Singer Songwriters Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen from Bennington, Vermont often tour in Florida. While in the Gainesville area for a house concert the popular duo met up with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend.Gillette, who has had a number of his songs recorded by national recording artists, has ties to one of Florida’s legendary guitar players. Steve and … Continue reading Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen
Category: Arts
The Big Bang
The Big Bang Two wacky off Broadway creators, “Jed” and “Boyd”;, are in the borrowed Park Avenue penthouse of Mrs. Sidney Lipbalm to perform their new creation, an epic musical that spans the history of the world from the Big Bang to the present, for potential backers. Their play is budgeted for $83.5 million with … Continue reading The Big Bang
The Bills
Aired on WUFT on November 13th and 16th, 2005 The Bills from Canada Bring Their High-Energy Style of Music to North Central Florida The Bills (formerly named the Bill Hilly Band) from Canada brought audiences to their feet at both the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival in St. Augustine and the Riverhawk Music Festival near Dade … Continue reading The Bills
The Gatherings (26-Part Music Series Recorded at various Florida festivals and venues)
The Gatherings – Folk and Blues From The Land of Flowers 26 part live-music series (Producer- Bill Beckett and Host- Donna Green-Townsend) Program #1- Dale Crider & Roy Bookbinder Program #2 Al Scortino – Carrie Blackwell – Lon and Lis Williamson Program #3 Sue Grooms & Ron and Bari Program #4 Mark Smith – Grant Livingston – Paul Garfinkel … Continue reading The Gatherings (26-Part Music Series Recorded at various Florida festivals and venues)
The Hippodrome’s Rusty Salling reflects on his long history as ‘Scrooge’ in ‘A Christmas Carol’
Aired on WUFT on November 29th, 2010 “A Christmas Carol” is now on-stage at the Hippodrome State Theatre in Gainesville and runs alternately with a new play this year, “This Wonderful Life.” Actor Rusty Salling talked with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend about his longtime role as “Scrooge.”
The Hot Mikado
Gainesville Community Playhouse: The Hot Mikado
The Jessie and Lee Townsend Band’s Will McLean Festival Highlights
The 2016 Will McLean Music Festival was a tremendous success for the Jessie and Lee Townsend Band. If you didn’t have an opportunity to go, you can watch a few of their performances on the Magnolia, Azalea and Cypress Stages below. Thanks to Red Henry, Andy Garfield and … Continue reading The Jessie and Lee Townsend Band’s Will McLean Festival Highlights
The Musical Legacy of Don Grooms
Remembering Don Grooms (originally aired on Florida Public Radio in January of 1998) Don Grooms won the prestigious Florida Folk Heritage Award in 1996. Grooms, who taught for more than three decades in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida, was influenced by the late “Father of Florida Folk,” Will McLean. … Continue reading The Musical Legacy of Don Grooms
The Punch Brothers Band makes debut at Suwannee Springfest
On March 21, 2013 the Punch Brothers wowed the crowd when they made their debut at the Suwannee Springfest in Live Oak, FL. Band members include lead vocalist and MacArthur Fellow Chris Thile on mandolin, Paul Kowert on bass, Chris Eldridge on guitar, Noam Pikelny on banjo and Gabe Witcher on fiddle. The Punch … Continue reading The Punch Brothers Band makes debut at Suwannee Springfest
The Sights and Sounds of the Florida Folk Festival
Aired on WUFT on May 30, 1997 Thousands of visitors “came home to Florida” last weekend. That was the theme of this year’s 45th Annual Florida Folklife Festival in White Springs. Many of the state’s well-known recording artists as well as the “not-so-famous” entertained audiences on a variety of outdoor stages. Donna Green-Townsend attended this … Continue reading The Sights and Sounds of the Florida Folk Festival