Decades ago, a chance encounter in a record store in Liechtenstein set Mary Bartlein on a musical journey that continues to this day. A vagabond student with a Eurail pass, she made a point to stop in record stores in the cities she visited and asked what local music they recommended. At the hole-in-the-wall shop in Liechtenstein she was pointed to the music of Andreas Vollenweider, the Swiss harpist. Bartlein was intrigued by his take on instrumental music and it influenced her radio shows.
When genres like New Age, World, Ambient, Electronic, are tossed around, Bartlein simply calls it Instrumental Music. As a pioneering woman DJ, she has been on the Milwaukee airwaves for over 30 years. Her three-hour interview and music programs allow deep dives that artists dream of. She’s also worked behind the scenes at Milwaukee’s Bastille Days as well as festivals in New Orleans.
