For Immediate Release: November 10, 2010
Contact: Jeff Morgan
Public Relations
515.281.3858
Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov
14 new “Iowa Roots” programs available on-line
Program features stories, music and talk with traditional artists
(DES MOINES, Iowa) — Fourteen new Iowa Roots programs that feature stories, music and talk with traditional artists from a variety of ethnic, geographic, occupational and religious backgrounds are now available on-line.
“Iowa Roots” is a program created by the Iowa Arts Council and Iowa Public Radio that tells the stories of Iowans, from Meskwaki wood carvers to traditional quilters, from blues musicians to butchers. The new segments can be found on-line at www.iowaartscouncil.org and www.iowapublicradio.org.
“Iowa Roots” can also be heard Saturdays at 7:54 p.m. after Vinyl Café and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. during the “Best of IPR Talk” segment on Iowa Public Radio stations WSUI, WOI-AM, KTPR (Fort Dodge), KWOI (Carroll) and KOWI (Lamoni).
The 14 segments added to the IAC Web site include interviews with artists from across the state, including Iraqi musician Ismail Alyassiri of Marion in eastern Iowa to apple grower Marty Mincer of Hamburg in the southwest corner of the state.
Iowa Roots features downloadable mp3 interviews and transcripts as well as biographies, photos and contact information for those interviewed, many of whom are also on the Iowa Arts Council Folk & Traditional Artists Roster. Following is the list of artists interviewed in the 14 segments announced today:
- Ismail Alyassiri, Iraqi ‘ud, Marion
- Emily Bengsten, Southwest Iowa Foodways, Farragut
- JoAnne Birkby, Quilter & black walnut grower, Thurman
- Johnathan Buffalo, Meskwaki winter traditions, Meskwaki Settlement
- Kevin Burt, Blues musician, Coralville
- Millie Carr, African American foodways, Des Moines
- Nora Garda, Tango dancer, Iowa City
- Arlette Hollister, Food coordinator, Iowa State Fair, Des Moines
- Kathy Hulse and Tim Westemeyer, Polka dancers, Des Moines
- Luke Kapayou, Meskwaki woodcarving, Meskwaki Settlement
- Marty Mincer, Mincer Orchard, Hamburg
- Bill Penn, Penn Drugstore & Soda Fountain
- Harley Refsal, Norwegian woodcarver, Decorah
- Eunice Stoen, Norwegian traditions, Decorah
For more information about Iowa Roots, contact IAC’s Riki Saltzman at riki.saltzman@iowa.gov or 515-242-6195.
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The Iowa Arts Council is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and works to enrich the quality of life for Iowans through support of the arts. Funding for the Iowa Arts Council and its programs is provided by the state of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Arts. More information at www.iowaartscouncil.org.