WKMS has long been a supporter of local music, but today one local musician is supporting their station back in a big way.
With the release of (Re) Planting by the Signs, a new deluxe edition of her critically acclaimed album from last year, West Kentucky's S.G. Goodman is pledging a portion of the album's proceeds back to her local public radio station.
Royalties from a new homespun cover of the title track by Senora May and Tyler Childers will be directed to WKMS.
“Senora was one of the first people I spoke with about writing an album around the beliefs of Planting by the Signs." Goodman says, "It turns out her father, who farms, has practiced the old belief her whole life."
The cover, which to Goodman's knowledge is the first time the couple has recorded a song together, was recorded in the very cabin where they met. "To say I am honored is a disservice to the feeling held," says Goodman.
She goes on to say, "On top of that, both Childers [and May] agreed to have the proceeds of this track support my local NPR affiliate, WKMS. In Kentucky neighborly fashion, from the east to the west, we joined to support our neighbors receiving crucial weather updates, national and local news, and local music promotion – which all three of us have benefited from.”
A Murray State University alum, Goodman is no stranger to the campus that houses the station. She credits one of her first sold out shows to promotion she received after winning the WKMS Battle of the Bands.
In the years since, she's come back to do interviews, gotten her fellow musicians on tour to sign posters and albums to donate, and advocated publicly for WKMS during the federal defunding of public media last year.
With everything that's been happening with funding for NPR, you know it's impacting rural stations especially. I kind of knew that I wanted to use what's at my disposal to try to make a difference, and went to Tyler and Senora who are both very adamant about supporting their home state of Kentucky to see if we could join forces east to west to do something very impactful for my community.
Goodman says she's happy to support something she believes so strongly in.
"I think that a lot of times, just with the way things are going in the world, coming together and taking care of your neighbors is really all we have. And a lot of people - including myself - are very fortunate to have role models like Tyler and Senora."
The collection expands the original record with five additional tracks, including a new intro based on Goodman’s live show, Dan Reeder’s whimsical take on “I’m in Love,” Goodman’s cover of “Pepper” by the Butthole Surfers, and a new interpretation of “Heat Lightning.”
The album is available streaming on all platforms today.
In the words of S.G. Goodman, "Long live local radio."
