Earlier this year, WDET made a significant commitment to serving metro Detroit with updates to its programming designed to bring more local coverage and locally curated music to the airwaves as we celebrate our 75th anniversary year. The response to these changes was very positive, as measured by listener ratings data, membership feedback, fundraising metrics, and via WDET’s annual listener survey results.  

On Monday, Nov. 25, WDET will refresh its programming schedule again with changes informed by additional input from our community. Sixty percent of the new schedule will feature local programming — up from 51% previously. We’ll include more daily local coverage of news, arts and culture, with more input and call-in dialogue from our listeners on an expanded The Metro, more local and national reporting on Morning Edition, and more opportunities for listeners to hear our one-of-a-kind music programming every weekday evening with an expanded weeknight music schedule.  

Other changes include more music overnights with rebroadcasts of In the Groove Monday-Friday starting at midnight; Jeremy Hobson’s The Middle joins WDET’s roster of national current affairs programming; Fresh Air adds a Friday episode; and On Point, Latino USA, Fresh Air Weekend, The Treatment and Sound Opinions will occupy new time slots.  

After almost a decade of service to WDET listeners, Stephen Henderson will wind up his tenure as a daily host with the conclusion of the program Created Equal. The nationally syndicated show On the Media will also be discontinued.  

“We want to thank and acknowledge Stephen Henderson for his important contributions to our city and our station. Although Created Equal will no longer be a part of our schedule, WDET remains committed to pursuing stories that highlight the challenges of inequality and the promise of opportunity in our communities, throughout our programming and journalism,” said WDET Program Director, Adam Fox. “We are extremely proud and grateful for Stephen’s tenure at WDET, and we know Stephen’s commitment to our community will continue.” 

General Manager Mary Zatina noted that, valuing transparency, WDET leadership made the choice to implement these changes now, before our Holiday On-Air Fundraiser, which begins on Dec. 3 and runs through Noel Night on Dec. 7.

“Growing listener and member bases and delivering the exceptional programming expected from WDET Public Radio is important as we improve our financial stability for the next 75 years serving Detroit,” Zatina said. “WDET ended Fiscal 2024 in a deficit, and we are working hard to improve our financial position.”     

Listeners can view the updated program schedule here or by going to wdet.org/schedule on Monday.

View a summary of the programming changes below.

On this episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, The Decemberists capture our current political moment, plus classic Marvin Gaye, the late Laura Nyro‘s upcoming box set (with another Motown classic), and poetry from Lawrence Ferlenghetti + Ray Charles for an interesting mix!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for Nov. 16, 2024

• “One And The Same” – Thee Sacred Souls
  
• “Magnetic” – Tunde Adebimpe
  
• “Whipped Cream Daydream” – Tunde Olaniran
• “Nowhere To Run” – Laura Nyro
  
• “She’s Got What It Takes” – The Tragically Hip
  
• “America Made Me” – The Decemberists
• “Severed” – The Decemberists
• “Everything Is Awful” – The Decemberists
• “The Rest Of Me” – Michael Kiwanuka
• “In The City” – Lady Blackbird
• “Spirits” – The Devil Makes 3
• “Debra” – Beck (Midnight Vultures released this week, 1999)

• “Smoky Mountain DNA” – Dolly Parton
• “Dolly P/Jolene” – Beyonce
• “Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyonce” – Andre 3000
• “I’m Ready” – Nick Piunti & the Complicated Men
• “Never Alone” – Amythyst Kiah
• “My Kind Of Town” – Marvin Gaye (Hello Broadway released this week, 1964)
• “Sea Of Love” – The Honeydrippers (Vol. 1 released this week, 1984)
• “I’ll Go Anywhere” – Mustafa
• “Empty Trainload Of Sky” – Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings
• “Tear My Stillhouse Down” – Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings (Acoustic Cafe, 1996)
• “Sunshine Life For Me” – George Harrison & The Band
• “Milonga accidental” – Alisa Amador
• “Just My Luck” – Obongjayar
• “Pity The Nation” – Lawrence Ferlenghetti
• “America The Beautiful” – Ray Charles

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

This week, we’re listening to a lot of new music from talented Michigan-based singer-songwriters — kicking things off with a sweet, twangy and subtly profound alt-country ballad from Ann Arbor’s Lily Talmers, “The Big Idea.”

Also featured on this week’s MI Local is Grand Rapids-based singer-songwriter Spencer LaJoye, with a beautiful yet heartrending song titled “Death Drive.” LaJoye has even more new music coming out this Friday, ahead of their co-headlining performance at the Ark in Ann Arbor on Nov. 21.

But we had even more songwriters with recently-released tracks, including Alto-based Kyle Joe with “Take It Easy,” featuring Ypsilanti’s Kylee Phillips — catch Kyle Joe this Friday in Lake Orion at 20 Front Street.

I was able to bring WDET listeners exclusive premieres from local rock groups like Rose St. Germaine ahead of their 7-inch vinyl release coming up on Saturday night at The Congregation. We also played brand new music from local country-rockers Loose Koozies, who have an album release party set for Dec. 7 at the Outer Limits Lounge. Plus, local garage-pop duo Checker have a new EP out this week, capped off with a show at The Polka Dot in Hamtramck this Friday night.

But it also wasn’t just folk, and rock, we heard new hip-hop from George Montrelle and some lo-fi shoegaze from Overly Polite Tornadoes.

• The Big Idea – Lily Talmers
• Death Drive – Spencer LaJoye
• My Love – Cal In Red
• Skin Suit Serenade – Career Funeral
• Give Rise – George Montrelle
• Wobbly Wheel – Loose Koozies
• Too Long – Rose St. Germaine
• Potential New Apartment – The Plutophonics
• Wrong Things – Brother Elsey
• Slow Motion – Checker
• Take It Easy – Kyle Joe
• Something More, Something Else – Zach Peterson
• Slow It Down – Overly Polite Tornadoes
• Weekend Warrior – Venus In Spurs

President-elect Donald Trump won Michigan this week in what was expected to be a very close presidential election. In this episode of MichMash, Zach Gorchow of Gongwer News Service speaks with Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick about how the former President defied the experts and secured a victory in Michigan on election night.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode:

• Why Donald Trump over-performed in Michigan
• The sea change in the Michigan House of Representatives
• What’s to come in Michigan politics in 2026

Trump made a surprising comeback, handily winning 74 ​counties in Michigan despite losing the state in 2020. Skubick says this shift was largely attributed to high turnout among male voters, especially in regions outside of the typical “Trump country.”

“What ​Mr. ​Trump ​was ​able ​to ​do ​is ​he ​defied ​the ​experts ​who ​didn’t ​think ​he ​could ​get ​enough ​of ​those ​couch ​potatoes, ​men ​mostly, ​off ​of ​the ​couch ​and ​into ​the ​polls. ​And ​that’s ​exactly ​what ​he ​did,” he said. “​He ​overperformed ​by ​500,000 ​votes ​compared ​to ​what ​he ​did ​in ​2016. ​I ​mean, ​game ​over.”

Skubick also noted that Vice President Kamala Harris’ late entry into the race and her focus on critiquing Trump rather than promoting her own platform may have hurt her chances significantly.

“Ms. ​Harris, ​I ​think, ​made ​a ​huge ​mistake,” he said. ​”You ​have ​to ​give ​people ​a ​reason ​to ​vote ​for ​you ​rather ​than ​a ​reason ​not ​to ​vote ​for ​the ​other ​guy ​or ​person. ​How ​they ​missed ​that ​is ​incredible.”

More from WDET:

• MichMash: Jemele Hill on the changing dynamics of the Black vote in Michigan
• Created Equal: Examining the future of conservative politics under Trump
• The Metro: Retired UAW member shares why he proudly supported Donald Trump

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DETROIT (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin has won Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, giving Democrats a bittersweet victory in a swing state that also backed Republican President-elect Donald Trump in his successful bid to return to the White House.

Slotkin, a third-term representative, defeated former Republican congressman Mike Rogers. Democrats have held both Senate seats in Michigan for decades, but were left without retiring incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow this year.

Michigan’s was among a handful of Senate races Democrats struggled to defend. They lost their U.S. Senate majority despite Slotkin’s narrow win.

The race was incredibly close. Just minutes before it was called for Slotkin, she addressed supporters in Detroit, acknowledging that many voters may have cast their ballots for her while also supporting Trump, who won the state’s electoral votes over Democrat Kamala Harris.

“It’s my responsibility to get things done for Michiganders. No matter who’s in office, just as I did in President Trump’s first term,” said Slotkin. “I’m a problem solver and I will work with anyone who is actually here to work.”

Slotkin’s win provides some solace for Democrats in the state, many of whom entered Election Day with high confidence following sweeping victories in the 2022 midterms. Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer still controls the executive branch and Democrats held onto the Senate, but Republicans won a majority of state House seats this election.

And Republicans also captured a mid-Michigan seat vacated by Slotkin, considered one of the most competitive races in the country.

The presidential race at the top of the ticket was expected to heavily influence the outcome, but Slotkin became the second Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in a battleground state that also backed Trump for president, following Wisconsin incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin earlier Wednesday.

Trump won Michigan in 2016 by just over 10,000 votes, marking the first time a Republican presidential candidate had secured the state in nearly three decades. This time, he expanded that margin to about 80,000 votes.

Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, launched her Senate campaign shortly after Stabenow announced her retirement in early 2023. With a largely uncontested primary, Slotkin built a significant fundraising advantage and poured it into advertising. Her high-profile supporters included former President Barack Obama and Stabenow, who helped her on the campaign trail.

On the Republican side, Rogers faced multiple challengers for the party’s nomination, including former Reps. Justin Amash and Peter Meijer, the latter of whom withdrew before the Aug. 6 primary. Rogers served in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2015 and chaired the House Intelligence Committee.

Rogers called Slotkin to concede soon after The Associated Press called the race, both campaigns confirmed.

“Congratulations to Congresswoman Slotkin on her victory, I wish her the best as she serves the people of Michigan in the Senate,” Rogers said in a statement.

Slotkin’s victory extends the Republicans’ losing streak in Michigan U.S. Senate races, where no GOP candidate has won since 1994. Michigan’s other Democratic senator, Gary Peters, is serving a term that ends in 2027.

Slotkin and other Michigan Democrats focused much of their campaigns on reproductive rights, arguing that Republican opponents would back a national abortion ban, although Rogers said he wouldn’t. How effectively the issue motivated voting in a state where reproductive rights were enshrined in the constitution by Michigan voters in 2022 remained to be seen.

About 4 in 10 Michigan voters said the economy and jobs is the top issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping survey of more than 110,000 voters nationally, including about 3,700 voters in Michigan. About 2 in 10 Michigan voters said immigration is the most pressing issue, and roughly 1 in 10 named abortion.

Slotkin used her funding advantage to establish her narrative early, aiming to connect both with her base and disillusioned Republicans.

“We all know that it’s been a tough election season,” Slotkin said Wednesday in Detroit. “I believe in my bones that America is at its best when we have two healthy parties that push and pull and debate on issues of policy and substance and make our laws better.”

She added, “That’s what our founding fathers intended, and it’s what makes our country great.”

Reporting by Joey Cappelletti, Associated Press

With so many closely contested races in Michigan, authorities are on the lookout for efforts to meddle with elections or harass election workers.

A new state law creates new penalties for election interference. That includes threats to election workers, disrupting polling places and attempting to interfere with absentee vote counting boards, which happened four years ago in Detroit.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday that state and local law enforcement agencies are ready.

“We’ve done tabletop exercises for a while and I feel confident that we are prepared, and I remain hopeful that all of this preparation is not necessary, but should it be, we will be on top of it,” she told the Michigan Public Radio Network. “We, of course, are living in unique times and that’s why we have done a lot of work with the Secretary of State’s office and the Attorney General’s office as well as local clerks’ offices to make sure that there are severe penalties for people that mess around, that there’s accountability for those who want to undermine the election.”

The U.S. Department of Justice also announced that it will have election monitors in 27 states, including Michigan. The cities include Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Ann Arbor, Warren and Hamtramck where officials will be on the lookout for voting rights violations. The DOJ has done this sort of monitoring in previous election years.

A pro-Trump Michigan attorney faces a criminal trial starting next month for allegedly tampering with voting machines following the 2020 presidential. Another new law in this election cycle also clarifies that local canvassing boards are required to certify election results based on the numbers provided by local clerks.

The 2024 general election is less than 24 hours away, and the WDET News team has been hard at work bringing Michigan residents the information they need about early voting, election security, and the many candidates running for president, Congress, state Legislature, county leadership positions and more.

Pre-election and Election Day coverage

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson will join Stephen Henderson on Created Equal Monday to share her takeaways from Michigan’s early in-person voting period, which ended on Sunday. Then on Tuesday, Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist and Detroit community activist Desiree Cooper joins the show to reflect on the current state of American democracy and how this historic election might affect its future.

On The Metro, BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett joins the show Monday with Imani Harris — communications lead for Detroit education nonprofit 482Forward — to discuss early voting engagement. Also on the show, Dance for Democracy Co-director Ellen Vial previews an upcoming dance party at Spot Lite Detroit on Tuesday to help encourage civic engagement among young people. The event will feature performances from Detroit artists Stacey Hotwaxx Hale, Haute to Death and more.

WDET News Director Jerome Vaughn will join the show on Election Day to talk about WDET’s election coverage, election integrity and what to expect on election night.

Tune in to 101.9 FM for additional election-related conversations and information throughout the day from the WDET News team.

Election night coverage

WDET will pre-empt our regular Tuesday evening programming from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Election night to carry NPR’s live special coverage, offering election results, analysis and insights from across the country. Vaughn will join All Things Considered host Russ McNamara in-studio to provide live updates on local races and other news you need to know throughout the night.

Be sure to follow along with us at wdet.org/electionresults for real-time updates on key metro Detroit, state and national races.

Still undecided?

For those still unsure about what’s on your ballot or who to support in this election, there is still time to familiarize yourself with the candidates running in your district. Visit wdet.org/voterguide to get more information about the candidates running for president, Congress, state House of Representatives, university boards and more in Michigan. You can also find helpful links to check your voter registration status, look up your polling place, view a preview of your ballot and more.

For real-time updates on winners and votes tallied in the national, state and local races in Michigan, visit wdet.org/electionresults.

Last year, WDET launched a listener survey and heard from you about what you liked about WDET, what you didn’t, and where we could do better. That feedback — along with other data including membership and listener ratings and studies — helped inform changes to our offerings earlier this year.

Your continued feedback is essential to helping WDET leadership understand where we can best improve our service to metro Detroit, and that’s why we are committed to making our survey an annual exercise. This summer we once again reached out to WDET listeners to get their opinions on our programs and offerings.

Below is a summary of this year’s listener survey results.

Key survey findings

• You rated all WDET programs higher this year compared to 2023, with the average program rating score improving by 20%
• Music Programming, NPR news, and local news are the most preferred aspects of WDET programming
• Reported digital listenership increased by 5%, and radio listenership decreased by 3%
• More of you reported listening to WDET more — with 27% of respondents saying they listen more than 20 hours per week
• Less of you reported donating to WDET, compared with last year’s survey 
• More of you reported listening during weekday afternoons and weekend afternoons 

Who responded to the survey?

WDET targeted the survey to current listeners and members via messages on the air, at wdet.org, social media and e-newsletters. More than 900 people responded to an online survey in July and August 2024. 

Demographics

Listening Habits

Where Respondents Listen to WDET

No Data Found

The U.S. presidential election is just a few weeks away, and early in-person voting has already begun in some communities.

As Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s campaigns ramp up in key swing states like Michigan, we continue talking to voters about what’s motivating them to vote in this pivotal election year.

As part of that ongoing conversation, WDET hosted the international special, America Votes: A Cross-Border Conversation  — in collaboration with CBC Radio and NPR — featuring Jeremy Hobson of NPR’s The Middle, and Ian Hanomansing, host of CBC’s Cross Country Checkup.

The U.S. election special broadcasted live across the U.S. and Canada from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, with many listeners from both the U.S. and Canada calling in to join the conversation and share how the election’s outcome could affect them.

Watch the video below to hear the full conversation.

Not even two weeks after Hurricane Helene swamped the Florida coastline, Milton strengthened into a major hurricane that is headed toward the state.

The system is threatening the densely populated Tampa metro area — which has a population of more than 3.3 million people — and is menacing the same stretch of coastline that was battered by Helene.

Traffic was thick on Interstate 75 heading north on Tuesday as evacuees fled in advance of Milton. Crews were also hurrying to clear debris left by Helene.

When will Milton make landfall?

According to the National Hurricane Center’s Live Hurricane Tracker, Milton will make landfall on Florida’s west coast late Wednesday. It’s expected to be a Category 3 storm, which have winds of 111-129 mph (180-210 kph), when it comes ashore in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a head-on hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.

It could retain hurricane strength as it churns across central Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean. That path would largely spare other states that were ravaged by Helene, which killed at least 230 people as it moved from Florida to the Carolinas.

How strong will it be?

Milton intensified quickly over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters Tuesday morning that “We must be prepared for a major, major impact to the west coast of Florida.”

Milton was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 kph) and was centered about 675 miles (1,085 kilometers) southwest of Tampa late Monday afternoon.

Those winds eased to 145 mph (233 kph) by Tuesday morning and the hurricane was downgraded to Category 4 status. It was centered about 545 miles (877 kilometers) southwest of Tampa. The hurricane center said Milton will remain “an extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.”

How bad is damage expected to be?

Florida’s entire Gulf Coast is especially vulnerable to storm surge.

Helene came ashore about 150 miles (240 kilometers) away from Tampa in the Florida Panhandle and still managed to cause drowning deaths in the Tampa area due to surges of around 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 meters) above normal tide levels.

Forecasters warned of a possible 10- to 15-foot (3- to 4.5-meter) storm surge in Tampa Bay. That’s the highest ever predicted for that location.

The storm could also bring widespread flooding. Five inches to a foot (13 to 30 centimeters) of rain was forecast for the Florida Peninsula, with as much as 18 inches (45 centimeters) expected in some places.

What if I have travel plans to that part of Florida?

Tampa International Airport said it halted flights at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The airport posted on X that it is not a shelter for people or their cars.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport said it is in a mandatory evacuation zone and will close after the last flight leaves Tuesday.

How is Mexico preparing?

Mexican officials were organizing buses to evacuate people from the low-lying coastal city of Progreso on the Yucatan Peninsula after Mexico’s National Meteorological Service said Hurricane Milton “may hit between Celestun and Progreso.”

Celestun, on the western corner of the peninsula, is a low-lying nature reserve home to tens of thousands of flamingos. Progreso, to the east, is a shipping and cruise ship port with a population of about 40,000.

Both Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and Simmons & Clark Jewelers have kept their doors open for 90-plus years — largely due to their care for customers and the city. 

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Baker’s Keyboard Lounge

Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, located not too far from the famous Livernois Avenue of Fashion, first opened its doors in 1934. A who’s who of Jazz names played there, including Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane and many more. 

While the music is important at Baker’s, so is the flavor. It originally started as a beer and sandwich restaurant, but they now serve some of the best soul food in the city.  

Baker’s Owner Bill Smith joined The Metro on Friday to discuss what keeps people and musicians coming to the space. The venue is being honored at the Smooth Jazz Fall Fest at the Fox Theater on Saturday. 

Simmons & Clark Jewelers

Roughly one in four U.S. businesses fail within their first year of operation, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And for small businesses, the challenge of staying afloat can be monumental.

But that’s not the case with Simmons & Clark Jewelers, a family-run business that began in Detroit 99 years ago. Since 1925, the business has been handed down three generations — from fathers to sons — with the current owner Michael Simmons now carrying on the family legacy.

Simmons joined The Metro to talk about how the business got up and running and what’s kept it going these past 99 years.

Use the media player above to hear the conversation with Smith and Simmons.

More headlines from The Metro on Oct. 4, 2024:

• The second annual Preservation of Jazz Appreciation Ceremony is happening next week at Aretha’s Jazz Cafe. The ceremony will highlight individuals dedicated to celebrating and preserving Jazz music in Detroit. Creator of the event and local performer Sky Covington joined the show to discuss who’s being honored this year. 
• It’s also Detroit Documenter Friday on The Metro. The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is in the hiring process for a new CEO. They’re down to two candidates, Detroit Police Chief James White and President of Team Wellness Michael Hunter. To discuss the role of DWIHN and the interview process, Detroit Documenter Clarissa Williams and Documenters Coordinator Lynelle Herndon joined the show.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

This week on MI Local, I welcome three local musicians to chat about football as well as music!

It turns out there’s actually a wide-ranging and very active fantasy football league comprised of metro Detroit musicians. Jesse Shepherd-Bates (Bad Magnets, Handgrenades) George Morris (Reggi Roomers, Handgrenades), and Jason Stollsteimer (formerly of The Von Bondies, Pony Show, and the Hounds Below), stopped by to talk about how their league started, how it all works, and why it’s proven to be a very satisfying way for friends and creative collaborators to stay in touch throughout the year(s).

Additional local bands represented in this league include The Beggars, Eck! Ronny Tibbs and Citizen Smile.

I also premiere new tracks from Josie Palmer (of the band Vaega), Rowan Niemisto and Tunde Olaniran — and take a look at the upcoming record release party by rock quintet The Hourlies.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

• “Berlin Hair” – Twinn
• “Goldwine” – The Lasso & The Go Rounds
• “Dirt” – Josie Palmer
• “Wiser Man” – Rowan
• “Wishing Well” – Mike Ward
• “Too Bad” – Tunde Olaniran
• “The Falcon” – Brizzle
• “AC Tarot” – Cracked & Hooked
• “Starz” – Carjack
• “Under Your Skin” – The Hourlies
• “Magnetics” – Bad Magnets
• “Lovebird” – After Dark Amsuement Park
• “Chancer” – The Von Bondies

I return to my usual programming this week to bring a special Visions episode all about John Coltrane. It was Trane’s would-be 98th birthday on Monday, so I would be remiss if I didn’t do an entire episode dedicated to the visionary bandleader, composer and improviser.

Throughout this episode I play quintessential John Coltrane selections, but I also play songs where Coltrane is a band member. This includes selections from Thelonious Monk, Pepper Adams, Miles Davis, Gene Ammons (where Coltrane is on ALTO!), and Cannonball Adderley. I do a few selections where the song is about Trane: Alice Coltrane, Clifford Jordan and Elvin Jones’ tracks all fit that category. And finally, there’s a record that Trane produced which is the selection from Archie Shepp.

The last thing I want to highlight about this episode is the one song that doesn’t fit the Coltrane theme: Stablemates by Benny Golson. Golson — saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger — died on Sept. 21. He was 95 years old. He influenced many artists and left a legacy beyond just recordings of him: he composed many songs that are now standard jazz tunes. Rest in Power to Benny Golson!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Sept. 9, 2024

• “Giant Steps” – John Coltrane
• “Dear John C.” – Elvin Jones*
• “Stablemates” – Benny Golson
• “Ruby My Dear” – Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane
• “Equinox” – John Coltrane
• “Mary’s Blues” – Pepper Adams*
• “Freddie Freeloader” – Miles Davis
• “Groove Blues” – Gene Ammons All Stars
• “My Favorite Things” – John Coltrane
• “John Coltrane” – Clifford Jordan Quartet
• “You’re a Weaver of Dreams” – Cannonball Adderley Quintet
• “Mr. Syms” – Archie Shepp
• “Chim Chim Cheree” – John Coltrane Quartet
• “Something About John Coltrane” – Alice Coltrane*

We are more than halfway into our 2024 Fall Fundraiser, and a new day means new incentives to encourage WDET listeners to make an investment in Detroit Public Radio’s future.

Listeners who make a donation during In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper from 12-4 p.m. on Wednesday will be automatically entered into a drawing for two VIP tickets to all events or performances at Spot Lite Detroit for a full year.

Missed Hooper’s show? Tune in to The Boulevard with Waajeed from 8-10 p.m. Wednesday and make a donation of any amount and you will be entered in the Spot Lite drawing.

Those who donate during The Boulevard on Wednesday could also win an unreleased Waajeed vinyl titled Get in the Zone LP — set for release this November — and an Underground Music Academy snapback hat.

Listeners will have one last opportunity to win the Spot Lite passes this Saturday, Sept. 21, by making a gift to WDET during The Progressive Underground with Chris Campbell from 6-8 p.m. or during The New Music Show with Shigeto from 8-10 p.m.

Tune in to WDET at 101.9 FM to hear the latest incentives being offered before our Fall Fundraiser ends Sept. 22.

Comedian and actor Marc Evan Jackson joined The Metro in studio on Tuesday to talk about how his nonprofit is using improv to help metro Detroit youth, as well as to encourage listeners to support WDET during our 2024 Fall Fundraiser.

Read more: Freshen up your WDET swag, become a sustaining member today

The former Michigander — known by many for his comedic roles on NBC’s The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine — founded The Detroit Creativity Project in 2011, along with several other Los Angeles-based performers whose careers started out in Detroit, to help bring free improv lessons to Detroit students.

But the goal of the program isn’t simply to teach students improv comedy, he says. Rather, improv can help young people build confidence and step outside their comfort zone.

“The overarching point of what we’re trying to do [with The Detroit Creativity Project] is not create the next generation of comedians and actors and directors and musicians necessarily, but to create the next generation of problem solvers and good humans,” said Jackson.

Jackson also reflected on his past career in public radio — formerly working at WGVU-FM in Grand Rapids in various roles — and why he believes it is vital to support public media.

“It’s programming and music by people, for people,” said Jackson. “It’s different than corporate media…you’re going to hear music on WDET that you would never come into contact with anywhere else in the world. You’re going to find stories like that of The Detroit Creativity Project.”

If you would like to support 75 years of quality, culturally-rich local programming at WDET, make a gift today at wdet.org/give. And don’t forget to check out the many awesome incentives being offered for those who donate during our Fall Fundraiser, running through Tuesday, Sept. 24.

Use the video player below to watch the full interview with actor Marc Evan Jackson.

As if there weren’t already plenty of reasons to support WDET, we are offering up a host of new gifts to entice listeners to become sustaining members during our 2024 Fall Fundraiser.

This year, we expanded our local music and news programming by 40%. With half of our operating budget funded by donors like you, it is imperative that each and every listener who values the important work we do step up, and make a gift to help sustain what has been a cultural staple in Detroit for the past 75 years.

Check out some of our premium gifts for sustaining members below to showcase your Detroit Public Radio fandom while helping to support this vital resource for Detroiters!

This has been a pivotal year for WDET.

Not only have we heeded the calls from our members and listeners for more local music programming, we have doubled down on our investment in robust, local journalism — expanding our local music and news shows by a whopping 40%.

Read more: WDET announces new programming in 2024 with more local shows 

This investment in more local programming has come with a financial cost. But what has cost us financially, we have gained in the many connections we continue to build by reflecting the stories, music, art, and culture that makes Detroit and the people who live here so special.

There are plenty of great reasons to support WDET, from helping to fund fair and accurate political coverage during a critically important election year, to helping us bolster the rich music history of our city and region — allowing us to lift new artists and reflect the evolution of Detroit music.

WDET has been a legacy cultural asset of Detroit for 75 years, and now, we need your support to help us keep that momentum going.

The fall on-air fundraiser is the perfect time to become a WDET sustaining member or a first-time giver — not only because 50% of our operating budget is funded by donors, but also because our team has come up with some awesome incentives for listeners who choose to donate during fundraiser.

Win a trip for two to Morocco

Now through Sept. 22, listeners who donate will automatically be entered into a drawing for two tickets to WDET’s 15-day Colors of Morocco trip, taking place Sept. 4-18, 2025.

A more than $13,000 value, this once in a lifetime trip will feature a visit to the ancient markets and medinas in Fes — one of the holiest cities in the world — as well as an unforgettable visit to a luxury desert camp in the Sahara Desert and a taste of Moroccan culture with a cooking class in Marrakech.

The winner will be selected on Sept. 24. Visit wdet.org/event/wdet-travel-morocco-2025 for more trip details.

Have lunch with the WDET News team

Listeners who make a gift during Morning Edition from 5-9 a.m. weekdays or Weekend Edition from 8-10 a.m. on weekends throughout the Fall Fundraiser will be entered into a drawing for a catered lunch and conversation about current affairs with WDET’s news team at the studio.

Five winners will be selected.

Win a year of shows, events at Spot Lite

Listeners who donates to WDET during In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper from 12-4 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday this week will be entered into a drawing for two tickets to all events or performances at Spot Lite Detroit for a full year. 

Enjoy charcuterie and conversation with WDET reporters

Listen to All Things Considered with host Russ McNamara this week from 4-6 p.m. for your chance to have dinner with Russ and WDET news reporter Quinn Klinefelter on Oct. 1 at The Rind in Berkley! All you need to do is donate to the 2024 WDET Fall Fundraiser during the show.

Earn a tour of Detroit history, books from Source Booksellers

Listeners who make a gift during Created Equal with Stephen Henderson from 9-10 a.m. weekdays before Sept. 20 will be entered into a drawing for a special historical tour of the city with Jamon Jordan, a long-time friend of the show and Detroit’s first official historian.

The winner will also receive six books from Source Booksellers, curated by Stephen Henderson himself.

Earn tickets to Dearborn’s Yalla Eat! food tour

Listeners who donate to WDET during The Metro can win two tickets to the Arab American National Museum, as well as two tickets to the museum’s Yalla Eat! Culinary Walking Tour, which takes guests along a curated food tour in East Dearborn. They will also take a home a book of poetry signed by Michigan Poet Laureate Nandi Comer.

Win a family membership to MOCAD

Listeners who donate to WDET during The Metro from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. can win a family membership to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit for two adults and up to four minors, providing free admission to galleries, most programming at the museum and members-only events.

Earn a Dearborn Music Stones package

Tune in to The Detroit Move with Mike Latulippe Tuesday from 8-9 p.m. and make a gift of any amount for a chance to win a limited edition Rolling Stones “More Hot Rocks” 2LP Glow in the Dark Vinyl ($70 value); a $40 gift certificate to Dearborn Music and a WDET tote bag zip up.

Win a gift certificate to Ripe Records

Listeners who donate to WDET during MI Local with Jeff Milo from 9-10 p.m. on Tuesday can win a $50 gift card to Ripe Records in Grosse Pointe Park. 

Check back for updates on incentives planned for WDET’s fall on-air fundraiser. Or, tune in to WDET at 101.9 FM to hear the latest incentives being offered before our Fall Fundraiser ends Sept. 24.

It’s a busy week for new releases when it comes to the Michigan music scene, particularly around the metro Detroit area!

Let’s start with the incomparable Flint-based musician/artist Tunde Olaniran, releasing their latest album, Chaotic Good, celebrated by a performance next Saturday, at the Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids!

Too Bad by Tunde Olaniran

Meanwhile, Detroit-based electronic art-pop auteur My Brightest Diamond, aka Shara Nova, have released three new singles from her forthcoming album, Fight the Real Terror, which is out today!

We heard this song, “Safe House,” last week on MI Local.

Fight The Real Terror by My Brightest Diamond

Next, let’s bend our ears towards Kalamazoo to listen to an interesting new album featuring the versatile instrumental hip-hop producer known as The Lasso (aka Andy Catlin), paired up with the boundary-pushing indie-rock quartet known as The Go Rounds.

Catlin is a former member of The Go Rounds, which made this a natural collaboration. This new album by The Lasso (& The Go Rounds), released just yesterday, is titled Pedal Steel, and our favorite track from it is “Goldwine.”

PETAL STEEL by The Lasso, The Go Rounds

Back here in Detroit, a ’90s-vibed indie-rock quartet known as The Microplastics have released a catchy and dreamy little ballad that has just the right amount of spookiness to help us settle into some autumnal vibes; it’s called “Undead.”

Undead – Single by The Microplastics

Listen to “MI Local” with Jeff Milo every Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET.