Talk to anyone over 60 who grew up in the Montrose/Delta area and you’re likely to hear about Pea Green. An unincorporated community west of Olathe, the town was a hoot in its day. Music, dancing and revelry seem to have been a hallmark of the community.

And yet if you drive the streets now, you might not imagine anything of the sort. There’s a little store, known for its bi-annual sale called Pickin at the Pea, and there’s a community center that hosts weddings, wakes and the like.

But on the last Saturday of the month, January through April, the tiny town of Pea Green is transformed. Pea Green Saturday Night, hosted in the Pea Green Community Center, could accurately be described as a ball, a bash, a riot and a romp.

Hosted by Dean Rickman and Len Willey, affectionately known by their stage name, the Pea Green Brothers, Saturday Nights are an homage to the Golden Age of Radio programs. The multi-talented duo, on their fictitious KPEA Radio live show, host an evening of bluegrass music, comedy and general revelry.

“It’s a fully scripted affair,” says Rickman. He, along with Willey, punctuate two Americana music acts throughout the evening with equal doses wit and talent. Instrumentalists themselves, they make sound effects, commentary and generally shoot the breeze like a true radio duo would. Willey with his accordion and Rickman with his guitar, the duo curates the event as an homage to the likes of Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, with maybe a smattering of Prairie Home Companion.

“We’re turning back the clock,” says Rickman, fully aware of the dual meaning, considering the Brothers are known for their time travel antics. Add a printed playbill, the duo’s dapper outfits, the folksy music and it all being housed in a 100-year-old building, and the atmosphere is undoubtedly nostalgic. The timeless air about the event speaks volumes, both retirees and youngins grinning ear to ear, moaning and laughing at the Brothers in equal measure.

The bands are invited to play contingent on the consideration that they play only original music. Rickman suggests that it adds vibe, that avoiding covers lends to the authenticity of the evening. He says “It really shows the context the band exists in,” allowing the bands to become a part of the event, rather than just performers.

The space holds about 200 people, and the event has garnered quite the loyal following in the 18 years since its inception. They have on occasion had to turn patrons away at the door, but are usually hovering around 170-180 onlookers.

“Pea Green is a farming community, and we schedule Saturday Nights as such,” says Rickman. When harvest is over, when the true crux of farm life is past for the season, the locals are looking for something close to home to unwind and celebrate, and the Pea Green Brothers supply.

“It’s an oasis of time ... a bit of a church experience,” adds Rickman. It’s for and by the community, including time for socializing and a potluck. Family friendly, the entire event is treated with a reverence in hopes to make the evening safe and welcoming to all. The community chips in and does doors, sets out chairs and tears tickets.

The event has even spilled out into neighboring Delta, where seasonal iterations of the show have showed up at the Egyptian Theater. The antics persisted, as Willey and Rickman went on a world tour from Pea Green, only to have their tour bus “break down in Delta.”

The event’s home, however, is absolutely the Pea Green Community Center. The show is rooted in place, the gravity of the tiny town bleeding over into every aspect of the radio show.

“It feels spiritual, like we are conduits for the space,” reflects Rickman. Conduits for Pea Green certainly, but also conduits for 100 years of rural history, for the Golden Age of Radio and for a time when community and entertainment were one and the same thing.

Originally published in the Winter 2024-25 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Pea Green Saturday Nights — Reviving The Golden Age Of Radio In A Tiny Farming Town