International award for Hawkesbury radio presenter

Hawkesbury Radio presenter Mike Kear has been recognised as 2020 IBMA Broadcaster of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

This is a major honour for outstanding work in broadcasting. He was selected from thousands of radio hosts around the world, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Washington DC, Virginia, where bluegrass is an integral part of their culture.

Mr Kear is the first non-American to be awarded the honour in the 30 years of its existence.

His show, ‘Music From Foggy Hollow’, features new release bluegrass and acoustic roots music on the original Hawkesbury Radio 89.9FM every Friday evening. His show is syndicated on radio stations in the USA and further afield.

One of the stations that takes Mike’s show is a major genre station in Washington DC, Bluegrasscountry.org.

The show has been broadcasting on this station since the mid 2000s. Mike was born in New Zealand, and became a fan of bluegrass music after hearing the famous Hamilton County Bluegrass Band in concert and on TV there. Mr Kear has been broadcasting his show on Hawkesbury Radio since 1997. Since 2000, BluegrassCountry.org has been broadcasting his show on FM radio and streaming it digitally.

With a lot of work over the years building relationships with record labels, artists and promoters Mike now has access to almost all new releases in the bluegrass and acoustic roots music world.

Often he gets the music before it’s released. It’s quite common to have a world premiere on Mike’s show.

“The other show hosts at BluegrassCountry have asked me how I get the music so quickly from way down here in Australia. I tell them it’s a trade secret, but the answer is simply hard work and building trust,” Mr Kear said.

“The wonderful thing about doing this show is the fact that I get to interview my musical heroes, and I have made great friends with some of the most skilled acoustic musicians in the world.”

Despite a five-hour radio show in anti-social hours ending at 3am on a Saturday, Mike does it for the fun.

‘Music From Foggy Hollow’ is on Hawkesbury Radio 89.9FM from 10pm Friday till 3am Saturday and streaming from www.hawkesburyradio.com.au/listeLive.

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