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Barbie Turns 65!

March 9, 2024, 9:00 pm

Creator of the original Barbie dolls, Ruth Handler, in 1961 (Photo: Originally published by the Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Songs to note – and send up – the “birthday” of the iconic toy, plus the anniversary of the discovery of gold in California in 1842.

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Meet the Host

Marilyn Rea Beyer hosted her first concert in junior high as the school band emcee. She got on board The Midnight Special listening to WFMT as a Chicago teenager. She has had careers in arts education, PR and high tech. In 1995, Marilyn became on-air host and music director at Boston’s premiere folk station, WUMB-FM where she was best known for the daily "Live at Noon" show, conducting more than 1,000 artist interviews on the air. She also served on the board of the legendary Club Passim and emcee'd countless concerts in greater Boston. Returning to Chicago, Marilyn joined WFMT in 2020 as host of The Midnight Special and now Folkstage. She says that judicious risk-taking, nurturing artists, falling in love with new music, and engaging with the lively Folkstage audience make the job fun. Marilyn was inducted into the 2023 Folk Alliance International Folk DJ Hall of Fame.

Get in touch at [email protected].

Music for the Afternoon

Music for the Afternoon

Barbie Turns 65!