Wendy Wright
HostWendy Wright has been on the radio at WEMU since April 2000. She served as host of 89.1 Jazz, Sunday mornings from 5-8 a.m. from 2000-June 2007 when she was asked to host From Memphis to Motown. An Ann Arbor Native (Dicken, Slauson, Pioneer), Wendy holds a BA from U of M in Theater and History and has worked towards a MA in Arts Management from EMU.
Although her voice has been gracing the airwaves for some time, her face has been seen on the stages of Washtenaw County for even longer. She has won multiple awards for her acting and directing and was the Administrative Manager for the Ann Arbor Civic Theater in the 1990’s , as well as President of the Michigan Classical Repertory Theater.
Her love of jazz and blues is the direct result of her exposure to WEMU. After taking several classes from such luminaries as George Klein, Linda Yohn and Michael Jewett at the now defunct Depot Town Center, she was asked to join the board of the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival on which she served from 1998-2002. After pestering Linda Yohn for about a year, she was asked to join the staff of WEMU in 2000 and she was soon subbing for Linda herself. With her extensive onstage experience, Wendy is frequently the go-to girl to emcee events on behalf of the radio station.
Although she loves jazz, her heart belongs to the blues and she truly has a passion for sharing new blues artists (especially the women) with the WEMU audience. Some favorite jazz artists include Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Sidney Bechet, Eric Reed, Javon Jackson and Melvin Sparks. Some favorite blues artists include Howlin’ Wolf, Susan Tedeschi, Tab Benoit, Eric Bibb, Ruthie Foster and EG Kight. These lists are of course are never ending and ever changing.
Highlights during her time at WEMU have included interviewing Javon Jackson, emceeing at the Detroit International Jazz Festival, subbing for Linda Yohn during her extended leave, being called a “Blues Babe” by NPR Correspondent John Burnett, getting to create a new program from scratch, and meeting countless musicians and WEMU listeners throughout the years.
Oh, and she still reputedly makes the worlds best chocolate chip cookies.
Contact Wendy: wwright@emich.edu
-
WEMU's Wendy Wright spoke with jazz vocalist and songwriter, Joan Belgrave about the importance WEMU plays in the music community:Non-commercial, fact… -
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local performance arts scene. WEMU's Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk to Joe York from an Ypsilanti theatre group…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local performance arts scene. WEMU’s Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talked to the creator and director of “Wine, Women…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local performance arts scene. WEMU’s Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk with Tim Hamann of Washtenaw County’s “Out…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the performance arts. WEMU's Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk about the many different performances taking place…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" focuses on the many local performance arts activities taking place. WEMU’s Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk to local playwright…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" focuses on the local performance arts scene. WEMU's Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk with the artistic director of the…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local performance arts scene. WEMU's Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk with the executive producer of the Ann Arbor…
-
On this edition of "Art and Soul," 89.1 WEMU's Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright begin by talking to the entertainment director for the Saline Celtic Festival…
-
This week, "Art and Soul" is about the vibrant local performance arts scene. 89.1 WEMU’s Lisa Barry and Wendy Wright talk with the executive director of…
