About

Detour, the folk, roots and world music show om WTMD

The Folk, Roots, and World Music Show
Sunday 5-7PM Eastern Time
89.7 WTMD, Towson/Baltimore, MD
Rebroadcast Wednesday 12-2PM Eastern Time on
WTMD HD2
Hosted by Paul Hartman
WTMD is a 10,000 watt non-commercial radio station licensed to Towson University broadcasting from Towson City Center. The station serves the Baltimore metropolitan area and all of central Maryland with compelling contemporary music created by artists who are committed to the craft of songwriting. WTMD-HD2, “The Baltimore Channel,” airs music created by Baltimore musicians and is one of the few local-music channels in the country. WTMD is listened to by 100,000 people each month and can be heard on-line at wtmd.org, on apps for the iPhone and Android, and via smart speakers.

Detour has been on the air since 1982 in a variety of time slots, currently 5 to 7 PM on Sunday. The show is an eclectic blend of folk, roots, and world music.

WTMD
Listen to the real-time streaming broadcast, check playlists, consult the events calendar,
read the blog, and browse lots of music news and happenings at WTMD.
Click HERE!
Paul Hartman & Tony Sica, circa 1997

Paul Hartman & Tony Sica, circa 1997

The show started in 1982 when WTMD was known as WCVT. The first host was Richard Smith. Tony Sica became co-host in the late 80s, then solo host in the early 90s. Paul Hartman had been an occasional guest on the show and then became co-host with Tony in 1995. Paul became sole host in February, 2004, when Tony retired. Tony passed away on February 13, 2010.

Paul was editor of Dirty Linen, the magazine of Folk and World Music, from 1987 to April 2010.

News

Towson Patch published an article about Detour on July 29, 2011. (Oops, article has been deleted. Probably a good move.)

Paul Hartman

Paul Hartman, 2010

Awards

Detour was selected as “Best Radio Show” in the Baltimore City Paper’s “Best of Baltimore 2000” issue:

Best Radio Show
Detour WTMD (89.7 FM), 5-7 P.M. Sundays

For 14 years, Detour has been the folk radio show in Baltimore, broadcast every Sunday evening on Towson University’s WTMD. Hosts Tony Sica and Paul Hartman take turns in alternate weeks playing an eclectic, intelligent blend of folk and world music. Both are soothing, friendly presences on the air, and both are extremely knowledgeable about the music. Sica is well-versed in the genres and well connected–his wife is Joyce Sica, the power behind Uptown Concerts, which brings top-notch acoustic acts to the area. Folk music is a family affair for Hartman too–he and his wife publish the internationally renowned folk- and world-music magazine Dirty Linen. The DJs’ connections allow them to bring artists into the studio for informative and musically satisfying interviews and live-music segments. And as all DJs do, Hartman and Sica spin discs, offering listeners a wide range of artists lumped under the “folk” umbrella–everything from the tumbling guitars of the Seldom Scene and Rosie Flores’ rockabilly rumble to the classic poetry of Bob Dylan and Fred Eaglesmith’s big, wide-open sound. This is radio done right.

© 2000 Baltimore City Paper

13 thoughts on “About”

  1. Hi there… Tom Rhoads here from 333 Coffeehouse in Annapolis. I’m hoping that you’d be willing to list our monthly folk/acoustic shows in your concert calendar(s). Please let me know how to reach you. 333 is a program of the Annapolis Traditional Dance Society, a local nonprofit which also produces the monthly Annapolis contra dance. (FSGW hosts our website, but we’re not a part of them.)

  2. A bright broadcast\netcast in dark times! Thanks for celebrating Yennayer, Berber New Year by playing Thalweg, Hocine Boukella aka whacky Cheikh Sidi (that’s Seedy a la Algeria’s Amazigh Tom Waits) Bemol’s Berbero-Celtic band and the rousing “Toughach Ajejig”! Assegwas Ammegaz or Healthy & Balanced New Year 2964 to the Amazigh\Berber Diaspora and back home in Tamazgha!

    Also loved hearing local Baltimore treasure Midway Fair’s “Fairest of Them All.” Found the YouTube clip of Midway Fair as a duo another cool find thanks to DETOUR. MF: Tour in 2014! Spread the Fair!

    Keep on doin’ & thawin’ out
    from the Berber Beaverton Bat-cave
    of the Pacific NW
    Mitchito

  3. Thank you for attributing the live version sang on the show of “Freight Train,” to Libba Cotton today. As a singer of traditional songs, it’s always good to hear people recognize where the music they sing comes from (or at least try to). Please announce the BFMS Spring Faire to be held on the 27th with lots of live roots music, jamming on old-time instruments, contra and square dancing, family events, main stage and lots of participatory workshops. Free! Cromwell Valley Park. The real deal.
    Andy Cooper

  4. Hello,

    We are having a June 21 performance of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member John Sebastian and I was wondering if we could listed with you folks or have it meantioned. Included here are two links regarding the show.

    The show is June 21 @ 7 PM and is a benefit for the Lazarus Caucus, a non-profit organization that assists the homeless and formerly homeless.

    Details:

    Name: Woodstock Music Festival
    Who: John Sebastian
    When: June 21, 2104 @7 PM
    Where: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
    10800 Old Court Road Woodstock, Maryland

    http://lazaruscaucus.org/

    http://www.johnbsebastian.com/

    Thank you so much !!

  5. Hey Paul! It’s Rae Ann, how are you doing?! So, I read about you and your efforts in The Towson Times regarding Rogers Forge’s problems with our educated young people. Well Done! You’re a big shot in the neighborhood, keeping the peace. Good man!
    Rogers Forge was my first Baltimore home and it meant a great deal to an inner city Washingtonian like me. I was very happy there.
    So, I not only hear you on the radio I read about you in print. You’re a media darling!!
    Know I’m listening, Paul, and reading!
    Rae Ann

  6. Can you send me the Sting cover playlist of all three songs & bands? Also what was the Eline Evers song that you played on St Patrick’s Day?

  7. The Detour Cover Set today (all Sting songs) was:
    5:51PM The Duhks “Love is the Seventh Wave” The Duhks [Sugar Hill] Canada

    5:55PM Battlefield Band “We Work the Black Seam” Celtic Hotel [Temple] Scotland

    5:50PM Loose Ties “Englishman in New York” Planet Bluegrass [Planet Bluegrass] Various artists CD

    Complete playlist is here: https://detourradio.com/2017/5/14/playlist-for-sunday-may-14th/

    I didn’t play anything by Eileen Ivers for St. Patrick’s Day this year (the March 19th show). Playlist is here: https://detourradio.com/2017/03/19/playlist-for-sunday-march-19th/

  8. Hello Paul…
    A consistently terrific show. A needed pause from the rest of this crazy life.
    Three requests for future shows:
    Thirsty Boots – Eric Anderson
    Weave Me the Sunshine – Peter Yarrow
    Ballad for Americans – Paul Robeson
    Many thanks,
    Arthur

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