Fields of Bluegrass
Indiana Radio Show Host, Cary Fields, is Knee Deep in the Music

This article ran in the Summer 2005 Issue of the Bluegrass Journal

Written by Sherri Chekall • All Rights Reserved by the Author, July 2005
Reprint Rights Available by Contacting the Author or The Bluegrass Journal Editor

When he was boy, Cary Fields spent his summer with his grandmother Lula Combs in eastern Kentucky and the great musicians and the bluegrass radio broadcasts obviously had an impact in the young manÕs life. He was raised around bluegrass with a mother from Kentucky and his father was a southern, too, only it was from the south side of Chicago! It seemed destined that this solid music foundation would draw Cary Fields back around to the music as an adult and heÕs definitely knee deep in the Ôgrass, now!

Cary Fields is the host of the Fields of Bluegrass Radio Hour, broadcast from the University of IndianapolisÕ 30,000-watt transmitter every Friday evening at 9 PM. It is also steamed online and can be accessed through his website.

It was the family nature of the music that drew Fields back into the music after performing as a musician in several jazz, punk, rock and country bands during his 15-year stay in San Diego. He worked for both Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjos while he was on the West Coast. Fields attributes his love of bluegrass to the fact Òthat itÕs encoded in his DNAÓ. Bluegrass is the family oriented music he sought after starting his own family, as he found that events and meetings of a local bluegrass club were very family friendly and something that he could share with his children.

Fields feels that central Indiana is a Mecca of bluegrass with the Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Music Park in his backyard and new festivals and events cropping up all over. He has been involved in raising money for local charity by hosting his ÒLive from the FieldsÓ concert series, broadcast from the Meridian MusicÕs Munger recital hall in Carmel, Indiana. They always feature local artists in the program with top-notch entertainers such as Dave DenmanÕs Troubled Waters, The Spud Puppies and Lare Williams and New Direction. Fields was involved in producing a Bill Monroe tribute for the Indiana Historical Society; entitled ÒBack to Bean BlossomÓ scheduled to be run in October. He is also a staff writer for the Bluegrass Now magazine. One of his more favorite involvements in bluegrass was the opportunity to work with Jim Peva to develop the biography recording of Bill MonroeÕs life and music that is played at the Bean Blossom musuem. The narrative plays during the museum hours where visitors can hear Bill MonroeÕs music interspersed with a retelling of his life and accomplishments.

All this and he plays guitar and sings bluegrass too! WeÕre certain that his grandmother and mother approve of his return to their heritage of music and we can be sure that Cary Fields is a man that will leave a mark on bluegrass in the state of Indiana!

Fields of Bluegrass Host- Cary Fields

88.7 FM - WICR - FM
University of Indianapolis Radio
www.FieldsofBluegrass.com