USRN partners with Little Steven’s Underground Garage

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Little Steven is already running SiriusXM’s Garage Channel and he’s already on some powerhouse stations, but now United Stations Radio Networks plans to take him even further: USRN announced a partnership with Steven Van Zandt’s production company, Renegade Nation, to handle both the affiliate relations and national ad sales for the successful weekly show, Little Steven’s Underground Garage. 


Created in 2002, the Little Steven’s Underground Garage has earned a place as one of the most respected music programs on the airwaves in any genre.   Steven’s original concept for the show which remains in place today is to expose audiences everywhere to the most seminal recordings in rock and roll across its six-decade history.  As a result, the show will program everything from the pioneers of rock and roll to the bands who made it during its heyday in the 60s and 70s to new and emerging artists in the present.  The program is broadcast for two hours per week, and its long-running top affiliates include WAXQ/ New York, WMGK/Philadelphia, KSWD/Los Angeles, WXRT/Chicago, KKRW/Houston and WCSX/Detroit as well as dozens of outlets around the globe including the Voice of America.

Steven Van Zandt is a musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, film music supervisor, actor, human rights activist, and international radio DJ.   He is a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and he also performs with his band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.  Van Zandt songs have been recorded by a number of well-known artists and he’s also gained critical acclaim as a producer for artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Artists United Against Apartheid, Darlene Love, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ronnie Spector, The Chesterfield Kings, The Cocktail Slippers, and The Breakers.   Van Zandt added acting to his repertoire as an original cast member on HBO’s hit television series “The Sopranos” on which he played the role of Silvio Dante from the show’s inception through the final season.   Recently he starred in, co-wrote, and co-produced “Lilyhammer,” a series distributed by Netflix which tells the story of an American gangster in the witness protection program in Norway.   He also started Wicked Cool Records in 2006 as an outlet for current bands who play what is now called Garage Rock, and the label is now home to 20 bands.  Van Zandt is also chairman of the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation which is developing a history of Rock and Roll curriculum for all grades in all schools scheduled to pilot in 2012.

In making this announcement, USRN’s Jim Higgins expressed his enthusiasm about the new deal commenting,   “The core of our business model is delivering excitement, star power and ratings to our affiliates and to our advertising partners as well, and for the past ten years, absolutely no one has generated more passion on the airwaves than Little Steven.  It’s a thrill to be working with him and his entire radio team, especially at time when his acting career and his efforts and current worldwide 2012 tour with the E Street Band are in full swing.”

In discussing the new partnership, Steven Van Zandt added, “My goal is to bring the great music we play on The Underground Garage to listeners EVERYWHERE, and we felt that after a decade of doing things ourselves it was the right time to partner with folks who can get our show heard absolutely everywhere.   It takes ongoing relationships with radio stations and with sponsors to get the job done properly, and the guys at United Stations can do it all, so we welcome their expertise and enthusiasm for the next ten years of expansion.”