Vol. 1, No. 4, August 29, 2025
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People. Places. Things to Do.
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| Greetings,
Welcome back to The Green Room. It has been a blast exploring the arts world of the Ozarks with you. Thanks for joining me in lifting up the artists, venues and events in our area. We are lucky to have such a prolific arts scene. I also want to thank my public media colleagues whose hard work brought The Green Room to life and whose weekly contributions keep the wheels rolling. Jamie, Shelly, Zoë and Ran, among others, thank you for what you do and who you are.
Summer is winding down, and with the cooler weather come music festivals. I’ve long been a fan. Just out of high school, I traveled out west with friends and stopped at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. This was before cellphones, when you used an actual paper map to get around and had to set meeting times and places in case you lost your crew. Being in a mountain town with one road in and out gave me a sense of adventure and sparked big dreams in my young soul. There was plenty of great music that weekend, but I was especially moved by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. I often credit that moment as the one when I knew I wanted to be a professional musician and play festivals like that.
This weekend and next, the Ozarks can find inspiration of their own. Local organizers are bringing festivals to life again to strengthen communities and celebrate the present moment. Thanks for being here with me in The Green Room as we find new favorite things to do and people to share them with.
Come on into the Green Room,
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The Green Room Arts News Letter is presented by
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Dockley Ranch hosts its fourth annual Highlonesome Music Festival in Ava, MO. Expect four days of midnight storytelling and campfire jams, foraging hikes with the Missouri Mycological Society, goat yoga, kids’ art and pottery workshops, and an original songwriting competition that awards a slot in the 2026 lineup...read more
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A longtime tradition continues the first weekend of September in a small but prolific town in Northwest Arkansas. Local, regional and national folk music descends on Eureka Springs for a weekend of music, dance and community...read more
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Arts News on KSMU is your long-standing source for what's happening in the Ozarks arts scene spotlighting local creators, performances, and cultural events every week. Tune in Fridays at 10 a.m. on 91.1-FM or stream at KSMU.org
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🎶Friends don't leave friends out of the music and arts scene - they share all the local arts and music happenings. Just forward this email to friends!
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Sometimes you just get lucky. You find 20 dollars on the ground. You catch a green light. You get invited to a pool party. And, sometimes, SOMETIMES, you’re just lucky enough and there’s a cake in the fridge. You go to the same fridge, day after day, open it up, nothing new. But then, one day, voilà! A CAKE! Such is the joy of finding a great band submission in the Local Radar inbox.
Today on our radar, one of the very first bands to ever submit to our inbox – Four Degrees Colder out of St. Louis. This plucky little pop-rock duo independently released their first album, “Pretty Men in Suits,” early last year without even having played a single live show. And when I say “independently released,” I mean this fearsome twosome (both barely 20 years old at the time) wrote, recorded, and produced it themselves, got the art and the designs together, and then had it pressed to vinyl (an expensive proposition) – again, without even having played a single live show. Let me assure you friends, that is an impressive feat.
They then worked to find a way to take their multilayered dancepop delights and translate them into something that could be performed live by just two people. I can also assure you; they figured that out too.
Shortly thereafter they began making blind submissions to any inbox within earshot and landed in ours. They have been in regular rotation on the show ever since and were, in fact, Local Radar’s first ever in-studio musical guests this last January! And now, as they prepare to debut new tunes this Saturday in St. Louis, it seemed like a great time to show them some love.
So, get up, go to your fridge, check and see if there’s a cake inside and, even if there isn’t, give “I’ll Mess With You” a spin.
We’ll see you next week!
-Ran
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Local Radar with Ran Cummings is a weekly music and conversation radio show on KSMU featuring bands and performances from in and around the Ozarks every Friday night at 9:00 p.m. on 91.1 - FM or stream at KSMU.org.
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Join us as we celebrate 50 years of storytelling, learning, and community with Ozarks Public Television! Since 1974, OPT has been a beloved part of life in southwest Missouri—bringing Mister Rogers, Arthur, riveting documentaries, and local gems into our homes. This milestone honors the generations who’ve grown up with us, the volunteers and donors who make it all possible, and the vibrant Ozarks spirit we share. Whether you're a lifelong viewer or a recent fan, you are part of the OPT family—and we can't wait to celebrate with you!
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Studio Live with Melissa Rea and Jess Balisle airs the 2nd Friday of every month on KSMU. Tune in at 12 p.m. for an hour of live music and conversation with talented artists. Later that evening, experience the music in person at a FREE performance from 6–8 p.m. at Springfield Brewing Company.”
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| September 12 - Mitchell Matthews
October 10 - Matteson Gregory
November 14 - Mr. Orange
December 12 - Drew Beine
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In the mood to stay in? Queue up one of these videos handpicked by our staff at Ozarks Public Broadcasting, perfect for a night in when you're skipping the scene but still craving culture.
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These favorites from KSMU and OPT are just the beginning—there’s a whole world of storytelling, music, documentaries, and local gems waiting on you to dive in and discover at your local public broadcasting station.
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Was this email sent to you by a friend? If you'd love fresh takes, local gems, and behind-the-scenes artsy goodness in your inbox every week subscribe to The Green Room Arts News letter.
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❤️Huge thanks to Ray S. and Mary C. for their generous tips to The Green Room. We appreciate you!
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The Green Room: A Weekly Arts News Letter is a production of Ozarks Public Broadcasting, For more information about our programs and services please visit our website.
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Mailing Address:
901 South National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65897
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| Telephone:
Ozarks Public Television 417-836-3500
KSMU Radio 417-836-5878
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901 S National Ave | Springfield, MO 65897 US
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