For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 20, 2006 @ 5:45PM PST
Contact Information: Burt Poley, KBC Station and Audience Relations Manager.
505-277-5354 burt.UnderCurrents@gmail.com www.earthsongs.net

New Earthsongs Host Named
McVicar Moves to UnderCurrents

(Portland, OR) Koahnic Broadcast Corporation has named a new host for the popular national radio program Earthsongs. Longtime host Gregg McVicar will pass the musical torch to Shyanne Beatty in May. The announcement was made today at the 31st Annual Community Radio Conference in Portland, Oregon.

Shyanne is Hangwichin Athabascan and grew up in a subsistence lifestyle in Eagle, Alaska. Living in a remote community, radio provided her a connection to the rest of the world. She cites that influence, and her love of singing, for drawing her toward a career in radio where she currently hosts a daily music program on KNBA, Anchorage.

She will take the reins from McVicar who has produced the show at RadioCamp in Walnut Creek, California since 1999. Gregg, who is Tlingit, created a groundbreaking program format that features Indigenous musicians from throughout the Americas , opening a window on today's Native culture through a creative mix of music recordings and artist interviews. Earthsongs is now heard on over 60 stations across the United States and Canada.

 "Earthsongs has been a wonderful adventure for me both personally and professionally," McVicar said, "and I hope that our friend and colleague Shyanne finds it every bit as fun and rewarding. She'll give Earthsongs her own unique creative imprint." Gregg will now concentrate his efforts on producing the new music service, UnderCurrents, an ambitious 35-hour per week music mix produced by RadioCamp and KBC. (www.undercurrentsradio.net)

"Gregg is to be applauded for his work and creativity in making Earthsongs the popular show that it is today," said Jaclyn Sallee, CEO and President of KBC.

Shyanne said she is "honored to be stepping on to this national radio stage," and has already begun gathering music and artist interviews for upcoming programs which will begin May 4, 2006.

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B&W photo (1.2MB file)