Randy Eccles
General Manager, NPR Illinois/ Co-Host, Community Voices/ CAB Ex-OfficioSpringfield
Please reach out at randy.eccles@nprillinois.org.
Randy Eccles became NPR Illinois general manager in 2013 after serving as development director since moving to Springfield in 2008. Randy served on the Governor's Local Journalism Task Force 2023-2024.
Randy currently serves as the president of the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council – the association for all public media organizations in Illinois.
Randy previously worked at KTAR in Phoenix and WGN in Chicago in programming and marketing management after producing talk shows and sports coverage. He also served in management and news stints at student-run stations WHFH, WONC, and WUEV.
Born in Hinsdale, he was raised by teachers in south suburban Glenwood and graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School, then North Central College in Naperville. Randy also spent a lot of time at the family farm in Industry, Illinois (south of Macomb).
Randy served on the Springfield Area Arts Council board and was awarded the best of show in the Springfield Art Association's 2023 Art Synergy program in a collaboration with professional artist Alissa Ohashi.
Randy co-hosts Community Voices and its music-focused edition, CV-X, Saturdays 5 to 7 p.m.
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Dr. Deborah Brothers of Lincolnland Community College talks banned books, and a special event at LLCC Sept. 25. -
Chris Vallillo is a musician who combines history and sense of place in much of his work. Forgottonia is an Illinois Humanities Council funded performance project combining music and photography into a memorable take on western Illinois and rural places. -
Max Beckman talks about his appearance at Sept. 13 UIS Date Night event and his music with Waxwell Weckman and others. The Date Night performance will feature an electric bass quintet in a way you might not imagine. -
Ben's creativity overfloweth. Ben Bedford is a Springfield-based internationally recognized folk musician. Ben stages his first art exhibit of his pen and ink work at Perspectives Art Gallery with an opening reception Sept. 7, noon to 5 p.m. -
Ben Hage, Innovate Springfield director, shares the new iSPI speaker series that will bring innovators to the capital to discuss their experiences and to network. The series; Founders, Failures, and Fun will also result in a podcast series in partnership with NPR Illinois. -
Finnegans Wake is a band formed in 1974 at the County Cork Pub in Springfield, Illinois. John C. Van Orman, William J. Furry, and Bill Rintz joined together bound by a love of traditional American and British Isles music. They research many of the traditional songs in their repertoire. Even though they now live in different states, they get back together to perform and tour. They perform August 24, 2024, 7:30 p.m. at Salem on Seventh in Petersburg.The three multi-instrumentalists join Community Voices to discuss their music, vocals, and friendship.
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Blue Iris is based in central Illinois and consists of two married couples, the Hargis and Schaut families. The band is nominated for seven Josie Music Awards recognizing excellence in the independent music industry. They will be attending the ceremony in Nashville at the end of October. In the meantime, they are performing around central Illinois including the State Fair to support their new single and video, Beautiful Sound. -
Jose Gobbo revisits Community Voices to update his work in music and education and preview the Jose Gobbo Trio opening the final Levitt AMP show of 2024 for Radio Free Honduras. -
Radio Free Honduras is a collective of Chicago musicians who are dedicated to showcasing the artistry of Charlie Baran. Baran contributed to some of the top Honduran music while with Banda Blanca. Radio Free Honduras founder, Dan Abu-Absi, joins Community Voices to share how they spotlight Baran's talent. -
Chicago's Dogs at Large open the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series July 25, 2024 for The Cactus Blossoms. Sam Pirruccello joins Community Voices to talk about the band, the Chicago music scene, his family musical heritage, and to preview the visit.
