Justin Roman: media master, from music to radio to TV!

Justin Roman has done a lot during the 21st century: he hosts The MVP Game (sign up there to be a guest on the show) with Kenzie K (who was his fiancée when this was recorded); it's a super-fan Cubs game show (and a couple of Bears shows during the off season) on the Marquee Sports Network. He talks about his media and performing career, which includes the Vi3 boy band and their hit Eyes Closed so Tight before he started at B96 in 2004; producing music with the Jump Smokers and DJ Flipside (who also does the music for The MVP Game) and their popular remix My Flow So Tight. Roman explains how he got on the air at B96 when he was a super-fan, doing nights and afternoons for several years with Stylz then mornings at US99 in 2016 until they had to leave (get the full story in episode 2 of The Stylz & Roman Uncensored Podcast); being the entertainment host at the Chicago Bulls games; famous people he's met and toured with; why he likes Pitbull; success and failure; appearing with Kenzie K on the Windy City Live TV show and ABC 7, why he and Stylz did their podcast for only a year, why he's positive, and more. 

This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). 

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG192.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Kathy Hart: Hall of Famer on the most popular morning show in Chicago

For two decades, Kathy Hart was part of the most popular morning show in Chicago, on 101.9 WTMX The Mix. She talks about how she went from being an intern to getting on the air in Rockford at WKKN and WYFE, then driving the station van at WZOK and WROK; how she was different from the "pukers" and wanted to be authentic on the air; how her radio experience changed with the Internet and texts; advice, celebrities she met, and falling asleep in Milwaukee; having a show with Brian Pecht at G105 in Raleigh, North Carolina and their fun in Jamaica; being on the air in Arizona at KZZP/KVRY then co-hosting an afternoon show at KDKB, where she also did sports reporting and interviewed Charles Barkley when he was starting out with the Phoenix Suns; how doing the Morning Zoo in Columbus, Ohio was challenging; how she ended up with a morning partner on The Mix; staying authentic, her new site Gritology.com, her faith, forgiveness, healing, love, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). 

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG189.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Hannah B: having a blast in radio!

Hannah Brummer is on the air every morning with Eddie Volkman on Star 96.7. She talks about her radio career, which includes hosting afternoons on 103 WXLC, and working in promotions at US 99, 104.3 Jams, WLS, and Q101. She talks about how she got into radio, why she loves radio, what auditions are like, show prep, why she's so grateful, her podcast Monday Motivation with Hannah B, her home studio, her supportive family, what she learned from being an athlete, how to stay positive, and more. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). 

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG188.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Brian Pecht: music radio fun, payola, success

Brian Pecht has been a jock and programmer at music radio stations for several years, and he hosts the very popular The Catholic Word Podcast. He talks about why he enjoys doing traffic at WBBM Newsradio; his on-air work at WLS-FM; payola in the music radio business; office politics; being on the air and Program Director (the youngest in the country) in Detroit at WCZY Z95.5 (where radio legend Dick Purtan had a successful show); how the 1996 Telecommunications Act changed the radio business and how the market shrank; how he got into radio and TV in Virginia with Bill Bowman's "The Bowman Body;" working in Richmond, Virginia then Columbus, Ohio at Sunny 95; working in North Carolina at KZL with Big Steve Kelly; how radio made hits; how he helped Billy Idol; advice for working in the media; celebrities and music superstars he's met; developing talent and advice for what makes a good aircheck; being one of the founding air talents at Q101 WKQX Alternative; getting fired yet having lots of success in music radio; where he burned a bridge; how fun radio has been, and more! He's also been on the air at other major Chicago stations including WSHE, WILV, and WTMX. This is from a livestream that we did; watch the full interview here (over two hours).

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG185.mp3

Watch the Radiogirl livestreams and videos at the Radiogirl FB page and on YouTube (also live-streaming on Radiogirl Twitter, Metrolingua Twitter, and my own Fakebook page).

If you like what I'm doing, Buy Me a Coffee...thanks!

Bart Shore: from Chicago to North Carolina

Bart Shore was one of the early guests on this podcast 12 years ago, and he was my first livestreaming guest last week. He is still doing traffic in Chicago in the morning with Melissa Forman and hosts weekends at WLIT. Lately, he's also been on various music stations throughout the country.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG180.mp3

I interviewed Bart in 2010, so if you want to know more details about his career, you can listen to that interview here. 

p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is available as an ebook at Amazon. Get the quality print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews and more about me at margaretlarkin.com

Lin Brehmer: Successful Radio Fun

Lin Brehmer, who has a fantastic reputation for being a super-friendly, interesting, talented radio guy, is well-known in Chicago via his on-air work at WXRT, where he was previously Music Director. He talks about his baseball and music nerdiness; interviewing Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and The Replacements; creating the always-entertaining Lin's Bin; his professional writing and his mom; backstage adventures; meeting the Go-Go's, Aimee Mann, and Robert Randolph; why WXRT is different from other stations; his vague party details and how beer got him his WXRT job; the secret to his and WXRT's longevity; his hometown in Queens, and more! 

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac). http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG178.mp3

p.s. My novel, Wicker Park Wishes, is available in the very affordable digital form at Amazon. Get the print version through Eckhartz Press, owned by longtime radio pro Rick Kaempfer (who I interviewed for this podcast in the early days). See the reviews at margaretlarkin.com

Bill Cochran: his own beat

Bill Cochran's voice is everywhere in Chicago, even on the west coast. After graduating from Northwestern, where he was on the air at WNUR, he was on the air and was the production director at WXRT for a decade, then joined Rick O'Dell at WNUA Smooth Jazz for over 20 years, went online with WLFM Smooth Jazz, then returned to WXRT to do more production. He talks about: why he left WXRT for his current production job at MeTV-FM, understanding what listeners want, his approach to talking about music in an entertaining way, telling stories when he performs with his band Great Moments in Vinyl, how he creates stories, how he chooses songs to perform, how he maintains a creative lifestyle in a non-creative world, his clog blog Every Clog Has Its Day, Oklahoma, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG152.mp3

Get info about Great Moments in Vinyl's next show here.

The personal story that he mentions in this interview starts on his blog with Chapter 1 here, continues with Chapter 2 here, then continues with the rest of the chapters here (it’s not a continuous string of posts, thus the separate links).

J Niice and Showbiz Shelly: B96 mornings

A lot has happened since the last time I interviewed the stars of the B96 morning show: Julian Nieh left Chicago, and J Niice and Showbiz Shelly are the main hosts (with producer Gabe, who wasn't interviewed at this time).

First, Showbiz Shelly talks briefly (because she had to leave, just like last time) about her celebrity-filled life, including spilling a drink on Miranda Rae Mayo, the daily smackdown, yoga, relaxing, going out in Chicago, cohosting on WCIU’s morning show and appearance on Fox Chicago, cohosting the B96 morning show, highlights of her radio career, and advice for working in the media.

Then we find out a lot about J Niice, including his huge career as a child star on TV, including Sesame Street and the famous Honeycomb cereal commercial with Andre the Giant; his scary plane incident; his New York background; why he travels so much; being Jamaican and hanging out with the Jamaican community in Chicago and New York; being successful without the arrogance; how the B96 morning show is different after Julian left; what’s great about morning radio, even though it's super-early; interacting with the audience via social media; his hobbies such as soccer, scuba diving, volunteering at the Shedd Aquarium and Chill (a snowboarding charity for inner city kids), and snowboarding in his free time; his passion for late night television, especially Arsenio Hall; being on the TV shows Dish Nation and Empire; what he thinks of hip hop culture; what's great about Queens in New York; Jamaica; why he likes Chicago, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG149.mp3

Scott Miller: passion personified

Scott Miller has been working as a radio host and producer for years. He describes his beard pursuits: how he got into national and international beard competitions; how he got into radio doing the weather for Dick Biondi; working at NPR and another local station while at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; getting fired, dealing with being out of work, and persevering without a job; doing mornings on Rock 105 WTAO; starting in Chicago at WCKG with Pete McMurray; why he loves radio so much; consistently contacting John Gehron; living in southern Illinois; reuniting with Pete McMurray at WGN and WDRV The Drive; being on the original team at Oprah's radio network, Oprah Winfrey's generosity; working for Gayle King's show and why she's so wonderful; working with Maya Angelou and why she's so great; why he left the excitement of Oprah's network for anchoring news at the failed FM News 101.1; predicting Bears games on Fox 32 TV; the difference between radio and TV; how music radio is more challenging than talk radio, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG148.mp3

Ryan Arnold: voice of the century

Ryan Arnold is on the air at WXRT every weeknight and on Saturdays. He talks about visiting the station while he was growing up; how he got on the air; how he ended up working overnights for the railroad (CSX); hosting New Noise at Nine; his favorite kinds of music; his live music regret; why he adores Joe Shanahan; working at KBXR in Columbia, Missouri, 105.5 Triple M (WMMM-FM) in Madison, Wisconsin (which he says is a great music town), and WDRV "The Drive"; how working in small markets helps; why he likes working in public relations; why he likes vinyl; how both digital and radio help bands’ exposure; his former podcast, if he thought he lost everything; why he likes being on the air; advice, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG147.mp3

John Calhoun: positive guy

John Calhoun is on the air weeknights at K-Hits (WJMK-FM), and he talks about his successful music radio and voiceover career, including his early days in Mason City (at KRIB, where Bob Wittnebel was his program director and is a listener to this pod) and Cedar Rapids in Iowa; how technology changed music radio; working in Oklahoma City and Kansas City before going to Chicago; how he got to Chicago at WEFM; how he’s stayed motivated and positive; why he left radio after working at The Point (WPNT-FM); working at WJMK and WGN at the same time; his great experience at the Satellite Music Network; how doing sales has helped him as talent; what makes good on-air performance, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG144.mp3

In the interview, this is his Fakebook post that I asked him about:

This is for you friends that are unemployed, under-employed, or facing a career crisis. Three years ago today, I lost my job. This happens all the time in the radio business. I had been fired before, but there were red flags alerting me to what may be coming. This time however, I was completely blindsided. I held that position for six years. I enjoyed working there and had developed good relationships with my fellow employees.

Fast-forward to today. I've been working full-time at K-HiTS for 13 months. My voice-over business continues to grow. My income has increased substantially. The station (K-HiTS) is performing better than ever. I'm proud and very grateful to be a part of this team. Life is good.

Enough about me. What can you do to improve your situation? If you're unemployed, file for unemployment compensation right away. Then, landing a new job becomes your full-time job. You are now a salesperson. What are you selling? The many benefits you can offer a prospective employer.

Promote yourself in every way possible. Email, voicemail, regular (USPS) mail, texts, social media, jobsites, word-of-mouth, etc. Do whatever you can to make yourself stand out from the crowd of job applicants that are competing with you.

You will encounter plenty of rejection. Treat it as the price of doing business. Do not take it personally.

Are you a person of faith? Then pray! Have your family and friends pray on your behalf. Prayer may be the single most valuable tool available to you. Yet it costs nothing.
"One door closes, another door opens." You've heard that before and it's true. Now, go find that open door!

Scott Childers: designed for radio

Scott Childers has been working in radio for over 25 years. He is the afternoon drive host and is the program director at Star 96.7 and talks about why he got into the business; why he didn't become an architect; working at WJTW 93.5 in Joliet; becoming one of the first traffic reporters for Metro Traffic; why doing traffic for both radio and TV is fun and how they're different; how he became a jock at 103-5 The Blaze; what it's like to be the boss and be on the air at the same time; why he wanted to be a PD and what he likes about it; why he likes being on the air; what made his mentor Tim Dukes so great (who's worked at WLUP The Loop, Next Media, Tribune, Q101); his excellent website about WLS Radio and his book Chicago's WLS Radio, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG138.mp3

Brian "Sludge" Haddad: in the zone

Brian Haddad is the Creative Director and on-air host at sports radio 94WIP in Philadelphia and talks about how he handles show prep and production responsibilities; writing with Spike Eskin; how he comes up with effective imaging, including drama and storylines for promos; his work at WRCX Rock 103-5 (where Dave Richards was a great boss) and Q101 WKQX in Chicago; making the transition from music radio to sports radio; what made radio fun; what Metallica is like; Chris Farley in the Hancock; how his agent Steve Mandell has helped his career; why he went to WXCD The Zone from Q101, and how he dealt with being out of work after The Zone’s demise; his brief gig with Adam Carolla; why people should have more than one skill; his successful morning show in Richmond at WDYL Y101; doing mornings in Phoenix at KDKB-FM; how he landed at WIP; what makes a good sports show; how listeners responded to him when he was first in Philadelphia; working in Toledo Ohio at WIOT FM-104; how he got into radio; what's great about Detroit; advice for people who've lost jobs; how he realized that "every day I'm with myself," and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG137.mp3

Spike Eskin: no yelling

Spike Eskin is the Program Director of sports radio 94WIP in Philadelphia and talks about Delaware county, Philadelphia's idiosyncrasies, if being from Philadelphia helps his reputation with listeners; working at WYSP in Philadelphia and Q101 in Chicago (where he was the assistant program director and music director); working in sports radio vs music radio and the difference between managing a music station and sports station; how music radio has changed; his sports podcast; why people should do their own projects and have their own websites; why he likes being a PD; dealing with air talent; the role of social media and the power of Twitter; how he rebranded himself when he was out of work and how his website helped him get work; why he didn't use his last name for a while; what it's like to be his dad's boss (sports media star Howard Eskin) and what he learned from him; radio yellers, interviewing Howard Stern, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG136.mp3

Spike O'Dell: rewarded by radio

Spike O'Dell is happily retired after spending several years at WGN radio. He talks about his radio career; why he retired; being a top 40 DJ; how he got into radio; how music radio and the radio business have changed; becoming Billboard Magazine's Top 40 Jock of the Year in a medium market; how he went from music radio to talk radio; how he got to WGN; working at KIIK-FM and KSTT in the Quad Cities and Iowa; why he left WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina; what it was like to take over mornings after Bob Collins died; dealing with his house burning down; and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG133.mp3

Jeffrey T. Mason: super-passionate music radio host

Jeffrey T. Mason is on the air at WJMK/K-Hits in Chicago, and has been working in radio since he was a teenager. He talks about how he got into radio; his early gig at WYCL-FM in Boyertown-Reading, Pennsylvania; why stations don't want music DJs to talk too much; why he loves Chicago; working at 92.7 KISS-FM/WKIE-FM/WDEK-FM/WKIF-FM, WXXY-FM, and 94.7 WZZN the Zone; doing mornings on the dance station Energy 95.7/5; working in Indianapolis and how luxurious Emmis Communications' headquarters are; advice for getting into the biz; how he's dealt with changes and firings; why CBS is a great company; being talent vs being management; how to make a music station successful; being a teenage program director; working at 94.5 KOOL-FM in Phoenix, Arizona as an Assistant Program Director and on-air host; the worst interview with singer Jewel Kilcher; interviewing Cher; dealing with record reps; why he doesn't like doing morning shows; being persistent; his jingles and other audio; his online music station, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG128.mp3

Ken Smith: Al Roker Jr and more

Ken Smith was known as "Al Roker Jr." on the Mancow show, and now does sports updates on Jonathan Brandmeier's show and has his own show on The Game Chicago. He talks about how he got his nickname; why he got gastric bypass surgery; the south side and living near President Barack Obama; working at V103/WVAZ-FM with Richard Steele, John Davis, George Willborn, John Monds, and Bonnie DeShong; meeting Ray Charles and James Brown; working at white and black radio stations; being a Rush and Duran Duran fan; how he got on the Mancow show; being the only black person around white people; working for Mancow’s show at Q101 and Rock 103.5; naked adventures; the Howard Stern/Mancow rivalry; his podcast, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG127.mp3

Bernie Eagan: lifelong radio fun

Bernie Eagan is on the air afternoons/evenings at B105.7/WYXB in Indianapolis, and has spent his entire career in Indiana. He's amazingly been with Emmis Communications for over 30 years. He talks about his start in radio when he was 14; working in Hartford City, at WERK in Muncie, and at WENS; what it's like to be blind; how people have responded to him and helped him; braille; how he successfully studied in school; Eric Garnes and Paul Mendenhall; how radio has changed; getting fired; famous people he's met; his DJ business; why he loves radio; advice, perseverance, and more. I got to know him when he contacted me after he listened to the Greg Brown interview I did.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG126.mp3

Bionce Foxx: shining star

Bionce Foxx was on the air at WGCI in Chicago for several years and now does mid-days at Star 92.7 in the Cayman Islands (Caribbean and urban music). She talks about how she got into radio; working in Bermuda at a hip hop R&B station; voicetracking; meeting famous people; stalkers; John Legend; her Foxx on the Box show on WGCI; hearing Ordinary People live on the air; working at WGCI's gospel sister station; Steve Harvey; why music radio is still vibrant; meeting Rihanna, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z; voicetracking for Clear Channel in Tyler, Texas and at WKKV V100.7 in Milwaukee; doing TV at CLTV, WGN and NBC-5; advice; mid-days in Las Vegas at a hip-hop R&B station; helping other people; volunteering at Pacific Garden Mission, LaRabida Hospital, the Jordan Boys & Girls clubs, Changing Life Education, and Top Box Foods; racism; what it was like to work for the Kennedy family and Chris Kennedy at the Merchandise Mart, and more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG122.mp3

Donna Halper: Rush and Radio

Donna Halper is best known for bringing Rush to the USA, but she's had a long career in radio. She talks about the radio business; her start in radio at Northeastern University, where she was the first woman on the air; her consulting biz; if radio can be revived; overcoming obstacles; her books and essays about baseball and the media; women in radio; being weird; how she got on the air; Arnie Ginsburg; why she hated Cleveland; getting fired for not doing drugs; sexual harassment; being persistent; WMMS in Cleveland, where she introduced Rush to the United States; why Rush is different; her friendship with them; why it took a long time for Rush to get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; what Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart are like; the Alex Harvey Band; Bruce Springsteen; WRNW in Briarcliff Manor, New York, where Howard Stern started out; being a Mercury Records talent scout; WLIR in Long Island; WRVR in New York (a jazz station); Barney Kessel; Phil Woods, who played on a Billy Joel song, Boston, and lots more.

Click the link below to play, or download it by right-clicking (on a PC) or holding down the CTRL key and clicking on it (for Mac).

http://radiogirl.us/audio/RG119.mp3