A RADIO STATION YOU NEED TO KNOW (on the dial and streaming)

Some scribes listen to music when they write. For me, it depends if the writing gods are kind, I can sort of let it flow and listen to some tunes.

If you're a fan of jazz, big band and swing, read on...

Don't know how-in-the-heck did it, but I managed to stumble upon this oldies station online -- WKHR 91.5, based out Bainbridge Township, Ohio and serving the greater Cleveland area.

This just isn't another oldies station, mind you. There's no doo-wop, girl groups or rock 'n roll here. No, we're talking big band, swing, blues, jump-blues and jive from the '20s through the '40s. Amazing.

When I first stumbled across it, it felt like I was in some sort of time warp and truthfully, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Now even though you can hear this stuff uninterrupted on satellite radio, it was completely refreshing to hear voices after these grand swingin' tunes as if the jocks were slingin' pop tunes of the day.

I imagined myself myself sitting somewhere at a drugstore counter, sipping a vanilla Coke and eyeing up a cutie-pie waitress. ... Before heading back to the flophouse to write that is.

The station relies entirely on donations from listeners so please consider making a donation to keep WKHR on the air and commercial free

Even better, they're streaming. Click HERE to listen online. And please, donate if you enjoy them. Let's keep this music alive.

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MEET DIABLO DIMES...

If there's one contemporary crooner out there that good 'ol Chuck Buk would be all over, we think it just might be Diablo Dimes. Cut from the Tom Waits School of Music, Dimes is Blues, Americana, Ragtime, Boogie Woogie, Dixieland, and Rock n' Roll...all in one.

Self described as "Honkytonk, hooked, hop, hophead heebies, and a full orchestration at a barrelhouse" this dude is the real deal. His approach is sincere, primitive, and nostalgic with a smoky freight train for a voice box, he's an authentic seasoned multi instrumentalist.

In the last few years, Dimes has managed to have his music featured in a myriad of expression. HBO's original series, "Mind of the Married Man". Twice on TLC's "Miami Ink". Six months on the National College Radio Charts, and a featured performance on long time friend and collaborator Chuck E. Weiss' new album, "23 & Stout", on Cooking Vinyl Records. Not to mention, numerous independent films, play productions, and musicals.

He always thrills with company, weather it's the solo carnival like Medicine Show, or with his band, The Bloodhounds. A true original, raw and passionate, with enough charisma to fill a concert hall or... a dirty juke joint brawl. Ya' won't be disappointed. Most recently, Dimes has self released the full lenghth, "Rainin' Wine On Sunday", and is currently recording a follow up.

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