David Dye
David Dye is a longtime Philadelphia radio personality whose music enthusiasm has captivated listeners of World Cafe ® since 1991. World Cafe is produced by WXPN, the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dye launched his distinguished broadcasting career as host of a progressive music show on WMMR 93.3 FM, a pioneering progressive rock station in Philadelphia. During his four-year tenure, Dye won accolades for his taste and laid back presentation. After a five-year stint programming radio stations in Maine, he returned to Philadelphia where he gained public radio experience at WHYY before being recruited in 1981 by alternative rock station WIOQ 102.1 FM where he made his mark on the music scene for nearly a decade.
In 1989, Dye took his musical quest to WXPN where he hosted the station's Sleepy Hollow radio program. Two years later, Dye was asked to spearhead research on the viability of a new public radio program. The research revealed an audience need for a new kind of musical format - one that was intelligent, diverse and would give musical guests a showcase for their artistic expression. Based on the findings, Dye went to work to create a unique program of musical discovery where listeners would be introduced to an eclectic blend of contemporary sounds from legendary and up-and-coming artists. World Cafe was born.
Dye is the founding host of W orld Cafe,which launched in 1991. During his tenure as host, Dye brought out the best in interviews with internationally known artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Joni Mitchell. He conducted nearly 4,500 interviews during his over 20 years with the program. In 2017 Dye took on a new role as contributing host with the program.
World Cafe and Dye have received numerous awards including: two NFCB Gold Reel Awards, Album Network's "Best Triple A Air Talent," five Philadelphia Magazine's "Best of Philly Awards," the Philadelphia Chapter of NARAS "Hero Award," the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award and numerous radio industry trade magazine citations. In 2006, Dye was named the "Triple A Air Personality of the Year" by Radio & Records.
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Two treasures of Nashville's Americana scene play songs from their collaborative album, Buddy & Jim. -
Jack White's Third Man Records has become a cultural force in Nashville. Listen to co-founder Ben Swank play his five favorite recordings from the label's live concert series.
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The Nashville band develops a distinct indie-prog-jazz-folk style on its new album, Cabaret. -
As part of World Cafe's Sense of Place spotlight on Nashville, Tenn., we visit the city's best record store, Grimey's. -
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings were natural subjects for World Cafe's Sense of Place: Nashville series; They've lived in the city since 1993 and own the historic Woodland Studios. Listen to an extended conversation with the country-folk singers about how the city's changed over the past 20 years. -
The singer is a young darling of Nashville's music scene. Here, she plays songs from The Stand-In. -
Nashville veterans John Radford, Joe McMahan, Adam Bednarik and Melissa Mathes come together to craft a raw and powerful fusion of gospel and roots music. -
The rock band kicks off World Cafe's week-long visit to Nashville by playing songs from its debut. -
The My Morning Jacket singer performs songs from the soulful Regions of Light and Sound of God, his first solo release under his own name, and discusses an accident that left him bedridden. -
Josh Norek from the radio show The Latin Alternative discusses the different facets of a broad musical genre.
