Who the Heck Is "Johnny Full-Time" and What's Full-Time Blues Radio?
I, "Johnny Full-Time" John Luttrell, started broadcasting Full-Time Blues Radio in June of 2008. The first episode signed on the air at 91.5-FM WUEV, at the very same hour that the nearby W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival kicked off their 2008 edition of the event. The radio station is owned by the University of Evansville, and is the only station in my part of the country that plays Blues music on the air. Being both a professional broadcaster and a Blues fanatic, I approached the management about volunteering, and the relationship has only grown since then.
I have since shaped Full-Time Blues Radio into "The Home for New and Independent Blues Music," providing a launching pad for virtually unknown Blues performers to reach potential fans. I feature a high turnover of new music from both independent acts and established performers. In addition, I have artists and bands on the show through in-studio performances and telephone interviews. I also keep folks in my area up to date on live Blues concerts to get out and support, and I feature music that literally arrived to me in the past week during a segment called "Johnny's Mailbox."
I'm so passionate about this original American art form, and I want to not only see Blues music survive, but thrive! Nearly all musical forms from the United States have grown out of or borrowed from the Blues traditions, and there are so many people out there who share my passion that are struggling to reach an audience because they have nowhere to get their music played. I love the all-time greats of the Blues, but you can hear them on any Blues radio show or online stream. The charge I've given myself is to put the spotlight on the lesser knowns of the world of Blues.
I became a victim of the economy in 2009, when my full-time radio job was eliminated. I pulled together the money to start my website,
http://www.fulltimeblues.com in an effort to sieze the opportunity at making my dream a reality. In the past 18 months, I've been on a high wire without a net, and there have been a few spills, but more importantly, some amazing thrills. I was invited to emcee that very same W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival in 2010, and recently made my first trip to New Orleans as a featured panelist representing radio at the Cutting Edge Music Business Conference. The next step in my journey has now arrived...
My Goal
I am going to start an internet radio station through my website. Full-Time Blues Radio will no longer simply be a two hour weekly attraction on WUEV. It will be a 24/7 online source for hearing new and independent Blues music. The idea is to be more than simply a voiceless string of endless music, there are plenty of places where you can get that. No, the concept is to operate like a real FM radio station online. I've been a professional broadcaster working in radio and television for more than 5 years. I have two degrees in Broadcasting and Telecommunications from two of Indiana's most acclaimed programs. I have a passion for Blues music that is unrivaled by anyone, and a desire to see independent musicians make their dreams come true, while I do the same.
The station will operate via Shoutcast, which is a service by Winamp - a free media player for windows, mac, and linux users. Shoutcast radio is also available as a free app for iPhone and Android mobile devices, allowing folks to listen to stations on the go. This allows Full-Time Blues Radio to reach literally millions of potential listeners globally, providing a place where Blues music fans can hear artists they won't be exposed to anywhere else. I've created a programming schedule, come up with advertising packages, built an extensive network of record labels, radio reps, managers, an independent artists and bands. Perhaps most importantly, I also have an ever-expanding library of music.
If the project doesn't happen, I go back on the job hunt and, hopefully, Full-Time Blues Radio and WUEV maintain their partnership for many years to come; new and independent Blues music has a home for two hours a week, reaching a much smaller, but loyal audience; and I use the funds generated to make a donation to The Blues Foundation, of which I am a member, so that the money can still go toward keeping the Blues alive. I refuse to fail.
What We Need & What You Get
I have set a goal of $3,000 for equipment and startup costs.
I need to get a new computer in order to have a reliable and strong source to broadcast from. I'm currently running my website, and producing my two hour show, on two second hand computers that would crash under the demands of uploading a live 24/7 stream. I have budgeted $1,000 for this part of the project, and it is the most crucial aspect of "getting on the air." Once I have the computer, I can start the station and begin broadcasting.
The remaining $2,000 is for additional equipment to make the broadcasts more professional: a mixer, microphones, cables, stands, soundproofing materials to convert my office into an actual studio, and so forth. A significant portion is also to pay for the process of establishing Full-Time Productions, the parent company, as an LLC; so that I can operate as a credible company and have the proper information and identification necessary to report ad revenues, etc.
Your support goes beyond simply helping to start an internet radio station. One way or another, it funds efforts to keep the Blues alive. This comes with certain rewards, from me to you, for various levels of support, which you can find out more about below.
$10 Contribution - A social network shout-out.
$50 Contribution - A Full-Time Blues T-shirt
(See It Here)
$100.00 or Greater Contribution - Your name in a radio commercial
All contributors will have their names listed on a special "Friends of Full-Time Blues Radio" page on the website.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you believe in the project, please take a moment to share it with others who you feel would also think that my efforts are worthwhile, and might either make their own contribution or pass along the information, as well. There are links above to share this page in a variety of ways. There are links below to my various social networking profiles. And, if you'd like an example of my work, there is information on how to listen to Full-Time Blues on WUEV on my website, as well as archived interviews with Blues artists and bands. Please share this information with the Blues lover in your life and help me meet my goal. Every little bit helps, and any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank You!