This Memorial Day, guest host David Ahrens is joined by two of the musicians behind a historical rock and roll musical. Ken Fitzsimmons and Sean Michael Dargan were part of the production team that first performed “The Greatest War: World War I, Wisconsin, and Why it Still Matters” in front of a sold out crowd on November 11, 2018 at the Barrymore. They preformed a second show in 2019.

Today’s program is just a taste of what those audiences experienced. We play music from the show preformed by The Kissers, Hanah Jon Taylor, Sean Michael Dargan, The November Criminals, and The Viper & His Famous Orchestra.

Ken Fitzsimmons is the frontman for Madison-based Celtic band The Kissers. He is the Education Director at Madison Music Foundry. Ken’s interest in the WWI era grew from his study of Irish music and the significance of that time in Ireland’s history. Ken’s grandfather was a POW in WWII and his father was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War.

Sean Michael Dargan is a professional singer, songwriter, guitar player, and highland bagpiper. He has a deep interest in military history, and even was the piper for a British army reenacting group that portrayed WWI BEF units.

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