More sad news from the world of internet radio…
Richard Cifersky has informed us that his European online bluegrass radio project, Radio Velvet, has discontinued their streaming service. The Slovak-based 24/7 network has been operating for the past two years, managed by Cifersky along with a team of both US and European show hosts.
Their goal had been to offer a place where European bluegrass and acoustic music would be presented, mixed with popular bluegrass artists from the United States. Richard succeeded in finding an audience for the service, but as he has now moved to the states to build a career as a banjo player, he is unable to continue operating it on his own.
Here is the statement he provided to explain his decision.
After a few months of preparing and almost 2 years running my special project called Radio Velvet, I have decide to discontinue this unique internet radio station project.
You may be wondering why… There are only 2 reasons. One is that I was unable to find any real partners that were interested in running this radio station with me, as this project needed more than one person. The other reason is financial. Royalty fees for the internet radio station will cost 3 times more beginning July 2016, and I am unable to pay the Radio Velvet expenses by myself.
I am still so happy that I was able do something like this, and I was lucky to meet such great people that helped me start this programming. I am also thankful for those who helped me to pay the Radio Velvet bills and also for the people who provided a show on Radio Velvet. I would like a say big thank to these people, for without them Radio Velvet would not be Radio Velvet.
Thanks to:
- 3K Media – insure the Radio Velvet streaming
- Jirka Markalous – Radio Velvet iPhone designer
- Jaroslav Lunacek / ELBH – financial support
- Soza – they give us in 2015 financial grant for special music project in Slovakia
- Exo Hosting – web hosting support
- Stu Vincet – Radio Velvet Dj – Bluegrass & Beyond show
- Tom Adams – Radio Velvet Dj – Adams County Banjo show
- Mark Welch – Radio Velvet Dj – The Global Grass show
- Henrich Novák – Radio Velvet Dj – Resoland Country show
- Paul Lyttle – Radio Velvet Dj – Blue Waves show
- Spencer Sorenson & Arne Sorensen – Radio Velvet Djs – Scandinavian Spotlight show
- Gordon Prest – Radio Velvet Dj – Up North, Down South show
- Honza Máca – Radio Velvet Dj – What Musicians Listen show
- Cia Cherryholmes – Radio Velvet Dj – Hit of the Week
Also I must say thanks to all the listeners who enjoyed Radio Velvet programming.
What is the future of Radio Velvet? July 1st we have stopped doing live streaming, but we will keep our website up, and you will be able to listen to 10 previous shows from each DJ – provided the show has 10 previous sessions. We will be running the website until the end of the year. If I do not find anyone who would like to join the RV team, I will completely cancel this project January 1st 2017. If I do find someone, and we find a way to continue, maybe there will be longer future for Radio Velvet.
If you have any comments or any ideas you can contact me via email: info@radiovelvet.eu.
Thanks again to everybody, and I hope I will meet some of you somewhere down the road.
Cifersky is now playing banjo with Dale Ann Bradley, and with Knoxville-based Americana duo, WestWend. He is also teaching private banjo lessons in Knoxville. Current plans involve Richard starting work soon on a duets CD to accompany his recently-completed children book. He says that he hopes to have it ready before the end of the year.
He will also continue operating his BanjoLit web company, which designs and markets accessories and innovative projects for string musicians.
