Progressive Torch and Twang


What it's all about

Progressive Torch and Twang has been on the air since 1989. Jamie DePolo started hosting in 1992, took a break for a while in 1998 and returned in March 1998.  In July 2000, Jamie followed her heart and moved to New Jersey. She still updates the Web page and keeps track of the concert listings, so if you have any updates, make sure to send it along to Jamie. Doug Neal started co-hosting in 1995.  Doug is a graduate student in mechanical engineering and has a passion for bluegrass, pedal steel and coffee. Kevin Harding, aka kev.com started cohosting the show with Doug in November 2000. Kev used to come on at midnight on Tuesdays, right after T&T, so he's pretty much a veteran. He graduated from MSU in 1999, but decided the real world wasn't quite ready for him yet (or vice versa) and returned to MSU for graduate school.

Progressive Torch and Twang covers a wide range of genres -- folk, bluegrass, rockabilly, surf, western swing, honky-tonk, singer/songwriter, cajun, zydeco, klezmer, Celtic, and many other traditional and insurgent country artists who defy categorization. Some of our favorite bands are Blue Mountain, Steve Earle, Robbie Fulks, Del McCoury, Teisco Del Rey, Son Volt, Wilco, Jimmy Martin, The Stanley Brothers, Richard Buckner, Dumptruck, The Waco Brothers, Dave Alvin, Freakwater, Palace Music, Holler and Bill Monroe.

In January 1997, Progressive Torch and Twang started a collaboration with Norm Zebrowski, the gentleman who books Mac's Bar in Lansing, Mich. The first show together was sold out and featured Richmond Fontaine, from Oregon. Since then, the T&T Nights have been some of the most popular nights at Mac's, both in attendance and tasty beverages sold. (We knew having a bunch of heavy drinkers with excellent music taste for friends would come in handy some day!) For a complete list of upcoming shows, check out the Torch and Twang Night listing.

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