Darel Snodgrass
Classical Music HostI began piano lessons at age 6, trumpet at age 9, and began teaching myself the guitar at 10. My electronics knowledge comes from my father, who had the RCA television and stereo shop in my hometown of Pocahontas, Arkansas for nearly 20 years. My dad is still fixing televisions at age 79.
I attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville as a music major, and worked weekend shifts at the U of A radio station (my first experience playing classical music on the radio). I spent a summer playing piano, guitar and bass at the defunct “L'il Abner”- based theme park Dogpatch USA, near Harrison, Arkansas. After a few years playing music professionally, I finished a BS degree in Radio/TV production at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
After another few years playing music in the Ozarks, I moved to Memphis with my wife. I’ve served as Operations Manager of WKNO-FM since 1988, and morning Classical Music host since 1994 – conducting more than 4,500 Checking on the Arts interviews along the way.
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The acclaimed Luther College Jazz Orchestra will perform at the Church of the Holy Apostles at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 22.
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Concerts International's chamber music season continues in a new venue and on a new day, Saturday, March 21, at Christian Brothers High School Theatre, with the acclaimed Goldmund String Quartet.
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Opera superstar Jamie Barton is coming to Memphis for two exciting events: a concert on Saturday, March 21, at 7:00 p.m. at Harris Concert Hall featuring pianist Kathleen Kelly and Opera Memphis Handorf Company artists Tina O'Malley, Perri DiChristina, and Joel Clemens, followed on Saturday, March 28, with a performance of the huge Verdi Requiem with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO), soloists, and chorus.
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Tennessee Shakespeare Company's Shout-Out Shakespeare Series returns with "Romeo and Juliet"
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Prominent flutist and Memphis native John Lane presents a solo flute recital on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m. in Harris Concert Hall on the University of Memphis (UofM) campus.
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Society Memphis is a new skatepark/coffeehouse/dance/learning/performance space in the Binghampton area, at 583 Scott Street.
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Ballet Memphis concludes its 2025-2026 season with the return of Steven McMahon's "Romeo and Juliet."
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Darel Snodgrass spoke with Orpheum Theatre Group President and CEO Brett Batterson about upcoming events at the Orpheum Theatre and Halloran Centre in Downtown Memphis.
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Tennessee Shakespeare Company (TSC) celebrates St. Patrick's Day with "Under an Irish Moon: Tales and Tunes from Lady Gregory's Hearth," the newest in their long-running series of Literary Salons.
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Darel Snodgrass spoke with Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC) director of programming, Emily Hefley, about upcoming events, including the final "Peanut Butter & Jam" kids’ program of the season, featuring IRIS Collective.