How many of us wake up every day and can’t wait to jump out of bed and start our day earning a living and making a difference, not only in our own lives but hopefully in the lives of others? I, for one, do NOW. I finally “got it”…I just had to follow my father’s excellent advice to find something I loved to do and figure out how to earn a living doing it!
Years in the Louisville media working for various corporate entities made me aware of the challenges of starting a show of my own. Thanks to Crescent Hill Radio, I was able to bring an idea to the wave of the future, the internet, on a station which also happens to have Ustream video capabilities. For the first time in 30 years of working in television and radio, I formulated my own concept from scratch – came up with a title, created the rundown, figured out how to sell it, promote it and execute it, and so much more. It’s incredible how much fun and how challenging it has been, all in the same breath.
To make my own “look” for the set become realized on a shoestring with help from Kathy Schmitt of the Crescent Hill Trading Company…to have a neighbor like Mike Carter, who pulled out his saw and the backing board I would use to make a “Crescent Hill Radio” backdrop sign…to have friends like Wil Heuser to create beautiful promotional graphics and Kri n Hettie to write a personalized jingle…to have business associates who support it through sponsorships and awesome people who appear as my guests, because I have the greatest and most interesting friends in the world…these are things for which I am most grateful!
For the talented production staff at Crescent Hill Radio, in the persons of Kathy Weisbach, Station Manager, and Kelly Newton, Associate Producer, I am thankful. They make it possible for me to delve into the conversations with guests, revealing how they’re going to make a change that needs to be made.
It is always an amazing experience to hear from the people I interview. They each have a passion, an awareness of the need to make a difference in some aspect of life for more than just themselves. Marina Dervan and Mark Barone, of An Act Of Dog, took a simple discovery of the flaws in the process of shelter adoptions, and turned it into a lifesaving mission for the 5500 dogs a day who die needlessly in this country. Gail Benedict had a storied career on Broadway, but came to Louisville to impart her wisdom and experience to countless students who can only dream of getting to where she’s already been! Sandy Montgomery, who by all accounts should have died from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, shares her story of survivorship, evoking alternating laughter and tears. These are but a few of the half-dozen guests per show who have come to the lower-level studio on Frankfort Avenue to tell their stories, and in the process, enrich my life and the lives of the CHR audience members.
Music is a critical part of “Take It From Tara!” – local musicians are welcome to contact this writer to join in the fun and get their music heard each Monday at 5 pm, live on crescenthillradio. com. From emerging songwriter James Sayne, whose career is just beginning, to the incomparable June Kelly-Roy, whose decades of entertaining have made her one of the most sought-after singers in town, musicians/singers add so much to the show…solos and duos fit best into our compact space!
Our four-legged family members are a major part of my purpose in doing any show that exposes the needs of adoptable animals to a greater population. Every week on “Take It From Tara!” we feature an animal-oriented cause, a shelter or agency that fosters and adopts companion animals, or a project that benefits them. Those with special topics that would be of interest to the greater listening audience, contact this writer and book an interview!
Lastly, if a business would like its product or service to reach the local and regional music-loving audience of Crescent Hill Radio, it is welcome to join this community public radio station as a sponsor. Crescent Hill Radio is a 501 c 3 not-for-profit, so contributions are tax-deductible, and much-needed to continue to promote the local and regional artists Crescent Hill Radio serves exclusively.
In a major way, I am grateful to have this writing outlet on louisville.am, and appreciate Rick Redding for its continuing relevancy. Thanks, Rick!
“Take It From Tara!” airs live Mondays at 5 pm on crescenthillradio.com. Please join us!
