Public Radio Volunteer DJs

KGPR volunteer disk jockeys – story from Polly K

     Have you ever wondered what’s behind the voice of public radio?  As you tune in you marvel at the sweet diction, that’s delightfully a wee bit British; the vocals that sound like your caring veterinarian; or perhaps the expressions of a brawny basketball coach.

      What’s coming from the mike over the air waves are the local heroes of KGPR, who move from day jobs and professions to “on the air” production. They have a passion for music, play their favorites, and slip into the disk jockeying chair for memory moments of their own volunteer creative shows.  Before they beam on, they have trained for six weeks learning how to speak into the mike, right diction, proper procedure from the logs, FCC requirements, transmitter tests, Emergency alert Tests, and how to fill out play lists.

     “We’re all great DJs at KGPR, like one big family,” says Matt Donnelly, a six year veteran, who loves “making the magic, and having a show.”

     Whatever you’ve wanted to know about becoming a DJ is taught in the twice a year training class at MSU-COT, the culmination of which is making a mock show, and your own CD.

     “It’s a gem for the communicator,” echoes Tom Halverson, who started out as a DJ eleven years ago and now, is in his sixth year as station manager. “Some DJs have gone on to Sirius radio and positions in other states.” 

     KGPR has been here for 27 years.  Halvorsen indicates it started in response to local people who always listened to Missoula Public Radio.  It began with a small block of time: Saturday afternoon classical music and has grown to numerous DJs providing 40 hours of local content per week.

    Jean Curtis spent many years admiring public radio growing up in England.  When she and her military husband retired in Cascade, she was a “little at a loss.”  However, eleven years ago, she read a Tribune article about the DJ training.  Once trained, she began spinning her Celtic, folk, and light classical music on her Wednesday morning show. Many of her favorites came from a boarding school teacher’s gramophone back home.  Now in her mid-seventies, she continues to enjoy her cup of tea while creating her show.  

     Tune in on Friday nights from 7:30 – 9:00 pm and you will get a taste of Blue grass, folk, blues, western, Americana, and acoustic genres of music, all coming from Tim Hodges, the Data Network Supervisor for Three Rivers Communication in Fairfield. Hodges has been doing radio for three years.  He also plays the mandolin and may be heard occasionally on Thursday nights at the open forum at Bert & Ernies.  Hodges refers to well known Bluegrass DJ, Ray Davis, in Baltimore, Maryland, for enlightenment.

     Dr. Elizabeth Jennings started doing the KGPR Pet Report at the invitation of Halvorsen who brought his dog into her veterinary clinic.  Now, she also has her own “theme” show every Monday morning.  Jennings provides a real variety of Americana, Bluegrass, folk, and alternative pop, for her listening audience. 

     “I’m very eclectic,” she explains, drawing on her own CD collection for three to four hours to prepare for a show.  Her inspiration comes from folklorist, Nick Spitzer, producer and host of American Routes, and her brother who made mixed tapes for her when she was in college. 

     University of Great Falls adjunct professor, and Great Falls Central Catholic High School boys basketball coach, Chris Kelly, gets the late, late, crowd. The Chris Kelly Comedy Hour airs Saturday morning at 1:00 am.  Kelly writes her own stuff, plays comedy songs, and does a whole range of funny things.  Her funny man mentor is Dr. DiMento who does a weekly nationally renowned radio festival of mad music and crazy comedy.  She also notes, “I own Kelly Signs.”

     Matt Donnelly can be heard Thursday morning, and afternoon, doing a mid day show with a variety of music from ragtime to jazz.  On Saturday afternoons, he takes listeners on classical journeys with tidbits about the music and composers.

     “I specialize in classical, jazz, film music; what you don’t hear on main stream radio, he says.

     It is not unusual for Donnelly to view his volunteer position as a job.  He is able to do a free form new age alternative for the station which allows him a lot of time on the air.  KGPR helps him get his feet wet as he pursues a career in radio.  In May, he will graduate from the University of Great Falls achieving a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in communications.

     Teresa Lang-Court has been a dedicated DJ since 2005 when she lived in Bozeman but drove to Great Falls to share her world music: folk, rock, and contemporary. Lang-Court now resides here and presents a Tuesday afternoon show, a Friday morning show, and fills in whenever needed.  She tries not to duplicate songs, as the studio has a gallery of 5000 CDs and her daughter’s old closet is full of music.  She still remembers her first time on the air: “very nervous, hitting the wrong buttons, and a very shaky voice.”

     In the last six months, Lang-Court has become the KGPR music director.  In that capacity, she keeps in contact with the record companies and promoters that send music; she schedules interviews, with recording artists, does an open mike show, voiceovers, and recently took over for now retired, Kerry Callahan. 

     The roster of volunteer DJs also includes: Dave Campbell, Ian Court, Pat Douglas, Tom Dubay, Erik Evjen, Tom Hazen, T.C. Hirsch, Gordon Johnson, Jill Kanewischer, Rodger McConnell, Janelle Munson, and Rick Tryon.

     KGPR creates multiple programming for a variety of listeners from Lewistown, Helena, Fort Benton, and as far as Glacier Park.   

     “Within all those hours think about the variety of music, interviews, American cultural affairs show, classical reggae, Broadway, Bluegrass, comedy; plus, outside of the studio we will go tape events,” says Halvorsen, adding, we are now, heading in a direction of doing live remotes, and would like to stream where you could pick us up on the internet.”

     Many “thank yous” go out to the volunteer DJs.  Halvorsen passes tickets on to them for concerts and has two parties annually: a fall dinner and a summer party, to tell them how much they are appreciated.