The first taste of local airwaves for many Mid-South musicians comes courtesy of Catrina Guttery, host of the weekly “Memphis Made” program on ROCK 103. 

 

“ROCK 103 is a legendary station around here and we’ve always had a deep connection to the local music scene going all the way back to Jimi Jamison and Jimmy Davis,” she says. “When you talk to people about Memphis music, you’ll find that a lot of people see us as one of the most musically influential places in the world.”

 

Memphis Made, a two-hour showcase of local acts, has been a Sunday evening mainstay on the station for five years now and was an early hit for producers, with its original 8 to 9 p.m. slot being expanded an hour after the first year to accommodate more musicians and genres.

“Although we are a rock station, it’s important to me that we feature all kinds of bands in the spotlight,” she says. “I play a lot of blues – everything from Albert King to Miss Barbara Blue, who’s still doing her thing down on Beale Street today. It’s very important for us to keep that community connection since there’s always so much going on.” 

 

A budding musician herself, Guttery recently picked up the bass guitar.

 

“As a beginner musician, I’m beginning to understand what a lot of local musicians go through,” she says. “It definitely gives you a new appreciation.”

 

Originally from Guadalajara, Guttery is active in the local Hispanic community through volunteering at and promoting events like the Memphis Tamale Festival and the annual Day of the Dead Festival. Guttery will be present at the upcoming Rockhaven 2017, the 40th anniversary celebration for ROCK 103 featuring legendary hair rocker Bret Michaels and local acts Tora Tora, Every Mother's Nightmare, Roxy Blue and Under the Radar. 

 

“It’s really great to see a resurgence of Memphis music over the past few years,” she says. “I think social media has definitely played a large role in that, as well.”

 

For musicians looking to be featured on an upcoming episode of Memphis Made, visit rock103.com/featured/

memphis-made.