What musical experience most set you on the path to a career in radio?
- Growing up in a small Texas town, there weren’t many radio options. Not to mention a lack of live shows short of the occasional old man playing an accordion at odd hours of the day around town (I swear this is a real thing.) However, my love for radio was born out of this sheer lack of diversity, and in fact within the constraints of the commercial country radio industry. Every morning on the way to school from K-9th grade, my parents would have KBEY 103.9, Texas’ Best Country on, and it was the only part of the morning that I really looked forward to. From 6-9am, radio hosts Ben & Jay would be on the radio giving local updates, playing country tunes, and especially cracking far too many jokes. They also did this morning radio bit called The Secret Sound where listeners could call in and guess the “secret sound” for a chance to win tickets. And boy, did we win tickets! My mom was and still is the champion at winning big on the radio.
I actually found out about KUTX through my mom listening and winning tickets! In 2021, we went to see the Black Pumas together at Stubb’s, and I’d say the rest was history.
What’s your favorite Austin music experience so far?
- During SXSW 2022, my senior year of high school, Spoon announced that they were playing an exclusive show at Antone’s, heading up the release of their last album, Lucifer on the Sofa. I had only just fully jumped into the world of Spoon, and decided that I couldn’t live if I didn’t go to this show. I tasked a friend in Austin to buy tickets, and the plans were set. Despite being deathly sick with allergies, I made the hour drive through SXSW traffic to the concert and got to Antone’s 5 HOURS EARLY to make sure that I would be front row (I didn’t understand the social rules of concert-going at the time.) In those 5 hours though, I made a great friend, whom I still chat with, the personal assistant to the Torchy’s Tacos CEO, and even an estranged Britt Daniel who couldn’t find his Uber.
I can’t even begin to express how incredibly awesome the show was, and the fact that I was close enough to touch Britt’s shoe blew my mind. It was without a doubt one of the best concerts and memories of my 20 years alive.
Why public rather than commercial radio?
- Is this even a question?
How do you spend your time when you’re not spinning records on the air?
- When my eyes aren’t glued to a computer DJing or graphic-ing, I’m usually off biking, fiddling, consuming every type of comedy, and of course, listening to more music than I can realistically stomach.
Finish the sentence: “Austin Music Is ….”
- Where it’s at (I got two turntables and a microphone)