Have you caught CKUA’s unique and ever-changing show, Residency? This hour-long program features fresh programming from new voices and special guests. It follows Friday Night Blues Party, airing midnight – 1am MT on Saturdays.
Starting January 10, Calgary musician and producer Trent Agecoutay will launch the latest Residency show, Uncle Trent’s Indigenous Roots.
The name connects to a full circle Agecoutay is living. His dad was a musician and night club entertainer. As Agecoutay grew up in Red Deer, their house was filled with instruments.
“There was always music around. That’s all my dad did,” he says. “He was always playing and writing songs at the kitchen table. Music has always been a part of my life.”
When Agecoutay was 19, his father handed him a bass guitar and said, “If you can learn how to play this, I’ll play some gigs with you.” Six months later, they were on stage in Calgary.
“When I started playing music, a lot of uncles opened their stages to me,” he says. “They gave me that space and grace to learn and actually develop into a musician.”
Now he’s performed on hundreds of stages and produced several albums. He’s recorded two audiobooks and launched two podcasts, the most recent being The Deadly Uncle Podcast.
“In everything I’m doing, I’m trying to create space for younger artists coming up,” he says. “Music can be very competitive but we need to lift each other up. Once you reach a certain point, it’s your turn to pass on wisdom and keep the music moving.”
A member of Cowessess First Nation in Treaty Four territory near Regina, Agecoutay is also no stranger to radio. He’s hosted the afternoon drive-time show on Windspeaker Radio for more than two years.
For his CKUA show, listeners can expect a rich mix of music and storytelling.
“I want to explore the roots of Indigenous people in traditional music, country, blues, and folk, then connect that to the artists of today,” he says. “Some of these artists people may have never heard of, and I want to shed light on them.”
He also hopes to highlight the generations of Indigenous musicians who paved the way. “There was no term ‘Indigenous music scene’ when I started in the 90s,” he says. “Many artists started their careers in bar rooms and small venues, and their influence is still felt today. I want to tell those stories.”
A longtime CKUA listener himself, he says he’s grateful to be given space on the airwaves. “I’m excited to share my musical palate and stories with everyone. It’s about enjoying music and connecting people through it.”
Tune in to hear Trent Agecoutay, the newest host of Residency. His first program will be Saturday, January 10, midnight – 1am MT.
“If I Wanted You Girl” by Ernest Monias:
