Mercedes Yarbrough joined us to share her firsthand experience of the horrific events in Minneapolis. Listening to her, you immediately sense her clarity, compassion, and strength as a community leader. She’s the kind of person you connect with in moments — deeply passionate about her neighborhood, and especially committed to inspiring the next generation to believe in something better.
Mizz Mercedez (Mercedes Yarbrough) is a community leader, educator, and creative force rooted in the historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul, Minn. With more than a decade in public education, specializing in special education and behavior, she is known as #YoKidzFavoriteTeacher for making learning fun, culturally affirming, and engaging through comic books, media, movement, and the arts. |
Recently, KDRT lost two truly wonderful and creative super-volunteers—friends who helped shape the heart and soul of this station. Diane Crumley and Bill Wagman were long-time members of the KDRT family, deeply committed to community radio and to showing up, week after week, with generosity, curiosity, and care.
Today, I’m sharing an hour of upbeat, sing-along music—not to mark a loss, but to celebrate a life well shared. This hour is about the joy, the laughter, and the connection Diane and Bill brought into our lives.
So stay with me, turn it up, sing along—and let’s celebrate them together.
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Minneapolis keeps producing artists who are technically sharp, stylistically open, and community-rooted. That mix explains why musicians from the city move easily between funk, jazz, indie, and pop—and why the music feels both local and universal.
Listen in to an hour of music from the Twin Cities.
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Christmas doesn’t arrive as just one feeling.
It shows up in many forms—joy, melancholy, loneliness, and wonder—sometimes all in the same room.
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When we talk about Hispanic music in America, we’re talking about a story that’s been here all along.
In the 1950s and ’60s, this music lived mostly inside the community. Mexican rancheras and mariachi carried stories of home and heartbreak. Cuban rhythms like mambo and cha-cha-chá filled dance halls. Spanish-language radio became a cultural lifeline.
By the 1970s, identity moved front and center. The Chicano movement gave music a political voice. Santana blended Latin rhythms with rock, and salsa exploded in New York. This music wasn’t asking for permission anymore — it was claiming space.
In the 1980s and ’90s, doors opened wider. Artists like Gloria Estefan, Selena, Ricky Martin, and Shakira brought bilingual and Spanish-language music into the American mainstream.
In the 2000s, regional sounds took hold — reggaeton, banda, norteño — telling stories about immigration, work, and daily life. |
This week on the show, we’re stirring things up with a playlist that carries just a hint of techno. Not a full dive into the club scene—more like the perfect recipe where a pinch of something unexpected transforms the whole dish. A subtle pulse here, a shimmering synth there… just enough to wake up your senses without stealing the spotlight.
So settle in, get comfortable, and let these rhythms sneak up on you in the best possible way. It’s a little familiar, a little futuristic, and absolutely worth the ride. Enjoy the mix.
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This week on Listening Lyrics, Andy Schmidt joined me in the KDRT studio to share a playlist that mirrors his life built on movement, curiosity, and craft.
Andy is a journey all by himself. An accomplished bassist, entrepreneur, avid bicyclist, master handyman, sail maker, kayak builder, storyteller—you name it, he’s probably done it, made it, or fixed it. Stepping into Andy’s world is like walking into a friendly windstorm: You just keep moving, lean into the energy, and enjoy the ride.
His playlist reflects that whirlwind spirit. Each track takes us somewhere new, offering a glimpse into the rhythm and momentum that fuel Andy’s life. If you’d like to see another side of his creativity, check out his custom bicycle basket and frame bags at Lords Luggage.
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