10 Questions with ... Karen Rait

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Interned at Columbia Records during the Walter Yetnicoff days and at Elektra Records when Motley Crew was new!

I worked for Ron Delsener and worked for Geffen Records in the Black Crowes, Pump era. I started at IGA in 1990, working for Don Maggi.

1. What was your first job in the music business?

Ron Delsener Enterprises-answering phones, doing tickets with Harriette Delsener. I saw amazing concerts annd Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductions as well!

2. Who have been some of your mentors in music?

Harriette Delsener, Marc Benesch, Vince Pelligrino and Don Maggi

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A sportscaster

4. Your territory has grown over the years. Which are some of your favorite markets to visit in your territory?

Miami, Chicago, Washington DC, Memphis and Tampa

5. Other than the more 'touristy' sites in New York, what three experiences would probably make up the best 'New York' visit for a first-timer to New York?

A slice of pizza on Bleeker Street at Joe's Pizza www.joespizzanyc.com

Riding the subway! (Anywhere) Yankee Stadium is a good start!

Going to Coney Island riding The Cyclone then hitting Nathan's for a cold beer and a hot dog! (Nathan's is home of the Hot Dog Eating contest)

6. Which programmers have you known and worked with the longest?

That's a tough one. Lots of great people that I've enjoyed and loved working with are no longer in the biz, out of my format or have moved into corporate.

I think Dion Summers VP/Urban Programming at XM-Sirius and PD for The Heat I've worked with longest. We used to talk when he was at WJPZ/Syracuse and I called college radio in addition to commercial.

7. If you could bring back a programmer to your territory to program a brand new station, who would you have come back?

Tracy Cloherty

8. What do you like to do in your spare time?

Nothing beats hanging out with my kid, Sydney, my husband Michael and our dog, Simba in NYC.

I also love to read, go to baseball games, and I love movies!

9. If you could be on any TV reality show or game show, which would you want to be on?

Deal Or No Deal

10. Hypothetical question...If you were getting married in two months and you could have any group or singer perform at your reception, who would you choose?

living or dead? lol

The Beatles- because they can rock out, do the romantic stuff and also get everyone on the dance floor including Grandma.

Current artist would be Gaga. She could come out of my cake! She does it all dance, rock and standards! Did you see her with Tony Bennett ?

Beer and pizza or sushi and sake?

Sushi and sake bombs!

Do you know any programmers or record promo peeps that can sing?

I don't know any singers but I've heard Dan Hunt rap and it's NOT PRETTY!