You're a music devotee and want to know more about an artist than who produced their new release (you know, the interview answer they're giving every other media outlet in the country). WFPK in Louisville, KY is proud to present "The First Cut," conversations with some of the most talented singer/songwriters recording today. WFPK's award-winning music host, Laura Shine, asks guests like Micheal Franti, Ani Difranco, recent Grammy nominee Eric Burton (Black Pumas) and more about some firsts in their lives. Same set of questions, totally different answers. Artists recall favorite moments, firsts, and even share stories they've never told!
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You're a music devotee and want to know more about an artist than who produced their new release (you know, the interview answer they're giving every other media outlet in the country). WFPK in Louisville, KY is proud to present "The First Cut," conversations with some of the most talented singer/songwriters recording today. WFPK's award-winning music host, Laura Shine, asks guests like Micheal Franti, Ani Difranco, recent Grammy nominee Eric Burton (Black Pumas) and more about some firsts in their lives. Same set of questions, totally different answers. Artists recall favorite moments, firsts, and even share stories they've never told!
Did you know?
-Emily Saliers and her musical partner in the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray, met in middle school in the cafeteria where Emily and her band were playing? She is also a huge fan of hip hop and the band Heart. Currently she's working on two musicals, something she had never done before. Find out more about these projects and a lot of the music she's currently into on this week's episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- Adam learned piano by ear, rather than learning to read music.
- The first concert Adam saw was Alvin & The Chipmunks.
- To date, Adam has covered over 700 songs on his "Tough Cookies" series of live broadcasts.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first concerts Michael and Tanya saw were Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, respectively.
- Michael considers Johnny Cash and Ray Charles to be his biggest musical influences, and says they "embody everything in what it means to be an American."
- Michael is a war veteran who suffers from PTSD, and the band's single "Five More Minutes" was written about a particularly dark time where his demons nearly got the best of him.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you’ve got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- Adia's first concert was The Strokes, where singer Julian Casablancas licked her face while crowdsurfing.
- Adia is a huge Fiona Apple fan, and "fangirled out" when she had the opportunity to tour with her bassist Sebastian Steinberg.
- Adia's first musical obsession was Kurt Cobain, who died when she was only seven-years-old.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first record Aloe fell in love with as a child was "Double Dutch Bus" by Frankie Smith, which he and his sister would listen to on a Fisher Price record player.
- Aloe's first group, the hip hop duo Emanon, took its name from a Dizzy Gillespie song.
- Aloe got his first record deal as a vocalist by singing Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" over a hip hop instrumental.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- Caroline has been a huge Chris Isaak fan since she was very young.
- As a kid, Caroline's parents wouldn't let her listen to any albums with a Parental Advisory label after she was caught singing along to "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy.
- Caroline played flute and trombone in her high school marching band.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- Xavier ran away from home when he was 12 and never saw his family again.
- Before finding success as Fantastic Negrito, Xavier quit music for five years and sold all of his gear to become a marijuana farmer.
- Playing for his child is what inspired Xavier to finally pick up the guitar again.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- Matt was a designer in New York City for 10 years before The National blew up.
- Matt was inspired to become a songwriter by listening to Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly"
- Matt says that he wept when he saw one of his earliest musical icons, Leonard Cohen, performing in Spain.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPKs The First Cut!
Did you know?
- S.G. took guitar lessons from Herb Chapman, father of five-time Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman.
- The first tape S.G. bought was a Spice Girls album.
- Before breaking through as a "three chords and the truth" singer/songwriter, S.G. considered being both a Christian musician and a pop artist.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first record Daniel bought was Wipe Out by The Surfari's.
- Daniel's life was changed when he saw Sly & The Family Stone performing down the hill from his mom's house.
- Daniel's currently thinking about making an instrumental piano.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first songs Jade Bird learned to play on guitar were from an Oasis chord book.
- Jade exclusively wrote sad songs until discovering country music, which she considers her "route into happy or uplifting music."
- Jade Bird idolized Johnny Cash, which she says was "bizarre" for a girl from South Wales.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Which of the following was a band Devon Gilfillian was in?
A. Black Sheep
B. Black Cat Crossing
C. Yet To Be Seen
D. All of the Above
You'd better believe it's all of the above, and that just goes to show how much you have to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first record Joan fell in love with was "The Sound of Music" soundtrack.
- Joan took a songwriting workshop under the legendary songwriter Doc Pomus.
- Joan developed her first musical obsession as a seven-year-old when she caught "This is Tom Jones" on late night television.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- In addition to his beautiful singing voice, Eric Burton also plays guitar, keys, and violin.
- Eric comes from a musical family, and his uncle Steve Harrison is also a recording musician who taught him how to write songs.
- When Eric falls in love with a song, he'll listen to it over and over and over again, sometimes without even listening to the other tracks on the album.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- Kathleen Edwards spent time living in Korea during her formative years.
- Kathleen opened a coffee shop in Ontario called Quitters Coffee.
- Kathleen's first band was named after a Cormac McCarthy novel.
This time we KNOW you have things to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut, because as Kathleen said... "I've never told anyone this, this is super weird secrety stuff!"
Did you know?
- Josh was inspired to learn the flute from watching 'Aladdin' when he was seven years old.
- By 6th grade, Josh was already gigging in his first band called "Into the Crowd."
- One of the first concerts Josh attended was the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- Laura writes HUNDREDS of songs for each of her albums before narrowing it down to the final track list.
- Laura's latest single "Burn Too Bright" was written about Richard Swift, a songwriter who "seemed to burn too bright for this world."
- Laura's first album was Michael Jackson's "Thriller," and of course she learned to do the dance too.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- Dan Wilson went on a "four or five year Beatles fast" in which he "got kind of obsessed with not listening to The Beatles."
- Dan reunited with Semisonic to release their first new material in 19 years this June, but unfortunately had to cancel their planned reunion tour.
- Although Dan had been studying classical and jazz piano since 2nd grade, his first band was a "super fast punk rock" band called The Panic.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- Prince was a big Ani DiFranco fan, and would frequently show up to her concerts.
- Ani DiFranco was infatuated with her poetry teacher Sekou Sundiata, who also taught Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing and Chris Barron of Spin Doctors.
- Ani DiFranco listens to the same music as her daughter, which lately has been a lot of Amy Winehouse and Billie Eilish.
If you answered NO to any of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of WFPK's First Cut!
Did you know?
- The first song Michael wrote was about Barney Fife from "The Andy Griffith Show."
- While touring with U2, Michael repeatedly referred to The Edge as 'Ed' because he misheard his name.
If you answered NO to either of these questions, then you've got a lot to learn from this episode of The First Cut!
You're a music devotee and want to know more about an artist than who produced their new release (you know, the interview answer they're giving every other media outlet in the country). WFPK in Louisville, KY is proud to present "The First Cut," conversations with some of the most talented singer/songwriters recording today. WFPK's award-winning music host, Laura Shine, asks guests like Micheal Franti, Ani Difranco, recent Grammy nominee Eric Burton (Black Pumas) and more about some firsts in their lives. Same set of questions, totally different answers. Artists recall favorite moments, firsts, and even share stories they've never told!
