My Summit Highlights of 2009

It's December and I'm looking back at all the great people I've met and have gotten to know since I started volunteering this year at The Summit, like the wonderful staff, on-air personalities and specialty program hosts, members, volunteers, and you never know when The Woovs might show up! Of all the awesome Studio C performances I've experienced this year, I'd say my most memorable and moving was Matisyahu. Coming up in a few days is the 2nd Annual Summit Member Family Event, with ice-skating, food, and music by BE Mann. Can't wait to see you there!

BTW: did you know there are nearly 1000 91.3 the Summit Facebook followers? There are a lot of great comments there as well. Drop a line here or there sometime, and get to know your fellow Summit fans.

New Music Question

First, I'd like to say how much I enjoy listening to the Summit and I am an active member. Although there is a lot of good music played, I'm wondering why don't I hear more of certain artists, like The Script, BellX1, Alternate Routes. I really like what you've played by these artists, but they must have at least one or two additional songs that are radio worthy.

Also, the Studio C performances are great, but will they be available on your website for listeners to enjoy anytime?

Keep doing what your doing, but there's always room for improvement.

Anonymous from Akron

What's on Your Mind?

Summit listeners, this is your outlet to voice your likes or dislikes about 91.3. Is there something you'd like to hear more of, or less of? Have you enjoyed the Studio C performances? Have you been to any Summit gatherings? Have you seen the El Camino out and about lately?

Summit members, you have the power to help shape the future of this unique radio station. Spread the word via Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Flickr. You are 91.3 The Summit!

Now Our Stereo System's Complete

My wonderful husband John has hooked up a Mac Airport Express.  I don't know the technical magic involved but it allows us to listen to 91.3 The Summit's HD channels on the stereo, instead of just online.  There is nothing wrong with listening online, but it's so much better to experience great music through your home stereo system.  We live near enough to Akron to pick up The Summit on the stereo, with John's antenna installation, but I so love the HD2 channel which plays the music from the late 70s through the early 90s.  The music that turned John and I on to WAPS in the first place, all those years ago.  

Now we always have something awesome to listen to, and it's all 91.3 baby! 

Show Your Summit Spirit Wherever You Go

Share your travel tales, or how you enjoy down- time while listening to The Summit, and a photo with the 91.3 logo.   My husband and I and our three children have just returned from a memorable trip to Italy.  I thought it would be nice to have our picture taken in front of the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, while holding a Summit logo that I had cut from a bag.  Next trip, I'll try to make sure that the logo is more visible.  Wouldn't it be cool to see where in the world people are loving The Summit?  Maybe even in your own backyard.  Send your photo stories to summitblog@gmail.com or to The Summit's Flickr page. 

Roo Wrap-up

Well, Bill and I survived the Bonnaroo Festival and we're back in Akron (although I should mention that due to a few incidents involving a tour bus bunk, I nearly didn't make it, and Bill developed a serious addiction to samosas which almost prevented him from voluntarily returning to Ohio).

I know Bill had a lot of cool experiences (hanging out with Alejandro Escovedo and his band was a highlight, I believe) and he's writing about those here.

I've been to the festival four times now, and I've seen a lot of crazy stuff, but I have to say that every year something new and cool happens that I never expected.

Musically speaking, my favorite experiences were seeing Phoenix, Grizzly Bear and Rodrigo y Gabriela for the first time, and seeing of Montreal for the fourth (their stage show is bizarre and always interesting; this time it included crowd surfing, people in pig costumes and instrument demolition).

On Sunday night, we happened to be hanging around the radio camp when backstage passes for Phish got handed out. Having been backstage at the Main Stage last year, I knew Bill and I had to go. Bill was a little doubtful, but when we got up there and looked out over the thousands of crazy Phish fans he understood why I was so anxious to go up there.

Earlier in the day, Bill happened to start a conversation with one of Bruce Springsteen's security guards (apparently the Boss was checking out some live music) and found out that he might be joining Phish onstage that night.

Sure enough, Bruce came out and played three songs with Phish: Mustang Sally, Bobby Jean and Glory Days. We had a prime spot to see the whole thing backstage and got some great pictures.

That was the last show of the festival and a great way to wrap up Bonnaroo 2009. I can't wait to see what kind of stops they pull out next year!



(Don't forget to check out our Flickr page for more pictures)

Radio Bonnaroo!

Yes, the festival has it's own radio station (and it's own newspaper, post office and ferris wheel, but that's another story).

It's called Radio Bonnaroo and it's run by DJs from across the country who choose all the music you hear. Tonight I will make my second appearance on the station from 6 to 8 pm Eastern time (right before Springsteen show - I keep telling people I'm opening for Springsteen).

It'll be weird, probably messy, and musically interesting, but definitely fun. You can join me and listen online at www.fantasyradio.com. Just click on the link for Radio Bonnaroo halfway down the page.

Tune in tonight!

Backstage at Bonnaroo

Bill Hall and I have been backstage at Bonnaroo for the past three days, and you really never know what you're going to see behind the scenes. Met Ani DiFranco yesterday, lots of artists sightings as they come back to record interviews or just to hang out.

I've got a pass that gets me into some of the backstage areas at the shows, which sounds glamorous but only occasionally really is. You're generally stuffed onto a side-stage viewing area with a lot of other people, and while you're waaaay closer to the show than pretty much everyone else, it doesn't make for great pictures (I have some of the back of Gomez - that's why they call it "back" stage).

Even if all of my pictures aren't fantastic, we do have a friend here who is a much better photographer with better access than I've got. Josh from Music Allies has been taking a ton of artist pictures, and you can take a look at them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/musicallies/

I'll have more of my own when I get home, but in the meantime, check out Josh's page!

Bonnaroo tips

This is Bill Hall’s first year at the Bonnaroo Festival and my fourth, and one of the many things I’ve learned coming here is that as soon as you step on site, you have to let go of whatever standards of cleanliness you normally hold yourself to.

Also, get a good pair of rubber boots.

The first day of the festival was stormy and by the time the sun went down there were giant puddles everywhere. I made the rookie mistake of not turning my flashlight on until I was mid-puddle, but thankfully I had the boots (especially considering that this particular puddle happened to be right outside of a big row of porta-potties).

Once you’ve got your boots and your lowered standards of cleanliness, you’re ready to see some music. I caught some of the Passion Pit show last night, Gomez and Animal Collective today. Tonight it’s David Byrne, Phoenix and maybe Al Green! Also got to meet Ani DiFranco backstage. Hope you’ve been enjoying all the backstage interviews and performances on the Summit.

And you don’t even have to brave the puddles.

Gruber's Garage - Summit Car Club volume 1

So why a blog about automobiles on a radio station website?

Well, why not?

They are a big part of America life for over 100 years now, in most cases the second biggest asset/investment we own, and, an undisputed source of hobbyist addiction.

Despite working in radio in some form since age 18, I have always been a “Car Guy.” Mom claims my first word was “car-car.” Sign of a budding lifetime obsession, or, just some early stuttering issues?

Enormous collections of Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars followed. Followed by obsessive-compulsive collecting and building model car kits.

My dad was somewhat a Car Guy, and taught me a thing or two at a young age.
Like now, I asked a million questions. Only then, I was better at retaining the answers. Dad told me the make and model and year of some of the neighbor’s cars, along with our own, and I plugged that into my brain and started making connections when seeing the same type of car on the road or in a parking lot.

In the late 1960’s, it was safe to tryke around the neighborhood, exploring nearby driveways and garages. I soon realized that car companies stamped the red plastic tail light lenses with the model year of the car they were attached to: the neighbor’s 65 Galaxie had a “65” on the lens. Our 66 Tempest had a “66” embossed in the plastic. Etc. etc.

Sounds crazy-dangerous today, but, I would even run ahead of my parents in the parking lot of the local Kresge store (remember Kresge?) and check for model year stampings on tail lights, make mental notes, and add to the human-child automotive mental database.

Today I’m a bit of an idiot savant of car makes, models and years, covering roughly the late 1950’s to present day. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to discern…for the last couple decades, there has been a marked decrease in annual cosmetic freshening of cars, and, the same exact tail light may be used for many years. Thus, a 2003 car may have a tail light that still is stamped “98” and you need to be aware of other tell-tale signs. It sure keeps a car guy on his toes.

In recent years, I have become a car collector. While many cars of the 60’s and 70’s today command rich-man prices, there are just as many nice examples of just-as-cool cars from that era that cost no more than an average 1999 used car.

Buying, improving and driving a classic car is a lot more fun than pulling a Certificate Of Deposit out of the desk drawer and rubbing it between your fingers.
And these days, most old cars earn a larger and more stable annual appreciation rate than traditional paper investments. Insurance and registration of nice cars over 25 years old is pleasantly affordable.

The online classic car sale sites have brought a nationwide showroom to everybody’s hometown. The amount and variety of classic cars being sold on Ebay is mind-blowing. Some of these Ebay listings fly way under the radar, and unique cars sell very cheaply.

So, are you an old car nut too? I’d love to get together a gathering of Summit listeners who are also old car nuts….either owners of the beasts, or, those who appreciate them. Perhaps in the online world, perhaps meeting up in person. Maybe our own car cruise night?

Where do we draw the line? You tell me! I say open up to cool cars of all eras and birthplaces. To keep things reigned in, maybe use 1990 as the cut-off date?

Then again, I wouldn’t want to turn away the owner of a new Corvette ZR1 or Nissan GT-R. Even an old Divco milk truck in the mix would be cool! Rumor has it a certain Akron Rock Star has even been bitten by the classic car bug.

Drop me an email at billgruber@913thesummit.com or call me at 330-761-3098. Tell me what you’ve got, and/or what you want. I’ll gather together all the responses, see where we stand, and report back to you in the near future. Cars and radio….not such a crazy idea, most cars have radios, right?

Sometimes I Turn Off The Summit

Yeah, you heard me. Well you can't expect someone to like everything, that's unrealistic. So I really do turn off 91.3 sometimes, not often. It's just some songs to me are like fingernails scraping a chalkboard. For example, The Police, who I hear too much of. When I hear "Roxanne" or "Can't Stand Losing You", I have to get far away from my radio or turn on the vacuum cleaner. The rest of their songs I tolerate, but I much prefer Sting on his own.

One other song that comes to mind just creeps me out, it gives me nightmares. It's "Hey You" by Pink Floyd. Those drilling worms, I hate it!

This is cool! I feel like Johnny Rotten today. It's good to complain sometimes.

If you have praise or a complaint for The Summit, by all means tell us what's on your mind.

Heaven Is...

I was just listening to the Manchester band James, and it brought back a great memory of a summer day with the Alfa spider top down, John's driving. We're on a quaint Ohio country road, wind in our hair. We're listening to James' fantastic live Green Peace performance of "Ring the Bells". It doesn't get any better than that!

What is heavenly to you?

I'm Feeling the Love

We are currently in the thick of the ten day spring membership campaign. I would ask myself "How does The Summit keep up the drive, the motivation throughout those ten days?" Well I was witness to a wonderful day at the station yesterday. It was Summit member three song dream-set day and a live performance / interview with the terrific band from Ireland, The Script. I met so many amazing Summit volunteers as well as renewing and new members. The passion for 91.3 and eagerness to help in any way possible was fantastic. That must be how the Summit staff keeps motivated, and remains energized throughout the entire campaign. Seeing the love for this unique radio station, it's refreshing!

Being a Summit Member

If you were to ask me why become a Summit member, I would give you numerous reasons right off the top of my head. If I were asked to do this for a Summit testimonial recording, I would giggle and lose my train of thought. And to write it all down is ideal for me. My husband John and I initially became Summit members in 1993, when it was 89.1 WAPS. Although our love for the station was constant, our membership for one reason or another, was not consistent over the years. We are renewed members now and hope to be able to continue our membership indefinitely.

I like knowing that my membership helps keep this unique radio station on the air, doing all the wonderful things in our community that The Summit does. The Summit to me is so much more than just a radio station. It's a valuable asset to Akron and the surrounding area, for present as well as future generations. The children of Summit members are so lucky to be exposed to the variety of great commercial-free music, the diverse cultural programs, and the reminder that each and every person, no matter their age, can make a positive difference in their community.

The Summit is not demanding, if and what you can contribute is greatly appreciated. The Summit then shows its appreciation for its members in so many ways. Our very first member event we attended was in 1994 to celebrate WAPS' new and improved signal and the station's move up the radio dial to 91.3 FM. Back then it was just John, me, and our baby Nicholas. For the occasion, John created a rockin' baby t-shirt for Nicholas by drawing on his tiny white shirt. On the front he drew Morrissey, and wrote I love Uncle Morrissey. On the back I suggested "Ask me I won't say no, how could I?" since Nicholas was not speaking yet. Nick looked pretty sweet with his Morrissey shirt, baby blue jeans, and spiked hair.

Here is listed a few of the recent "members only" events we've attended:

Gomez mini concert & lunch at The Summit.
The Alternate Routes concert at The Tangier Restaurant.
Flashback party at Mustard Seed Market on Leap Day 2008.
Sound check parties at Musica, one with deSol, and another with The Strange Familiar followed by great food at Spaghetti Warehouse and Lock 3 ice-skating fun.
Last but not least, lunch at The Summit followed by a Brett Dennen performance in Studio C.

What do you enjoy about being a Summit member?

What Have Been Your Most Memorable Concerts?

My all time favorite concert so far, was in 1993 at some little place in The Flats of Cleveland. The band was The Affordable Floors, from Pittsburgh. Although WAPS did play their songs, the band really didn't get very far nationally, which is a shame because they were terrific. John and I were among just a small crowd that night. We had plenty of dancing room front and center, and it was a blast. I hope our enthusiasm made up for the low attendance.

On an opposite point of the spectrum was also in 1993. John and I saw Morrissey at the huge Cleveland Music Hall (that is probably not the correct name of the place, but it was huge). It was not intimate at all, Morrissey was but a speck on the stage. But I was there breathing the same air as Morrissey! I will never forget it.

So big or small venue, famous or obscure artists, what are some of your favorite concert memories?

I Love You 91.3!

This blog popped into my head as I was tuned in to my iPod and in the middle of a sadly not often enough workout. My inspiration was a song or artist you might never hear on The Summit, but that's alright. Natasha Bedingfield's "These Words", or the "I Love You" song. It may get on your nerves after awhile, but the message and the beat I can't resist. I totally smile throughout the entire song. Maybe I've been known to smile too much at times, but like Hines Ward of The Steelers, it keeps people guessing. Anyway would it hurt the world if there were an epidemic of smiling or kind words spoken?

Okay, I need to get back on track. I love 91.3 The Summit. I know I've already done that blog, but there's more to it. I was thinking in terms of a song. The beat is easy to hear, maybe the lead guitar, or bass, but that alone doesn't make the song great. There are countless other instruments and voices, some you may not even notice. But if they were left out, the song would be lacking.

So I want to say I love 91.3, the whole entity that makes it what it is. From the management, various directors, underwriters, staff (on-air & off), engineers, volunteers, members, everyone who works hard every week on the international & diverse programs, and anyone out there who may be considering becoming a member.

If I could have my vehicle shrink wrapped with The Summit logo, I would, but my husband does not approve. So I just have to spread the word the best I can.

If I Had a Time Machine, I'd Go To February 9, 1964

I was a teenage Beatle-maniac, minus the screaming and fainting. I don't know what it was about the Beatles that did it for me, I just couldn't get enough of them. I came about in 1966. I was just a baby, and The Beatles already played their last live concert. Well I wouldn't want to go to a concert and only be able to hear screaming girls. If I could've gone to a Beatle concert, I would hope I wouldn't be one of those screaming girls, maybe I would be a fainter. But I will never know.

My friends just didn't get my fascination, they thought I was stuck in the wrong era. My very first album was Magical Mystery Tour. I wore it out. If the radio was on, during the day, I would keep a count in my head of how many Beatle songs I heard each day. I don't do that anymore, but I do still count John, Paul, George, & Ringo instead of 1,2,3,4 when I am measuring cooking /baking ingredients. Crazy huh? My half of the bedroom walls were covered in Beatle posters, while my younger sister had her side covered in New Kids on the Block.

My favorite Beatle is John, not because he was the first we lost. I really connect with him, his style of music, his personality. Maybe it's coincidence that I married a man named John (though I would have loved him no matter what his name was), my name is Julie but some people call me Julia, my youngest son was born on John Lennon's birthday. My friend Michelle is amazed that I remember her birthday every year. She thinks I have a great memory, but it just so happens it's February 9th. The day America met the Beatles.

Volunteering at The Summit by Julie DiVitto with Margaret Slesnick as The Major Contributor

I have just a little summit volunteering experience, but I'm working on increasing that in 2009. What I have found so far is that it's fun, rewarding knowing you are helping out, and it's nice to meet fellow volunteers who love The Summit as much as you do. According to Margaret Slesnick, The Summit's Volunteer & Event Coordinator, "Our volunteers are the backbone of the station, for without them, we wouldn't be able to do all that we do. Our staff is small and we can't be at every event, particularly since some events are happening on the same day at the same time."

Here is a rundown of how volunteers can offer their time and talents, as stated by Margaret Slesnick:

There are many volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The station has more events from springtime through summer, but volunteers are also needed to help with the fall and spring membership campaigns. Duties for volunteers include going on-site to various events in the community such as concerts, art shows, and non-profit events and working at our booth to help promote the station and give out promotional items. Volunteers also help with event set up and other event management needs. Campaign volunteers take pledges over the phone and help with the mailing of premiums. We also have people who "station sit" on different evenings and help with writing and editing Public Service Announcements (PSA's) or finding potential advertisers in publications, while they are on hand to assist with making phone calls if there are equipment problems during recording sessions.

Children are welcome to accompany their parents to assist with volunteering if the event is age appropriate. Typical shifts are 2-3 hours. We also have a volunteer reward program where perks are earned for volunteer time. We keep track of volunteer hours and you never know when you might receive something in the mail as our way of saying thanks.

I (Julie) have spent some time at the station with the lovely Marilyn Stroud. She is the Music Alive Coordinator. Marilyn was very friendly, and helpful in directing me in the task at hand for that day. Time flies when you're having fun, and I had a wonderful time. Marilyn told me that she enjoys helping with the membership drives, getting the premiums prepared and sent out to members after the membership drive is over, and helping out at various events in the community. Marilyn's enthusiasm is contagious!

If you have some spare time, go to The Summit website and click on the support button on the header, and then the volunteer button to find the Summit volunteer information form. It's time well spent. You'll be so glad you tried it.

HD Tuners and The Summit submitted by Scott

friday, january 16, 2009

Now that 91.3 The Summit has the HD Radio signal on air, it's time to enjoy the new sound on your existing receiver. Having looked at several tuners priced under $250, I decided to try the Sagean HDT-1X with my 6.1 surround system. Here are the specifications of this unit:

Features

Dimmable Graphic LCD Display turns off with unit.

Program Associated Data Services Displays Information such as: call sign, channel frequency, data rate, radio text, audio mode, service mode, signal quality, signal strength indicator.

Force Analog Mode

Split Audio Mode

Selectable Stereo/Mono Mode

IR Remote Control

Larger, Hardcase Remote
Spec
Built-in Player Radio
AM/FM FM 87.5-108

AM 520-1710

Hybrid and Full Digital Radio Reception

40 Memory Presets (20 FM, 20 AM)

FM RBDS function available with PS, PTY, RT and CT features

Connectors Optical SPDIF and Stereo-RCA
Dimensions 16.8" x 10" x 2.8"

Connecting the unit couldn't be easier, simply connect the included antenna, connect either the RCA jacks with the cords supplied, or as in my case, plug a SPDIF Optical cable. The optical cable not onlyy allows a single cable solution but avoids an analog-to-digital conversion before sending the signal to the amp. Now plug it into power (no external transformer required) and you're ready to go.

This tuner does an amazing job with the analog signal, much clearer and stronger than the standard tuner. It does an equally amazing job with the HD, allowing me to get a clear signal on both the HD channels from The Summit. To improve the signal evern more, I added a splitter to the rooftop television antenna which improves the signal quality significantly and now brings in 2 HD channels from WKRK in Cleveland Heights, which I have never been able to recieve on any tuner.

Another plus of this unit is something that has bothered me with almost every HD radio; it has a dimmable display that when the unit is turned off, the display backlight turns off. It's so nice to have a unit that doesn't force you to use it as a night light. When you are making any station or settings changes the display is at your selected display level and after 15 seconds dims. Very nice when you're relaxing in a dimly lit room.

Overall, this reciever will allow you to enjoy the great programing on 91.3 The Summit on your existing stereo or surround receiver at a reasonable price. Prices on this unit range from $149-275 at the time of this post.

For additonal information on this unit and to read other user comments check Newegg.com at
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882720013&Tpk=hdt-1x
posted by scott at 9:45 am 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Reconnecting With Alternative Archives

Way back in the early 90s, I listened to the Alternatve Archives program. It was two hours of fun, classic alternative music that was well worth staying up late for. Well The Summit's current Alternative Archives program, is just as great and twice as long! Rebecca Roberts is "Ms. 80s", and she, along with friend Peter, bring you back to your youth with four hours of the kind of music you'll hear on the HD2 channel. Maybe you'll hear some songs you've never heard before, or don't hear on a regular basis.

When I tuned in this past Saturday, I loved hearing Guadalcanal Diary, The Records, Anything Box, and The Farm. It was "Groovy"! Rebecca and Peter's conversations make listening all the more enjoyable. It's like a couple friends just dropped by to share some awesome tunes. During the week, if you think of something you'd like Rebecca to play, just send her an e-mail at miz80s@hotmail.com. She says there is no request too far fetched. Rebecca will search The Summit's vast library for what you'd like to hear.

Give Alternative Archives a listen Saturdays, 12-4 AM. You'll be glad you did!

Remember 89.1?

My husband John came to this great state of Ohio before me, so I can't take the credit for discovering The Summit or it's predecessor, 89.1 WAPS. I had never heard anything like this station. No commercials, not your run of the mill top 40 constantly being rehashed. This was fresh, unique, as they said themselves "Dare to be Different". The only downfall back then, very limited hours on the air. Aside from that, I was hooked.

Does anyone remember The Friday Night Block Party on 89.1? The host would put together blocks of 3 or 4 songs related by artist or subject, often suggested by listeners. I remember a cool block of James songs that included a couple concert recordings. It was sweet! Sometimes you had to wait for the last song of the block to figure out the connection between the songs. Another block I recall started out with They Might be Giants' "The Guitar", then a rocked out version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (sorry I don't know who did that, maybe Buckwheat Zydeco). The block was completed by REM's "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight". Cool stuff there. Anyone have an 89.1 memory to share?

Loving the Fresh New Music

My family and I have moved around a little since we first became WAPS/Summit members, so when you lose something you love, you try to find a way to fill the void. But I have found, you can't find a replacement for The Summit, it's not possible. We searched local radio channels in PA and TX to no avail. We tried satellite radio. I loved it at first, but I was getting stuck in certain decades or genres. I did like to check out the current alternative rock satellite channel to try to keep up with new music, but it's not often that the kids are not with me, and it was not censored. We never knew what we were going to hear next (not in a good way). I knew about The Summit streaming online, but unless I'm near my computer, I don't hear it.

Happy ending in sight, we moved back to the Akron area, we no longer have or need the satellite radio expense, so we dropped that. They had a Rolling Stones channel but no Beatles channel, what's up with that? For two years now I've been listening to The Summit whenever possible. Summit membership is the best musical investment you can make.

Right now, I hear Regina Spector with Ben Folds, what a great song it is. I can't get enough of Delta Spirit. When I first heard "Trashcan", I thought "Wow! They are good!" You cannot be in a bad mood when you here that one or their latest "People C'mon". I am not a huge Snow Patrol fan, but "Crack Open the Shudders" I love. There's Coldplay's "Lovers in Japan", Amy MacDonald's "This is the Life" which follows the first song I've heard from her "Mr. Rock and Roll". I also like what I've heard so far from Of Montreal. Last but by all means not least, how about The Pretenders? I love their new album "Break Up the Concrete" for it's raw, edgy, straight to the point rock, and then there is the beautiful song "Love is a Mystery". There is something new for every music lover's taste on 91.3.

Here's to Liz Mozzocco, Summit Music Director, for hooking us up with all the great new music on 91.3!

Hibernian Connection for the Irish Music Fan

It's impossible to take a nap on a lazy Sunday afternoon!!! I love the international hours on the Summit and must say this weekend's Hibernian Connection was fantastic. If your a fan of the Levelers, the Pogues, and the Alarm, then get ready to a rockin hour. I personally think U2 did a better job of Sunday Bloody Sunday than Ignite's cover, but it was good to hear a different version.

The Irish really know how to rock . Thanks for a great program Eric!!!

Checking Out World Cafe

I don't usually take the time to listen to World Cafe on The Summit, which airs weekdays from 6-8 am, but I did today. Normally from 6-7 I'm packing lunches and making sure everyone that has to leave by 7, is awake, has eaten, and is ready for school/work. It's a bit chaotic most days. Then from 7-8 it's a more leisurely pace of watching the news with my youngest son, (when the news is appropriate for him), and maybe we have some time for VH1 Classic, (if appropriate). At 8 we switch on 91.3 The Summit and we have a game of "guess which artist Mr. Bill Hall will start his day with.

This morning I had a listen to the last half of World Cafe, and I really enjoyed what I heard. Especially a Decemberists tune about England. I have already known and liked their song "Valencia". The next song that really grabbed me, I thought for sure was another cut from the David Byrne / Brian Eno album, but was surprised to find that it was Akron's own Joseph Arthur. Just being back in the Akron area for two years, I definitely need to study up on the local artists.

Why I Listen to 91.3 The Summit

10. Commercial free adult-alternative music.

9. Friendly on-air hosts who actually like the music they play, and share their vast musical knowledge. I especially enjoy listening to Heather Burns, weekdays from noon to 4pm. She's even nicer in person.

8. Family friendly. It's safe for my kids to listen to 91.3. They hear of new artists before most of their friends, and they appreciate the music those new artists grew up with.

7. Extensive music library that spans 5 decades and multiple genres. The Local Music Spotlight keeps you in touch with great area artists like Pete Nischt, The Woovs, Joseph Arthur, and many more. Other radio stations don't come close to the fresh new music, or older great music that's played everyday on The Summit.

6. Member supported. Being a member of 91.3 The Summit is like being part of a big family of music lovers with excellent taste.

5. Diverse programming: The International Hours on Sundays (Italian Hour 12-1 pm), That Rhythm Those Blues, Reggae Rhythms, DIY Radio, Alternative Archives, Radio Sandbox...

4. Summit member events: exclusive concerts, soundcheck parties, fun gatherings.

3. Bill Hall's Buried Treasure Tracks from his above ground basement in Bath, and his Saturday morning Life & Lyrics show (this guy knows his music!)

2. The Beatle Break with Jim Chenot (this guy knows The Beatles!)

1. 91.3 reaches out to Akron and it's surrounding communities with dedicated, caring volunteers and staff wherever needed (Habitat for Humanity, Music Alive...)

*I ran out of numbers, but not to be left out is important community info, The Concert Calendar, Earth & Sky, World Cafe and so much more, including two HD channels. HD2 plays the music from the early days of 91.3 and it's predecessor 89.1, from the late 70s thru early 90s.

Welcome to Summit Blog

Hi fellow Summit members & listeners!  Welcome to Summit Blog, where you're invited to blog about 91.3, music, or whatever you'd like to share with The Summit community.