Public radio stations across Illinois recently collaborated on a broadcast for people locked inside Illinois prisons, their families and their loved ones. The special, Prisoncast, aired simultaneously on public radio stations all across the state from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. You can listen to an edited version of the show by clicking the red “listen” button above.
One note: The version of Prisoncast that aired on the radio featured lots of music requested by people inside and their families. But for legal reasons related to music rights, WBEZ is unable to post those songs in their entirety online or in podcast form, so the audio you’ll hear above does not include most songs played in their entirety. A full playlist of the songs is listed below.
There’s one notable exception! WBEZ did get permission to air a song written and produced by students of the Rebirth of Sound program, inside Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet. The program, spearheaded by Chicago rapper Common, is an “accredited music program [that] provides instruments and production training in a high-quality recording studio for incarcerated people.” Program graduates produced the song “Bring It Back,” which made its radio debut on Prisoncast and is featured here in its entirety. The song is about efforts by the group Parole Illinois to bring back the discretionary parole system that was abolished in the state in 1978.
If you have questions about Prisoncast, please email prisoncast@wbez.org.
“Prisoncast” Program Playlist August 28, 2022
“What’s Going On,”Marvin Gaye
“Three Little Birds,” Bob Marley
“A Place In The Sun,” Stevie Wonder
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen
“Dear Mama,” Tupac
“A Song for Mama,” Boys II Men
“Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Guns & Roses
“Green Onions,” Booker T. & the MGs
“Bring It Back,” Hopeful Voices
“No More Tears,” Jewel
“All of Me,” John Legend
“Knocks Me Off My Feet,” Donell Jones
“Rough Side of the Mountain,” F.C. Barnes
