In the summer of 2015, we floated down the Mississippi River, top to bottom, on a thirty-foot paddlewheel riverboat called the Channel Princess. Along the way, we met dozens of musicians, recorded their songs and stories on the boat’s bow, and incorporated it all into a weekly, serialized radio story, which we wrote, recorded, and broadcast while floating downriver. Though loosely based on our travels, the story was set in a bizarro, post-apocalyptic universe—a “scorched American heartland”—in which quirky survivors huddled on riverbanks and communicated via a mysterious river-based radio signal. The show aired live on Portland’s KBOO 90.7, and you can listen to all of the episodes below.
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Episode 1 – The River Signal
Three travelers are drawn down the mighty Mississippi, in search of a giant carp and a mysterious radio station. Featuring the music of Jet Black Pearl.
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Episode 2 – The Howl
While in search of a new propulsion system, a sonic menace emerges. Featuring Elizabeth Pixley-Fink.
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Episode 3 – The Farm
The crew spend a few days at a besieged farm owned by Huckins’ uncle. Featuring the music of Steve Kelzer.
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Episode 4 – The Portage
Fanatical preservationists guard the entrance to the Mississippi. Featuring the Dumpy Jug Bumpers.
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Episode 5 – The Lock
The crew, seeking refuge from a violent storm, ventures into a labyrinthine lock. Featuring the music of Guante.
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Episode 6 – The Carp
The crew connects to the river signal as the hunt for the monstrous carp continues. Featuring Charlie Parr.
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Episode 7 – The Driftless
The crew, mired in the Driftless, get an assist from a kindhearted woodcarver. Featuring the music of Driftwood Denny.
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Episode 8 – The Mill
A wind-powered radio transmitter caught in a violent storm. Featuring Kendra Swanson.
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Episode 9 – The Entertainer
The travelers, split apart by an ugly storm, all find their way to a mysterious sternwheeler. Featuring the music of David Zollo.
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Episode 10 – The Bridge
As the water levels rise, a makeshift bridge is built with a sledgehammer banjo. Featuring William Elliott Whitmore
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Episode 11 – The Exchange
The travelers reach the St. Louis, a legendary market aboard a massive old barge, and meet a host of friends and foes. Featuring the music of Bo & The Locomotive.
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Episode 12 – The Caboose
The Lost Caboose is found at last. Featuring Beth Bombara.
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Episode 13 – The Captain
Our travelers get caught in the middle of a battle between the Caboose and a trio of pirates. Featuring the music of the Memphis Dawls.
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Episode 14 – The Bait
Epic showdown between fan boat bounty hunters, river folk and the carp. Featuring Object 12.
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Episode 15 – The Congregation
The crew, at long last, encounter the Delta Congregation. Featuring the music of Bud Carson and Mark Duvelle Doyle.
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Episode 16 – The Gulf
The suspenseful grand finale of the River Signal. Featuring an interview with the crew.