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‘Rolling Hills Radio’ To Feature New Look In Season Eight Premiere Monday

The eighth season premiere of “Rolling Hills Radio” will feature artists Austin “Walkin’” Cane and Bess Greenberg in a live taping event to be held at Shawbucks at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The episode will mark the program’s first at its new home in Shawbucks, and the first following a new partnership between “Rolling Hills Radio” and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce. Submitted photos by Jeannie Danna

Big changes are in store for supporters and listeners of WRFA-LP 107.9 FM’s “Rolling Hills Radio.”

The radio program is preparing to kick off its eighth season with a new look, a new time slot and a brand new partnership with a conglomeration of several downtown businesses. The Season Eight premiere will be held Monday at Shawbucks, where Austin “Walkin'” Cane and Bess Greenberg will be featured in a 6:30 p.m. live taping for later broadcast on WRFA.

Cane, a Cleveland native, offers original, classic Delta blues featuring slide guitar and soulful vocals. In 2015, he was the Blues Music Award nominee for best new artist album by the Blues Foundation in Memphis. Greenberg, from Binghamton, is recognized for rich, textured vocals and openhearted lyrics. She performs on upright bass and a hollow-body electric guitar.

Monday’s show will mark the program’s first performance at Shawbucks and, according to program host Ken Hardley, the fit couldn’t be more natural in terms of atmosphere and setting.

“This is the fourth venue we’ve called home,” Hardley said. “It’s a bit of an ambience change; we went from a blackbox theater to a more classy, stadium-seating venue, and now we’re in more of a club-concert venue. I think we’re kind of evolving from a ‘Prairie Home Companion’ kind of setting to an ‘Austin City Limits’ setting. The seating is comfortable and the atmosphere really sets the tone for the show very well. Plus there’s lots of parking, the facility is excellent, the beverages are right there, and it’s set up well for meet-and-greets.”

Hardley said Shawbucks will be closed to the public during tapings of “Rolling Hills Radio,” though anyone with a ticket can get into the establishment. He also made note of the program’s decision to be held on the last Monday of each month, as opposed to its previous appearance on the final Thursday.

Between that and a new working relationship with the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce and Todd Tranum, its president and chief executive officer, he said “Rolling Hills Radio” is hoping to be able to bring more commerce to Jamestown’s downtown area on what would typically be a slow night of the week.

“I’d say a large majority of the folks who come to a ‘Rolling Hills Radio’ show go out to eat beforehand and go out afterwards, as well,” Hardley said. “And now with changing our night from Thursday to Monday, we’re bringing people to town who probably wouldn’t normally be in town. It’s an example of how the arts can really benefit from the support of the business community, and vice versa. Art brings vitality, creativity and excitement to the community, and the business community brings the structure and infrastructure necessary to make the arts happen.”

Tickets to Monday’s program are $15. They can be purchased at any time during normal business hours at the Chamber of Commerce at 512 Falconer St., Jamestown, by calling the chamber at 484-1101 or online at chautauquachamber.org. They can also be purchased at the door on the day of the concert.

Season tickets are also currently available for $120, which provides admission to nine shows altogether, and can be purchased by calling the chamber.

Every episode of “Rolling Hills Radio” is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. pre-show reception known as “Rolling Happy Hour.” The program’s live taping will begin at 6:30 p.m., and a meet-and-greet will immediately follow. The “Rolling Hills Radio” program is broadcast each Friday at 6 p.m. on WRFA-LP 107.9 FM, with new episodes being introduced the week following their live taping.

Highlighted among the upcoming Season Eight shows will be the Feb. 26 appearance of folk legend Tom Paxton, who’s more than 50-year career has yielded several hit songs and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

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