The University of Tennessee's "College of Rock" has been managed most of its quarter century on the air by Benny Smith, a Greeneville native and '90s promoter who got into radio at an early age and soon became a fixture on Knoxville's music scene, working mostly from modest quarters deep in the basement of UT's Andy Holt Tower. While serving as the station's general manager and primary deejay, Smith has mentored scores of future broadcasters going through the University of Tennessee's College of Communications.WUTK’s actual funding for day-to-day cash needs from office supplies to Smith’s salary is self-sustaining. It comes entirely from donations, sponsors, underwriters and advertisers.

The School of Broadcasting does not provide an operational budget to WUTK. The university provides overhead—they keep the lights on and the transmitter running, according to Smith—but that’s about it. The station arguably should have “laboratory” status that might be budgeted like any other real-life educational curriculum, but it doesn’t. At one time, there was some piecemeal support, but no direct-line budget. “Now there isn’t even that. They depend upon me to bring this money in. This is a self-sustaining radio station. What better way to get the word out about this than with this record? We need you to pony up and help keep us on the air!”

(Taken from the liner notes of ReDistilled, written by Jack Renfro)

Help keep 90.3 the ROCK on the air and pick up a piece of Knoxville history at the same time. ReDistilled is $15 with ALL PROCEEDS going to benifit the station.

ReDistilled is available NOW at the Disc Exchange, & ONLINE.