My name is Eddie Russell, host of the Country Eastern / Outlaw For Peace radio show, currently airing on JRRI International Shortwave http://listen.to/jrri/ based out of Waterford, Ireland........... RPEM-FM Costa Brava, Spain........Reading Radio FM, Reading Vermont... & right here on RP1 www.paralegalator.com .

I produce my shows right here in Columbus, Texas.....in my converted garage studio.....and mail them in batches to the various stations. I've been doing this since around 1992 and my shows have also aired on Radio For Peace International shortwave, based out of Costa Rica.......WRNO Shortwave, based out of New Orleans, LA........WPHB FM, based out of Philipsburg, PA........& KULM FM, based out of Columbus, Texas.

In 1994 I helped broadcast Farm Aid 7 in New Orleans, on WRNO Shortwave, along with co-hosts Thom Steinbeck, & Wavey Gravey.

I'm also a current member of the Third Coast Music FAR report team...... thirdcm@aol.com for 3CM info.

My format from the very beginning has been a dedicated non-mainstream variety affair......feeding off the words I heard Willie Nelson say one time......." If it sounds good....it is good ". I tend to play the recordings that really move me the most, and these can come from established non-mainstream labels, Private, or small labels, or even a home recording if the audio is good.

Songs with a social message have always been included, as this reflects the image of both Country Eastern Music, and Outlaw For Peace. But by design....I don't overkill that, surrounding these important songs with a lot of fun time music, and even some collectable rare music from deep in the past, as helping preserve traditions, plus exposure to lesser known past recordings & artists is another part of the CE/OFP radio mission.

From time to time I also have live guests on my shows, including as of this writting, James McCandless, Jano, Sheri Frushay, David Waddell, Cary Swinney, Paul Bullock, Russ Bartlett, Mr Jones, Eric Taylor, Jamie Lee Bradford, Davey Davis, James Rider, Linda Freeman, Marcus David Kennedy, Kevin Deal, Leeann Atherton, Mike Stevenson, Nathan Hamilton, Tom Ovans, Lou Ann Bardash, Jerry Rigged, & Spencer Perskin.

In recent times as an extension of my radio work I perform a free service that I refer to as " The Rainbow Smoke Network ", where I connect the music I especially endorse with radio DJ's around the world in an effort to help bring a better quality of music to global radio.

My radio experiences and thoughts are many, and we'll elaborate more a little later. But now.....here's a little history of myself.

I'm a native of San Antonio, Texas....having also lived in Gold Bug, KY.......Wickett, Texas......near Twin Sisters, Texas.....& for many years here in Columbus, Texas.

My wife's name is Donna, also a native of San Antonio, Texas......and we have four wonderfull children & 3 grandkids, all of us living here now in Columbus.

Country Eastern Music was founded in 1980 by myself & my best friend, Davey Davis of Brownsville, Vermont. For the first ten years we held annual Country Eastern Music Festivals in Vermont, as a showcase venue for various singer / songwriter's. These were well received, but never well attended, and canceled in 1990, tho variations of such still continue to this day.

Then while driving home from Vermont in 1990....2 am on the Natchez Trace Parkway....the idea of starting Country Eastern West here in Columbus, Texas.....copped a serious cool vision......& I'm still at it.

My first call to action was a home made newsletter, including features on Little Joe Hernandez, Casey Monahan, Tish Hinojosa, Richard Dobson, Jimmie Dale Court, and much more, including my most popular newsletter, " Before Hank Williams " .

By design.......I mailed these out freely to the most diverse network of people that I could possibly think of. Some never responded, but many did, and thru these old styled efforts the foundation for my radio future which was just ahead......was laid.

In 1992, under the encouragement of Bob Wishoff of Outlaw For Peace, and famed Austin DJ, Larry Monroe, who at the time was with OFP......I started producing radio shows, and have been at it ever since.

The combination now of the Rainbow Smoke Network - Global Radio pipelining service.....along with my continued personal radio productions is proving to be quite rewarding, and very educational.

I've taken a hard look at the trouble spots of non-mainstream music. Such things as distribution, bookings, media, sales, & so much more.........becoming convinced that a lot of the solutions can be found with extended airplay.

With a very special thanks to the ho-hum boring music on mainstream radio for the past decades......we rapidly find a very hungry world of music lovers looking for something of better quality, & more entertaining. Better lyrics, melodies, distinctive styles, & just anything different from the mainstream ordinary.

Radio stations around the world are catching the drift, and formats are changing daily. This is true especially overseas right now, and gathering some steam here in America as well. Since the bulk of the non-mainstream music in demand is made in America, it seems the momentum would be the other way around. But big business music was also created here in America.......and that money won't go down without a fight.

My take on that is to focus hard on supplying the overseas demand which helps put the pressure on the American radio market. Increased popularity, media, & sales etc........has a loud voice that sooner or later can't be denied.

Nothing is more enjoyable to me than to locate a radio station overseas, or even in America, that is in severe need of better music. As the artists & bands in my talent pool start sending their CD's.....a very positive chain of events starts taking place.

First, the better quality of music starts drawing more listenner's.....then the increase of listenner's leads to the extension of more hours of programing, even a few promotions for the DJ's. When other stations in the area catch wind of this......they want some too and the domino effect is under way.

The big ace card of non-mainstream music is that there's so much of it. And the big ace card of the non-mainstream picture is that there are still so many global radio stations still needing a fix. Each transformation helps the cause in a big time way.

Another big role player of course, is the internet. Not only Internet radio stations like RP1 airing non-mainstream music.....but the increasing outlet's to buy the material, as well as the web sites of the artists & bands etc.

So much more I could say, and no excuses for such a rosy picture. I just firmly believe that a grand non-mainstream revolution is underway, and anyone sitting around crying in their beer......is simply not awake yet.

For the artists & bands, now's the time to record & release. Now's the time to be inventive and to polish up their PR & communication skills. For the radio stations, now's the time to keep gathering & airing the good stuff, and the time for all of us to help and encourage each other.

Old selfish habits need to be broken....as each success story helps the overall cause & increases the vital two words......more listenership.

The vision of both Country Eastern & Outlaw For Peace has always been to help make a difference in the world of art. Therefore being in the heart of the global radio scene is right where we need to be, as it's the head of the snake.

In closing, I'd like to say a special " THANK YOU " to all of you who tune into my radio show here on RP1, and to Joe Mitchell for allowing me this opportunity. Also to all of the artists, bands, & DJ's who have been especially friendly & communitive.

A special thanks as well to my long time best friend and Country Eastern partner, Davey " Brown Trout " Davis in Vermont. Davey has a new CD on the market entitled " Hard Tellin' - Not Knowin' ". For more info, contact Davey at brntrout@sover.net .

And of course my wife Donna who has always allowed me the freedom & the blessing to explore my mind and to follow the gut feeling heart path.

As for the future.....I hope to either....bump up every thing I've mentionned in this note.....or unplug everything to spend more time with my songwritting. It's day by day, and I'm giving everything I've got right now to try to help make a positive difference in the world of non-mainstream music, & the arts.

Thanks for your support...........and let's keep the party rolling.

Eddie Russell.......Country Eastern / Outlaw For Peace radio.