Many people may know WKAR’s Al Martin for his sports reporting and acting career. Now, he’s taking on a new role: director.
Martin is the director and host of WKAR’s newest series, Streetlight Sessions, a show dedicated to Mid-Michigan’s music scene. It’s a type of show that may seem like uncharted territory for the self-proclaimed “sports guy,” but for Martin, it’s a perfect fit.
“I’ve been doing sports—that’s what I went to school for. I’ve been doing sports for years, over a decade—but those who really know me know that I also love the arts. I love TV, film, and music,” he said. Martin says he was pitched the idea by WKAR producers over Christmas break and jumped at the chance to elevate Mid-Michigan’s music scene.
The series marks a return to local music for WKAR-TV, something that has been missing from the station since Backstage Pass ended in 2020.
“You don’t see a lot of local shows doing music production anymore, so it’s kind of cool to bring that back in a fun way here at WKAR,” he said.
Each episode of the series will feature artists with Mid-Michigan ties who will play two songs and chat with Martin about their music.
Instead of a more traditional stage, guests will perform on a unique set inspired in part by the opening credits of the 1970s classic film Rocky.
In it, the boxer played by Sylvester Stallone is strolling through a dark Philadelphia street when he comes across a group of men singing around a makeshift bonfire in a trash can.
It’s a scene that feels authentic—a moment Martin says he wants to replicate with Streetlight Sessions.
“Everything that we’ve done with this set is trying to mimic street performing, right? You know, when you’re walking down the street you may see a group singing or playing. We want to bring that flavor to the show,” he said.
Martin credits WKAR set designer Rob Sumbler for turning his vision into a reality inside the station’s studios. Like the movie Rocky, Streetlight Sessions uses a streetlamp to illuminate the artists visiting the set.
Lansing-based hip-hop artists James Gardin and DJ Y'z are the inaugural guests for the series.
Gardin says being the first to appear in the series is an honor and that the premise is encouraging for local artists.
“Artists here need to know what’s possible, and a lot of times there aren’t a lot of good examples of success that’s still here. There’s a lot of ‘you leave, you become successful.’ So to be able to see people from here or see cool things happen here, it just fosters hope,” he said.
Gardin says Lansing has some of the most untapped talent in the world and they’re looking for opportunities to share their music. He says he hopes his performance can inspire young artists to believe that creativity knows no bounds.
“That they can fully be themselves and have fun doing that. And I guess, outside of artists, I want everyone else to feel that too. Hopefully people get a little bit of joy out of this, and when they watch it, maybe they dance in their living rooms,” he said.
The series will feature several artists from a variety of genres, including jazz and rock. Episodes will release biweekly through early May. Director Al Martin says he wants to continue showcasing artists like Gardin and DJ Y'z throughout the series.
“I hope that when people check this show out, number one, they say ‘Oh man, this is different,’ and then number two, as they lean into the music, they start to follow these amazing artists and become fans of them,” Martin said.
The first episode of Streetlight Sessions premieres this Sunday on WKAR’s YouTube channel.
