The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour has announced a fundraising drive to offset revenue loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The goal of the fundraiser is $25,000, which will cover the cost of production and keep Oxford’s live radio show moving forward during this critical time.

“The Coronavirus has taken a real hit out of our show,” host Jim Dees said in a video message on YouTube. “Everybody is fine, but our budget has taken the biggest hit.”

In March, Thacker Mountain Radio suspended their live shows and went to an all-studio format. Additionally, remote shows at Delta State, Clarksdale, Yazoo City, Tupelo, Clinton, the Neshoba County Fair, Ocean Springs and the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson are all canceled, as well as the events themselves.

“We miss all our sweet familiar faces and the excitement our audience brings to the show,” Alice Pierotti, the producer of Thacker Mountain Radio Hour, said. “But we’ll put safety first and let health and safety guide any decision.”

During the off season, Thacker Mountain Radio Hour airs re-broadcasts of the show on Mississippi and Alabama public broadcasting stations. Meanwhile, the program is forging ahead with new shows planned for the late summer and in fall by employing video conferencing and other virtual technology to host their unique mix of writers and musicians.

“For the last 20 years we’ve brought you authors, Nobel Prize winners and some unknowns,” Dees said. “Same with music – some of your old favorites and people who are your new favorites. Let’s keep it going with another 20, 50 or even 100 years.”

Shows planned for the summer include a variety of musicians and Mississippi authors. Some of these authors include Martha Foose, Ace Atkins and poet Natasha Trethewey, who is a Pulitzer winner and U.S. Poet Laureate.