Lila Miller, A&E Editor

Savannah Soundings radio offers new segment, tunes you ‘Might Have Missed’

Savannah is a city of music. However, in a sea of live performances, radio is one facet of the music scene that is often skimmed over. Savannah’s WRUU 107.5 FM is not your average station.

Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church, WRUU 107.5 of Savannah is a radio station committed to fostering community in Savannah. With several community members hosting segments each week, it is, as their slogan says, “community radio with global soul.”

Savannah local Jon Rushing hosts his own weekly segment, “Something You Might Have Missed,” which focuses on music neglected by mainstream media that listeners “might have missed.” Rushing’s show streams online and at 107.5 FM every Monday from 8–10 p.m.

Rushing began working in radio through SCAD in 2006. As time progressed, he climbed the ranks to become sports, then program director. He went on to assist in producing shows and even established an amendment in his name.

Before the economic recession, Rushing thought ahead. With his graduation date looming, he knew jobs would be scarce. With the help of SCAD administration, he created the Rushing Amendment which allowed alumni, faculty and staff to all work within the station, not merely students.

Rushing’s purpose with “Something You Might Have Missed” is to expose the people of Savannah to independent or underrepresented artists that otherwise would not be played locally. As far as favorite radio stations are concerned, he doesn’t have one.

“I haven’t listened to radio since I was able to put an iPod in my car. Savannah radio sucks because it’s not radio, it’s product,” he said.

Rushing finds material for his show from his early radio years, his penchant for 90s indie bands and blogs. He found that his preference for certain bands fell under similar labels like Teen Beat, Slumberland Records, Simple Machines, Merge and K Records.  

His show’s music can range from the 50s to present day. Some of his favorite bands include The Swirlies, Grenadine, Unrest, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Neon Indian, Lightning Bolt and My Bloody Valentine.

Using his discriminate taste, Rushing curates music for his show from over 44 cumulative days, or 1,056 hours of music according to iTunes. He generally picks around 30 artists on the day before, or sometimes hours before the show starts. Without algorithms, the show is purely produced at his discretion.

Ultimately, “time is the best filter. Anything bad will fade away and anything good will be shared and continue,” he concludes.

Want more WRUU? Check out the official WRUU 107.5 launch party this Sunday, April 2. For more information, visit WRUU.org orsearch Facebook for @savsoundings.