At KZSM 104.1/KZSM. org we celebrate the eclectic spirit of our community with programming you won’t hear anywhere else. “It’s What’s New” (Wednesdays 7 to 9 p.m.) features all the music sent in to KZSM during the previous week. Hosts Rob Roark and Maximus Emperador put it all together on Wednesday afternoons — a challenging task because the music might arrive in different formats, with or without additional information for the broadcast.
The hosts collect music by posting on Facebook and other social media and messaging musicians who post about their work. Closer to home, Roark handed a KZSM card to a busker near the square one evening. The musician and his band, Dyed Skies, were just recording their first single, which debuted on last Wednesday’s show.
Whether their music comes from close to home or as far away as Connecticut or California, the opportunity to be broadcast means a lot to the performers. Cope Alley — old friends Sam Tringali from Livonia, Michigan and Drew Copeland from Gilbertsville, Kentucky send songs almost every week. They have been playing together since grade school.
“Both of us are 65 years old and retired,” Tringali said. “So the chances of seeing us tour are slim.” But their friends, family, and fans can enjoy them on KZSM.
Danny Weselowski of Cardiff, California is a veteran of the Bakersfield country music scene. Now aging and in poor health, he perks up when he hears his music coming from Texas on the radio. Thanks to Danny, Roark reported, “we have all these different people listening now in the San Diego area, and that’s quite wonderful.”
This past Wednesday, Roark honored a very special request from a listener who wanted to surprise his girlfriend with a proposal. Thanks to the magic of radio, she said yes!
To have music featured on “It’s What’s New,” send .MP3 or .WAV files to KZSMSanMarcos@gmail. com. Send no more than two or three songs, and include a contact and a little bit of information about the artist and where they’re playing next, if they’re performing locally. Most importantly, all songs must be edited for radio and conform to community standards. You’ll find the guidelines at Obscene, Indecent and Profane Broadcasts/ Federal Communications Commission (fcc. gov). If you have music to share, or maybe even a marriage proposal, check out “It’s What’s New” Wednesdays 7 to 9 p.m. on 104.1FM or KZSM. org.
