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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.

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  2. Lost Nation String Band | Tent Show Radio | Episode 21:1

Lost Nation String Band | Tent Show Radio | Episode 21:1

Jan 2, 2021

In 1980 the Lost Nation String Band moved to the Bayfield Peninsula and quickly became the band to see and dance to. In 1986 at the founding of Big Top Chautauqua they were the heart of the shows. Come join us as we celebrate their legacy with members of the original group and special guests.

First broadcast in 1994, Tent Show Radio is a 59-minute weekly radio program assembled from the best live recordings from the acclaimed musical acts that perform at the Big Top Chautauqua Tent each summer. Running 52 weeks a year, Tent Show Radio is broadcast on 31 listener supported radio stations across 6 states and online world wide.

Big Top Chautauqua produces the nationally-broadcast radio show “Tent Show Radio” heard on  Wisconsin Public Radio and other listener-supported stations. This weekly one-hour program relives the highlights of shows from the previous season at the Big Top stage. It is online and aired on public radio stations throughout the country with its host, Michael Perry. During intermission of each show, Mike spins a story “from the backstage dressing room, with the one lonely little light bulb burning.” Topics range from Mike’s battles with trees, to the behavior of rogue chickens, to the search for hope while stoking a wood stove in the darkness.​ "Tent Show Radio" is also available for streaming at www.tentshowradio.org.