September 13, 2004 - In this edition of "Voices of Minnesota," we pay a visit to two of the state's foremost artists: actor and Jungle Theater founder Bain Boehlke and Ragamala Dance Theater founder Ranee Ramaswamy. They talk about growing up, one in Warroad and the other in India. These days Boehlke and Ramaswamy create their art just a few blocks apart from one another in Minneapolis' Lyndale Lake neighborhood.
September 21, 2004 - David Lebedoff is the author books such as "Cleaning Up," the story of the Exxon Valdez case, and "The Uncivil War: How a New Elite Is Destroying Our Democracy." Lebedoff is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
September 24, 2004 - Lise Lunge-Larsen grew up in Norway. Her parents and grandparents filled her life with stories of elves, dwarves, and fairies. Now she shares those stories with children, and the adults who read to them. Her latest picture book is called "The Hidden Folk." She talked with Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill about the stories, and about their real meanings in modern life.
September 30, 2004 - MPR’s Chris Roberts profiles St. Paul rap act Heiruspecs. MC Felix and Sean McPherson, members of the Midway neighborhood group, talk with Roberts about their CD “A Tiger Dancing” and structure and meaning of the songs on album.
October 15, 2004 - Jews in Minnesota are celebrating a double anniversary. It's the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews in America and the 150th anniversary of the first to arrive in Minnesota. Minnesota playwright Joe Vass chronicles the experience of the immigrants in his latest work. The musical uses the Yiddish word for craziness "Mishegass" as it's title. The show is currently running in St. Cloud before opening in Minneapolis later this month.
November 9, 2004 - Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports on a southern Minnesota landmark that has returned to its lofty pedestal in New Ulm. A crane lifted Hermann the German, all 32-feet of him, into place. The copper statue was taken down about a year and a half ago to repair more than one hundred years of wear.
November 13, 2004 - MPR’s Dan Olson reports on the paths of two gifted musicians, who crossed when they moved to the Twin Cities. Both Shulamit Irina Maneev and Yuri Merzhevsky are from the former Soviet Union. They studied separately at the same music school in Russia…and now they play together the classical music they both love.
November 18, 2004 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer has a conversation with Duluth writer Barton Sutter about his book "Farewell to the Starlight in Whisky." Sutter explores a wide range of topics: among them, politics, sobriety, the Minnesota wilderness, and love.
November 19, 2004 - MPR’s Chris Julin reports on Grand Marais rap group Crew Jones. Julin interviews members Burly Burlesque (Ben Larson), Mic Trout (Sean Elmquist), and Ray Wolf (Rain Elfvin). Julin details the style and local subjects the trio develop and reflect.
November 19, 2004 - Rolling Stone Magazine has come up with a list of the 500 Greatest Songs of all time and Hibbing's own Bob Dylan is at the top of the list with his song "Like A Rolling Stone." That song was Dylan's first top ten hit in 1965. He followed it with another big seller called "Positively 4th Street."