By Lisa Morgan –
“We are currently OBSESSED with Radio Free Joshua Tree. We love being able to catch the vibes of Joshua Tree and the High Desert when we don’t have the means to physically travel there. This free online radio station sets the stage sonically….so we can sit back and soak it up.” Coachella Valley Art Scene
Joshua Tree is described by its chamber of commerce as “a community of artists, musicians, working families, businesspeople, telecommuters and retirees”. The fact that artists and musicians top the list is no accident. Joshua Tree has truly become “a symbol of the high desert, a cultural icon and a state of mind.” Many visit the unique beauty that belongs to and is preserved by the Joshua Tree National Park, but many others are drawn to the place for the artistic inspiration that seems to come up from the very earth the community stands on.
Ted Quinn, an icon of the high desert himself, knows all about this having been neck deep in this creative nucleus that has produced some of the most profoundly unique music in the industry. His connection to these diverse musical forces indicative of the area goes back to the early days of Rancho de la Luna Recording Studio. The infamous studio, founded in 1993 by Fred Drake and David Catching, played host to artists such as Daniel Lanois, Queens of the Stone Age, Victoria Williams, Fu Manchu and Mark Lanegan, giving birth to what is often referred to as “the desert sound”. It was Ted Quinn who stood by Fred Drake during the last days of his all too brief life in June of 2000. A moving account of that time was lovingly written by Quinn and can be found on Ranchodelaluna.com. Not only does this reflect Quinn’s deep connection to the musical history of the area, but also his compassionate spirit toward people and his community. Having hosted many commercial radio shows, he made the leap to producing his own podcast to embrace and share all that is beautiful about the arts in Joshua Tree.
According to the website, that immediately begins streaming music when you visit, Radio Free Joshua Tree has its roots in the 45 rpm records that belonged to the elder siblings of Teddy Quinn. Quinn, a free spirit who liked to pretend to be a DJ when he was young, grew up in a musical household in the 1960’s Laurel Canyon area. A child actor, teen poet and rock and roll singer/songwriter, Quinn eventually found himself hosting an Open Mic at the seminal Beatnik Cafe in Joshua Tree. From there, Quinn began a webcast, “Peacenik at the Beatnik,” in July, 2004 with his first guests, Elia Arce, Hooman Fazly and Marcus Kuilland-Nazario. The show ran for close to two years, with guests including Dave Catching, Chris Goss and the late Buzz Gamble. When the computer crashed, those shows were lost, but not Ted’s excitement of presenting his superabundant collection of music to a potentially world-wide audience. “I posted a ghost playlist on Facebook, asking if there would be any interest in a streaming online radio show in Joshua Tree,” Quinn shared. Among the hundreds of immediate positive responses, tech consultant and musician, Michael Roark, jumped on board and helped ready Radio Free Joshua Tree for launch. The new station was officially announced on 12/12/12.
The premiere episode was a two hour local musicians’ holiday special, hosted by Ted Quinn on December 23. Roark’s daughter, Kadey Gee, a musician in her own right, soon after debuted her “Trust Everyone Under Thirty” show. The show features a quality mix from many of the young local artists, based on her ‘no genre left behind’ policy. More new programs were added in February 2013: Kitten Time with Leslie Mariah Andrews; Rancho de la Luna’s Vinyl Frontier; Desert Drums with Brent Lewis; the Overnight Trip ambient music program; the rootsicana Parsons’ Country and many more. Three short months following their initial launch, Radio Free Joshua Tree is pouring out music and stories 24/7.
“The outpouring of support for the project has been immense and world-wide. Artists, activists, poets, PR professionals, recording engineers, arts organizations and local businesses have all stepped up to fill every conceivable gap with their expertise. Radio Free Joshua Tree seeks to bring Joshua Tree to the world – and the world to Joshua Tree, while archiving a great artistic scene, through its many diverse sounds.”
Listen to Radio Free Joshua Tree at www.RadioFreeJoshuaTree.com or www.RadioFreeJT.com. There are thousands of songs in 24/7 general rotation as well as the shows listed below:
Sundays 5-7 pm – Sunday Evening Variety Show
Mondays 10-11 pm – HD Underground
Fridays 4-5 pm – Trust Everyone Under Thirty
Fridays 5-6 pm – Tiki Time
Fridays 10-11 pm – Mojave Kitchen Dance Diaries
Fridays 11pm-12 m – Kitten Time
Fridays Midnight – Saturdays 1am – In the Pit
Saturdays 4-5pm – other Desert Stories
Saturdays 5-6pm – Roadside Rex
Saturdays 6-7pm – New Wave Dave
