Arts News December 19, 2025

Jimmy Rea is a proud Ozarkian with deep ties to the music community. With 2 decades of creative entrepreneurship underfoot, Jimmy has toured coast to coast and around the world with acoustic acts The HillBenders and Keller Williams. Spearheading numerous musical groups, recording projects, and live music events, Rea’s work in the Springfield music scene is a passion and lifestyle. Happily married to wife Melissa and father to Archie, they enjoy life together with 2 dogs and a cat. In his downtime you can find Jimmy fishing for bass in the crisp rivers, creeks, and streams of the Ozarks.<br/>

Ran Cummings, a Springfield resident since 1998 and a graduate of MSU, is a musician, a lifelong public broadcasting fan, and a man with too many cats. He enjoys thunderstorms, quiet drinks, loud movies, and sitting in his chair (often with a cat). During weekdays he is the smiling face at the front desk of KSMU and the friendly voice that greets you on the phone, and on Friday nights, he hosts Local Radar.

You can also frequently find him playing music somewhere around town with one of his bands (including in The Hook Knives with KSMU’s own Jess Balisle!).