January is National Mentoring Month. Through the process of mentoring, individuals and organizations can discover new ways to prosper and achieve personal and group goals that benefit our whole community. The experiences of mentorship at a young age can be extremely formative, helping shape lives and mindsets.  

Mentorship can provide added guidance that can nurture and direct people and groups more clearly towards achieving goals. 

Mentoring is a long-lasting investment that can be revisited moving forward as new goals and challenges present themselves. As a mentor you may see results in minutes, or it may take years. Either way, keep planting those seeds, eventually they will bloom. 

Shelby Olive is an all-American indie musician who we here at the station have known for quite a while! Her first album release was “Make Sound,” in 2018, and since then we’ve been hooked. Her background consists of singing with the Kent State University Jazz Orchestra, from 2015 to 2017, while she was earning her bachelor's degree in music education. 

Her most played song here, “Nothing Wrong With Me,” is an influence for everyone everywhere struggling with any doubts or concerns about themselves, and her music in and of itself, has been described to “reflect her personality in an open and honest way” and as “a light when the world gets a little darker.” 

It has been amazing to hear and see her grow, and she has amazed everyone in her sights with her whimsical talent and down-to-earth personality. I would strongly advise anyone to see her live and experience the joy and wonder for themselves.

Find out more about Shelby

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

When it comes to contemporary Christmas albums, it's hard to outdo JD McPherson's 'Socks.' On his 2018 release, the retro rocker channels all his vintage rock and roll influences, and molds them into something contemporary and revivalist at the same time, but most importantly, it's a hell of a lot of fun! 

McPherson, in general, is a perfect example of time being incidental. This record could be a lost artifact from 1959, it could be a hidden gem from the post punk wave of bands like the Blasters, or it could have been recorded yesterday and released today. It's all about the songs and the spirit, something this has overflowing in both. 

McPherson's choice to write and record all new Christmas songs was a stroke of genius. Instead of trotting out tunes from the same old book of standards, he and the ace band dish out a platter of new tunes for your holiday listening pleasure.  

'Ugly Sweater Blues,' 'Hey Skinny Santa!,' 'Santa's Got A Mean Machine' and ‘Holly, Carol, Candy & Joy’ all stand as contemporary gems, that capture the season with a sense of humor as well. 

Who knows, perhaps over the coming years, 'Socks' will become a standard seasonal favorite. We're gonna gamble the years to come, and label it as Essential now! 

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

Since its release in November of 1963, 'A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector' has long been championed as the ultimate rock and roll Christmas album, and a celebrated annual spin on turntables, CD players, and now streaming, every year thereafter. 

It's easy to figure out why once the first track, 'White Christmas,' as performed by Darlene Love, sets the tone. As good as that is to kick off the Christmas party, it truly jumps into high gear as the Ronettes deliver the definitive 'Frosty The Snowman.' It was nearly impossible for radios, or record players, to contain the joy emanating from the speakers. 

That is ultimately the key to this album, Joy! It resonates throughout, from one song to the next, as Spector's signature sound rattles the ornaments off the tree. It's a well-known tale, and then some, that Phil Spector was a troubled, angry, and often evil hearted creature. Separate the art from the artist here, and bask in the sonic overload of Joy, which was in short supply at that moment. The album was released on November 22, 1963, the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. 

The Crystals take of 'Santa Claus is Coming To Town' and 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,' from the Ronettes, rocks the house, and truly delivers the feel of the holiday, in the best of ways possible. Other Christmas classics like 'Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer,' 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Sleigh Ride,' all get the full Spector treatment, as the Wrecking Crew usuals such as Hal Blaine – drums, Don Randi – piano, Tommy Tedesco – guitar, Leon Russell - piano, Jack Nitzsche, Sonny Bono, and a dozen others, create the signature 'wall of sound' in all its glory. 

Though the majority of the album is made up of standards, its the1963 composition of 'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),' written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwhich, and Phil Spector, that steals the show. The song has gone on to become a genuine Christmas standard, standing right up alongside the traditional tunes before it. The album scored high, reaching No. 8 on Billboard, but it was seasonal and temporary. It has taken 60 years, for it to be elevated to classic level. 

Though many acts have joined in the reindeer games over the years of issuing Christmas records, very successfully in some cases, 'A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector' stands alone. The nearest competition, from where I stand, would be 'The Ventures Christmas Album,' which was issued 2 years later. And while it’s a very cool record, the emotional depth, and ‘Joy’ this one brings, makes certain it stands alone as a true Essential!  

By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director

Anyone who knows me well knows that I absolutely love going to concerts. It's my favorite thing to do. If we're being honest, it's really about the entire overall experience too. Everything from getting excited about seeing an artist or band you're a really big fan of or even casually curious about. Being inside the venue as the anticipation builds with all the sights and sounds and senses and history that place brings. Hanging out with a friend or several friends all evening while being surrounded by hundreds of other people all there for the same reason. Purely soaking in the atmosphere as lifetime memories of a singular moment in time are formed. Really, even just simply being entertained for the evening! So, with that, I'm sharing with you my list of the 25 best concerts I've seen this year to close out 2023. Trust me when I tell you that it was HARD narrowing this down, but these live music highlights were certainly the best I was lucky enough to see throughout the year:

What were the best and most memorable concerts YOU attended in 2023 this year? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm, and let me know what you were able to go see.

Wellness can be achieved by virtue of completing a journey and maintain a lifestyle. But it can also be magnified by our ability to appreciate and be thankful for the things that we already have! Summit Wellness continues to hum the melody of connection between feeling good and feeling grateful!  

Gratitude is a monthly feature contributed by Matt Anthony, Digital Media Producer and on-air host for the Summit FM. Matt reflects on instances where we might uncover more ways to appreciate what’s in front of us, and how those instances might contribute to our overall health and well-being. 

Do you like music?

Does it give you a lift? 

Then look in the closet 

for your Christmas gift. 

When I was 9 years old, a small box was given to me on Christmas morning. Sitting around me were all my siblings, as well as my parents. The size of this box was alarming to my adolescent sensibilities. How could my parents fit a bicycle or a football in a box this small, I thought. 

But the above poem was on a multi-colored strip of paper, richly adorned with my mother’s creative calligraphy. It intrigued me, so over to the closet I walked. There, I discovered an acoustic guitar. It would be the gift that would change my life. 

In a perfect world, I would share a poignant story with you, about how I spent hours learning this instrument. That I stayed in the attic working on chord-progressions until blisters formed on my fingers. That I formed a band in my teens, worked my way into other music projects that eventually got me noticed as a budding guitarist, and blossomed into a sought-after session-musician.  

But it’s not the case. 

The truth is I barely touched it. While I liked music, I didn’t enjoy the hard work necessary. And ‘practicing’ got in the way of what was really important to me then: learning to hit the curveball. I was enamored with baseball, and being a catcher, like my father, was my first love. 

This gift, though, given to me by my mother and shunned early on has, in a way, become a sort of benchmark for me. It is a source of regret, of wonder, and, every Holiday season, an invitation to re-examine my life.  How did that small slip of paper wrapped inside a small box become something that I would actually be grateful for? 

I ponder this missed opportunity almost every time I pick up a guitar. Sure, I tinker around with a few chords now and then, but invariably as I work my way from ‘Em’ to ‘C’ to ‘D’ and back to ‘G,’ I experience both loss and wonder. What could have been? Where could I have gone? My mother picked the perfect gift, and I, essentially, discarded it. Am I taking advantage of the opportunities given to me now? Today?  

Or am I merely mired in ‘regret’? 

Being on this Alzheimer’s journey with Donna has been enlightening, to say the least. And this year, adding in her cancer-diagnosis, has certainly compounded things. But it’s also taught me the need to be grateful for the microscopic moments. The ‘now’ is all we have. I can do nothing about that succinct 4-line poem from all those years ago. And the events that unfold down the road hold no weight as of yet. 

I wanna laugh while the laughin' is easy 
I wanna cry if makes it worthwhile 
I may never pass this way again 

“We May Never Pass This Way (Again)” - Seals and Crofts 

This season I’m going to do my best, at least for a day, to leave the closet door closed. I’m going to send the ‘regret’ on hiatus. I’m going to turn down the commercialism and the Holiday noise and find a moment of thankfulness and gratitude for the things I do have. Here’s hoping your Holidays also create a small space for relaxation and peace. 

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

As the 1970's were giving way to the 1980's, there was a lot going on in the world of music. The punk rock hangover had crashed and burned, in the best way possible, splintering off into a hundred different directions, encompassing a wide variety of sounds and styles along the way. Record stores and radio were awash in everything from power pop heroes like the Knack, Plimsouls, and Cheap Trick, to the post punk stylings of Siouxsie & the Banshees, Joy Division, and Wire. Elsewhere, the sounds of the new Two-Tone/Ska movement were raging alongside the NWOBHM, aka the new wave of British heavy Metal. Anything was fair game.

Into this open air market of music wandered this Irish combo called U2. They were unassuming to the core, simple traditional lineup - guitar, bass, drums, vocals. They hadn't adopted a 'look,' and they seemingly sprang from nowhere with their debut album, 'Boy,' in the fall of 1980. Once the needle hit the first groove on that LP, however, all bets were off. This was something unique and special.

The opening chiming guitar riff of 'I Will Follow' was like an alarm ringing people out of complacency, casting a sense of urgency that sounded like no one else. That urgency ran throughout the entire album and seemingly won over all who heard it at the time. The album is stocked full of gems, 'Twilight,' 'Out Of Control,' 'Stories For Boys,' and 'The Electric Co.,' are fire full on, but not in an expected way. It was powerful without being heavy, forceful without being delivered at full speed, and familiar without being cast from any one mold.

'An Cat Dubh' had a psychedelic glow about it, while 'Shadows And Tall Trees' stood on more familiar 'post punk' ground. The production from Steve Lilywhite was fresh, and the performance was rock solid.  It was, and remains, an incredible first step from a band who would in short order, go on to conquer the rock world with a series of impressive albums and dynamic live shows. For many, they were thee band of the 1980s. Without taking anything away from the triumphs of 'The Unforgettable Fire,' 'The Joshua Tree,' or 'Achtung Baby,' after 43 years as a recoding unit, I will happily go out on a limb here and say that they never again reached the highs set in stone on 'Boy.' It was a truly unique listening adventure that still has that freshness to this day, thus, it truly is Essential from start to end.

The Summit's annual 330 Day concert will return to The Kent Stage, on Saturday, March 30, with two shows - 3:30 PM and 7 p.m.

BOTH SHOWS ARE SOLD OUT!

Featured artists include:
Red Wanting Blue (Acoustic)
Munnycat
Angela Perley
Jack Harris
Hunter Skeens & The Forerunners
Megan Bee

Presented by:

Ken Robinson

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

The term 'super group' probably traces back to Cream, the power trio comprised of bassist Jack Bruce, guitarist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker. As they made their entrance onto the music scene of 1966, all heads and ears turned their way, at first, simply because their reputations preceded them. Clapton had been a shining star in the Yardbirds, and then John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, while both Bruce and Baker had established themselves as powerhouse players while in the Graham Bond Organization, one of the more respected blues groups on the UK scene at the time.  Once Cream established themselves apart from their pedigree, they had become one of the biggest and most respected bands in the world. They lasted slightly over two years before imploding, but would set a standard for any amalgamation of top shelf players who thought it a good plan to band together.

There were others along the way, from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, to Blind Faith and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, up through Asia and Damn Yankees. The word ‘super’ being somewhat flexible in many cases, but the concept remained to have an all-star team of sorts. Many were hugely successful, others more of a curiosity. The formation of the Traveling Wilburys, in 1988, moved the goal post to higher ground, as any band that could withhold a Beatle, an early rock and roll pioneer, two superstars of the 1970s, and one Bob Dylan, had a lot to answer for.

Once their debut album, 'Vol. 1' was released in October of 1988, there was zero doubt that they would live up to the challenge and then some. The album catches all these key figures in rock and roll having fun, making a record with friends, and nary an ego in sight. George Harrison had been working his comeback album, 'Cloud 9,' in 1987, with ELO's Jeff Lynne acting as producer, and it was during those sessions that the idea for the Wilburys was born. As the concept grew it basically became a case of "well let me ask Bob" and "I bet Tom would be up for this" and so on. Much chatter at the time was about how Harrison, Petty, Lynne and Dylan were thrilled to be playing with Roy Orbison, while at the same time, Orbison was thrilled to be a part of this as well. All cards on the table and all egos checked at the door ended up making for a true classic that so easily could have failed.

Aside from their attitudes being a saving grace, how about the songs?! All involved brought songs into the band. "It was a lot of fun writing the songs cause you didn't always know who was going to sing it," said Petty in a 1988 interview. "We're all fans of each other,' added Orbison. 'Handle With Care,' the album's first single, pretty much tells the tale musically, all stars align and shine bright as each voice is heard in this ultra-catchy pop song. It ended up being a hit. 'End Of The Line,' and 'Tweeter and The Monkey Man' proved FM radio staples as well.

The album became a surprise hit, hitting number three in the Billboard charts and selling over two million copies in the first six months. Eventually, their debut would go on to be certified triple platinum. Not bad for a loose concept based on a passing idea. Each member took on a new persona based around the Wilbury legend: Petty became Charlie T. Wilbury, Lynne was Otis, Harrison was Nelson, Dylan became Lucky, and Orbison was Lefty. This all played into the spirit intended by these Rock and Roll Hall of famers. Produced by Otis and Nelson, aka Lynne and Harrison, the recordings have that classic to some, annoying to others, sound that Lynne so often angled in at. It suits the material and fans and radio loved it.

Sadly, the band was short on time as Roy Orbison passed away in December of '88. A second album, cheekily titled 'Vol. 3,' was recorded in the summer of 1990 as a four piece, and released that fall. There had been talk of inviting Del Shannon in to replace Roy, but it never came to be. It's sad to note that there are only two Wilburys left alive, as time has marked the passing of Harrison and Petty along with Orbison. That first album, in particular, had something very special about it. Something that you really can’t define as it all came about in such an organic way. The spirit lives, as do the songs, which is why we have cast it here as one of the Essentials.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

In the rock and roll handbook, chapter 2023, page 1202, the corporate entity, and rock and roll band, Kiss, has closed up shop. The illogical platform boots, leather and chains ballerina outfits, greasepaint, fake blood, and pyro all packed away. The desire to “rock and roll all night” now long gone, and along with it, the need to “party every day”. The script reading, "it's all about the fans," now filed away while the tales of past glories are stocked up and ready to roll out.

If that all sounds a bit cynical, well, so? We're talking about Kiss! Don't get me wrong, note for note, power chord for power chord, Kiss were alright in my book. They wrote very catchy songs, and yes, the kids loved 'em. I was too old to get swept up in Kisstory, Kissology, or any other Kiss related racket. I had already been through an Alice Cooper obsession from 1971 through 1973, but Alice Cooper were a different animal all around. They were sharper, more like vaudeville meets Dada meets the Little Rascals, whereas Kiss were pure comic book style, super hero fantasy. It should come as no surprise that one of Kiss’ first connections in the music business was record boss Neil Bogart, who was the head of Buddha Records, a subsidiary of Kama Sutra, and home to the Bubblegum Empire of the late 1960’s, before starting up Casablanca Records in 1973, with Kiss being one of his first signings.

I was never a fan of horror films, science fiction, fantasy or super heroes, so the whole of Kiss never held any appeal. The songs, however, did. I loved the bubblegum sounds of the Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Company, the Archies, and so on. If you listen to a lot of what Kiss was doing, it was very rooted in that to the point where Kiss could easily have stood for keep it simple stupid! Kiss was smart enough not only to do just that, but to bring in some nice loud electric guitars and a rock and roll attitude. That merger of simple pop music, married with hard rock attack, was perfect to build their show around, thus making it a sure-fire connection to the youngsters! Bassist Gene Simmons once stated that Kiss didn't want to be as big as the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, they wanted to be as big as Coca-Cola.

So now, five decades after their first album, the band, what's left of them legally anyway, are calling it quits. Now remember, they called it quits before, giving an all-out 'Farewell Tour' back in 2000. Well, that didn't quite last, in fact, most farewell tours are doomed to stay true, just ask the Who, Motley Crue, and many others. It's too tempting for the ego and the bank account to strike up the band one more time. The truth is, Kiss' biggest fault was the way they took themselves way too seriously, trying to project this shadow of significance, when the light shone clearly that, despite any loftier notions, it's only show biz baby!

This time, however, was going to be different. Simmons claimed it was getting too hard physically to go out on tour at their advanced age, and put on the same show, wearing some 50 pounds of gear, breathing fire, and so on. He had stated they wanted to go out on a high note (even if that high note was prerecorded) while they still could. So Saturday December 2^nd, at Madison Square Garden, was the exclamation point on the end of the Kiss sentence.

Of course, moments after the show ended, it was announced online that Kiss would continue after all. No more touring, no more stomping around in big boots and blood, they would, instead, carry on into the future as avatars, thus completing the circle started way back with Neil Bogart. Kiss could now become the Archies! They will live on in what is essentially the modern equivalent of being cartoon characters by being avatars. Oh joy!

ABBA has already done it, holding 'live' performances of Avatar based Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anafrid for the rabid ABBA fans who are, arguably, even more driven than the Kiss Army! Billing the 'future' as 'KISS - A NEW ERA BEGINS,' Simmons along with Paul Stanley, both founding members, will carry on the Kiss brand, name, and image, marketing, until the virtual cows come home. With the continued and extremely frightening advancements in A-I technology, all signs point to nothing ever ending, thus helping to squash new creative blood and ideas, and adding to the stagnation of art, music, and culture at a rapid pace. Scary because it was doing just fine losing any meaning or significance without the help of A-I!

"Kiss Army, your love, your power has made us immortal," shouts Paul Stanley in a press release video for 'Kiss – A New Era Begins,' "We can live on eternally!" This should come as no surprise to fans, or haters, as it was already assumed that they would either begin a franchise of Kiss tribute bands, or perhaps a stage production centered around Kiss music, anything but a graceful exit. And, in all things Kiss, it makes sense as, despite a handful of really catchy songs, they were never about the music, but rather the spectacle, the visual overload and the celebration of bombast, and hey, it's harmless fun for the masses who love to slather on the sauce with little regard to the cut of meat underneath. “The band deserves to live on,” says Stanley, "because the band is bigger than we are."

And who am I to laugh, cry, or more to the point, care what Simmons and Stanley do. They earned it, let them have their digitally enhanced fun, and never ending income. Much like crappy TV shows, lousy radio, and insane politicians, you don't have to watch, listen or follow...as long as something else is on as well.