06/11/2021
Back in early 1986 at the behest of a friend who was a DJ at local station KOTR (may it rest in peace!) in Cambria, California, I wandered into the station on a Saturday afternoon at about 4:45 to talk to the station manager about picking up the show.
The station manager , who was a consummate stoner, took me into the studio pointed to the turntables, pointed to the cart machine, ( back in those days all of the ads psa's we're on 8-track cartridges. Oh, and there were no compact discs yet so it was all vinyl!)
Then he looked at the clock, it was 4:50 p.m., looked at me and said, " I've got an open hour at 5 p.m. till 6 if you want to take it."
Thus began the realization of a lifelong dream to be a DJ on the radio!
After moving to Arizona in 1988 and a year later finding myself in Tucson, where I'd heard about this station KXCI Community RadioKXCI, I finally figured out that there was a North 4th Avenue and a South 4th Avenue and where the line of demarcation existed. I called Carol Anderson who was the program director at the time , told her about my experience at KOTR and was invited over to meet her and do an hour on the spot, again!
I was just shy of 32 years old.
Fast forward to 2021, 32 years later, and I'm still doing this stuff! Admittedly the last year has been quite challenging after doing nothing but live radio since 1986 (with a year break in 1988) and it's still fun!
I've been doing this longer then I've been doing anything else, ( except for breathing!)
Tonight's halftime show, after the obligatory Beatles song begins the segment, I will be playing artists covering other artists.
Thanks for listening all these years, thank you for supporting community radio and thanks to KXCI for putting up with me, and on we go into whatever is next!
The pictures were taken at the studios of kotr in 1988 right before I moved Arizona. I am with my friend and partner in crime who encouraged me to come to the station and meet Ray, the stoner station GM, Drew Ross!
Tally ho!
