ROYAL WADE KIMES THREW A ‘CAPE’ OVER CAPE GIRARDEAU

Royal Wade Kimes rolled into Cape Girardeau, Missouri and sat down behind a mic at KWKZ-FM 106.1 to debut his new album “Crossing The Roads” with Bill Anderson, owner of the station along with Susan

Bell, the Music Director. Susan scheduled the show for a two hour run, and gladly let it run over twenty

minutes without anyone caring.  Anderson was supposed to take a trip, but cancelled after learning

Kimes was coming to town. In the middle of the show Anderson said on air “Have you noticed the

phones are not lighting up?”  He smiled, “The folks are listening. This only happens when the listeners

don’t want to miss anything.” It was like Kimes had thrown a cape over the city and quieted the people

with his music.  

One young man came by the studio to tell Royal Wade what “I’m An Ole Song” had done for him. “The

song touched me.  I had to just pull my truck over and listen. It brought tears to my eyes.” KWKZ-FM

reaches into five different states with its powerhouse signal, and Kimes along with Wonderment

Records thought it the best place to debut his tenth album. Kimes had debuted one of his previous records

with KWKZ some years ago, it was time to go back.  “Bill and Susan are like family. They have been a part

of my life since my first record at Asylum, in 96.  They’re good people. They’ve managed to keep radio

what it was meant to be, an airway for the people.  They love their community and care deeply about

the music they play.”  Outside the control room Anderson had this to say. “After listening to this record

and thinking back to others you’ve recorded. You’re the best song writer that has ever come out of Nashville;

that has ever lived. I’m not just saying that because you’re standing here. You’re making history.

Your songs speak to the people.  I can’t think of another recording artist who writes like this.”