Justin Bland is the creator and host of Made Man Improv, a popular improv comedy showcase based in Indianapolis. Under his direction, Made Man Improv has built a loyal audience and a recognizable brand within the local arts scene. But after years of sold-out performances, Bland is ending the Made Man Improv series this month.

Listen back to the moments and releases that shaped Indiana music in 2025, from long-overdue archival discoveries to new Hoosier artists breaking out on the national stage.

Listen to a conversation with the virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and bandleader, Ricky Skaggs. Born in Kentucky in 1954, Skaggs has played a central role in shaping modern bluegrass and country music. A child prodigy, he first performed on stage with Bill Monroe at age six, and at age seven, he appeared on national television with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.

This is the first edition of a new Cultural Manifesto segment titled “40 Indiana Guitar Pioneers That Every Hoosier Should Know,” featuring the Evansville, Indiana guitarist Jackie Clark. He played and recorded with some of the greatest legends in rock and R&B music, including Ike and Tina Turner, Iggy Pop, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, and Bobby Womack.

This archived episode from 2021 pays tribute to one of the co-founders of the legendary Vee-Jay Records, Vivian Carter. Vee-Jay Records is considered to be the most successful Black-owned record label of the pre-Motown era.

Landon Caldwell is a multidisciplinary artist and composer based in Indianapolis. His music blends experimental composition, improvisation, and ambient textures to create spaces that invite reflection and deep listening.

Listen to a special episode celebrating National Native American Heritage Month. Learn how Native American musicians are reinventing traditional culture in the 21st Century, featuring interviews with the experimental pow wow group Medicine Singers, and the hip-hop artist Supaman.

Host of NPR's Alt Latino Felix Contreras talks with Kyle Long about Latino identity and what inspires his show on this archived segment from 2016.

Listen to an interview with Juan Díes, a Grammy-nominated musician, educator, and folklorist best known as the co-founder and executive director of Sones de México Ensemble, Chicago’s premier Mexican folk music collective.

Listen to an interview with John Green, an award-winning author and YouTuber, discussing his new nonfiction book, Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection, his work in public media, and his deep roots in Indianapolis. Green’s novels, including The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Paper Towns, have sold over 50 million copies and inspired several major film adaptations.

Cherish Love, an award-winning performer, is Sister Rosetta Tharpe in the Indiana Repertory Theatre's production of 'Marie & Rosetta,' a musical about the rock and roll legend's life.

Take a deep dive into the world of PASIC during its 50th edition, PASIC 50, held in Indianapolis. Listen to an interview with the Indianapolis-based composer, performer and instrument builder Rob Funkhouser. Plus, conversations with past PASIC performers and honorees, including Elayne Jones, Giovanni Hidalgo, Susie Ibarra, Cindy Blackman Santana, Daru Jones, and more.

Kyle Long features Echoes of Indiana Avenue co-host Herman 'Butch' Slaughter on this short segment from Cultural Manifesto.

Recently, Terre Haute, Indiana welcomed two of the nation’s most prominent political figures — Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Sanders visited the city to receive the Eugene V. Debs Award. Hear Kyle Long's interview with Sanders, along with music from the Local Honeys, who opened the ceremony.

Hear interviews with members of the cast and creative team behind the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre’s production of Marie and Rosetta —including actors Cherish Love, Jaela Cheeks-Lomax, and music director Morgan E. Stevenson.

Listen to an interview with the keyboardist, composer, and computer music pioneer Brad Garton. He’s best known for his work with the legendary West Lafayette, Indiana punk band Dow Jones and The Industrials, but Garton’s work in music spans from progressive rock to experimental composition.

In 1983, four Bloomington musicians — Chrissie Dickinson, Cynthia Hammond, Jenny Davis, and Emily Jackson — bonded over their shared love for the music of Patti Smith, X, and The Clash. Together they formed Sally’s Dream, a post-punk band that went on to perform across the Midwest and later in Boston.

Listen to an interview with NPR’s Ailsa Chang; she recently spoke with WFYI’s Kyle Long to discuss the importance of supporting public media. You hear her every weekday as co-host of All Things Considered, NPR’s flagship evening news program.

Aida Cuevas is an iconic Mexican singer celebrated as The Queen of Ranchera Music. She has released more than 40 albums and sold over 11 million records. Recognized as a cultural ambassador of Mexico, she continues to preserve the country’s rich musical heritage through recordings and performances that celebrate the artistry of ranchera music.

Hear from Lee Fields, a legendary funk and soul singer whose powerful voice and remarkable career longevity have earned him comparisons to James Brown and Wilson Pickett. Known for his electrifying live performances and deeply emotional delivery, Lee Fields stands as one of the last great soul artists still touring and recording at the height of his powers.