For half a decade now, Saint John music lovers Cait Milberry and Cherise Letson have been exploring music’s place and purpose in the lives of others through their podcast series, Strange Grooves.
Matt Carter
Launched in the fall of 2017, Strange Grooves has hosted conversations with a diverse range of music makers, promoters, radio show hosts, record collectors, venue operators, and comedians. With well over 100 episodes ranging from formal conversations to event promos, Milberry and Letson have carved out their own space to engage with others in sharing the joy of music.
“We’ve learned that everyone has a story about how music has touched or even changed their lives. Music can be an equalizer that can connect people in ways we never thought possible,” says Milberry.
Centered primarily as a voice for the Saint John community, the monthly program occasionally looks to topics and guests outside the city and the province providing an avenue for Milberry and Letson to delve into their own interests and music passions.
“Everyone, no matter who they are or what they do, has a memory or story of how a piece of music has touched or changed their lives,” says Letson. “Talking to people about the soundtrack of their lives unearths some incredibly interesting and fun conversations.”
As an established brand with a proven reputation for instigating conversations surrounding music, Milberry and Letson have seen their podcast project expand through partnerships with a number of festivals and New Brunswick based events to help spread the good word and help organizations like Mud City Meltdown, Quality Block Party, Area 506 and Moncton Record Expo reach new audiences.
Milberry and Letson also recently recorded a series of episodes with Music NB’s Conference 506 in October and hosted a workshop about podcasting and building a brand at the Arts Atlantic Symposium.
To celebrate five years of music conversations and promotion, Strange Grooves will be hosting a special birthday celebration on November 19 at the Five and Dime in Saint John featuring DJ Hawk.
“We’ve been truly humbled and blown away by the support and encouragement for this project over the last five years,” says Milberry. “We wouldn’t be here without it. We can’t wait to see what’s next.”
