Curtis Salgado & Alan Hagar at Holmans during a live broadcast of River City Juke Joint
  • Curtis Salgado & Alan Hagar at Holman’s during a live broadcast of River City Juke Joint

It’s a sad story, like something out of a blues song. When public radio station KMHD (89.1) was taken over by new management, popular local blues program River City Juke Joint was cut from the schedule. Juke Joint was broadcast live every Friday from Holman’s Bar and Grill, and became a local institution of local blues music. Musicians and listeners alike were regularly invited to stop by Holman’s to be part of the broadcast, and the show reportedly was a big money-raiser for the public radio station.

But it’s been taken off the air due to “creative differences” between the station’s new, OPB-aligned management and the show’s hosts Brad Brenner and Steve Murray. KMHD has a new blues program to fill the void, but longtime listeners of River City Juke Joint have found themselves without the show they love. So, tonight, Brenner and Murray are reconvening at Holman’s to host a “Post-Show Listener Appreciation Party”—in essence, doing an episode of River City Juke Joint whether KMHD is broadcasting it or not. Expect a big crowd, some live blues, drinking (what are the blues without alcohol?), and possible grumbling (what are the blues without a little complaining?). The hosts and longtime fans are hoping to find a new home for the show, and tonight’s show/party is the first step.

tonight, Holman’s Bar and Grill, 15 SE 28th, 6-10 pm

End Hits: Can Blue Men Sing the Whites?

Ned Lannamann is a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon. He writes about film, music, TV, books, travel, tech, food, drink, outdoors, and other things.

5 replies on “KMHD’s <i>River City Juke Joint</i> Has the Blues”

  1. It ain’t the Blues if it’s Middle-Aged, Middle-Class, White, Hippies playing it. That’s what the majority of Blues is nowadays anyway. Dead genre, who cares?

  2. I just got back in town from a long stint in alaska…….
    NO MORE RIVER CITY JUKE JOINT?
    might as well spend the winter in nome…….

  3. KMHD screwed up. Brad Brenner is one of the most intelligent, knowledgeable and personable personalities on the air. He understands the music, he has a wonderful ear and he has a nice, comfortable style that’s a pleasure to hear. Brad – I’m a fan!

    – Jack Rubinger

  4. The comment from TageSave is exactly why the River City Juke Joint was so important to Portland – It was one of the few radio programs on the air that understood the blues are alive and well and a vital part of the best music being recorded today.

    This was the only show that regularly played bands like the Black Keys (recorded a complete CD of bluesman Jr.Kimbrough tunes), the White Stripes (dedicated their first CD to blues man Son House), Scott Biram, King Clarence, North Miss. Allstars, and the Soledad Brothers – not to mention some of the most exciting new Portland bands like Hillstomp, Sassparilla, and Woodbrain that are also playing next generation blues.

    There are lots of poser hipsters like TageSave that are so quick to categorize things as less hip than they are and don’t even realize that half of the music they are listening to is next generation blues – but then it’s hard to blame him when shows like the River City Juke Joint are taken off the air.

  5. My comment is exactly why “Blues” in it’s current form sucks! The Juke Joint went off the air because no one gave a shit except Middle-aged hippies and their goateed nerd sons. BLUES IS DEAD! And by calling me a hipster, you’re implying that I’m hip. Thank you for that.

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