Music brings us together—The Current excels
Jul 23, 2024
In Percival Everett’s novel James, he tells the Huck Finn saga through the eyes of Jim, the slave. In the story, Jim escapes and hides with some freed slaves along the Mississippi River.
Jim asked, “Is that a banjo?
“I made it,” Young George said. “But I dare not play it here. Ain’t nobody around, but sound travels, you know? Especially music. People can hear music miles away and then they try to find it. “
“Especially music, “Old George agreed.
“Especially music,” Josiah repeated.
Growing up, my mother played music on the radio and the sound pulled me to our kitchen where we danced and sang along. The music of my childhood still makes me dance and smile. Today MPR believes one of our most important jobs is to bring people together through public media. Music does that job best.
In today’s music scene, we are far more than a single radio station that offers only one style of music. We get to slide around the sounds, sample different eras and genres, and form new favorites.
As David Safar, managing director, says, “When The Current launched in 2005, it was the beginning of people being able to play their music on their mobile devices. As digital consumption of music was becoming more accessible, mainstream, and affordable something shifted. The Current had the opportunity to say, we're going to reflect the canon of music that we think reflects the identity of what it means to live in this community.”
The Current has been a leader of that shift for almost 20 years now. In fact, we’ll celebrate that milestone beginning in January 2025.
People ask me all the time, how’s The Current doing? When it launched it was a risk, an innovation. Today it’s stronger than ever at connecting music and community, cutting through our differences to form connections and common ground.
A summer of free music
This summer is a case in point. The Current is diving into festivals, happy hours, and free events that bring live music to neighborhoods across the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. What’s especially exciting is the events attract audiences from ages six to 76 and foster intergenerational spaces where we ease loneliness, increase connections, and raise spirits.
From the Grand Stage at Grand Old Day–declared the largest one-day street festival in the Midwest—to Rock the Cradle, to Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, and events in St. Joseph, and Rochester, we’ve got the sounds. We’re also hosting nine FREE happy hours. Plus Carbon Sound, one of The Current’s sub brands, celebrated its second anniversary by hosting a night of DJs at the Red Sea in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis last month.
Around the state, we’re showcasing local musical talent and sharing songs. We bring together music fans and artists along with local businesses and MPR members and support our local music economy. (Venue sponsors include Saint Paul-based business Vistabule and the Metropolitan Airport Commission among many others). We’re grateful to all our local sponsors who make these events vibrant, engaging, and possible!
Our People
A common denominator in The Current’s success is our people. An algorithm can't do what our team does: pay attention to what's happening in the world, reflect on the moment, and then bring that same philosophy and approach to programming live music. We make sure that the stages that we curate reflect the community and the tastes of people from different generations. When we do it right, people come together, and there's a lot of music discovery mixed in with people’s favorite songs.
We’re excited to have recently added two new voices to our great team: Zach McCormick as midday host and Nilufer Arsala – a Host/Producer joining Jill Riley on The Current's Morning Show.
MPR Day at the Fair
Please join me on August 30th for MPR Day at the Minnesota State Fair. Nur-D will perform at MPR Day while The Current and Carbon Sound will host local artists at the MPR booth throughout the run of the Fair. Check the schedule often. Our goal is to truly make you smile!
Sound truly carries. Music crosses lines and boundaries. This election season MPR News will work to bring you facts and keep you informed. We all need to be able to stand in our convictions and also see the humanity in other people. Music helps with that balancing act.
Your support for MPR makes all this magic happen. Thank you for your generous investments.
Duchesne Drew
President, Minnesota Public Radio
About Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is Senior Vice President of American Public Media Group and President of Minnesota Public Radio. In this role, he leads the teams that produce MPR News, The Current, APM Reports and Marketplace. Additionally, he oversees YourClassical MPR as a part of Minnesota Public Radio.