Minnesota Music Notes

Every family has traditions. In Abbie Betinis’ family, the tradition is Christmas carols. Britt Aamodt looks at how a great grandfather and great uncle led to Betinis to become a composer of carols. [Read Transcript...]

Jayanthi Kyle and Wes Burdine from the group Gospel Machine were finishing the lyrics and melody of a new song hours before Kyle had to premier it outside the Government Center in Minneapolis. In this segment, Britt Aamodt examines how their song, “Hand in Hand,” became the unofficial anthem of Black Lives Matter – Minneapolis. [Read Transcript...]

If you took accordion lessons in Duluth between the 1950s and ‘70s, you probably had John Copiskey as a teacher. And if Copiskey was your teacher, then you probably played on a Duluth Accordionaires album. Britt Aamodt shares the story of a music teacher, his students and their new accordion sound. [Read Transcript...]

In 1985, the union workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota, went on strike. When they did, Minnesota’s musicians rallied behind them. Britt Aamodt takes a listen to the benefit album Boycott Hormel: Live from Austin. [Read Transcript...]