Midnight Special

“Oh, yeah, that’s The Midnight Special.”

What do Cheryl Wheeler, Pete Seeger, Christine Lavin, Woody Guthrie, John Gorka, Ani DiFranco, Tom Paxton, Jean Redpath, Bob Newhart, Robin & Linda Williams, Mike Nichols & Elaine May, Odetta, Mitchell & Webb, Carrie Newcomer, Big Bill Broonzy, and Susan Werner have in common?

They and thousands of other traditional and contemporary folk performers, avant-garde singer-songwriters comedians and satirists fill a three hour entertainment that we call The Midnight Special. Original, offbeat, fun, and thought provoking WFMT’s The Midnight Special is Chicago’s, and through Internet streaming, the world’s weekly aberration of folk music and farce, show tunes and satire, madness and escape.

The Midnight Special often airs live performances recorded by WFMT over the past 55 years that are not available commercially, including well-known artists appearing at Chicago area clubs, concert venues, the University of Chicago Folk Festivals and the comedy revues of Chicago’s famed Second City.

The Midnight Special airs Saturday nights from 9 pm until Midnight. One of the Frequently Asked Questions is, “If it’s the Midnight Special, why isn’t it on at Midnight?” That’s a good question. It never has been.