10 Questions with ... Shawn Stewart

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

REV105 Minneapolis, WXPN Philly, Amazon.com, KMTT

1. How did you become interested in radio?

On the night I met the boy who would become my college sweetheart: He and I broke into WMCN at Macalester College in St Paul and played records all night. I spend every day of my career trying to recapture that joy. That boy is now a very successful photographer. You can see his work at www.johndolan.com

2. Who are your mentors?

Kevin Cole; he was my DJ before he was my boss. Bruce Warren; smart and loving. He cried when I moved to Seattle. Chris Mays; she taught me to be a lioness for our brand. Dave Benson; he's the whole format's mentor!

3. You have been through many phases of the station. Tell us a bit about how The Mountain has evolved over time.

At its core, The Mountain has always been a station that presents new music to adults balanced with a library of older songs. The balance of old and new ... and what artists fall in to those categories ... has shifted, but the fundamental principles have stayed the same -- acoustic, electric, classic, eclectic.

4. How would you describe the music on the station in its current programming configuration?

Tasty and unique. Where else are you going to hear The Beatles and Arcade Fire?

5. What has been your biggest career highlight?

Hiding outside an old PD's office with a cell phone in my hand recording the audio of U2's "Get On Yer Boots" before anyone had heard it. Leaking 10 seconds of the song on my blog and having it go viral. I think I made it to Wikipedia for that one.

6. What do you like best about working at a Triple A station?

I like that our listeners aren't sitting at home in their basements polishing their guns. They're smart, active, fun, socially aware people who love Seattle.

7. Besides your own, what is your favorite radio format?

Talk. I like Sports/Talk, NPR, The Bob Rivers Show (RIP), The Men's Room and baseball.

8. What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you? The worst?

Best advice: Get a dog. Thank you, Jodi Brothers. The worst: Occasionally, folks have encouraged me to go for jobs that I know would just make me unhappy. I know it sounds hopelessly "Eat Pray Love," but my happiness isn't tied to a title, office or salary. (Hint: it's tied to my dog)

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without:

..........my dog, Charlie Trout.

10. If you wanted to completely change careers today, what would you do?

I'd write a comic book about a super-heroine called The Baker. She battles evil with a rolling pin and pie server and her cupcakes are to die for. Who wants to draw The Baker for me?

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time away from work?

I know my way around the kitchen. I hike the Cascade Mountain Range, and ride my snowboard at Whistler. I knit and play tennis, yes, at the same time. Thank you for asking. No, seriously, thank you for asking.

Last non-industry job:

Photo stylist (I once ran a lint roller over Cindy Crawford's chest)

First record ever purchased:

The Turtles 'Happy Together' 7-inch single

First concert:

The Clash at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago

Favorite band of all-time:

Really? No.