Friday morning came in warm and wide open on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, with hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God setting the tone for what they lovingly call Love Supreme Friday — a weekly reminder to step back from the noise and focus on what’s being built, not just what’s being battled. “We’ve been talking a lot of politics for a while and it’s time to change our mindsets over to something else,” Paul B. told viewers. “It’s an effort because it’s real easy to let your emotions take over when there’s so much to be emotional about.”
The show didn’t ignore the real world entirely. In the wake of Nebraska’s midterm primary elections, both hosts reflected on what the results mean for the community going forward. Buddy the God cut to the heart of it: “None of that really matters if the people don’t vote — and those maps and numbers they use to draw even the gerrymandered racist maps are still based on who’s registered, who’s of age, and actually who comes out to vote.” Viewer Kimber Snipes added a ground-level perspective from the chat: “I’ve been having conversations with people between the ages of 20 and 35. What I hear the most is most of them don’t really know what to do and know nothing about the candidates. I don’t think we should be slamming people for not voting when the system is really what has caused this. I think we need to have more education and deep dive discussions.” It was the kind of honest, layered exchange that makes Friday mornings on 1st Sky feel like a real community conversation.
Before the show’s featured guest took the virtual stage, Paul B. paused to celebrate a major community win. North Omaha entrepreneur Charell Shelton, founder of Core Science Bio Diagnostics, recently took home a $52,000 prize — a milestone that Paul B. called a shining example of purpose meeting preparation. “This is somebody who puts her money where her mouth is,” he said. “Last time we had her on, she was running for office. Now she’s doing this — and it’s a great example of somebody diving into an industry that can’t be denied because everybody needs what they offer.” The chat lit up with congratulations, and the energy carried right into the main event.
That main event was a sit-down with Dana Murray, founder of the North Omaha Music Academy — known in the community simply as NMA. A South Omaha native who spent eleven years in New York City before returning home, Murray has planted himself firmly at the corner of 24th and Lake, one of the most historically significant intersections in all of Nebraska. His vision is nothing short of transformational. “The area that has the most history and the one that can claim we are a cultural and arts district, for real, is the North 24th Street corridor,” Murray said. “And we’ve been so far removed from that.”
Murray laid out a practical blueprint for what revitalization actually requires — housing, services, parking, eateries, and destinations like entertainment venues, restaurants, and lounges. He even floated the idea of a hotel, arguing that with the right infrastructure, North 24th Street could host music festivals and conferences that draw crowds from across the region. And he’s already proven the concept. “People don’t have any problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to hear jazz music,” he said. “That taboo about the area and its ability to be an attraction was false. We’ve proven that.” Viewer Mark Manor backed him up from the chat: “When I go there it is the same people at shows at Waiting Room, Slow Down, and the Jewel. So people are coming from all around town and getting down at NMA, which I find impressive.”
At its core, NMA is a youth music academy and performance venue — but Murray is quick to explain that music is the vehicle, not the destination. “We’re not only raising musicians but more importantly raising more critical thinking human beings,” he said. “Some will become doctors, some lawyers, some business owners — whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry.” That philosophy extends to how NMA teaches history. Students don’t just hear that Buddy Miles or Victor Lewis came from Omaha — they learn who those men were, what they represented, and why it matters. “If you give kids context, they connect the dots for themselves,” Murray explained. “Now you’ve got a critical thinking human — that’s ultimately what we’re trying to do.”
Murray also spoke passionately about music as economic equity. “Every music in America has been built off of our experience,” he said. “From the hardest rock music to the jazziest jazz music to the poppiest of pop music, you trace it all the way back to the music that was brought over here from Africa. And that’s equity. The sooner we look at it — not as ‘oh, that’s a cool little music thing’ — but as equity for us to build and monetize for our community, the better we’re going to be.” His long-term vision includes a $20 million capital campaign and, eventually, a full NMA campus designed to do for North Omaha what Omaha Performing Arts does for downtown — generating tens of millions in economic activity while keeping talent rooted at home. “Brain drain is a killer for Omaha,” he said. “We’re far more adversely affected by it in North Omaha.”
NMA is currently seeking music instructors who can do more than teach scales. “Unless you’re able to inspire a young person, they don’t really have the attention span for the X’s and O’s of music,” Murray said. “The why of doing it is everything.” Interested educators can reach Murray directly at dmurray@northomusicac.org or his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomusicac.org.
The show closed on a reflective note as Paul B. introduced what he called the “secondary matrix” — the idea that everything worth doing has a deeper layer of purpose beneath the surface. “On the surface, we’re a couple of talking heads that talk about some news with the community,” he said, “but what we’re really trying to do is build community, build some coalition.” It’s a concept that resonated in the chat, where viewer Judy Princ offered her own quiet wisdom: “If you are sad or angry, go out and help others. Your attitude will change.” And in the spirit of new beginnings, viewer Aeros 402 shared a personal joy: “My only daughter gave birth to my second granddaughter. They are both new and good. I feel blessed.”
It was, in every sense, a Love Supreme Friday. If you missed it, make sure you catch the next one — Monday morning, 1st Sky Omaha is back, and the community conversation is always just getting started.
