Charlotte is known for banking and football. But what can be said of the Charlotte music scene? Join award-winning host Joni Deutsch every other Thursday for Amplifier, the music podcast from WFAE, where we shine a light on the artists who call Charlotte home. You just might find a new favorite song along the way.
In 2019, Amplifier was named Charlotte Magazine’s “Best Podcast,” received a local Edward R. Murrow Award for “Excellence in Innovation” and was honored for innovation in music/arts podcasting by The Webby Awards (named “The Internet’s Highest Honor” by The New York Times). In 2021, it was Charlotte Magazine's "Best Podcast" again.
Are you a musician or music professional from the Charlotte-area? Submit your information for future podcast consideration! Click here (or go to wfae.report/amplifier/submit-your-cltmusic-to-amplifier).
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Local music veteran David "DK" Kim notes the lack of Asian representation among Charlotte's rock, pop and folk scenes, sharing his thoughts on incremental music progress and his introspection as an artist, a Korean American and a North Carolinian.
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The musical road has been a winding one for Charlotte's Fred Lee IV. From cutting hair in his father's salon and slinging hot dogs to Scott Avett, to now leading the Southern roots rock band Late Night Special and hosting the annual Shakedown Music Festival featuring regional musicians.
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Tony Arreaza had every intention of becoming the Freddie Mercury of North Carolina. But after emigrating from Venezuela to Charlotte in 1994, his plans changed. Nearly 30 years later, Arreaza has helped create a flourishing Latin music community organizing concerts through Carlotan Talents, performing guitar with his long-standing Latin band UltimaNota and even having the opportunity to channel his '80s rock icon on MTV Latino.
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Some may recognize jazz as being the lifeblood of New Orleans, but what of Charlotte? President and CEO of JazzArts Charlotte Lonnie Davis shares what it takes to sustain (and evolve) "America's Classical Music" in the Queen City. Celebrate the joyful noise of Jazz Appreciation Month with this 2018 encore edition of Amplifier.
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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.
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Girls Rock Charlotte music director Krystle Baller on finding her voice through rock and inspiring the next generation of women and gender diverse artists.
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Grammy Award-winning Charlottean Anthony Hamilton shares new music and what we can all learn from being raised in the South and pivoting through the pandemic.
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Charlotte-by-way-of-Jamaica songwriter Sanya N'Kanta shares his experience navigating race, religion and reggae music in America.
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In a recent report, Charlotte ranked 111th out of 200 top cities for music fans. But if you ask Charlotte creative leader Tim Scott Jr., who’s been the artist-in-residence at Charlotte Center City Partners and toured the world with Grammy Award-winning North Carolina group The Foreign Exchange, you’ll hear how the Queen City deserves to sit higher up on the list of music cities. He talks about it in the latest Amplifier.
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How Charlotte-based band Moa crafted dark, dreamy music for Netflix documentary series "Night Stalker."