DJ Spotlight: Mike Fischman

Mike Fischman, radio DJ, has hosted his own bluegrass radio show for the past 26 years at the University of Rhode Island’s student-run station, WRIU.

Fischman hosts his show, entitled “Bluegrass Breakdown”, every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. He explained how most people don’t know about bluegrass music, although it is a form of American roots music that was created in 1946 by Bill Monroe. Bluegrass music is influenced by Appalachian Old Time music, Irish and Scottish fiddle, Black Blues and Mountain Gospel.

“It is a very folk, acoustic style of music,” Fischman said. “However, many people confuse it with acoustic music which gets me aggravated.

Though Fischman has held a show at WRIU for many years, he has listened to and played bluegrass music for even longer. He is a resident of Newport and went to Southampton college in Long Island, New York. Fischman said that he first became a DJ at WRIU when he filled in for former DJ, Chris Blaisdell.

“I would have left Rhode Island a long time ago if I didn’t get the chance to listen to Bluegrass three hours a week,” Fischman said. “I’m just trying to pay back the community of Bluegrass musicians in the area because they have been very kind to me.”

Fischman has also encountered some difficulties being a DJ at the university. The biggest issue for him is the constantly changing staff since the station is student run.

“The students do a great job of making the station runs smoothly but it’s hard to get new people to fill in once they graduate,” Fischman said. “I don’t get to many listeners who call in, but when I do it’s always nice to know that people are enjoying the show because that’s why I’m here.”

Not only is Fischman a listener of bluegrass music, but he is also still a musician himself. He is in five bands, one being a bluegrass band called “Mike Bulay and the Hope Valley Volunteers”, which plays once a month at the Wood River Inn in Wyoming, Rhode Island.

Some of Fischman’s favorite Bluegrass artists and bands that he likes to play during his show include Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, The Osborne Brothers, Jim and Jesse, Blue Highway, Larry Sparks and The Country Gentlemen. He said that he could go on and on all day talking about bluegrass and bluegrass musicians.

“I don’t prepare very much for my shows because I think it’s better to play what I want to hear or what my listeners to hear,” Fischman said. “If people call in to request a Bluegrass musician, then I will definitely play it.”

He explained how the first hour of his show is traditional, “old-timey” bluegrass, but by 8 p.m. he tries to change it up and by 8:30 p.m. he plays more modern bands. His taste and order of his playlist solely depends on his mood.

Fischman’s show, “Bluegrass Breakdown”, can be heard on air Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m. on WRIU 90.3 FM, or online at www.wriu.org/listennow.php. For a complete list of WRIU DJs, visit http://wriu.org/proguide.html.