If you ever find yourself wandering on that "NPR-side" of the FM dial, you might stumble upon a local treasure in waiting: WSGE 91.7fm, Gaston College Public Radio. Less than thirty miles west of the Queen City, amid the soft swells of Dallas, North Carolina, sits the community college campus and station.

Program manager and weekday morning DJ Jeff Powell describes the station's typical play list as an "eclectic blend", which translates into earfuls of Americana, folk, bluegrass, blues, alternative country, and indie rock. You will also find genre-specific programs, including those dedicated to beach and shag, blues, Latin and more. Friday mornings offer the syndicated Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour. On any given hour, you're likely to hear Johnny Cash, Ryan Adams, Keb Mo, Doc Watson or Tom Waits, wrapped around regional diamonds Dave Childers, Michael Reno Harrell, and Malcolm Holcombe. Aside from occasional station announcements, news briefs, and concert calendar listings, it is non-stop music, free of commercial interruption.

In 2003, Creative Loafing awarded WSGE the Critic's Pick for Best Radio Station to Support Local Music, a badge they wear proudly and well. Every day, several times a day, they run through their "unofficial concert calendar" and make ample plugs supporting the local music scene, artists, and venues alike.

Their stable of DJs is comprised entirely of volunteers, sans Jeff Powell, which demonstrates the sheer enthusiasm and love of music they possess; it's utterly palpable. These dedicated folk bring in their own cache of CDs and share the joy of digging through the station's stack of personal favorites, closet gems, and new arrivals.

They also do a bang-up job of getting national acts playing in the area to appear for in-studio interviews and live performances. A recent February 6th interview with solo pianist George Winston was filled with amazing harmonica playing and wonderfully eccentric philosophical wrangling. Priceless stuff . . . and the best part is that it is right here in our own backyard!

WSGE, true to its "public radio" moniker, is run on a small budget that relies heavily on listener contributions. April 12-18th is the next scheduled on-air fund drive. Expect a deluge of live guests, one of the many things that WSGE does so well. Major upgrades and renovations are in the works, with a plan to double the signal strength and raise the antennae. Both will greatly improve reception in our area. In addition to helping fund the station's daily operations, your financial support will go toward making these enhancements.

Send your tax-deductible donations to:
WSGE
Highway 321 South
Dallas, NC 28034
Attention: Jeff Powell

For program information, a list of upcoming events or how you can show your support for this growing regional treasure, go to http://www.WSGE.org or give them a call on their business line (704) 922-6552.