Jack Lewis of Olde Surber Station Radio runs an Internet radio station that plays bluegrass and old time mountain music only by unsigned bands 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Jack says he’s trying to preserve bluegrass and old time music by restricting the bands he plays to string-bands and not associated with a major recording label. He says his cybernet radio station, unlike conventional land based radio stations, provided his bands with a worldwide audience for their music.
Jack recently started a weekly one-hour radio show that he calls A Bluegrass and Old Time Music Radio Show. The show discusses new bluegrass and old-time bands and their venues. It is broadcast continuously every Saturday from 12 to 7 PM Jack makes the show available as a podcast so listeners who can’t make the Saturday broadcast can subscribe to the podcast or download the show episodes from his website.
Olde Surber Station Radio has a number of other special shows. Each Sunday the station broadcasts only mountain gospel music from 6 am to 7 PM on the Gospel Sunday show. Every weekday, the station broadcast a Live at the Rex Theater show which rebroadcasts some of the bands that play at the historic Rex Theateevery Friday night on WBRF 98.1 FM Blue Ridge Backroads Live Radio Show. During the Fall, Winter and Spring seasons, the station also broadcasts a four-hour show from the James River Music Hall in Eagle Rock, Virginia. Jack helps preserve these bluegrass and old time music venues by being the volunteer webmaster for both of venues.
Jack supports his Internet radio station with a syndicated blog that provides additional information on the bands, venues and his website. He also provides on his website the Cybergrass.com news feed for his bluegrass lovers, and a link to the popular NROT Listserv (New River Old Time Music and Dance Association) for his old time mountain music lovers. The station is independent and financially supported by Jack with donations from bands who participate in his music coop.
Jack plays in an old time band called the Oriskany Strings. He plays a two-string washtub bass which he says keeps the mountain music spirit of building your own instruments alive.
