On any given day Henry Ford Community College has thousands of students, vendors, employees and visitors scrambling between buildings and going about their daily routines, every building bustling with robust activity. The Student Center building is perhaps one of the busiest of them all because, you see, every Thursday afternoon, amongst all of the thousands of people on campus, something phenomenal is taking place in the studios of WHFR (89.3 FM). Volunteer staff members are busily preparing Studio Jay for another live band performance on the Motor Live Drive at 5.

For the past five years there have been hundreds of live broadcasts each and every week on one of the most unique programs ever heard on local radio. In fact, on Thursday, October 14, Studio Jay transformed into a live concert stage once again for the original sound of Citizen Smile, an indie rock band from Fraser, MI.

The Motor Live Drive at 5 “made waves” once again with live rock music on the radio for local audiences—and live streaming on its website (www.whfr.fm) for listeners all over the world to hear.

Founded by childhood buddies James Brown and Kory Kopchick in 2004, Citizen Smile is a band known in the Fraser community for its excitable, unique style of play. This four member band can really ROCK! Performing on the “stage” of Motor Live Drive at 5 was just one more gig for these audience-friendly fellows.

Citizen Smile performed 12 tunes in all, including “How You Move,” “Waiting for Fame” and, my personal favorite, “John Jacob.” The friendship and rapport these fellows share is clearly evident in the way they play together, on and off the stage. Known for their perpetually energetic stage presence during live performances, this indie rock band is a crowd-pleaser, not just in Fraser but wherever they go. The loyal listeners of WHFR did, in fact, receive a very special musical treat with the performance of Citizen Smile on the Motor Live Drive at 5.

Citizen Smile consists of James Brown (guitar, vox), Kory Kopchick (lead guitar, vox), Ricky Ruggero (bass), and Danni Pazuchowski (drums).

The Motor Live Drive at 5 is produced and hosted by Roger & Margaret White every Thursday from 5 – 6 p.m.