Amplifier
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).
Latest Episodes
-
For the past five years, singer-songwriter Jim Sharkey has taken the 200-year-old lilt of traditional Irish folk music and placed it in a 21st-century context (with contemporary references to Facebook, Whitney Houston and even the 2019 Women’s World Cup). On his 2019 full-length release "A Lovely Day," Sharkey sings to the theme of home: of finding home, of feeling at home with loved ones, of the nostalgia of remembering his home in Ireland and of making a new one here in North Carolina. -
As NPR Music shared, “2020 was a year defined by the sounds of rage, resolve, mourning and solidarity.” That includes the sound of Grammy-nominated North Carolina trio The HamilTones (Tony Lelo, J. Vito and 2E), who released the incredibly profound record “1964” and shared joyful splendor through “A HamilTones Christmas.” After gracing the world’s stages (both physical and virtual), the acoustic R&B group sits down to share some harmonious memories and hopes for Charlotte in the new year. -
For the past 20 years, Boris “Bluz” Rogers has expanded the boundaries of poetry, spoken word and musical storytelling. As an Emmy Award-winning performer, he has shared the stage with legends like Outkast, Pink Floyd and Gil Scott-Heron. As a poetry slam master and coach, he's risen through the ranks of spoken word and inspired the next generation to use their voice. And with his recent collaborative album “The Duologue Part 1: Conversations in a Vibe Room” and his organizing of the We Are Hip Hop festival, Rogers is the Shakespeare of Charlotte music and spoken word. -
The past few years have shown that nerd culture is the new cool, with "Black Panther" becoming the first comic book film to score a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, "Game of Thrones" becoming a cultural phenomenon and even Walt Disney World opening up its first official Star Wars-themed hotel in Florida. Which makes it the perfect time to be GameBreax, a North Carolina “nerdcore” duo who stand proudly at the intersection of geek culture and hip-hop. -
Alfred Sergel IV has three decades of experience as a professional jazz musician — not as a jazz singer or jazz pianist, but as a jazz drummer. Between performing with Grammy honorees and recording with Billboard-charting artists, Alfred (or, as his friends called him, Al) still finds time to create original music that merges new-age pop sensibilities with old-school jazz melodies. -
In September 2019, hip-hop publication XXL posed a question: “Is North Carolina next up?” What they're referring to, in part, is the A+ rap and hip-hop talent coming out of North Carolina including prominent names like J. Cole, DaBaby and Lute. When it comes to Southern-fried rap and hip-hop in the Queen City, Elevator Jay is the name to know as the king of country rap in Charlotte. -
"The music is serious, but I never take it seriously. I believe that you can make deeply personal music without sacrificing a sense of humor or self-awareness. It’s equal parts therapy and irony. Don’t tell my therapist”The coronavirus outbreak has spurred a number of musicians to “press pause” on their plans, whether it was for concerts or travel. But COVID-19 hasn’t stopped musicians from being creative, finding inspiration and recording new songs from the comfort of home. That includes North Carolina piano pop band Tennis Elbow, which released a new full-length album inspired by and recorded entirely during the pandemic. -
Self-taught on the drums at the age of 6. Raised on a mix of A Tribe Called Quest, Chuck Berry, and Lauryn Hill. Taking meetings with Jay-Z's record label Roc Nation before her debut release even dropped in 2017. Just like her music, the stories of up-and-coming R&B star Cyanca are anything but ordinary. -
“Democracy is not something that happens only at election time, and it’s not something that happens just with one event. It’s an ongoing, grassroots building process.”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. -
Without a doubt, the coronavirus pandemic coupled with ongoing demonstrations and protests have changed the landscape for conversations and creative output. In particular, musicians have taken this time for self-reflection on the state of the music industry and their individual responsibilities in moving the conversation forward.For Charlotte-based singer-songwriter Kelsey Ryan, the past five months have been an opportunity to write, listen, and find new meaning through the "grit and grin" of country music.
