The first edition of Homegrown Bites, which was released in October of 2024, is a trademarked orange vinyl pressed with 12 tracks from artists from around North Texas. In the five weeks after the release of the vinyl, KXT held weekly celebrations at Whataburgers throughout DFW. Here, fans of the station came together to listen to the album and got to meet on-air talent.
The Dallas music scene is a special place. It’s not every day you get to choose between seeing a post-punk rock band, a country act or a bedroom pop band consisting of college roommates. But in Dallas, you can make that choice almost every weekend. The Homegrown Bites album reflects this diversity, as does KXT's regular programing.
The album features well-known Dallas bands as well as emerging artists looking to make it big. Tracks on the album include “Red Blanket” by Cleburne native Angel White, “Counting Down the Days” from Booker T. alumnus Parker Twomey — who’s fresh off a writing session with the great Miranda Lambert for her Postcards From Texas album — and “ In the Belly of a Whale” by Dallas icons Toadies.
KXT, which first went on air in 2009, proudly calls itself the “Republic of Music,” and is always striving to prove that it’s earned the title. Being part of the “Republic of Music” means you’re a kindred spirit to the employees and listeners of the station and care just as deeply about what makes the North Texas music scene so special. Though the “republic” may not be a physical address to which you can forward your mail, the message and support of the local scene are tangible.
Dialed in
In addition to building a strong sense of community, KXT is helping these local artists take a huge step in their careers. Despite the myth that radio is a dying medium, radio play remains vital to artists gaining exposure, credibility and of course, a chance to brag to their friends that their voice was on the airwaves. In this symbiotic relationship, small artists benefit greatly from exposure on the air, and local stations continually cement themselves as pillars of the culture.Many household names today found footing through KXT. Acts like Fort Worth native Leon Bridges, country star Maren Morris, and indie-alt singer Abraham Alexander were all championed early in their careers by KXT and its focus on bolstering local voices.
Bridges has gone on to win a Grammy and embark on successful North American and international tours, Morris has been awarded five CMA awards, and Alexander was recently nominated for an Oscar. While we can’t attribute all their success to KXT’s support, it certainly feels like a point of pride for the station to have recognized such talent so early on.
The Homegrown Bites album is only a small fraction of this story, though. The KXT team continues to show their dedication to and appreciation of the local music scene by showcasing songs from DFW-based artists or bands every day.
The impact of a segment and album like Homegrown Bites goes beyond KXT’s connection to listeners. The series' listening parties offer a place for like-minded people to come together and celebrate in the power of music and a chance for them to put faces to the voices they hear on their daily commutes.
“Everyone there [KXT] is such a great supporter to all us Dallas music people,” says Frankie Leonie, a Dallas native whose song “Love Comes Back Around” with David Forsyth was recently featured on the Homegrown Bites segment.
“It feels really good to be championed by KXT and highlighted as special parts of the Dallas scene by people who are so entrenched in the culture.”
