Friends,

Thank you so much to everyone who has pledged their support by making a donation to UMFM. It’s more than just a radio station for me, obviously, as it has become one of the most important things in my life. But it’s not just a big deal for those of us directly involved. This past Sunday I spoke with Jaxon Haldane (of D. Rangers and so much more) and he spoke about what a pivotal role we play in the community and the lives of musicians, venues, and music fans like you.

Thanks to kind and generous support, Tell the Band to Go Home was mentioned in donations totaling over $2000! That’s very impressive and really humbling.

But to be honest… it’s less than what we’ve been able to bring in over the past 4 years. Steel Belted Radio will have to bring in over $650 MORE in order to reach my annual goal of $3000 for both shows. That’s a big number for that particular program, but it’s not impossible! If you haven’t made your donation yet, we’d love to hear from you. You can call in any time at 204-474-6610 and mention my shows or you can call on Thursday during the show. You can always go online at https://www.umfm.com/info/donate/.

Any amount counts. Even a small donation tells us that we’re important to you. And if you want to donate more, but can’t do it right now, take advantage of our convenient payment plan. We’ll take regular donations of whatever amount you can handle at intervals that are convenient for you. I make my payments from January to June, which works out really well for me.

Something to consider: I program 3.5 hours every week. I rarely take a week off, but there are times when I rerun a classic episode. There are 52 weeks in a year. Let’s be overly cautious and assume that I only program something new 45 of those. 45 weeks x 3.5 hours = 157.50. What’s an hour of my time and of some of the best music in the world worth to you?

Obviously, not everyone can donate that much, but a $150 donation says that each hour of programming is worth less than a dollar. Think about how much you pay for a movie that runs an hour and a half or a concert or even that cup of coffee that lasts 10 minutes. And that’s only considering the live shows. Then there are the podcasts, which you can listen to at your convenience and could listen to over and over again. You can prorate that for the number of shows that you actually listen to or use whatever formula you like, but whatever you do, we hope you’ll consider donating something.

I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty, and I don’t want anyone to donate more than they should (ahem, Lucy, I’m talking to YOU…), but I hope that what UMFM does has some value to you. This is the time when you can show how much it means to you!

And then there’s The Sunset Saloon, which WOULD NOT EXIST without UMFM! We present some amazing events every year, and every one of those musicians and most of you come to shows as a result of my radio shows. I spend a whole pile of money before each show making sure that you have everything you could want. There’s a huge spread of food, soft drinks, beer, renting equipment, even things like cups, plates, and napkins cost a lot. I ask for nothing in return and you are under no obligation to ever even think about that part of the show, but if that seems worth something to you, I would ask you to consider donating extra to the musicians at the show OR making a pledge to UMFM!

And speaking of The Sunset Saloon, in case you missed it on Sunday, we got a BIG update to one of our already exciting shows.

On November 3 we have a show featuring Rueben de Groot and Luther Wright and the Wrongs. That’s amazing enough. But it turns out that they’ve also invited powerhouse vocalist and renowned singer/songwriter Colleen Brown to join along! You’ve probably heard her voice before on CBC, but if you haven’t, come and see why I’m suddenly so much more excited. We may have to reinforce the windows on the saloon so they don’t get blown out.

Remember this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVFHWqDSGEI

If you can’t make it, Rueben and Colleen (and their bands) will stop in Winnipeg again on November 22, but this is THE ONLY STOP THIS YEAR IN WINNIPEG FOR LUTHER WRIGHT! Don’t miss this!

http://tellthebandtogohome.com/2016/09/23/luther-wright-wrongs-rueben-de-groot-sunset-saloon-nov-3/

And let’s not forget about the amazing Tony Furtado, making a rare Canadian appearance on November 11! This guy is a phenomenal musician, a hell of a singer/songwriter, as well as a really creative sculptor and visual artist! People are excited about this one, for good reason. You should be too!

http://tellthebandtogohome.com/2016/09/23/tony-furtado-sunset-saloon-fri-nov-11/

RSVP ASAP! The lists are filling up!