By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

"Australia, the chance of a lifetime" - Ray Davies, 1969

The list of great music to come out of Australia is massive! From heroes of the 1960 like the Easybeats and Bee Gees, through the glam era of Skyhooks, punk pioneers the Saints, hard rockers the Angels and Rose Tattoo and on to Nick Cave, Beasts of Bourbon, INXS and Hoodoo Gurus, it's a mega-jukebox of great music, and I didn't even mention AC/DC! Among the many bands, only a handful really made a dent in the US market, in that camp we cannot forget Midnight Oil.

Issuing their self-titled debut back in 1978, the band quickly got noticed in their homeland. It would take a few more LP's before that attention circled the globe, in fact, the band's first three albums were not even released in America. Their fourth, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1," became the first in late 1982, and with each following release, the band picked up more steam in the States and elsewhere around the world.  'Red Sails in the Sunset' became a favorite at college radio, and then finally in 1987, the band had a genuine hit on their hands with 'Diesel And Dust,' thanks in large part to the hook laden classic 'Beds Are Burning.' The video was all over MTV and the song on modern rock radio everywhere, Midnight Oil had finally arrived!

With politically-charged and environmentally aware lyrics, it was the perfect song to catapult them forward, though ironically, the song that would make them stars across the world was initially ignored at home. "When 'Beds Are Burning' first came out in Australia, ir didn't get played on radio,' recalled lead singer Peter Garrett in a 2022 interview.  "Half of our audience went, 'what are you talking about, what are you writing songs about aboriginal people, about black people for, what's that got to do with us' and over time, I think people got to understand why we were doing it and what it meant to us."

So after the excitement from 'Diesel And Dust' had settled, the next hurdle was, how to follow it up? In early 1990 the band did just that with the striking 'Blue Sky Mining.' A Gold and Platinum hit across the board, especially in their native Australia where is went five time platinum, it was a self-assured statement that these guys were a force all their own. Songs like 'Forgotten Years,' 'King Of The Mountain,' and the classic ‘Blue Sky Mine’ would all drive the album. Produced by Warne Livesey along with the band, a conscious effort was made to expand on the signature band sound throughout the LP.

 ‘Mountains of Burma’ had a full orchestra and I believe Warne did all of the arrangements for that, which was pretty incredible," recalled engineer Brendan Anthony in Mixdown magazine. "The strings were set up in the drum room, but the rest of the orchestra spilled out over the recording space, which was quite large.” The entire approach to the album was steeped in adventure and experimentation, straying from the norm, even when it came to the lyrics. “Peter Garrett is probably the most talented person I’ve ever met to make up lyrics on the spot,” adds Brendan. “If you listen to “King of the Mountain” at the last vocal section, I think he sings lyrics like “over liquid tarmac wastelands of cactus and heat, down cobblestone alleyways of washing day sheets” etc. Have a listen to it. He made those lyrics up on the spot. Warne said, ‘Okay, just ad lib over the end’. He had no lyrics and he just made them up, and from my memory it was probably the first or second take. Lyrically he was amazing in what he could come up with for lyrics when he needed to. ”Garrett was never a one trick pony, just a glance at his life's resume of activist, law student, environmentalist, member of parliament and lead singer shows that his path has always been different.

A total of five singles were released from the album as the album became the band's second worldwide hit album, charting even higher than its predecessor in the US. The critics agreed as well, scoring four and five star review at seemingly every turn. While it was a triumph on many levels, it was also a turning point for the band's fortunes in America as it was the last genuine 'hit' they had here. Though they maintain a loyal fan base worldwide, especially in Australia, their days of global superstardom were short, yet very powerful. ‘Blue Sky Mining’ is an essential statement from an essential band.

Lessons in the Garden - A tale of a lonely kid and his Lebanese Jiddoo 
By Marc Lee Shannon - Summit FM Wellness Contributor

During a recent Summit Staff meeting, our GM Tommy Bruno asked, let's get this thing started "Opener" question:  

“What did you call your Grandfather and Grandmother?”  

When it came to my turn, I said that I called my great parental family members Jiddoo (Lebanese for grandfather) and Situ (Grandmother). There was a laugh in the room, and the meeting went forward, but it made me think of my love for these cherished family members and how much I miss them, especially in summer as August moves in and the backyard harvest begins to be plentiful.  

Growing up, my family was not like others in the neighborhood, and summertime often found me left on my own. That usually meant wandering around, playing baseball across the street at Forest Lodge Park, or any of the activities that the city of Akron offered with its parks and recreation hubbub at the time. Those programs saved lots of lost and lonely kids like me.  

My Grandparent's big brick home at 643 Orlando Avenue was the other place I felt safe. The house with green awnings had three stories and a basement with shelves of green beans, squash, pickles, apple sauce, and tomatoes, all in neat rows of Ball™ jars with their lids tightly protecting the previous or current year's bounty. All were from my grandfather's garden in a small plot of land at the end of Hawkins Avenue that would be known as Mudrun Golf Course many years later.  

There was a clubhouse on that property at the end of a dirt drive where the other men with starched white shirts, three-day gray-bearded faces, and broken accents would congregate like priests in a private sanctuary of a church to play cards,  hoe a row of beans or cukes, and eventually tell stories of their lives before their passage to the new world, America.  I was just a fly on the wall as  I witnessed those stories, their belly laughing and the emphatic yelling as the conversations always seemed to have a "You don't tell me, I tell you" tonality.  

It was so much fun. 

I was allowed to do anything I wanted, and I would wade into the gardens with a salt shaker, pick a small tomato, and tear into the deliciousness only available when something is freshly picked. I would look up to the grape vines and the purple fruit hanging from a pergola I could not reach, toss a stone or branch to knock down a few of the forbidden sweet, sugary grapes, and then steal away like a pirate with my treasure.  

So many hours with my Jiddo were spent in those rows of love filling a basket with the bounty of the garden and then off to the A&P co-op market on Copley road to pull round back and watch my grandfather haggle with the store manager over the price of the bushel of goods. He would get back into the big Buick and laugh and laugh about how he was able to get 5 cents more per pound than the man wanted to pay, light a Lucky Stike unfiltered, and off we would go down the road as I stood on the front seat with no restaining seat belt.  

Those days and times framed moments and great memories of feeling safe, loved, and unconditionally accepted.  

My Jiddoo, Lee Shannon, was a worldly man intelligent beyond his eighth-grade education, and he would share his wisdom in those gardens or on a green and white Chase lounge chair in the garage after the day's work was done and the dinner dishes washed. The familiar and frequent mantra was about how I could consider myself lucky if I had five true friends in life while holding out his massive paw,  formed from the years of swinging steel in the N. E. Ohio factories of his youth. The accounts of his time in WWI on the Texas - Mexico border in Battery B from Summit County (one of the first cavalry units deployed)  protecting the USA from Poncho Villa and crew and the stories of his passage at age 14 crossing the Atlantic in steerage and being held in Liverpool by a man that was supposed to coordinate the journey but instead spent the money his father, (my great grandfather) had sent leaving my grandfather in a ramshackle room of a house till the US consulate got involved. Eventually, he was freed and sent on his way.  

All of these adventures were told with a cigarette in his mouth, an ear of corn being husked, or a bean snapped, and a laugh and a grin that somehow made its way into a parable of life that he would share in a way that is still indelibly inscribed in my cherished childhood memories. 

In all my years of education and learning, I am sure that the best lessons I will ever learn happened while we sat in the garage processing the day's picking of home-grown harvest: cleaning and talking, my young ears stimulated by his stories.  

Today, as I kneel in my garden watching the Roma's, the Big Boy, and the clustered Cherry tomatoes send their vines upward and out next to the magical purple Japanese Eggplant overgrown from the excess rain of the year, I can still hear his voice and see his ever-present Fedora and Keith Richards-like hanging ciggy. He is telling me that the wisdom of the garden is timeless and that I should pass this knowledge along, tell his story, and how he taught me the lessons of life on his knees, hands in the dirt, garden trowel in hand, and heart on sleeve.  

All that is missing now is this storyteller's own grandchild's voice saying, "Jiddo, tell me…. " 

Maybe someday. Maybe someday, very soon.  

You may not know their name, but you’ve probably seen their work. SpeedPro is an Akron-based graphics company that provides high quality banners, signs, prints, vehicle wraps, displays, and decals to a variety of clients, ranging from The University of Akron and Summit Metro parks to Domino’s and Google. SpeedPro have also lent their services to the Summit FM, providing the station with a number of wall decals, window stickers, and vehicle wraps over the years. 

Utilizing high-quality laminates and materials, UV-resistant, environmentally friendly inks, and high-resolution printers, SpeedPro’s top-notch graphics are durable and precise.

"I love working with Gerald and his staff at SpeedPro," says Summit FM Graphic Designer Ryan Humbert, "It's a lot fun to think big, send them unique ideas and designs, and have them knock it out of the park every time."

More information on SpeedPro and their services can be found at speedpro.com. 

See below for a sample of their work for the Summit FM!

Above: Summit FM General Manager Tommy Bruno and Jim Chenot "Attitude for Gratitude" scholarship recipient Ujal Gurung.

Ujal Gurung, the recipient of the Jim Chenot Attitude for Gratitude Scholarship, recently graduated from Akron Public Schools, specifically from Akron Early College.

Ujal’s journey is a testament to hard work, sacrifice, and determination, having completed 16 college classes and earning over fifty college credits during his high school years. His remarkable achievements reflect his grit and dedication.

Ujal is now set to pursue his dreams in flight school at Kent State this fall. The Summit FM is immensely proud to honor this courageous and gifted young man for his exceptional accomplishments and bright future ahead.

For more information about The Summit FM and its scholarship programs, please visit www.thesummit.fm 

All tax-deductible contributions to the “Jim Chenot Attitude for Gratitude Scholarship” are made through the Akron Community Foundation. 

Above: Summit FM General Manager Tommy Bruno and Dennis Spisak "Attitude for Gratitude" scholarship recipient Gianna Cannon.

May 16, 2024: The Summit FM proudly announces Gianna Cannon as the recipient of the 2024 Dennis Spisak “Attitude for Gratitude” Scholarship. Awarded $1000, this scholarship is a testament to Gianna’s resilience and exemplary decision-making.

The Struthers City Schools senior begins her academic journey at Ohio State University this fall. The scholarship committee was drawn to her remarkable story of overcoming adversity and demonstrating sound judgment.

The Dennis Spisak “Attitude for Gratitude” Scholarship is dedicated to recognizing students who have faced significant challenges in life and have emerged stronger by making positive choices. Applicants must reflect on their experiences, detailing the obstacles they have overcome and the decisions that have shaped their paths.

Gianna Cannon's narrative resonated deeply with the values embodied by the scholarship. Her determination, perseverance, and commitment to excellence make her a deserving recipient of this honor.

"We are thrilled to present Gianna Cannon with the Dennis Spisak “Attitude for Gratitude” Scholarship," said Tommy Bruno, general manager of The Summit FM. "Her story is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of making good decisions despite adversity. We are confident that Gianna will continue to excel in her academic pursuits and beyond."

The Summit FM extends its warmest congratulations to Gianna Cannon and wishes her continued success as she embarks on this new chapter of her academic journey.

For more information about The Summit FM and its scholarship programs, please visit www.thesummit.fm 

All tax-deductible contributions to the “Dennis Spisak Attitude for Gratitude Scholarship” are made through the Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley. 

Crank up the Summit FM and hit the road this summer! You can find The Summit at many events and concerts, all over Northeast Ohio, Athens, and beyond!

Click the logos below to find out more about the wide-ranging events from our community partners:

By Ryan Humbert - Summit FM Contributor

Here are the five new Americana songs that you need to hear right now! Enjoy!

Don't forget to tune into the Americana Roundup, every Sunday morning from 9 to 11AM on The Summit FM -- hosted by Ryan Humbert, lead singer of the Shootouts. For more information, visit AmericanaRoundup.com.

L to R: Mrs. Celeste Wagner, Director of Bands, Barberton High School - Tommy Bruno, General Manager, The Summit FM - Mr. Henry Muren, Principal, Barberton High School

The Summit FM’s Marilyn Stroud Music Alive Program is proud to announce a new partnership with Barberton City Schools. This unique “up-cycling” initiative will provide Barberton students increased access to refurbished musical instruments and music education opportunities.

"We are thrilled to welcome Barberton City Schools as the newest member of our public radio station’s popular Music Alive program," said Tommy Bruno, General Manager at The Summit FM. "Through this collaboration, we aim to inspire a lifelong love of music and ignite creativity among Barberton's students."

Launched in 2008 by The Summit FM (91.3 FM Akron-Canton), the Marilyn Stroud Music Alive Program has donated hundreds of refurbished instruments to regional public schools. As a nonprofit public radio station, The Summit FM believes every child deserves to explore their musical talents and experience the joy of creating music.

"Music education plays a vital role in a well-rounded curriculum," said Jeffrey Ramntyz, Superintendent of Barberton City Schools. "We are grateful for the Summit FM's generosity and commitment to empowering our students through the gift of music."

Barberton City Schools joins other partners such as Akron, Canton, Struthers-Youngstown, and Athens to benefit from the Music Alive program. The Summit FM will work closely with Barberton's staff to coordinate instrument deliveries.  

For more information about the Music Alive program, please visit www.summitfm.org/musicalive or contact Tommy Bruno at tommy@thesummit.fm