Underground radio waves
Several volunteers for the Park Hills Underground stand inside the future site of the radio station booth. Pictured from left to right: Jason Durrett, Matt Jenkerson, Sr., Tommy Ray, Derrick Lawson. (Jeannie Barton-Northrup)
Park Hills Underground working on internet radio station
Jeannie Barton-Northrup, jnorthrup@dailyjournalonline.com
A local non-profit is creating a platform for vocal artists and an in-house method of promotion through Facebook. The Park Hills Underground is creating an internet radio station to promote artists who are in the early stages of their careers, an effort Underground spokespeople say they hope will help in the Park Hills revitalization efforts.
Jason Durrett is the founder of the Park Hills Underground, which operates under the umbrella of the Park Hills Music and Arts Center.
Park Hills Underground has unique decor. (Jeannie Barton-Northrup)
“It will be called the Park Hills Underground Radio, and our catchphrase will be ‘no music, no life,’” said Durrett.
When asked what inspired the idea for the radio station, Durrett said, “A voice for original music. Without original music, nothing changes. If you’re not writing new music, nothing changes.”
Even though it will take a few more days before the radio station booth is finished, Durrett is planning for the station’s possibilities.
“It just gives everybody a name, and with a 24-hour platform, that’s a lot of content to put out there. You can tune in anytime and listen to music, comedians, and podcasts,” he said. “And the radio station’s Facebook page will tell you who’s playing and what we’re playing in rotation.”
Durrett has a vision for podcast content.
“I need 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 20 minutes, stuff like that. Something that people can consume quickly because we’re in the age where everybody wants it now and quick,” he said. “So if you do 15 minutes here, 15 minutes there of a topic, people will be more apt to listen to it and then cut it up with music they can listen to when they drive, clean the house, walk around, whatever.
Durrett said he wants the station to highlight Park Hills, discussing local businesses, organizations and events of interest such as Four Cities Brewing Company, Marler’s Music, Sauces and Shows, and Cruising for a Cause.
“We’re not competing with anybody; we want to be part of it,” Durrett said.
Another area Durrett is exploring is offering commercial spots.
“We can play a 10-second to 30-second snippet of music or comedy on the air with, get your tickets, blah, blah, blah, and stuff like that. So it’s advertising for all the artists that play on our stage,” he said.
Durrett said he isn’t particular about the genre of music that wishes to use his venue.
“I’m a huge four-piece orchestra fan, you know, a couple of cellos – Yeah. I would love to do line dancing, electronic dance music, all kinds of stuff,” he said. “This is my stage. It’s a music venue built by musicians, for musicians. It’s for burgeoning artists to come to present themselves to the world with original music because, as I stated earlier, without original music, nothing changes.
“Elvis Presley changed the world with his music; The Rolling Stones and The Beatles changed the world with their music. Some kid, some young person could change the world from this stage.”
Durrett said he was a barber for 32 years in his “past life,” but an accident one fateful day changed his life forever.
“One day, an 80-year-old man drove through the front wall of my business with his pickup truck, ran me over, and caused traumatic brain injury,” he said. “After about a year of sitting around, my wife said the four words no man wants to hear – ‘we need to talk.’ She said, ‘You need a hobby.’
“Welcome to my hobby. I bought the building, and that’s how this started. What built this was the money I had in the bank from the accident.”
Durrett created the Park Hills Music and Arts Center as a not-for-profit corporation. The Park Hills Underground is both figuratively and literally under the music and arts center at 104 Rinke St. in Park Hills. For a tax-free donation or more information about Park Hills Underground Radio, contact Park Hills Underground via their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ParkHillsUnderground.
The Facebook page also has information about upcoming shows and events. Another place to find information about Park Hills Underground is their website at https://www.parkhillsunderground.com. The website contains links to all social media and ticket sales and provides their email address: Parkhillsunderground@gmail.com.
View from the stage of the Park Hills Underground. (Jeannie Barton-Northrup)
