Bugle Boy Founder on KEOS 89.1 FM

By Connie Strong

On Saturday morning, May 29, Lane Gosnay took her continuing efforts to save independent, quality music to the airwaves.

In the Bryan studio of KEOS 89.1 FM, Lane spent an hour with radio DJ Gary Mortensen—someone who shares The Bugle Boy founder’s passion for promoting original music, and the talented musicians who choose to “play by their own rules” and, many times, sacrifice fame in order to maintain creative independence and artistic excellence.

During the one-hour live program, Lane and Gary discussed the mission of La Grange’s listening room, the history of The Bugle Boy, their shared respect for independent musicians and Lane’s hope that her strong belief in her venue and its artists will encourage others to join in support of this worthy cause. It is her ultimate goal to “run [herself] out of business.”

In a perfect world, others who crave music that is not synthesized, or “generically engineered,” will recognize the need for opening venues such as The Bugle Boy: venues that—according to Lane—“elevate the artist” to a new level of presentation, expectation and opportunity.

Gary and Lane both agree that local house concerts and their hosts are also mainstays for keeping independent music alive and are “the crown jewel of the listening world.” Lane says that house concerts (along with listening rooms) are “the economic backbone of the independent artist.”

According to Gary, the hosts of house concerts are the “unsung heroes” of the industry.

Between the lively, thought-provoking conversation, listeners were treated to songs by Elizabeth Wills, Jonathan Byrd and Diana Jones, Tom Russell, and Natalia Zuckerman. To Lane, these musicians—and hundreds more like them—are more than just people that pass through on their way to something bigger, or more commercial. These are talents that she has nurtured and greatly respects.

Likewise, the artists love and respect a venue that is truly there to showcase what they have to offer. They know that they will receive the undivided attention of the listeners, and they know that they will leave The Bugle Boy having made a connection which cannot be made in a larger venue.

Listening rooms, house concerts, and radio stations like KEOS are for the discerning. They are for those with a discriminating music palate. They do not submit to the will of the masses.

Gary says, “For me, independent music serves as evidence that the human spirit hasn’t been totally subordinated by the forces of mass culture which dominate so much of our life experience. I need to hear the thoughts and sounds of the individual, created without concern for their mass appeal.”

If the artists are brave enough to think outside the box, and The Bugle Boy and stations like KEOS are courageous enough to continue the fight to save the vanishing breed of entertainment at its best, maybe we can all learn to “think outside the box” musically.

Gary is proud to volunteer at KEOS, the community station that claims it’s “the left end of the dial done right,” and which celebrates its 15th anniversary in June. Perhaps if we all think a little left of center, maintain our individuality and expect more from music than the “canned” offerings found on the right end of the dial, we could “raise the bar” when it comes to what we choose to spend our money and time enjoying.

Gary feels, “It’s really important to me to help support the independent musician, now more than ever.” Lane has devoted the last six years of her life to this effort. This is a fight worth fighting—the alternative is to live a redundant music existence on the right side of the dial, or in an over-crowded venue, listening to song after song that sounds just like the one before.

Let’s help them keep independent music alive.

Listen to the interview here

For more information about KEOS, www.keos.org.

You can support the work of The Bugle Boy with an online donation to The Bugle Boy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

***** Watch for Connie’s upcoming article about the film Before the Music Dies, a documentary that Lane will share, free of charge, with The Bugle Boy audience on July 10.

Make your reservations for the free screening.
Limited seating available.