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Noon News with John Likakis

John Likakis brings you your only local news broadcast at noon with a half-hour newscast featuring local/VT news, regional news, weather, national headlines, and syndicated snippets. Perfect with a warm cup of joe.

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Featured Programming: Bygone Bennington

Host Joe Hall was born and has lived in Bennington for 76 years.  The acquisition of many of Frederick D. Burt's 100 year old Bennington photographs helped to stir his interest in the rich history of Bennington.

Show Topic: Bennington History

Description: Bygone Bennington is a program pertaining to Bennington's history. There is a new Bennington historical tidbit presented each week for three to four minutes, at about 12:25 a.m., with new programs each Monday, repeated Wednesday, and encore shows each Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, visit the Bygone Bennington website.

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Featured Programming: Songs You Might Not Know

Host Stefano Donati

Show Topic: World Music, Indi

Description: The title of Stefano Donatis program on WBTN is called “Songs You Might Not Know,” and with good reason. “I play music that I like, and a lot of it is from foreign countries and a lot of it is by local groups that people in this country dont know very well.” The artists he features are well known in Portugal, Russia, China and Argentina, but not here. In addition, some of his U.S. groups, such as “The Blind Boys of Alabama,” arent widely known here, even though, in the case of this group of gospel singers, theyve been singing together since 1939 and made close to three dozen albums. “I play stuff that I really, really like, but a lot of it is music that many people haven’t heard before.” A native of Williamstown, Donati is a Learning Differences Assistant at Southern Vermont College, helping tutor students for research papers and tests. Hes partial to mournful Portuguese fado music, which traces its roots back to the 1820s, and modern-day British indie music. Among his favorite U.S. albums is Randy Newman’s “Good Old Boys,” which includes songs about racial conflicts (“Rednecks”), Huey Long, and the great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, which was first released back in 1974. Donati has been doing the program for about a year and a half, not weekly but often enough that hes done about fifty of them in that time. “My goal is to help people broaden their exposure to music,” he says. “A lot of what I play isnt well-known, but Im hoping people will like it and go looking for more of it.

Featured Programming:
Country Dreams

Hosts: Al Shephard & Ronnie Lee Hurst

Show Topic: Independent/Unsigned Country Music

Description: “Creator Al Shephard said, "During my time doing the Bennington Rocks show, I became aware of the great talent that exists just below the radar of normal radio shows, whether it be due to the politics of the music industry or just the financial limitations of the artists. As Country music has always been my first love, I decided I wanted to highlight those artists”. Al contacted Country singer/songwriter Ronnie Lee Hurst and asked him to co-host, even though he was 3,000 miles away. Ronnie says, "Being a singer/songwriter myself, I have experienced the frustration of trying to get my songs heard, and I have deep appreciation for the DJ's from around the world who have, and are playing my music. That's why I am very excited to join Al Shephard in this new venture called 'Country Dreams'". Country Dreams is a nationally syndicated show originating in Bennington, focusing on the independent/unsigned artist, which includes both potential future stars on their way up, as well as past stars who are on their way down. Country Dreams offers listeners the chance to hear artists while they're still accessible, where they have the chance to start their fan clubs and get to know them more personally, before they hit the big time. Country Dreams airs Sundays at 10AM and replays Wednesdays at 2 PM. You can find them at Country Dreams Radio.