It was a Love Supreme Friday on 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning, and hosts Paul B. and Buddy the God brought the kind of conversation that makes you want to pull up a chair and stay awhile. From the echoes of Nebraska’s primary election to the beating heart of North 24th Street, Episode 53 was a reminder of why community-centered media matters — and why Omaha’s north side is a story still very much being written.
The show opened with a brief reflection on the recent primary results, but the hosts were quick to put politics in its proper context. Buddy the God set the tone early, framing the season with a clarity that resonated through the chat room and beyond.
“We’ve recognized seven lanes of change — politics, political power, voting rights — all of that is important, but it’s still only one lane. We definitely want to talk about several other lanes and what’s going on as far as how we can do for ourselves, how we can build ecosystems within ecosystems.”
Viewer Kimber Snipes echoed that sentiment from the chat, noting that in her conversations with people between the ages of 20 and 35, she hears a recurring theme: “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 exactly the kind of grounded, honest community feedback the show draws out week after week.
Paul B. also gave a heartfelt shoutout to Charell Shelton and Core Science Bio Diagnostics, calling it “just another example of doing for self — somebody who is diving into an industry that can’t be denied because everybody needs what they offer.” That entrepreneurial spirit would carry right into the morning’s main conversation.
The centerpiece of Friday’s show was an in-depth sit-down with Dana Murray, founder and director of the North Omaha Music Academy (NMA), located on North 24th Street. A South Omaha native who spent 11 years honing his craft in New York City before returning home, Murray has built NMA into something that defies easy categorization — part youth music school, part performance venue, part community anchor, and, if his vision holds, something much larger still.
When asked about the future of the North 24th Street corridor — affectionately called “the Deuce” — Murray didn’t mince words.
“Really, 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. And we’ve been so far removed from that — not even what the rest of Omaha views North 24th Street as. I’m more talking to the people that are there, who are so far removed from what that was, that it is hard to build momentum from within when a lot of the community can’t relate to the power of what was.”
Viewer Pops chimed in with a detail that added beautiful historical texture to the conversation: “Artists like Fats Domino used to stay at your grandfather’s home when he came to town to perform. So yes, more infrastructure for the artist around the Deuce corridor would be a godsend.” History, it turns out, has a long memory on North 24th Street.
Murray was equally candid about the cultural dynamics at play. Born on the south side, he’s made the north his mission — and he sees the barriers clearly.
“One of the things that holds us back is this false sense of security with pride as it pertains to North Omaha. None of that does anything for us at this point. At every opportunity, we fail at taking advantage of showcasing our culture and highlighting the excellence of who we are. One of the things I’ve tried to do was reach out and be a beacon for all of Omaha to come down to North 24th Street. People told me that was going to be very hard, but people don’t have any problem coming from wherever they are in Omaha or Iowa to come down to hear jazz music or whatever we present.”
His vision for NMA’s future is nothing short of transformative. Murray drew a direct comparison to Omaha Performing Arts — an institution that generates $40 to $50 million in annual economic activity for downtown — and said plainly: that’s the model. NMA is planning a capital campaign with a first phase of $20 million, with an eye toward building a full campus that could anchor the kind of economic ecosystem the corridor so clearly deserves.
But Murray is equally passionate about what’s happening right now, today, with the young people walking through NMA’s doors. The academy teaches not just instruments, but live sound, broadcast, live streaming, podcasting, and artist interviews.
“We’re not only raising musicians but, more importantly, we’re raising more critical thinking human beings. Whatever they choose, they’re going to be better because they were aligned with artistry. It’s not just teaching them ‘oh, you can be this someday.’ No — you can be this right now.”
Paul B. captured the deeper thread perfectly, connecting Murray’s work to what the hosts call the “secondary matrix” — the idea that the most meaningful work always has a purpose running beneath the surface. “The secondary matrix for him,” Paul B. said, “is to create critical thinkers — people that can go further in their fields because they have the discipline of musical training.”
Viewer Senator KML summed up the room’s feeling simply and sweetly: “Thank you, Uncle Dana. You’re changing lives in big ways. We are the students.”
Music instructors interested in joining the NMA family can reach Dana Murray directly at dmurray@northomahamusic.org or his assistant Andrew Bailey at abailey@northomahamusic.org. The upcoming NMA Fest is on the horizon — keep your eyes and ears open for dates.
Buddy the God closed out the week the way only he can, with a call that felt less like a sign-off and more like an invitation: “All you have to do is find — get in where you fit in. That’s all you got to do. It’s all happening. The lanes are running. The lanes are wide open. Just get in where you fit in and make it happen.”
That’s the spirit of 1st Sky Omaha in the Morning in a sentence. Join Paul B., Buddy the God, and the whole Chat Chimer family when they’re back on Monday — because the lanes are wide open, and there’s always room for one more.
