Cultural Manifesto

Listen back to the moments and releases that shaped Indiana music in 2025, from long-overdue archival discoveries to new Hoosier artists breaking out on the national stage. Hear music from the legendary Indianapolis funk band Rapture, Seymour’s CMA-nominated singer-songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr., Gary’s critically acclaimed rap icon Freddie Gibbs, Bloomington’s Iraqi music ensemble Salaam featuring Hamid Al-Saadi, Indianapolis jazz drummer Dorian Phelps with Lakecia Benjamin, Fort Wayne’s breakout trio Los Aptos, Indianapolis rapper 4200Kory, Hobart’s global pop star Omar Apollo, the Indianapolis-based experimental duo of Hanna Benn and Deantoni Parks, and more.

Justin Bland is the creator and host of Made Man Improv, a popular improv comedy showcase based in Indianapolis. Under his direction, Made Man Improv has built a loyal audience and a recognizable brand within the local arts scene. But after years of sold-out performances, Bland is ending the Made Man Improv series this month. In this conversation with WFYI’s Kyle Long, Bland looks back on the history of Made Man Improv.

Listen to a conversation with the virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and bandleader, Ricky Skaggs. Born in Kentucky in 1954, Skaggs has played a central role in shaping modern bluegrass and country music. A child prodigy, he first performed on stage with Bill Monroe at age six, and at age seven he appeared on national television with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.  Before turning 18, Skaggs had already performed with many of the greatest legends in bluegrass. At age 15, he and his childhood friend Keith Whitley joined Ralph Stanley’s Clinch Mountain Boys. In the 1970s, Skaggs’ musicianship helped redefine progressive bluegrass through his work with the Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe & the New South, and Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band. He launched his solo career in the early 1980s and became a leading figure in the neotraditional country movement. His string of #1 hits — including “Crying My Heart Out Over You,” “Highway 40 Blues,” and “Heartbroke” — made him one of the decade’s most influential artists. During this period he earned multiple CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1985, as well as several Grammy Awards. In the 1990s, Skaggs returned his focus to bluegrass, forming his acclaimed band Kentucky Thunder. In 2018, Skaggs was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame—one of the few artists to receive both honors. He is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Skaggs has performed and recorded with a wide range of legendary artists across many genres, including Jack White, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Charlie Haden, Bruce Hornsby, Béla Fleck, John Fogerty, and Dionne Warwick, among many others. Across his decades-long career, Ricky Skaggs’ contributions as a singer, mandolinist, fiddler, bandleader, and tradition-bearer have secured his legacy as one of the most important figures in American roots music. Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder will present a special Christmas concert at the Brown County Music Center on December 11.

On this episode of Cultural Manifesto, we’ll hear the first edition of a new segment titled “40 Indiana Guitar Pioneers That Every Hoosier Should Know.” Over the next year, we’ll be sharing the music and history of Indiana guitarists who made notable contributions to music. Some of these musicians are world-famous; some you may not have heard of. This is not a ranked list, and it won’t be presented in any particular order. We’ll kick this new series off with the Evansville, Indiana guitarist Jackie Clark, who played and recorded with some of the greatest legends in rock and R&B music, including Ike and Tina Turner, Iggy Pop, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, and Bobby Womack, among others. Jackie Robinson Clark was born in Evansville, Indiana, in 1950. He began playing guitar in a local Evansville church at age 13. As a student at Central High School, he started a band called The Montclairs, and a few years later, at the University of Evansville, he formed a jazz band called Jackie and the Intelligents. Jackie’s big break came in 1970 when he met Ike and Tina Turner during a jam session at Evansville’s Executive Inn hotel. Jackie made a big impression on the Turners. In 1982, he told the Evansville Courier and Press that he maintained contact with Ike and Tina, and within a year, he was offered a chance to join their band. Jackie spent the next five years touring and recording with Ike and Tina. His guitar was prominently featured on two albums produced by Ike Turner under the name The Family Vibes, and his fuzz-drenched, acid guitar brought a heavy sound to Ike and Tina’s music. The 1970s were a busy time for Jackie Clark. His guitar was featured on the first two solo albums by Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. In 1976, Jackie accepted an offer to join the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and he performed with the group during their historic tour of the USSR. At this time, Jackie was among the few Black musicians performing country or Americana roots music. As the 1970s ended, Jackie recorded and toured with the Godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop. He played bass and electric guitar with Iggy and is featured on Iggy’s 1979 album New Values. Jackie also appears on numerous live recordings with Iggy during this period — many of which feature the Sex Pistols’ original bass player, Glen Matlock. Jackie was among the first Black musicians working in punk rock music. During the early 1980s, Jackie’s music career came to an abrupt end. He moved back to his hometown of Evansville, where he died in 1990 at the age of 40. Jackie Clark remains an unsung figure in the history of Indiana music, but his extraordinary contributions to American music during the 1970s deserve much greater recognition.

This archived episode from 2021 pays tribute to one of the co-founders of the legendary Vee-Jay Records, Vivian Carter. Vee-Jay Records is considered to be the most successful Black-owned record label of the pre-Motown era.

Landon Caldwell is a multidisciplinary artist and composer based in Indianapolis. His music blends experimental composition, improvisation, and ambient textures to create spaces that invite reflection and deep listening. His installation and sound-based work has been presented at venues including the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indiana State Museum, and The Terminal Kyoto in Japan.  Landon is a vital presence in Indiana’s experimental music scene. Along with musician Mark Tester, he runs and curates Medium Sound, a cassette label in Indianapolis known for adventurous, boundary-pushing music. In addition to his solo work as a composer, Landon has recorded and performed with Mark Tester, Crazy Doberman, Burnt Ones, and Thee Open Sex, among others.

Listen to a special episode celebrating National Native American Heritage Month. Learn how Native American musicians are reinventing traditional culture in the 21st Century, featuring interviews with the experimental pow wow group Medicine Singers, and the hip-hop artist Supaman.  Medicine Singers is a Native American musical collective that blends traditional Indigenous music with modern experimental genres like electronic, ambient, and psychedelic rock. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2022, was met with critical acclaim for its innovative approach to preserving and revitalizing Indigenous music. Pitchfork described Medicine Singers as “a storm rolling through, alerting the senses and picking up speed,” and The New Yorker praised Medicine Singers for “detonating cultural walls."  Supaman is a Native American rapper, dancer, and activist known for blending hip-hop with traditional Indigenous music and culture. Born in the Crow Nation in Montana, Supaman uses his platform to raise awareness about Native American issues. Supaman's work blends activism with art, using his music as a vehicle for social change and to honor his heritage.

Host of NPR's Alt Latino Felix Contreras talks with Kyle Long about Latino identity and what inspires his show on this archived segment from 2016.

Listen to an interview with Juan Díes, a Grammy-nominated musician, educator, and folklorist best known as the co-founder and executive director of Sones de México Ensemble, Chicago’s premier Mexican folk music collective.  Díes has a special connection to Indiana. Before his rise as a cultural leader in Chicago, he spent formative years in Indiana. He graduated from North Central High School in Indianapolis and studied at Earlham College and Indiana University.

Listen to an interview with John Green, an award-winning author and YouTuber. Green is best known for his work in young adult literature — his novels, including The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Paper Towns, have sold over 50 million copies and inspired several major film adaptations.  Green’s latest book, Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection, is a nonfiction work that examines how tuberculosis, a curable disease that continues to kill millions due to global inequality and public health failures. In this conversation with WFYI’s Kyle Long, Green discussed Everything Is Tuberculosis, his work in public media, and his deep roots in Indianapolis.

Cherish Love, an award-winning performer, is Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the Indiana Repertory Theatre's production of 'Marie & Rosetta,' a musical about the rock and roll legend's life. For more information about the production, visit irtlive.com.

This November, Indianapolis will host PASIC 50 — the 50th edition of the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. The event brings together thousands of drummers, percussionists, educators, and music industry professionals from around the world for concerts, clinics, and an extensive expo hall. PASIC is recognized as the largest annual gathering of drummers and percussionists in the world. The convention covers every area of percussion — from drum set and marching percussion to orchestral and global traditions. The 50th edition of PASIC is significant not only for the Percussive Arts Society but also for Indianapolis, where the organization is based. This week on Cultural Manifesto, take a deep dive into the world of PASIC. Listen to an interview with the Indianapolis-based composer, performer and instrument builder Rob Funkhouser, an operations and education manager for the Percussive Arts Society. Also, hear conversations with past PASIC performers and honorees, including Elayne Jones, Giovanni Hidalgo, Susie Ibarra, Cindy Blackman Santana, Daru Jones, and more.

Kyle Long features Echoes of Indiana Avenue co-host Herman 'Butch' Slaughter on this archived segment from Cultural Manifesto.

Recently, Terre Haute, Indiana welcomed two of the nation’s most prominent political figures — Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Sanders visited the city to receive the Eugene V. Debs Award. WFYI’s Kyle Long was on hand to capture the sounds, music, and speeches that defined the evening. Listen to Long’s interview with Sanders, along with music from the Local Honeys; the Kentucky-based duo opened the ceremony with a set of old-time folk music.  Born in 1855, Eugene Debs was raised in Terre Haute, Indiana. Debs was a political activist, trade unionist, founding member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and a five-time Socialist Party presidential candidate. In 1962, the Debs Foundation was established in Terre Haute to preserve Debs' legacy. Since 1965, the foundation has presented the annual Eugene V. Debs Award to individuals and organizations whose work advances the causes of labor rights, peace, and human equality. Past recipients include Kurt Vonnegut, Coretta Scott King, Dolores Huerta, Howard Zinn, Pete Seeger, and Ralph Nader.

Hear interviews with members of the cast and creative team behind the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre’s production of Marie and Rosetta —including actors Cherish Love, Jaela Cheeks-Lomax, and music director Morgan E. Stevenson.  Marie and Rosetta, written by George Brant, explores the powerful artistic partnership between gospel music legends Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight. The production runs at the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre from October 28 through November 23.  Born in Arkansas in 1915, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a trailblazing guitarist and vocalist whose music fused the ecstatic spirit of gospel with the rhythmic drive of rhythm and blues — paving the way for rock and roll pioneers like Chuck Berry and Little Richard. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, Tharpe is now widely celebrated as the Godmother of Rock and Roll. Known for her powerful voice, magnetic stage presence, and groundbreaking mastery of the electric guitar, Tharpe broke barriers as one of the first gospel artists to cross into secular music — achieving mainstream success throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Listen to an interview with the keyboardist, composer, and computer music pioneer Brad Garton. He’s best known for his work with the legendary West Lafayette, Indiana punk band Dow Jones and The Industrials, but Garton’s work in music spans from progressive rock to experimental composition.  Brad Garton was raised in Columbus, Indiana, in a family with strong local ties. His father, Robert D. Garton, served for decades in the Indiana State Senate. Garton joined Dow Jones and The Industrials while studying pharmacology at Purdue University, earning the nickname “Mr. Science” for his innovative use of synthesizers and electronic sound effects.  Following his work in punk rock, Garton moved into the world of computer-assisted composition. He earned a Ph.D. in music composition from Princeton University in 1989, and later joined the faculty at Columbia University, where he served as Director of the Computer Music Center, formerly known as the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center.

Listen to an interview with NPR’s Ailsa Chang; she recently spoke with WFYI’s Kyle Long to discuss the importance of supporting public media. You hear her every weekday as co-host of All Things Considered, NPR’s flagship evening news program. Chang grew up in Northern California, the daughter of parents who emigrated from Taiwan. She began her professional life in law, earning a J.D. from Stanford University in 2001 and completing a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Oxford. But at 30, she made an unexpected pivot — leaving behind a legal career to pursue journalism. Her reporting quickly gained national attention, earning her an Edward R. Murrow Award and the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. In 2018, Chang made history as the first Asian American woman to host an NPR news program when she joined All Things Considered as co-host.

In 1983, four Bloomington musicians — Chrissie Dickinson, Cynthia Hammond, Jenny Davis, and Emily Jackson — bonded over their shared love for the music of Patti Smith, X, and The Clash. Together they formed Sally’s Dream, a post-punk band that went on to perform across the Midwest and later in Boston. Sally’s Dream earned strong reviews from the Indiana music press and shared stages with national acts like Fishbone, Romeo Void, and 10,000 Maniacs. The group wrote and recorded striking, original music, but aside from a few compilation appearances and homemade cassette releases, their work remained largely unheard. That changed last month with the release of Breaking Through — an anthology that brings together the band’s best recordings and marks the first full-length album ever released by Sally’s Dream.  The collection was assembled in memory of Chrissie Dickinson, the band’s guitarist and primary songwriter, who died in 2022. Outside of her work as a musician, Dickinson was an accomplished journalist, writing for the Chicago Reader, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Journal of Country Music. This week on Cultural Manifesto, Cynthia Hammond, Jenny Davis, and Emily Jackson of Sally’s Dream will join host Kyle Long to talk about the band’s history.

Aida Cuevas is an iconic Mexican singer celebrated as The Queen of Ranchera Music. Born in Mexico City in 1963, Cuevas began her career as a teenager performing on radio before rising to national fame in the late 1970s with her powerful, classically trained voice and commanding stage presence. She has released more than 40 albums and sold over 11 million records. Cuevas is renowned for her masterful interpretations of traditional Mexican music. In 2018, she made history as the first female mariachi singer to win a Grammy Award for Best Regional Mexican Music Album. Recognized as a cultural ambassador of Mexico, she continues to preserve the country’s rich musical heritage through recordings and performances that celebrate the artistry of ranchera music. Aida Cuevas will be performing in Central Indiana on October 10.

Lee Fields is a legendary funk and soul singer whose powerful voice and remarkable career longevity have earned him comparisons to James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Born in North Carolina in 1951, Fields began recording in the late 1960s, cutting raw funk singles that later became prized by record collectors. After experimenting with electronic music and blues during the 1980s and early ’90s, Fields returned to deep funk and soul in the late ’90s—a sound he has remained faithful to ever since. Known for his electrifying live performances and deeply emotional delivery, Lee Fields stands as one of the last great soul artists still touring and recording at the height of his powers. Fields will be performing in Indianapolis on October 15.