Fort Myers Veteran Launches U.S. 41 Radio to Spotlight Southwest Florida Musicians

From a kitchen studio in his Fort Myers apartment, veteran broadcaster Matt Mangas has turned a lifelong love of music into a 24‑hour online station that reaches listeners worldwide. U.S. 41 Radio, which has been streaming for five years, blends a deep local catalog with a curated selection of national hits.

The station’s format is built around roughly 300 Southwest Florida tracks that sit in regular rotation, plus an additional 20 songs in a “hot rotation” that are played two or three times a day. National tracks from artists such as David Bowie, Sublime, Olivia Dean, Bad Company, The Kinks, Iron & Wine, and others bookend the local selections, creating a soundscape that feels both familiar and fresh.

Mangas anchors four hours of live programming each day, and twice a month he broadcasts from The Twisted Fork, a restaurant and music venue in Port Charlotte. Every Sunday at noon he hosts a one‑hour countdown of the top ten Southwest Florida songs, modeled after Casey Kasem’s classic format.

Local musicians who receive exposure on U.S. 41 Radio include Everglades City singer‑songwriter Charlie Pace, Fort Myers metal band DONEFOR, Naples jam band Moonstone Riders, country singer Timothy Craig, and Naples alt‑rockers Perfect Sequence, among others. The station’s reach extends beyond the region; Mangas estimates several thousand listeners per week, including a notable audience in Australia.

The idea for the station grew out of a personal loss. His sister, Maryellen “Mel” Farrell, died in 2015 from brain cancer. Farrell shared a deep love of music with Mangas and often introduced him to new bands. He says the station is a way to honor her memory and to create a platform that he believes her sister would have appreciated.

Before launching U.S. 41 Radio, Mangas held several positions in the local radio market. He was program director for 96 K‑ROCK and for Beasley Broadcast Group, on‑air personality for former alt‑rock station 99X, and most recently producer for the Dave Elliott Show on Naples talk‑radio station WGUF. His experience in programming and production informs the station’s curation and live shows.

The station’s focus on local talent fills a niche that many commercial stations overlook. As one local artist noted, most commercial radio stations do not play Southwest Florida music. U.S. 41 Radio provides a “beacon” for musicians, offering them a platform and a sense of community.

The online format allows the station to bypass traditional broadcast constraints. By streaming over the internet, Mangas can schedule programming around his other commitments and reach a global audience. The station’s website, us41radio.com, hosts the live stream and provides information on the artists featured.

Industry observers see U.S. 41 Radio as an example of how independent online stations can support regional music scenes. The station’s model—combining local content with national hits, live shows, and a weekly countdown—offers a template for other regions seeking to promote their own artists.

Mangas remains committed to the station’s mission. He says he is “happy that people still want to listen” and that he feels he is making a difference in the local music community.

The station continues to operate from Mangas’s Fort Myers apartment, with live broadcasts from The Twisted Fork twice a month and a regular four‑hour live block each day. Listeners can tune in via the station’s website or through streaming platforms that carry the feed.

In summary, U.S. 41 Radio, founded by veteran broadcaster Matt Mangas, serves as a 24‑hour online platform that champions Southwest Florida musicians while also featuring national acts. The station’s blend of local and national music, live programming, and weekly countdowns provides a vital outlet for regional artists and demonstrates the ongoing relevance of independent online radio in the modern music landscape.