The Wednesday Blues Drive

Terry Havel

2^nd – last  Wednesday of each month

Wednesday’s blues drive plays new and old blues – both acoustic and electric as well as some R&B and soul mixed in.  We do a forty minute doowop corner from 4 – 4:40 p.m. spotlighting one of rock’s greatest genres–music that might be gone but absolutely not forgotten. And for good measure, every now and then, a little rockabilly and Americana gets added just to spice up the music mix.

Far left: Jeff Joy

Jeff Joy and Friends

First Wednesday of the month

The Blues Drive plays new blues, old blues – electric and acoustic as well as a sampling of soul, R&B, rockabilly and Americana. From 4 – 4:40pm, it’s the Doo-Wop Corner where Terry serves up a 6-pack of slow and 6-pack of fast Doo-Wop from the 1950s and 1960s.

Get to Know Your WMSE DJ Profile – Terry Havel

How do you spend your days and nights when not hosting your radio show?

I am the media coordinator (like an advisor) to student radio at UW-Parkside in Kenosha as well as doing Rock and Roll Never Forgets, an oldies show for WLIP (AM 1050) in Kenosha on Saturdays from 2 – 6 p.m. I try to get out and hear live music at least once a week. Otherwise, I’m a big Chicago sports fan and am currently suffering watching the hopeless Cubs. Can’t wait for football (go, Bears!).

Do you remember what band, album or song took you from being a casual music listener to a passionate music lover? Is there a memory associated with that experience? 

I loved music from a very early age listening to my parent’s records and discovering R&B from a low-powered Chicago AM station. But I think my turning point came while I was a junior in college. I got to tape a one-hour jazz show for a just put on-the-air commercial FM station in Waterloo, Iowa. I knew very little about jazz, but by doing the show learned a lot and started to realize just how complicated and broad based the music spectrum was. It was a real learning experience being introduced to Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday and so many more great artists.

What band have you heard or discovered in the past six months that reminded you why you want to continue being a WMSE DJ?

Smith Westerns, Mayer Hawthorne, Trapper Schoepp and the Shades are just a few. I was in Louisiana for two years (2008-2010), and didn’t know anything about Reverend Raven & the Chain-Smokin’ Altar Boys. But when I got back and heard them, I became an instant fan.

Who is your favorite non-you WMSE DJ and why?

Tough question, because this station has so many outstanding DJs.  But in terms of his musical depth, very few folks can challenge Paul Cebar’s musical knowledge and music choices.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I was a radio junkie since I was eight, but also thought I would enjoy teaching. I was able to do both over forty years and for that, I’m most proud.