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10 Questions with ... Kevin “Meatball” Kerr
June 7, 2022
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. I can't get enough out of people laughing at the ‘dumb Kansas Boy’ experiencing Michigan for the first time, and everything this state has to offer. Little things like learning Kellogg's are right down the road from us, doing a break on Pop-Tart flavors, and getting multiple calls about it... just by talking about Pop-Tarts.
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1) What was your first job in radio and early mentors and influences?
TECHNICALLY, my first gig was board-oping for Dickson high school football on KVSO in Ardmore, Oklahoma. But the “real” first gig was the morning news guy and “computer and web” guy for the Southern Oklahoma Radio Center – KKAJ, KTRX, KVSO, and GTO 107 (KYNZ) in Ardmore.
I was working in news and web mostly, but right away, my influences were the morning man and PD for KKAJ, Win Patton, and Jay “Ramone” Pitts on KTRX. Jay was a big influence on getting to know rock music on a much more intimate, and “radio” level (not just as a consumer), and Win was just a HUGE personality, and regularly pulled me into his studio for bits in the morning… even though I had NO experience. HE made me fall in love with the “Act” of radio.
2) Can you give us a rundown of your radio career up to now?
Boy, a lot has changed since I evaluated this one. Basically, I was given an opportunity, 8 years ago, to work News and IT for a cluster of stations in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Two years after that, the cluster got bought, and our new GM asked what I wanted to do. I told him "I want to be on the rock station," so the next day (a Thursday), I was thrown onto afternoon drive with no coaching or experience... it was a train wreck. BUT, I got better, moved from afternoons to mornings with my buddy Jimmy Green, and THAT (alongside experience with engineering, producing, promotions, and graphic design) got my foot in the door to work for KICT-FM, 95.1 "T95" in WIchita, KS. It was a great job, great station, and my home city. I grew up listening to T95 as a kid, so it was a literal dream come true to work there. After 2 ½ years, I was promoted to Program Director, and did that for a year before a NEW opportunity fell in my lap. Another heritage station in Kalamazoo, Michigan, "The Rocker," 107.7 WRKR needed a new morning host. I'd only ever been to Michigan once in my life, so the thought of something new and fresh got me excited, so I took the opportunity a little over a month ago.
3) You recently did afternoons and were the PD at KICT (T-95)/Wichita. What did you learn from that experience?
The afternoon air shift was a blast. Kind of a fun "cap" to the end of the workday. That show ended up being the most fun I'd had on-air up to that point in my career, because we were all ending the day at the same time, we were all headed out to the same places after work. It was like having a beer with all my listeners who were just getting off work with me.
As for the Program Director aspect... SOOO much learned. Before you step into that role, you can't even fathom how much intricate detail goes into every programming decision made - where certain imaging is placed, why specific songs are played in any given day, or hour, controlling the flow of the station from 12 am to 11:59 pm, and making sure you have a long-form, consistent product all day... then do it again the next. Networking with people outside of the cluster and community was probably the best part of the job. SO many new friends and contacts made that will be a part of my arsenal for a LONG time to come.
But also, the tough lessons. You can only control what you have control over. So, if it's out of your hands, then wash yourself of it, roll with the punches, and concentrate on making the parts you CAN affect the best they can possibly be. The industry is changing so fast in so many places. Job descriptions aren't even what they were five years ago, let alone 10-20 years ago. Being able to adapt and overcome was an imperative lesson I learned while programming T95.
4) Congrats on your new gig as Morning co-host at WRKR/Kalamazoo. What was it about this gig that made you make the move from being the PD at T-95?
Thank you! Man, there was something buzzing about this place. LOTS of great changes in the market recently, the community had a lot to offer that I hadn't experienced before, and there's something about a morning show that carries an extra element of excitement, too. I will say, it's an adjustment waking up this early (especially after working afternoons for 3 years in Wichita), but I'm slowly getting used to it.
5) Now let’s talk about The Rocker Morning Show with your co-host Mark Frankhouse. How are things going so far?
Things are going really well. Mark's an awesome co-host, and only a month in, we're still feeling each other out a bit, getting to know our likes and dislikes, the rhythm and cadence we both bring to the table, the content we can both riff on in a way that's still entertaining. It's been 4 years since I've worked on air with a team environment, so that's a switch, but Mark's making it super easy, and we're getting great feedback already.
6) Do you do any special benchmarks or features in the Morning?
Nothing of note just yet, but I am experiencing a LOT of new things in Michigan. I had my first Vernors and my first ever Faygo on air recently... both a trip. And I think we're about to do a weekly "Fancy Friday Faygo Review" where I review each of the Faygo flavors, and pair them with a compatible food item... kind of like what cheese goes well with certain wines... but for Juggalos. But we have plans in the works... just gotta put the elements in place.
7) I know it’s been a short time since you started doing this Morning Show, but do you have any early highlights or special moments you can share with us?
Boy the reaction has been great, and I can't get enough out of people laughing at the "dumb Kansas Boy" experiencing Michigan for the first time, and everything this state has to offer. Little things like learning Kellogg's are right down the road from us, doing a break on Pop-Tart flavors, and getting multiple calls about it... just by talking about Pop-Tarts.
8) How important is a strong Social Media presence for you in your new role as a Morning co-host, and can you give us an example of a recent post that resonated with your listeners?
Social Media is imperative. It's an extension of what radio is or was. Radio used to be the first place you hear about events, and happenings, and news in your community. Now, people get it on social media before you can even crack the mic. So, using social media to gain traction on the content you’re putting out there is absolutely crucial. And being able to ingrain yourself in your community using these different pages and groups is a crucial tool. The number of stories for Kalamazoo, or Michigan in general, that I gleaned from some of those groups is incredible. And then we use our platform to give it an extra bump and bring it to new audiences.
9) It’s time to put your music hat on. What are some of your favorite new Rock artists or tunes since the beginning of this year?
Switching from Active to a more Classic format has made me take a step back, but I still keep my finger on the pulse. That new Shinedown record is going to be a monster, and I'm stoked for Coheed and Cambria's Vaxis II record. Still have the Turnstile album on repeat, and I'm happy to see "Mystery" is doing well. And who can't be excited about the new MCR and Nothing More. Seriously, people saying "there's not any good new rock out there" just aren't looking, or they're so far stuck in the past, they can't see far enough into the future to know that a lot of artists - new and old - are moving on, into a new era of Rock and Roll... and it's exciting!
10) Finally, can you share with us where the name “Meatball” come from?
I like to tell people, I did one of those “food personality” surveys on Facebook, and it just showed me a picture of a meatball… BUT, the truth is, when I was working in Oklahoma, my morning co-host, Jimmy Green, just… randomly started calling me that. And I didn’t really get it at first. But then it evolved to him singing Adam Sandler’s “I Love you Meatball” song to me, that Adam used to sing to his bulldog named “Meatball.” And the more he used it… the more I liked it, and thus… Meatball was born. I really wish there was something more to that story, like I won a meatball eating contest or something… but nope. It all started from a song Adam Sandler used to sing to his dog. I am literally named after Adam Sandler’s Dog.
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