, a comedic encounter with the popular Capitol Steps, stories and information on regularly scheduled news programs Morning Edition and Weekend Edition, and several specially-themed music programs playing Music for America and patriotism on the nation’s birthday.

Saturday’s broadcast line-up includes the following special shows:

Noon – Capitol Steps: Politics Takes a Holiday Fourth of July 2009 Edition 

Joe Biden has announced that the Capitol Steps July 4th Radio show is 'the finest radio program since President Ben Franklin debated George Washington Carver, inventor of the peanut, on Morning Edition. Don’t miss this hilarious half-hour program, made possible by the Political Satire Recovery Act of 2009!

2 p.m. – American Routes

American Routes celebrates our nation's birthday with two live concerts of all-American music from the French Quarter in New Orleans.  We'll stop by the Ponderosa Stomp, dedicated to the "unsung heroes of rock 'n' roll" for a good dose of rockabilly, soul, country and R&B classics, done by the originators themselves.  Then it's down the street to Preservation Hall, where bluegrass masters the Del McCoury Band mix it up with the Crescent City's own purveyors of traditional jazz, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.  You'll never hear bluegrass and jazz sound so good!  So fire up the grill, pull out your lawn chair, and turn up the radio for American Routes.

4 p.m. – A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

It’s the final live performance of the season for Keillor and crew, coming from Lake Wobegon Park.  Already tabbed by some as the “best radio show ever," how could the fourth of July special not be a hit?!!

8 p.m. – A Capitol Fourth

The nation’s biggest Independence Day celebration includes a musical and fireworks extravaganza live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Hosted by Jimmy Smits and National Public Radio’s Lisa Simeone, this year’s “A Capitol Fourth” features Barry Manilow, the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, international pop sensation Natasha Bedingfield. The first segment of this two-hour special features a 90-minute simulcast with PBS, followed by a half-hour of music with similarly-themed content.

10 p.m. – Beat City Radio

 Local host Levi Montana Keller hosts an hour of music themed for Independence Day.  Hear a mixed collection of both rare and classic numbers from Indie, rock, folk, Americana, Alternative, and Country Genres.  

For more information, go to the KISU web site at www.kisu.org.