Kyle Martin
KFJB Radio Host
Marshalltown, iowa
I was born into a radio family. My dad, Charley Martin was a teenage disc jockey at KSO radio in Des Moines in the early 1960's. He was only 15 years old when he started on the radio. So young, in fact, that his mom had to drive him to the radio station.
In 1969, My dad moved our family from Des Moines to Denver, Colorado. He quickly became part of the number one rated morning show for almost 35 years. In 1985, his show was voted the number one rated morning show in the nation by Billboard magazine.
My radio career began in college at Drake University. After graduating from high school in Denver, I returned to Des Moines (the city of my birth). Drake University offered a top notch education and a fantastic journalism school!
As a freshman at Drake, I started a weekly radio program on the campus radio station, KDRK. The station could only be heard in the dorms. Not much of an audience but it was a start. My love for oldies was the obvious choice for my radio show. I grew up with a constant "soundtrack" that included Buddy Holly, John Denver and Jan & Dean. I wasn't doing the typical college radio format. I'd have to haul my massive oldies record collection down to the basement studios in Meredith Hall at Drake. This was when compact discs were just beginning to become available. Records on a turntable was still the way most songs were played on the radio.
Around 1987, I received a call that would change my life. Steve Mathews, the program director, at KIOA in Des Moines needed someone who wanted to run the church programming on Sunday mornings. He found out I was attending Drake University and was doing an oldies show. He needed someone to run a less than glamorous air shift and I was his guy. It didn't hurt that my dad was Charley Martin and had worked with then current KIOA morning man, DicYoungs in the 60's.
Thus, I began my 31 year career in commercial radio. I got 2 hours each Sunday to hone my craft before I had to play the church programs at 8am. I so looked forward to my little 2 hour show each Sunday from 6-8am!
Eventually, I was being used more and more to fill in for other DJs who went on vacation or called in sick. I was doing several air shifts each week, all while I was taking a full load of classes at Drake.
In 1989, I graduated from Drake with a degree in radio/television. What to do now?
Part Two coming 3/23.
KFJB Radio Host
Marshalltown, iowa
I was born into a radio family. My dad, Charley Martin was a teenage disc jockey at KSO radio in Des Moines in the early 1960's. He was only 15 years old when he started on the radio. So young, in fact, that his mom had to drive him to the radio station.
In 1969, My dad moved our family from Des Moines to Denver, Colorado. He quickly became part of the number one rated morning show for almost 35 years. In 1985, his show was voted the number one rated morning show in the nation by Billboard magazine.
My radio career began in college at Drake University. After graduating from high school in Denver, I returned to Des Moines (the city of my birth). Drake University offered a top notch education and a fantastic journalism school!
As a freshman at Drake, I started a weekly radio program on the campus radio station, KDRK. The station could only be heard in the dorms. Not much of an audience but it was a start. My love for oldies was the obvious choice for my radio show. I grew up with a constant "soundtrack" that included Buddy Holly, John Denver and Jan & Dean. I wasn't doing the typical college radio format. I'd have to haul my massive oldies record collection down to the basement studios in Meredith Hall at Drake. This was when compact discs were just beginning to become available. Records on a turntable was still the way most songs were played on the radio.
Around 1987, I received a call that would change my life. Steve Mathews, the program director, at KIOA in Des Moines needed someone who wanted to run the church programming on Sunday mornings. He found out I was attending Drake University and was doing an oldies show. He needed someone to run a less than glamorous air shift and I was his guy. It didn't hurt that my dad was Charley Martin and had worked with then current KIOA morning man, DicYoungs in the 60's.
Thus, I began my 31 year career in commercial radio. I got 2 hours each Sunday to hone my craft before I had to play the church programs at 8am. I so looked forward to my little 2 hour show each Sunday from 6-8am!
Eventually, I was being used more and more to fill in for other DJs who went on vacation or called in sick. I was doing several air shifts each week, all while I was taking a full load of classes at Drake.
In 1989, I graduated from Drake with a degree in radio/television. What to do now?
Part Two coming 3/23.
