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It comes in handy for any comedian to be versatile, both being able to create and perform a few minutes of funny material for any audience, and to host a comedy show... That involves warming up the audience, keeping the energy going for a strong lineup of fellow comedians and closing it out on a feel-good note. Daniel Hardin says he's still mastering his craft, but he feels comfortable at his home comedy venue- Black Dog Grounds and Sounds in Madison. We hear about the importance Daniel feels of keeping a sibling-like rapport with some of the Tennessee Valley's funniest comics, the art of taking an obscure, real-life event and embellishing it into a hilarious joke, and so much more. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear intriguing stories about being funny stage and plenty more. Click here to find more episodes of Funny You Should Ask, and other series and past interviews on Arts Underground: https://wlrh.org/series/arts-underground

Listening carefully plays a key role in the work of any improv comedian, keeping the perpetual motion of a live, unscripted show going. Matt Carter and Sparky Shelton, members of Rocket City Improv in Huntsville, tell us about how they partnered with fellow comedian Kimberly Wilson- co-founder of Shenanigans Comedy Theatre- to bring improv to Huntsville. They also touch on the common misconception of improv being a stepping stone to something better in comedy, and that there's a bit more to honing one's craft in improv than goofing off in front of an audience. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear intriguing stories about being funny stage and plenty more. Click here to find more episodes of Funny You Should Ask, and other series and past interviews on Arts Underground: https://wlrh.org/series/arts-underground

Self-described as a band of music professionals, Kerry and the OKs formed *just* before the pandemic hit North Alabama and the rest of the world. Now, they're ready to show Huntsville a grand time, with an experience that exceeds a typical night of karaoke. Instead of being backed by a pre-produced karaoke track in the dark corner of a dive bar, you're backed by a live band and the spotlight is on you, center-stage! All members of Kerry and the OKs are music instructors at the Musicology School of Music, founded by the band's drummer, Quentin Roddie. We'll meet Quentin & the other members- Kelli Udas, Abby Good, Mari Hinckley, Jonathan Laird and the band's host / guitarist / "rodeo clown," Jason Sligh- a.k.a "Kerry." We'll also sit in on the last rehearsal before their first gig. Their first gig, as you'll hear in this feature, brought the house down at The Electric Belle, located at Stovehouse in Huntsville. Your next opportunity to live out your rockstar fantasy will be at the same location, May 5, 2022 at 6 PM. Kerry and the OKs website: https://kerryandtheoks.com/

This episode, we meet Kyle Husband, owner of Offbeat Coffee Studio at Campus 805 in Huntsville. It may be a coffee shop first, but in a cozy nook, you'll find vinyl records of old, displayed among newer, hyper-hip attributes-- yes, that does include some sweet velvet furniture, perfect for soaking in the music while you consume your cup of java. Kyle tells us his New Orleans inspiration for the shop, his sentimental memories listening to records with his dad, his thoughts on "supporting local," and much, much more. Independent Grooves is an Arts Underground-exclusive series, where we meet Tennessee Valley folks who are keeping the great vinyl comeback going, and who believe in owning music you can spin in your living rooms. Offbeat Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/offbeatcoffeestudio Ep. 1: Black Dog Grounds and Sounds>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-blac... Ep. 2: Maxwell's Music >> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-maxw... Ep. 3: Vertical House>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-vert...

Ogre joins us this week on Arts Underground for another installment of our series, Funny You Should Ask. In this episode, Ogre tells us how he got his unique moniker, the truth behind the notion that there's never a bad audience, and how Ogre's pursuit of a career in comedy led him to follow local comedian Kimberly Wilson from theater and art center, Somerville Playhouse, to her comedy theatre here in Huntsville, Shenanigans Comedy Theatre. Of course, Ogre tells us more than that, so hit the play button to hear it all. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear intriguing stories about being funny stage and plenty more. Click here to find more episodes of Funny You Should Ask, and other series and past interviews on Arts Underground: https://wlrh.org/series/arts-underground

In this episode, we head to the Athens Limestone County Public Library to meet Jennifer Baxter- the library's ambitious director & host of ALCPL podcast Between the Stacks. Jennifer joined ALCPL in late 2020, with the goal to rejuvenate the library and to pitch in with new projects on the horizon. One of the very first was starting an innovative collection of podcasts made at the library called, "Library Voices." Each has its own niche... Between the Stacks- highlights conversations with guests who come to the library to discuss cultural, educational and community programs; Homegrown History- recounts stories and brings in guests to talk on the rich history of Limestone County, AL; Talkin' Dirty at the Library- hosts welcome guests who share plenty of tips on local gardening; & All in with Athens- a podcast project by students in the Athens Mayor's Youth Commission. More local podcasts are brewing with the library, and ALCPL is close to renting out its recording room to the community! You can listen to all of these shows through your favorite streaming platforms, or click here! >> https://www.alcpl.org/podcasts/

Carl Paul is the first local comedian of 2022 to hang out with us in our series, Funny You Should Ask. This episode, Carl tells us how his method of writing jokes, often about his blue collar life and mental health, stands apart from the norm. We also hear Carl's favorite corny joke- which other comedians have advised him to retire- and Carl tells us about raising his cool daughter, who shares his love for RC Cars.  Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear intriguing stories about being funny stage and plenty more. Click here to find more episodes of Funny You Should Ask, and other series and past interviews on Arts Underground: https://wlrh.org/series/arts-underground

This is the fourth segment in our series on Arts Underground, titled, "Independent Grooves." In each installment, we'll meet the folks who are keeping the great vinyl comeback going and who believe in owning music you can spin in your living rooms. In this segment, we meet Lynsey Staggs, an entrepreneur with a Bohemian soul and owner of Urban Atlas in Decatur. We get to know Lynsey's inspirations for starting her own eclectic record shop at the age of 20, the music that feeds her soul and her role as a bridge between folks who prefer tangible media to digital. We also learn about Urban Atlas as a launching pad for women-owned businesses, its underground hot spot for music shows and the LGBT+ Prom Lynsey started here. Urban Atlas Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ShopUrbanAtlas Urban Atlas Website: https://urbanatlas.squarespace.com/ Ep. 1: Black Dog Grounds and Sounds>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-blac... Ep. 2: Maxwell's Music >> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-maxw... Ep. 3: Vertical House>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-vert...

This is the third segment in our series on Arts Underground, titled, "Independent Grooves." In each installment, we'll meet the folks who are keeping the great vinyl comeback going and who believe in owning music you can spin in your living rooms. In this segment, we wander over to Railroad Room 9 at the Lowe Mill to pick the brains of Andy and Ashley Vaughn, owners of Vertical House Records. From a very tall house in 5 Points to thousands of square feet, filled with tons of records, vintage goodies and a phenomenal photo studio, we hear Ashley and Andy's journey to being one of Huntsville's most beloved houses of vinyl.   Vertical House Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VerticalHouseRecords Vertical House Website: http://theverticalhouse.com/   Ep. 1: Black Dog Grounds and Sounds w/ Cliff and Leslie Patterson>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-blac... Ep. 2: Maxwell's Music >> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-maxw...

This is the first segment in our new series here on Arts Underground, titled - Independent Grooves. - In each installment, we'll meet the folks who are keeping the great vinyl comeback going and who believe in owning music you can spin in your living rooms. In this segment, we head to Madison, Alabama to meet with local keepers of the vinyl, Cliff and Leslie Patterson, at their brand new independent record store, Black Dog Grounds and Sounds.    Black Dog Grounds and Sounds' Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/blackdoghifi/

We bring you, once again, Funny You Should Ask on Arts Underground, this time with guest Tim Kelly. By day, Tim's a quiet guy doing his engineering thing, and when the sun goes down, you might find him yukking it up on the mic at a comedy show in Huntsville. Tim also cofounded Huntsville's 10-year-running comedy showcase at what is now Theatre Huntsville in the Lowe Mill- Epic Comedy Hour.  Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more. Epic Comedy Hour Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EpicComedyHour F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 2 Rayna Cahill: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ray... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 3 Ty Funny: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ty-... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 4 Scott Eason/ Epic Comedy Hour: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-epi... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 5 Kimberly Wilson: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-kim... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 6 Elliott White: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-elliott-white 

This is the second segment in our series here on Arts Underground, titled, "Independent Grooves." In each installment, we'll meet the folks who are keeping the great vinyl comeback going and who believe in owning music you can spin in your living rooms. In this segment, Downtown Huntsville is our destination, where we enter the musical dojo of Jarrod Maxwell- owner of Maxwell's Music.    Maxwell's Music Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MaxwellsMusicHuntsville   Ep. 1: Black Dog Vinyl & Hi-Fi w/ Cliff and Leslie Patterson>> https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-independent-grooves-blac...

This week on Arts Underground, Funny You Should Ask is back, with guest Elliott White. Elliott performs stand-up comedy around the Tennessee Valley and beyond, and does double duty as a host and producer of Huntsville's Awesome Comedy Hour and Epic Comedy Hour. In this conversation, Elliott shares his adventures in comedy, how the musical world crosses over into the comedy world, bouncing back from a joke that doesn't land and much more. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more. Awesome Comedy Hour Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/awesomecomedyhour Epic Comedy Hour Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EpicComedyHour F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 2 Rayna Cahill: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ray... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 3 Ty Funny: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ty-... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 4 Scott Eason/ Epic Comedy Hour: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-epi... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 5 Kimberly Wilson: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-kim...

This episode of Arts Underground, there will be no crash landings, only smooth sailing. Annie Phillips, Huntsville Madison County Public Library's Digital Services Manager, stops by to tell us about the library's newest project, Blast Music. Described as a - living music collection that documents North Alabama’s vital, evolving music scene, - Blast Music is a streaming service launching this summer. It will exclusively feature talented musicians from around the Tennessee Valley-- no digging required to find your favorite local band, no ads to inundate your listening space... a sonic paradise, really. Now, hit that play button to learn how the concept for the service was born, who's involved in picking the music, new opportunities ahead to serve as a curator or streaming artist, and so much more.   Blast streaming, more info.: https://blast.hmcpl.org/

This episode of Arts Underground, Kerri-Noelle Humphrey, founder of the community dance festival, Dance Africa, joins us in the WLRH studios. In this conversation, we discuss how the festival at the Academy for Academics & Arts uses music and dance to show students the influence West African culture has had on the current style of music and dance in America. This is a program made possible by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and Kerri-Noelle also tells us her hopes for continuing this event into the future, and her hopes for the future of diversifying music education for students in schools across North Alabama.    Dance Africa (Happening Sept. 18, 2021) Event Info.: https://www.facebook.com/events/499944377787740

This week on Arts Underground, Funny You Should Ask is back, with our guest Kimberly Wilson. Kimberly is a local stand-up and improv comedian and the co-founder of Shenanigans Comedy Theatre in Huntsville. Kimberly tells us about how her background in improv crosses over in her day job as a schoolteacher, reestablishing her beloved independently-owned comedy theater in Somerville, AL to Huntsville and lots more.    Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more.    Kimberly's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/kwilsoncomedy/ Shenanigans Comedy Theatre Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shenaniganscomedytheatrehsv/ F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 2 Rayna Cahill: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ray... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 3 Ty Funny: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ty-... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 4 Scott Eason/ Epic Comedy Hour: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-epi...

In this episode of Arts Underground, we're bringing you a new segment called, 'Funny You Should Ask.' In this series, we'll talk with comedians in the TN Valley to get to know their style, hear first gig stories, and plenty more. Brandon Ijames is our first guest, a quick-witted comedian and veteran of a local comedy showcase that debuted in 2012, Homegrown Comedy. Related links are below. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more.    Brandon's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/jokegrenades/?hl=en Homegrown Comedy Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HomegrownComedy

This week we have a special installment of 'Funny You Should Ask,' where we'll sit down with Scott Eason, one of the co-creators of Huntsville's local comedy showcase event, Epic Comedy Hour. Ten years ago, local comedians Scott Eason, Tim Kelly and Justin Ledlow began their quest to carve out a place for comedy in Huntsville, starting by sharing the stage at music open mic nights, and eventually finding a home base and a longtime partnership with Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment. Now celebrating its decennial anniversary, Scott tells us about the journey it took to get the Epic show where it is today, the comedians who have graced the Epic stage along the way and so much more.    Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more.   Epic Comedy Hour on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epiccomedyhour/ Epic Comedy Hour on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpicComedyHour F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 2 Rayna Cahill: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ray... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 3 Ty Funny: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ty-...

We've got a brand new Funny You Should Ask with improv and stand-up comedian, Rayna Cahill. We talk about the moment she realized her natural talent, her successful endeavors in creating comedy shows, her thoughts on the rapport among the local comedy community and more. You can catch Rayna at Shenanigans Comedy Theatre and at comedy open mic nights around town. Related links are below. Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more.    Rayna's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/rayna_cheyenne_cahill/ Shenanigans Comedy Theatre Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shenaniganscomedytheatrehsv/ F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra...

This week's episode of Arts Underground includes the 3rd installment of our series, Funny You Should Ask, with local comedian and improv actor, Ty Funny! Ty, a native Wisconsonite, is really picking up steam with his comedy career around the Tennessee Valley. Ty talks with us about establishing himself and discovering his self worth as an up-and-coming comedian, as well as his biggest comedy inspiration- his father, who recently passed away. We hear how Ty combined his passion for making an audience laugh and a hard-hitting, personal loss, into endearing, funny stories that keep his father's memory alive. You're sure to find Ty in the lineup for plenty of comedy shows at local entertainment venues like Shenanigan's Comedy Theatre, Maggie Meyers, Stand Up Live, among many others.  Funny You Should Ask is a series where we hear from comedians in the TN Valley, getting to know their style, hear first gig stories and plenty more. Ty's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TyFunny07 Ty's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ty_funny0707/ Shenanigans Comedy Theatre Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shenaniganscomedytheatrehsv/ F.Y.S.A. Ep. 1 Brandon Ijames: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-bra... F.Y.S.A. Ep. 2 Rayna Cahill: https://wlrh.org/WritersCorner/arts-underground-funny-you-should-ask-ray...