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10 Questions with ... Dave O
July 11, 2023
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I have always worked CHR and began my career at the age of 16 for KFRX in Lincoln, Nebraska under Sonny Valentine. I stayed there through college at the University of Nebraska (under Ryan Sampson) while also commuting to KMXV in Kansas City on weekends (3.5 hour drive) to work under Jon Zellner. My first full-time job was for John Reynolds at WNKS in Charlotte. I did late nights for 2.5 years there, before Cat Thomas hired me to do evenings at WAPE/Jacksonville, where I remained for another 2.5 years. It was there that I also worked under JR Ammons (who loves a horrible football team). Finally, I was hired in 2009 to come to my dream job in replacing Kelly Urich for afternoons at KMXV. Ponch hired me and Steve Serrano is my current PD. I've been here ever since and celebrated 26 years in the industry last month!
Also, I hosted a syndicated two hour '90's pop show ("Round Trip With Dave O") for 11 years through both Benztown and AdLarge, thanks to my good friend Dan Holiday. At our peak, we were on 25 stations across the USA, interviewing 90's pop stars each week, putting phoners on and doing FUN upbeat POP. We pulled the plug on it last January and I miss it, but I'm very proud of the show. The website is still up at roundtripwithdaveo.com with tons and tons of old interviews.
Appreciate you reading more about my journey below!
1. How would you describe your first radio gig?
I was a high school kid, like so many radio guys were in those days, who had always dreamed of being on the air. As a five year old, I would spend my allowance on cassette tapes and CD's and have a fake radio station in my room. I wrote a lot of letters to legendary PD Sonny Valentine at KFRX (the #1 station in Lincoln) basically begging her for a job. Well, lo and behold, the guy who ran the Rick Dees and Casey's Top 40 shows each Sunday (and also did weekend overnights) got mono and was unable to work. She hired me, he never came back and I ended up doing weekend overnights during my last two years of high school and filling in for weekdays/doing days on the weekends during college. That station was AWESOME and put so many people into big jobs during those days. Ryan Sampson (now Sirius Hits 1 "Morning Mashup"), Brandon Bell (legendary voice and imaging guy now in LA), Adam Michaels (now on air in San Antonio), Jessie Jordan (now on air in Philly), Paul Powers (now on air in Colorado Springs), Joe Davis (production legend in Greensboro), Joe Tyler (who went to KMXV before me) etc etc. We had so much fun. The first two years, it was carts and CD's, even reel to reels the first few months I was there. Then we got the most slapdick phone editor ever, the old 360. It was amazing at that time but Voxpro turned it into dust. We did radio like it was supposed to be done and I'll always believe that was the best small market radio station in America for a solid decade.
2. What led you to a career in radio?
Mentioned it above – but just was always fascinated by 'who could hear my voice and where they might be' and 'pushing buttons' and 'being famous.' I was 5-years old when these thoughts began. It just never left me ever since then. I am so beyond blessed to have only done radio my entire life, outside of 3 months at a grocery store in high school, 3 months as a dental delivery driver in college and 3 months doing phone surveys in college. Other than that, I've never done anything but Pop radio.
3. You've just hit the 15 year mark at Mix – congrats! How does your tenure in the market help you to do your thing at the next level?
Let me explain Kansas City to you like this. We are DEFINITELY a Top 3 sports market in the entire United States and we LOVE our teams. We will always defend our players and teams, no matter what. I bring that up in answering this question to explain our mindset. We protect our own, we love each other and most of all, we are DAMN PROUD of our city. We have a chip on our shoulder. We don't love being known as 'flyover country' and often feel disrespected. But ask anyone who has spent any time here what they thought of it and 95% will say it's a cool and beautiful city with lots to do and great people. Outsiders are welcomed with open arms – but once you commit to KC and marry the market, it will wrap its arms around you so tight that you'll never want to leave. It's why people come here in radio and almost never leave.
So to answer your question, I have gone from arriving here as a 'semi outsider' (growing up a few hours away) to now being the exact person I describe above. This is my home. I will always live here. I will die here. I love it here. I am part of this city and it's in my veins, as it is for anyone who spends any amount of time here.
4. You were promoted through the ranks internally to MD chair. It's a beautiful thing when something like that happens. What do love the most about that part of your job?
I'll tell you one thing, I miss the label visits less artists who come through these days. I miss the amount of interviews we used to have and some of the promotions we pulled off. Covid definitely helped kill that.
BUT, focusing on the good (as my therapist tells me to do hahah), I just love scheduling music day to day. I love how it's like a jigsaw puzzle or solving a Rubik's Cube, and how I 'solve Selector issues or problems by the good old J and S buttons. It's the same feeling I got 'beating a Nintendo game' as a kid. And, working with Steve Serrano on music is a lot of fun. He grew up here and understands KMXV and this city just as much as anyone.
While we are on the topic, I have to talk about our entire staff here. We are truly like a FAMILY and I think it's what makes KMXV such a successful station. Rocket and Teresa have been here 23 years and anchor mornings. Tara joined them about 7 years ago and is absolutely hilarious. They are GREAT anchors for our station and also plugged in within this community like you wouldn't believe. Steve is PD and middays and like my big brother. We are BFF's who enjoy talking shit but also would do anything for each other and work extremely well as a 1-2 punch. I do afternoons so that's the weak point of the station. Mallory Kay is someone who deserves some looks in this industry because she's going to do big things. She is our night host (LIVE NIGHTS) and also Promotions Director for both KMXV and KCKC (our sister AC). Don't steal her for a while though because we need her.
5. You still do afternoons every weekday. What does it mean to you to still be able to be on the r-a-d-i-o?
It means everything. I get to do non-corporate radio each day for a GREAT GREAT GREAT company (Steel City Media). SCM is owned by three brothers who have stations only in Pittsburgh and KC. They are friendly, easy to approach and caring. They believe in TALENT and LIVE RADIO (as proven by us being live 6a – 7p on all four stations and NIGHTS live on Mix) and believe in hiring the right people and THEN LETTING THEM DO THEIR JOBS. What a concept, huh? No telling me I can only say this or that at this break, no telling me I can't move talk breaks, no controlling my content, etc, etc. This is just like radio at KFRX/Lincoln. I did the corporate thing in between with CBS and Cox and there were definitely some positives about that, but I NEVER want SCM to sell. I tell one of the brothers (Michael Frischling) all the time, 'Please don't sell us. You don't have plans to, right?' Who else can talk like that with their CEO? Great dudes who allow radio to be like it used to, which is a WINNING formula.
6. How can the format make sure that potential Gen Z and Gen Alpha listeners are being properly served?
Talk about a loaded question...
We have to reduce stop sets. We have to get more hours and content sponsored, do more video and social media stuff, make ourselves viable across multiple platforms.
Most of all, RADIO MUST EMBRACE CONTENT. PODCASTS are the biggest thing going right now. Why are we still afraid to do long form entertainment over the air when our listeners are looking for that? If we are just a jukebox with 14 units, we suck. We never win that. Why would someone listen to 14 minutes of spots for music they don't get to select? BECAUSE OF CONTENT. Podcasts are purely content. I'm not saying CHR needs to go Talk – I'm saying we need to get out of this 'shut up and play the hits' mentality of yesteryear and realize that we are toast as an industry if we don't. Personalities and CONTENT are all radio truly has at this point. 'They come here for the music, shut up and play the hits' left the train station years ago.
7. What's your all-time favorite backstage memory?
We had Justin Bieber for his first ever concert here in KC. It was our big summer show in 2009 - "Red, White & Boom" with David Cook headlining (KC guy), Blue October, The Veronicas, Kevin Rudolf, Lovesick Radio and Justin Bieber. He was a last minute replacement for Jessie James, who had gotten moved to a few dates on the Miley Cyrus tour. We were like, 'Who is this Bieber kid?' We hung out with him the night before at Lucky Strike Bowling Lane – NOBODY recognized him. His Mom was there backstage and sobbing as he went out for his first ever show. He was so nervous he barely made it. He played four tracked songs. "One Time" was his song at that point. It's always cool knowing we had the honor of the first ever Justin Bieber concert.
8. If you could take a spin in the custom 'All Access Back To The Future Delorean,' which legendary station from the past would you like to work at for a week?
Z100. Period. I wish I could do a shift there now. I'd pay my own way to fly out there and do it. Which by the way, did you realize that Kansas City (I believe) is the only Top 35 market that iHeart isn't in? Cool backstory on that but I'll let someone else explain it.
9. What was your favorite station(s) to listen to when you were a kid? Jock(s)?
KFRX in Lincoln, and when I would come down to KC for Royals games, it was this station (KMXV). At KFRX, I LOVED the aforementioned Sonny Valentine, who is the best PD I ever worked for at developing talent. She was a pure genius. She did middays on that station, Jared Robb (now our KC cross town Sales Director competition at KCHZ) did afternoons and Larry Freeze "The Iceman" did nights.
Down here in KC, Kelly Urich was my hero and mentor. He did a TON for me. I'll never forget any of the people I've mentioned in this article and many others that I'm sure that I forgot to add (and I apologize).
10. Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?
Not only the people I mentioned above – but here's some other people who really helped me along the way as well. AJ Ryder, Tony Travatto, Eric Tyler (now a RECORD GUY?!??!?!), Chad Rock, Yankee Pete Herrick, Ace & TJ, Chase Daniels, Jackson Blue, Jack Lee, Mathew Blades, the late Russell Rush.... there's been so many.
Bonus Questions
With the venue of your choice available and an unlimited budget, which 6 artists would you pull together for a listener concert event?
LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this question.
I feel like you'd need to make it very well balanced, just like doing a music log, so let's go with this.
Taylor Swift (I hear she sells tickets???)
Maroon 5 (That body of yours is absurd)
Post Malone ("Chemical" is like my life story right now)
Olivia Rodrigo (new single is a smash)
Justin Timberlake (we need more music bro stop slacking)
The Weeknd (my spirit animal)Everyone else probably goes Ed Sheeran over Maroon 5, Dua Lipa over Olivia and Bieber over Timberlake, but that's my list!
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