WNIJ

[guitar music plays] From WNIJ Studios on the campus of Northern Illinois University, this is Sessions from Studio A. I'm Spencer Tritt.

Sessions from Studio A is a showcase for regional and touring artists playing original music.

We record their performances here at WNIJ and bring the concerts right to you.

Singer-songwriter Nate Krause is our guest this week.

He grew up heavily inspired by country music before discovering alternative rock in his teens.

Some of you might have seen him play live earlier this year here at WNIJ as part of our Studio A concert series.

He's back to perform original songs and to tell us some of the stories behind them this hour.

Stay tuned for music and conversation with Nate Krause coming up on Sessions from Studio A.

Their book is American Pope: Leo XIV's Road from the South Side of Chicago to Vatican City.

I'm Brian Mackey, and that's all coming up today on The 21 Show, which is a production of Illinois Public Media, airing on WILL Urbana, WUIS Springfield, WNIJ Rockford-Dekalb, WVIK Quad Cities, WSIU Carbondale, and Tri-States Public Radio in Macomb, Galesburg, and Keokuk.

But first, news.

[upbeat music] From Illinois Public Media, this is The 21 Show.

[singing] Hannah, dear, I tell you it will be all right.

From WNIJ Studios on the campus of Northern Illinois University, this is Sessions from Studio A. I'm Spencer Tritt, excited to welcome back to Studio A this week, Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts.

They released a string of new singles last year after an extremely difficult period for the band, the heartbreaking loss of guitarist, producer, and one-of-a-kind human being, Dan McMahon.

We'll hear live recordings this hour from The Rusted Hearts, including two of those new singles, and we'll talk with Miles Nielsen and the band about losing Dan, opening up a new music venue, and about growing up in Rockford as part of the Cheap Trick family.

No more nightmares waiting on-

[rock music] This is Sessions from Studio A. I'm Spencer Tritt.

Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts join us this hour for live recordings and a conversation here in WNIJ's Studio A. They're back with new singles they just released last year.

The Rusted Hearts are getting ready to get back into the studio also to record their next album after an extremely difficult time for the band, losing guitarist, producer, and best friend, Dan McMahon.

He'll be with us in advance of that.

I'm Brian Mackey with James McBride for the hour today on The 21st show, which is a production of Illinois Public Media, airing on WILL in Urbana, WUIS in Springfield, WNIJ in Rockford, DeKalb, WVIK in the Quad Cities, WSIU in Carbondale, and Tri States Public Radio in Macomb, Galesburg, and Keokuk, Iowa.

But first, news.

[upbeat music] From Illinois Public Media, this is The 21st show.

Less well-known is that the march led to the emancipation of as many as 20,000 people who'd been enslaved, and who joined the march following behind Uncle Billy's army.

Their perspective is at the center of the book, Somewhere Toward Freedom, by the historian Bennett Parten, who joins us for the hour today on The 21st show, which is a production of Illinois Public Media, airing on WILL in Urbana, WUIS in Springfield, WNIJ in Rockford, DeKalb, WVIK in the Quad Cities, WSIU in Carbondale, and Tri-States Public Radio in Macomb, Galesburg, and Keokuk, Iowa.

But first, news.

[upbeat music] From Illinois Public Media, this is The 21st Show.

Freepod host Tim Connors sat down with Tina and Carla to talk about the inspiration behind their new venture, what visitors can expect, and their vision for supporting local artists.

We'd also like to thank our community liaisons and reporters for helping us bring you the stories that matter, our partners at WNIJ and DeKalb for helping us reach a wider audience, and the Media Studies Department at Highland Community College for producing this program.

And if you believe in the importance of local journalism, there are several ways you can support Freepod.

Follow us on Facebook, subscribe to the podcast, and share our stories with friends and neighbors.