Drury University student hopes to 'wake up Springfield' with experimental radio show
A Drury University student turned disc jockey aims to introduce Springfield to new experimental, underground music, along with local musicians, through her radio show.
Maddie Bennett is a junior environmental biology student at Drury and the host of Funky Fresh AM, a semi-weekly radio show aired on the university's radio station, KDRU 98.1 FM. Funky Fresh airs every Monday and Friday from noon to 1 p.m.
Funky Fresh displays a range of "abnormal," experimental music that most folks may not be familiar with, Bennett said. In addition, every other Friday, Bennett dedicates her show to featuring local musicians.
"I just kind of want to wake up Springfield and say, 'Hey, step out of your comfort zone, try new things,'" she said.
When it comes to the bridge between biology and radio, Bennett said she previously imagined following the medical track path for her education. Now, she is more interested in botany and zoology. She didn't foresee hosting her own radio show and wasn't even familiar with KDRU until one of her cross country teammates mentioned it to her.
Traditionally, students must enroll in Drury's "Radio Activities 141" course and gain at least one semester of experience operating the radio station before they are allowed on air. However, KDRU advisor Jonathan Groves made an exception for her.
"She just missed the cutoff for joining the class last semester, so we made an exception since she showed some potential and enthusiasm in our initial interviews," Groves told the News-Leader.
In lieu of the course, Bennett spent about a month and a half learning how to operate the station from student general manager Gretchen Eckert before starting Funky Fresh in November 2022.
Bennett said sourcing new local musicians to feature every other Friday is important to her. She gets help from her friends, advisor Groves and others in the local music community. She accepts local music submissions through the Funky Fresh Instagram, @funkyfresh_fm.
Within the next few months, Bennett plans on interviewing local musicians, both solo acts and bands. She said interviews will be conducted outside of Funky Fresh hours, allowing her time to produce the clips she will later air during the show.
Looking to the long-term future, Bennett said she would like to continue working in radio, or the music industry, after graduating college. What this looks like specifically, she is unsure of, but she's open to different options. But for now, Bennett hopes to continue hosting Funky Fresh until she graduates.
Folks can tune in to Funky Fresh on KDRU 98.1 FM or listen live via the KDRU website at kdruradio.com/listen/.
Other KDRU student-hosted shows include:
Workday Groovy Thing (groovy hits from the 1960-70s), hosted by Elias Mertens, on Tuesdays from 3-5 p.m.
Backroad Crossover (country), hosted by Adam Widmer, on Mondays from 5-6 p.m.
The Lovely Hours (love songs), hosted by Quinten Schulte, on Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Funky Fresh AM, on Drury's KDRU, explores experimental, local music
