Kansas native Chuck Mead is the subject of KMUW's upcoming music tasting on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Roxy's Downtown. Raised in Lawrence, Mead is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band BR549. He also brought the Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet to life via his understanding of the intersection between rural and urban music. As a member of Lawrence's Homestead Grays in the 1980s and '90s, he forged the future of Americana music by combining elements of country and rock ‘n' roll. Since BR549's disbandment in 2006, Mead has created a series of acclaimed solo albums, including Free State Serenade and this year's Close To Home . In two interviews with KMUW, he discussed his Kansas roots and his memories of the Sunflower State. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Music was the family business for you. When my mother was young, my grandpa, my grandma and my mom's two brothers had a radio show in Nevada, Missouri. Right down 54 on a station called KNEM.