{"id":2308589,"date":"2026-03-02T16:25:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T16:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2308589"},"modified":"2026-03-02T16:25:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T16:25:15","slug":"prairie-publics-prairie-musicians-plugs-in-for-another-season-of-live-music-broadcasts-inforum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/prairie-publics-prairie-musicians-plugs-in-for-another-season-of-live-music-broadcasts-inforum\/","title":{"rendered":"Prairie Public’s ‘Prairie Musicians’ plugs in for another season of live music broadcasts – InForum"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

FARGO \u2014 The beat goes on for Prairie Public TV\u2019s \u201cPrairie Musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new season of the show, which features sets of original material from regional artists, kicks off at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 19 and runs every Thursday night through April.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may have heard of some of these acts, but to see them live is such a wonderful experience,\u201d said the show\u2019s producer, Barb Gravel. \u201cThat\u2019s one of my hopes for the series \u2014 to inspire viewers to enjoy local music and bring people back out to hear live music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
Emma Josephine from Ham Lake, Minn., plays this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

This season features regional acts that traveled to Prairie Public\u2019s Downtown Fargo studios for a recording, engineered by Livewire.<\/p>\n

While previous seasons have featured 10 acts, this year Gravel said Prairie Public made the decision to do seven. The network is allotting more resources to food programming, with a number of short features for the upcoming \u201cPrairie Mosaic\u201d series.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

“Prairie Musicians” lineup<\/p>\n

\n

Each episode will be available to stream on the PBS app<\/a> and on Prairie Public\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

March 19 \u2013 Folk trio MoonCats <\/b>of Pick City, N.D.
March 26 \u2013 Singer\/songwriter Emma Josephine<\/b> of Ham Lake, Minn.
April 2 \u2013 Blues, rock, and folk band Darren Quam & Friends<\/b> of Battle Lake, Minn.
April 9 \u2013 Americana musician Ben Stoeck<\/b> of Alexandria, Minn.
April 16 \u2013 Alternative rock group The Winter Sloths<\/b> of Fergus Falls, Minn.
April 23 \u2013 Mother-and-son duo Katy Tessman & Sweet Lou<\/b> of Hopkins, Minn.
April 30 \u2013 Pop and soul singer Alma Cook<\/b> of Williston, N.D.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really excited about the North Dakota acts,\u201d Gravel said, adding that they had both been on her wish list.<\/p>\n

The Pick City, N.D., trio MoonCats help set the tone for the season on opening night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are amazing. They get the audience stomping their feet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\"MoonCats-PrairieMusicians2026-3.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
MoonCats from Pick, City, N.D., play this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

The trio was recommended by the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which helps fund the series, along with the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.<\/p>\n

The trio mixes guitar, banjo, stand-up bass and washboard to deliver an electrifying acoustic set.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey give us a down-home, North Dakota view of the prairies. It\u2019s really kitschy and homey,\u201d Gravel said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\"KatyTessman-PrairieMusicians2026-2.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
Katy Tessman and her son Sweet Lou play this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

This is the first year of \u201cPrairie Musicians\u201d without a Fargo-Moorhead-based act, but Katy Tessman considers the area second home. While she lives in the Twin Cities, when she came to the taping with her son, guitarist Sweet Lou, she showed him around her old stomping grounds and her alma mater, Minnesota State University Moorhead.<\/p>\n

Tessman\u2019s music is inspired by her experiences with cancer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer music comes from the wisdom and strength of being and working with cancer survivors,\u201d Gravel said. \u201cIt\u2019s healing music she brings to her audience. She\u2019s a great addition to the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

The producer said there may have been a subconscious theme of healing and well-being when picking the acts, as wellness was a topic for the Fergus Falls, Minn.-based Winter Sloths.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\"WinterSloths-PrairieMusicians2026-2.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
Winter Sloths from Fergus Falls, Minn., plays this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cTheir lyrics weave a dialogue of mental health and personal growth. It\u2019s so creatively woven through their lyrics. They were so much fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Another Lakes-area act brings a different sound. Darren Quam & Friends is from Battle Lake, Minn., but some of his music is inspired by trips to Mexico and Costa Rica.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\"DarrenQuam-PrairieMusicians2026-1.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
Darren Quam and Friends from Battle Lake, Minn., play this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cWhen they can bring these flavors to their original stuff, that\u2019s great,\u201d Gravel said.<\/p>\n

When he\u2019s not playing Carlos Creek Winery, Alexandria, Minn.-based Ben Stoeck is often on the road touring and playing gigs. Gravel said she was lucky to catch him on his way back to Alexandria to record a set of his Americana music.<\/p>\n

Another act on the move is Ham Lake, Minn., singer\/songwriter Emma Josephine. The recent Mankato State University graduate is planning on relocating to Nashville, Tenn., this spring, so Gravel was happy to book her when she did.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of nostalgic looks at growing up in Minnesota and going to college in her music,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n\"AlmaCook-PrairieMusicians2026-1.jpg\"<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n
Alma Cook from Williston, N.D., N.D., plays this season on Prairie Public TV’s “Prairie Musicians.”<\/figcaption>

Contributed \/ Prairie Public<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n

The season ends April 30 with another suggestion from the NDCA: pop-folk singer\/songwriter Alma Cook from Williston.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wanted to feature someone giving back in a healthy way,\u201d Gravel said.<\/p>\n

Cook works with community members in Williston, developing music appreciation.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s bringing people together to explore interests. She\u2019s the most inviting person. She\u2019s really a treasure for Western North Dakota when it comes to music.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n <\/p>\n\"John<\/p>\n<\/picture>\n

<\/a>\n <\/div>\n

\n For almost 30 years John Lamb has been covering arts and entertainment in the Red River Valley. He started writing for the High Plains Reader in 1997 and moved to The Forum in 2002. He is an Annenberg fellow, an occasional judge for talent shows and food contestants and co-hosts the weekly \u201cGardening Together: The Podcast<\/a>.\u201d He’s rubbed shoulders with Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain, drank with National Book Award winner Colm McCann, had coffee with Grammy-winning classical musician Peter Schickele and interviewed countless other artists, actors, musicians, writers and assorted interesting people. Contact John at jlamb@forumcomm.com<\/a>.\n <\/div><\/div>\n