Catch Andrew Johnston‘s show Bluegrass, Etc. on Tuesday at 11 AM.

1. Are you from Kamloops? If not, where are you from and how did
   you come to be in Kamloops?

I’m originally from Montreal. I’ve lived in Montreal, Vancouver and Saskatoon. When I retired I moved to my wife’s family farm in the Kamloops area.

2. Are you a community volunteer? How do you think volunteering at the station supports your engagement with the Kamloops community?

I’ve engaged with the Kamloops community by doing live interviews and live music with local musicians in studio. I’ve also facilitated local jam sessions which I have promoted on my show, and supported the local Legion in having a monthly bluegrass concert featuring locals The Bunchgrass Boys.

3. What is it about volunteering in general that appeals to you?

In general, volunteering is a way of giving back. I’m interested in bringing people together through music. Like most artistic endeavours, coming together to sing build empathy and understanding. It is a way to help build resilient and less polarized communities. I’m building a better world one banjo tune at a time.

4. What other hobbies and interests do you have outside of doing campus/community radio?

I play music and sing. I love to cook. I’m a retired actor, so I enjoy going to the theatre and the cinema.

5. What is your show about? What would a listener hear when they
   tune in?

My show is called Bluegrass Etc., so as one would imagine, it is primarily focused on bluegrass, but I also feature other traditional music or what one might call bluegrass adjacent.

6. What makes your show unique? Why do you think listeners are
   interested in your show?

A bluegrass show is in and of itself something of a unique endeavour. Additionally, every week I feature a short, original story about a farm family that seems to resonate with the audience and gives the show a relaxed kind of folksy feel.

7. What shows at CFBX do you like and listen to regularly? Why do you enjoy them?

Surprisingly, I mostly listen to the classical shows and I really enjoy the swing show (When Swing Was King, Tuesdays 7-8 PM).

8. Name an artist you discovered through your time at CFBX that
   you’d like others to know about.

I recently came across the Lonesome Town Painters. They are a Vancouver based bluegrass band that has been around for years. They are really good and quite a bit of fun. I’m really interested in Canadian bluegrass artists and I’m a little embarrassed that I’ve only recently found out about them.

9. What do you hope to do with your show in the future? What
   direction do you see your show moving?

In some way, shape or form, I would like to bring people together to make music. Through the show, I helped establish a monthly bluegrass jam for about half a year. The location was not sustainable. I hope to find a suitable location to re-start that jam. I hope to encourage and facilitate more bluegrass artists to perform in Kamloops.