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First broadcast in 1994, Tent Show Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program showcasing the best live recordings from acclaimed music acts and entertainers who grace the Big Top Chautauqua stage each summer in beautiful Bayfield, WI. In the program's nearly 30 year history it has featured artists like Johnny Cash, B.B King, Brandi Carlile, Willie Nelson, Don McLean, and many more. Hosted by celebrated New York Times best-selling author Michael Perry-who weaves stories and humor throughout each episode - Tent Show Radio features performances from renowned national & regional artists, with regular appearances featuring Big Top’s own unique brand of shows that feature songs and stories performed by its acclaimed house band, The Blue Canvas Orchestra.

 

Tent Show Radio is independently produced by Big Top Chautauqua, a non-profit performing arts organization, with a mission to present performances and events that celebrate history and the environment - along with their annual summer concert series - nestled in the woods on the shores of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands.

Jan 29, 2020

About This Episode

in 2019 Big Top Chautauqua's house band the Blue Canvas Orchestra presented American Stories, featuring stories as diverse as the tapestry of cultures that make up America, told with music, dialogue and beautiful historic imagery. From the adventures of 17th century French Voyageurs to those of 18th...


Jan 23, 2020

About This Episode

The Jayhawks and their rootsy sound were definitely swimming against the tide when they emerged from a crowded Minnesota music scene in 1985. Over the course of two decades, 9 albums, countless memorable live shows and enough personal drama to fill a couple of Behind the Music episodes, this beloved...


Jan 13, 2020

About This Episode

Every generation or so, a young bluesman bursts onto the scene and sends a jolt through the blues community. Jontavious Willis may just have that effect on people.

Hailing from Greenville, Georgia, Willis grew up singing Gospel music at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church with his grandfather. Since an...


Jan 6, 2020

About This Episode

In 1969, 400,000 people gathered on a dairy farm Northwest of New York City for the three-day festival known as Woodstock. That was fifty years ago, and now in this new Big Top show the Blue Canvas Orchestra pays tribute to the festival, to the artists, and to the spirit of the sixties that...