Did you used to be in broadcasting Craig? Yeah, i enjoy her Friday night shows where she mixes up a good stiff drink. I'd hang with Rachel on a fishing trip any old time!
15 years. It all started at a 5000 watt radio station in Bakersfie....uh...Graysonville, MD. Site of the transmitter, the studio was in Annapolis. Sean O'Mealy was PD at the time...I had no experience, but that wasn't required. It was a music station and musical love and knowledge were paramount. The owner wanted me, Sean did not. I auditioned one Saturday...was immediately handed the Saturday night overnight and 2 months later elevated to full time...doing 5 overnight shifts a week, M-F, 12-6. I had no restrictions, few rules and a very small playlist....and a 10,000 piece library, ranging from Big Band through jump blues, 50's rock, british invasion, psychedelics to...current Americana stuff...Wilco, Son Volt...Southern Culture on The Skids,etc...
I also did the lion's share of ad production. A "contest rules" ad I produced and voiced ran for years after I left the station.
But all good things come to an end. More rules, more restrictions, tighter playlists and the sale of the station by that wonderful owner...and some downright horrible PDs indicated the end was coming...and so it did. I moved to the NPR affiliate where I did the weekend announcing and filled in for evenings...and jazz programming. I eventually had my own show on Saturdays...local only...for about 5 years. Management and I had some..."issues"...like...I wanted to get paid...and they didn't want to pay me. I spent 10 years there...and the announcers never received a raise during that period, except one. The evening guy became PD and got a $60,000 a year raise. I just wanted $2 bucks a hour...
All good. I lived one of dreams.