This is an amazing coup for solar-powered KRUU 100.1 FM, 'The Voice of Fairfield, Iowa... and Beyond.' A discussion with one of country music's greatest legends, the multi-instrumentalist outlaw Merle Haggard. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville Sound recordings of the same era.

By the 1970s, Haggard was aligned with the growing outlaw country movement, and has continued to release successful albums through the 1990s and into the 2000s. In 1997, Merle Haggard was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame for his song "Okie from Muskogee".

Ultra Violet became Salvador Dali's muse when she first arrived in New York City from France. She made films with Andy Warhol and has written a book about her experiences. She is a successful artist living in New York with exhibitions around the world. Ultra Violet says if Andy were alive today because of his love of power, he'd be running for president. She's just not sure for which party! Perhaps all tomorrow's parties... Mixed with the music of Nico & The Velvet Underground.

Pegi Young has a new release out and her music will be featured along with a few numbers by her husband Neil Young. They started the Bridge School and are celebrating its 25th anniversary with a 3-set DVD and 2-set CD commemorating the many performers who have participated in the event over the years.

Timothy B. Schmidt talks at length with KRUU host and Huffpo entertainament contributor Mike Ragogna about his newest release "Expando." named after the trailer he and his brothers grew up in. Schmidt's beautiful vocal on the Eagles tune he co-penned with Don Henley and Glenn Fry "I Can't Tell You Why" is a signature song. He discusses his personal trajectory, his success with country rock band Poco, singing with Toto, Steely Dan, Crosby, Stills, Nash and more.

Another great treat from Fairfield's sun-powered connection to the stars. Thanks, Mike!!

Freddie Mercury, Brian May and 40 years with the super band Queen are all discussed by drummer singer songwriter Roger Taylor in this wide-ranging discussion with KRUU radio personality and Huffpo entertainment contributor Mike Ragogna.

From the band's inception to its most recent endeavor to find young musicians selected from a worldwide search to do Queen music, Mr. Taylor talks about missing the colorful Freddie (who passed away 20 years ago).  He says that people are often overshadowed by the theatricality of Mercury's perfromances and fail to realize the calibre of musician he was. Also, a number of songs sung by Taylor will be featured in the show.

NEXT WEEK's GUESTS include Merle Haggard and Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles, Toto and Poco.

Community radio never sounded better. Listen fresh, listen local. Be. HEAR. Now.

Country Music Hall of Fame singer/songwriter and guitar slinger Vince Gill is a humble soul, married to "contemporary Christian" singer Amy Grant, and a country music superstar of the highest degree.

Gill achieved commercial success as frontman in the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, before going solo in 1983. He has recorded more than twenty studio albums, charted over forty singles on the U.S. Billboard chart, and has sold more than 22 million albums. Honored by the Country Music Association with 18 CMA Awards, including two Entertainer of the Year awards and five Male Vocalist Awards, Gill has also earned 27 Grammy Awards, more than any other male Country music artist. Mike talks with Vince about his latest release GUITAR SLINGER.

Funky is as funky does and y'all got some funky action heading your way today. It's Nawlins-based Trombone Shorty laying down the law and lifting up your spirits.

Also on the docket is Naughty By Nature celebrating twenty years of kickass rap hop. They talk about O.P.P., their work with Queen Latifa and more.

On Mike Ragogna's 2.0 on solar-powered KRUU-FM. Aw yeah.

Christmas only comes once a year. Enjoy these seasonal interviews with Shelby Lynn, Ronnie "Be My Baby" Spector, and Raul Malo of the Mavericks. Mike Ragogna talks with all three and shares his joy to the world with the world from solar-powered www.KRUUfm.com

Time to get a jump on your Christmas fix with a special twist, sister. It's Mike Ragogona, Huffpo contributor and KRUU radio personality, straight, no chaser, with Straight No Chaser's Charlie Mechling celebrating the acappella chorale's new 6-song EP. But first up is sax man Dave Koz with a brand new jazz repackage of his 15th year on the holiday circuit spreading musical joy to the world. Then it's Twisted Sister's Jay Jay "I Wanna Rock" French talking four decades of Twisted music & mayhem.

The New York native covers much ground in this interview including a survey of the political landscape by the self-professed political junkie. He also talks about a new twist on an old theme he characterizes as "sex, prescription drugs and rock'n'roll."

Two hours of seasons greetings delivered straight, no chaser, from your friendly neighborhood open source, grassroots community radio station, solar-powered KRUU-FM, where 80 Santa Clauses work 365 days a year off, serving up aural toys for girls & boys year 'round.

Mike Ragogna speaks with John Medeski about Medeski, Martin & Wood's latest collaborative release with John Scofield. It's a great interview with the humble, lit, syncopationist improv genius of the chairman of the keyboards. MMW's been together for 20 years now and their liquid, loveable and wise sympatico is off the hook and always on the mark. They shoot from the hip and they're hip as it gets.

Indirecto Records MSMW Live: In Case the World Changes Its Mind, a double-live album featuring guitarist John Scofield and the improvisational jazz trio Medeski. Martin & Wood. Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood first recorded together on Scofield’s A Go Go (Verve 1998), a project that united the group on material composed by Scofield and interpreted by all four musicians. In 2006, MSMW collaborated again on Out Louder. [from Jazz Times]

Why would someone quit one of the top rock'n'roll bands in the world after playing bass in said Hall of Fame juggernaut for 30 years? Why, man? Why indeed. The answer is... Bill Wyman. Find out why by listening to Mike Ragogna's wonderful interview with the current Rhythm King, ex-Rolling Stone who says, "Nobody thought it was going to last. We'd talk about it with our friends--The Beatles, The Hollies, The Searchers--and guess how long it would last. We thought 2, 3, maybe 4 years tops. And then it was 30 years later."

The prolific Wyman started a second life, is the proud papa of three teen daughters, has written 7 books, currently working on a history of his house (he knows everyone who's lived there since the 1100's), loves archeology and astronomy, has created a lightweight metal detector, is a lifelong photographer with a show in London, as we speak, and has just released a 5-box set of swinging music he's done with the Rhythm Kings that covers covers from the 20's to the 70's and more. And yes, he still gets along famously with his old mates. I'd say time is on his side.

Mike Ragogna. Huffington Post. And solar-powered KRUU-FM. Can you dig it? NEXT WEEK: Yo-Yo Ma & John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood.

THU 1pm. Rebro TUE 8am.