Joni Deutsch
On-Demand Content & Audience Engagement Manager, Host of the Amplifier Podcast
Joni Deutsch was WFAE's manager for on-demand content and audience engagement, where she's led the first Charlotte Podcast Festival (named one of the “best podcast conferences” by Buzzsprout) and helped produce such podcasts as FAQ City, SouthBound, Inside Politics, Work It and the Apple Podcast chart-topping series She Says. In addition to being an NPR Music contributor, Joni also was the host of WFAE’s Charlotte music podcast Amplifier, named “Best Podcast” by Charlotte Magazine and honored for excellence in arts and music podcasting by the local Edward R. Murrow Awards and The Webby Awards (called “The Internet’s Highest Honor” by The New York Times).
Joni has been working in public radio and podcasting for a decade, starting with her work as music director and assistant general manager of WLUR 91.5FM in Lexington, Virginia, and continuing at West Virginia Public Broadcasting (West Virginia’s NPR station) as the creator and host of the weekly music program A Change of Tune and the critically-acclaimed 30 Days of #WVmusic interview series. While in West Virginia, Joni became assistant producer for NPR Music’s legacy public radio music program Mountain Stage, as well as the program’s youngest (and first female) guest host in the show’s 32 years, making her the youngest host of a nationally-syndicated public radio program (heard on more than 270 radio stations) at the age of 24.
Joni’s strong communication skills and creative marketing style have led to national features by NPR, Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Poynter, as well as local spotlights from CharlotteFive, the Charlotte Agenda, Creative Mornings/Charlotte, The Gantt Center, The Blumenthal Performing Arts, Discovery Museum and the Carolina School of Broadcasting.
A supporter of innovative media and a mentor to digital women leaders, Joni has been recognized as an Emerging Voice Scholar by the Alliance for Women in Media, the West Virginia State Journal’s “40 under 40,” the Online News Association's Women's Leadership Accelerator, the Charlotte Agenda's "30 under 30,” The United Way of Central Carolina’s Young Leader Awards, Duke University TiP’s Early Achievement Award and Gracie Awards.
Joni earned her Bachelor's from West Virginia University and Master of Arts in Strategic Communication from American University.She can be found on social media @achangeoftune on Twitter and Instagram.
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This has been a historic year for women in rap and hip-hop, all the way to the 2021 Grammy Awards when Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé broke records as the first pair of women to win in the best rap performance category. As NPR Music put it, “To know what tomorrow sounds like, one need only listen to the women in rap today.” And to know what the future of Charlotte hip-hop is, one need only turn to rhythmic lyricist ReeCee Raps. -
Amplifier is a biweekly podcast, not a full-length documentary. If it were the latter, we could easily dedicate a few hours to the work of Jim Brock, the Charlotte Native American music veteran who has been heralded by various publications as one of the best drummers alive. -
Modern Moxie is a kaleidoscope of musical genres and generational styles, taking dance-happy cues from The Cars and David Bowie and bringing them to a contemporary pop-rock stage. On the heels of their 2019 debut full-length “Claw Your Way Out” and their recognition as “Charlotte’s Best Band” by Queen City Nerve, Modern Moxie bandmates Madison Lucas and Harry Kollm share how the Charlotte band’s success can be traced all the way back to a small dorm room closet in South Carolina. -
When was the last time a voice stopped you in your tracks, a voice so pure that it simultaneously paints a lush soundscape and transports you to a magical place and time? Because cinematic jazz singer Emily Sage can do just that. -
After gracing the world’s stages (both physical and virtual), Grammy-nominated acoustic R&B group The HamilTones share some harmonious Christmas memories and hopes for Charlotte in the new year in this encore Amplifier. -
Long before the coronavirus pandemic, Charlotte musician Si Kahn understood the power of resilience. For the past 55 years, Kahn has dedicated his life's work to civil rights activism, chronicling the ebb and flow of progress through world-renowned labor anthems like "Aragon Mill" and "Go to Work on Monday." Over the course of 19 records, several books and a FolkVote initiative, Kahn has tapped into a passion for shared history and righteous humanity. -
Charlotte's Lunchbox Records is known for hosting in-store performances for all ages, stocking records from local acts and receiving signed music memorabilia from Grammy-winning fans (hello, Taylor Swift!). In the age of music streaming, Lunchbox Records owner (and Late Bloomer vocalist) Scott Wishart shows that we’re actually in a record renaissance. -
Justin Fedor was in the news recently when he was among five "Local Legends" selected by actor Matthew McConaughey and Wild Turkey to receive $10,000 to donate to a community-based music initiative. The honor was intended to recognize musicians who contributed to their local music scenes during the pandemic. -
The Charlotte rapper's emotionally-charged single "Be Okay" acts as a diary for the past two-and-a-half years.
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For this 100th Amplifier episode, we talk to up-and-coming rapper Lute, who embodies “the Charlotte music dream." He was born and raised in the 704, recruited by rap legend J. Cole and signed to his Dreamville Records label, received a Grammy nomination and earned a Platinum plaque for his collaboration with DaBaby and Kendrick Lamar.
