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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.

Mar 15, 2024

On this special throwback episode of Tent Show Radio, Different Drums of Ireland take the stage for a celebratory performance showcasing Irelands unique indigenous sounds and rich cultural diversity.

Different Drums of Ireland was created in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1991 as an exercise to use art and music as a...


Mar 15, 2024

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, enjoy a nostalgic trip back in time as Joyann Parker beautifully weaves the stories of Patsy Cline’s life and career in and out of the music you know and love. In this powerful tribute performance, Parker and her seasoned band showcase the most popular and best loved of Pasty’s...


Mar 2, 2024

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, host & New York Times best-selling author Michael Perry and his band The Long Beds hit the Big Top stage.

Michael Perry 's original songs are a direct reflection of his life experiences. Raised in rural Wisconsin by farmers, preachers, and tough country women, his songs reflect...


Feb 23, 2024

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, legendary Southern Rock band The Ozark Mountain Daredevils perform a career spanning set during their thrilling return to the Big Top stage.

One of Southern rock’s more inventive exponents, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils have always been indefinable in terms of music...


Feb 19, 2024

On this episode of Tent Show Radio, Rock n Roll recording artists and globetrotting journeymen, Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter perform a career spanning set, showcasing songs off their collaborative EP Rollers.

For nearly four decades Donavon Frankenreiter has been traveling the globe, first as a professional...