The Warm Heart of Africa

05/07/2025

Join us tonight (Wednesday) from 7-9 PM EST for a special Afrofunk-themed fundraising show to support Valley Free Radio in its Spring Fund Drive! Head to www.valleyfreeradio.org to make a tax-deductible contribution today. Please help grassroots, volunteer-run community radio stay thriving in Western Mass...and beyond!

Just a mid-week reminder
Our Spring Fund Drive continues
Thanks for the donations
valleyfreeradio.org/donate

02/05/2025

WHOA is live on the air once again tonight to keep you warm on this chilly February evening with an all-Afrobeat mix! Featuring Hugh Masekela, Kokolo, Ebo Taylor - and of course Antibalas! Tune in from 7-9 PM this Wednesday evening at 103.3 FM in Western MA - or listen through Valley Free Radio's website stream:

Listen Live Stream WXOJ-LP 103.3FM Loading... Play   Recently Played Music Check out the Valley Free Radio Weekly Program Schedule     Thank you to our underwriters!  

11/13/2024

Hello dear listeners! Valley Free Radio's fund drive is taking place this coming week - Nov. 17th through Nov. 23rd. Please consider donating to keep our all-volunteer, totally nonprofit radio station on the air!

Valley Free Radio relies on listener support to keep going - it's truly a grassroots model of community media. If you value the music we play each week, we encourage you to throw a few bucks in the pot at www.valleyfreeradio.org/donate next week! What's more - your donation will be doubled thanks to a generous matching grant up to our goal of $5,000! AND it's all tax-deductible! Throw us $20, or $50, or whatever you can spare, and it'll double it's value to VFR.

Tune in for our special fund drive show next week on November 20th, and join us tonight and every Wednesday night from 7 PM - 9 PM for more Afropop with The Warm Heart of Africa, only on Valley Free Radio. Thank you!

Donate The WXOJ-LP Valley Free Radio Fall Fund Drive runs from November 17-23, 2024 We have a grant that will match donations up to a total of $5000 and also contribute $10 per unique donor. You can DONATE ONLINE at any time during the week of the drive or you can call and speak to a live local prog...

07/10/2024

We're back again tonight with a special Afrobeat-themed show as we give away a free pair of tickets to Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80 ensemble at Mass Moca this Friday, July 12th!

Tune in from 7-9 PM this Wednesday evening at 103.3 FM in Western MA - or listen through Valley Free Radio's website stream: http://valleyfreeradio.org/listen/

July 12 | Leading his pioneering father Fela’s legendary band Egypt 80, Seun Kuti brings Afrobeat to new heights.

07/03/2024

WHOA is live on the air once again tonight! Tune in from 7-9 PM this Wednesday evening at 103.3 FM in Western MA - or listen through Valley Free Radio's website stream: http://valleyfreeradio.org/listen/

Spend a bit of your Independence Day's eve with us! We'll be spinning an eclectic mix, leading off both hours with Afropop from Fela Kuti, Antibalas, and Tony Allen...and some news about a very special upcoming show not far away...

05/14/2024

Join WHoA for a special fund drive edition of the program this Wednesday evening (5/15) from 7-9 PM! Tune in to 103.3 FM or listen online at valleyfreeradio.org to some of the all-time best Afropop that we've played in over a decade of broadcasting (wow!), and please take a moment to support Valley Free Radio, our independent, volunteer-run radio station - a precious rarity in this age of media consolidation.

All proceeds from our fund drive go directly towards keeping the station on air - we have no paid staff and nobody owns this station but the community of DJs, listeners, and supporters. It's operated in the public interest, and anyone can apply to train as a DJ and learn how to produce a radio program or podcast.

So call in during our show on Wednesday at 413-561-6073, or head online to valleyfreeradio.org/donate anytime to keep community radio alive in Western Mass. Thank you and enjoy the show!

DonateSpring Fund Drive: May 12-18We are moving forward into a new era of VFR. We are setting ourselves up for a sustainable future with long-lasting infrastructure for future generations of independent programming.We have a $5000 goal PLUS a $1500 matching grant from Northampton Open Media (NOM). C...

03/06/2024

Tonight on the Warm Heart of Africa: We're giving away TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS to Orchestra Gold, coming to the Drake in Amherst tomorrow night (March 7th, 8 PM). Call into the show from 7 - 9 PM TONIGHT and tune in to Valley Free Radio at 103.3 FM or online at valleyfreeradio.org.

It's all thanks to Secret Planet, Western Mass, which brings terrific world music performers to the area! Check them out...and tune in for an Afro-psych-rock special tonight on WHOA for your chance to see Orchestra Gold on the house!

11/15/2023

Tune in this evening for a special live fund drive edition of The Warm Heart of Africa, broadcasting to support Valley Free Radio, our home for over a decade now.

It can't be said enough - VFR represents the best of community media: volunteer-run, totally independent, and operated as a platform for arts and culture in the local public interest. Please support us - and find out how to get involved as a DJ and volunteer - at www.valleyfreeradio.org

Attention all Valley Free Radio fans!

Our Fall Fund Drive is gearing up to kick off on November 12th, and we need your help to keep our beloved local radio station on air. As you know, Valley Free Radio is a non-profit organization that relies on the generous support of listeners like you to keep our programming going.

Twice a year, we hold fund drives to cover our operating expenses and make essential upgrades to our studio equipment. This year, your contributions will go even further, thanks to a generous matching donation from the Dow Estate. That means that every dollar you give will be doubled, making your impact even greater.

There are several ways to support Valley Free Radio during our Fall Fund Drive:

Call the studio: If you're a local listener, you can make a donation by calling us directly at 413-584-1160 / 413-584-1033

Donate online: Visit our website at valleyfreeradio.org/donate and make a secure online donation through PayPal. No membership required!

Fulfill a wish list item: Check out our Amazon Wish List and choose an item to be shipped directly to our studio. Every little bit helps! (link to Wishlist at valleyfreeradio.org/donate)

Your support is vital to keeping Valley Free Radio a vibrant part of our community. We appreciate your generosity and look forward to hearing from you during our Fall Fund Drive.

Thank you for being a part of the Valley Free Radio family!

11/16/2022

Join WHOA for a special fund drive edition of the program this Wednesday evening from 7-9 PM! Tune in to 103.3 FM or listen online at valleyfreeradio.org to some of the all-time best Afro-pop that we've played in over 10 years of the program(!), and to support our independent, volunteer-run radio station.

Thanks to a generous matching grant, your donation is doubled this week, so call in live from 7-9 PM at 413-561-6073, or head online anytime to valleyfreeradio.org/donate to keep community radio alive in Western Mass. Thank you and enjoy the show!

Valley Free Radio relies on our programmers, listeners, and the community to support our efforts to keep the airwaves available for everyone.

11/02/2022

Less than two hours until another live show with WHOA this evening - and we're going heavy on the Afrobeat! Tune in from 7-9 PM EST on Wednesdays at 103.3 FM in Western MA - or listen through Valley Free Radio's website stream: http://valleyfreeradio.org/listen/. Or, search for "WXOJ" on TuneIn or a similar digital radio app. Hope you can join us, and thanks for listening!

05/11/2022

Celebrate the summery feel outdoors with some Afro-pop this evening! We'll be live from 7-9 PM today (Wednesday) in support of Valley Free Radio's Spring Fund Drive! VFR is volunteer-run and relies on listener support to keep bringing you programs like WHOA, so please go to www.valleyfreeradio.org/donate or call in during the live show to make a pledge at 413-585-1033. Thanks for your help!

Donate Donate now! photo Jacklyn Lipscomb Spring Fund Drive is May 8-14, 2022 We’ve been working all year to improve our sound, broadcast and online streaming. This drive is replacing our board! Support community radio and ensure that your interests and voices are represented. Donate now! 3 Ways t...

04/06/2022

Here's a sneak preview of what you could see this weekend in Florence if you call into our show this evening! Les Filles de Illighadad weave traditional tunes from the deserts of West Africa with a modern electric sound and rhythm - a hypnotic melding of past and present. Call in to claim a pair of free tickets for their appearance this Friday at ColliderFEST! at BOMBYX by listening in to our live show on Valley Free Radio TONIGHT (Wed., 4/6) from 7-9 PM. We'll have more from this amazing group on tap, as well as Afropop of all kinds. The studio line is 413-585-1033. Don't miss it!

Les Filles de Illighadad perform Tende, a Traditional song from Niger.Fatou Seidi Ghali - voice/ guitar, Alamnou Akrouni - voice/ kalabas, Mariama Salah Asso...