WSKV-FM in Stanton, KY, Pickup Country 104.9, is marking the importance of bluegrass music and one of their most celebrated broadcasters, John Meins, as they celebrate their Golden Jubilee in 2024.
Meins was a very popular figure among bluegrass fans in Kentucky for many years until his passing in 2015 at 76 years of age. His band, Southern Harvest, played all over Kentucky, and John served as stage manager at the Osborne Brothers Hometown Festival for over 23 years. His radio career goes so far back that he has the distinction of being the first on-air host to broadcast The Osborne Brothers in Kentucky in the early days of their career.
Red River Jamboree was John’s show on WSKV, and he stayed there long enough to see it become perhaps the longest-running bluegrass radio program in the Commonwealth.
During this Jubilee year, the station is re-airing a series of shows Meins hosted live from Meadowgreen Appalachian Music Park, a year-round bluegrass venue in Clay City, KY. The Park brings in top name bluegrass acts for big outdoor shows during the summer, and presents smaller indoor concerts the rest of the time. Now owned and managed by Rickey Wasson, the Park has a long history of supporting bluegrass music, and is now the home of Crowe Fest which seeks to keep the memory of Kentucky banjo man and bandleader J.D. Crowe alive into a new century.
Re-runs of these Red River Jamboree programs air each Wednesday evening on Pickup Country 104.9 FM, which can be heard in most of central Kentucky, or online anywhere in the world.
WSKV plays bluegrass and traditional country music all day, every day, with several programs dedicated specifically to bluegrass, especially on weekends.
Congratulations on 50 years!
