Recently Played Songs

⮕ Today is the final day of WHFR's once-a-year pledge drive, RADIOTHON. Full story here! ⬅

As a highlight of our 2024 "Spotlight on Our Volunteers" Radiothon theme, we have been thrilled to present "Behind The Mic," our WHFR Volunteer Spotlight Series where you, our Loyal Listener, got to know a little bit more about your favorite WHFR personalities!

They've shared their passions, memories, and unique perspectives, by responding to some fun and thought-provoking questions we've posed to them.

Our final participant is: Bill Keith
Host of: Light From The Underground
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Singer-Songwriter Various Genres

1. What's your earliest memory of listening to the radio? When I was 11 or 12, I would listen to the Detroit Top 40 Station (96.3?). My brother and I would record songs off the radio to get copies of our favorite songs. We used those cheap blue cassette tapes because you could get several of them for a dollar or two. We would listen to special weekend countdowns to get all the best songs. Several years later I remember listening to Live Aid on the radio and recording performances by my favorite bands.

2. What is/was your all-time favorite radio show or DJ? What makes/made it special? Two things come to mind. I manage a high school radio station and over the years it's been fun to see students with a dream of a special show bring it to fruition. One example was a Ska show called Open Up and Say Ska. I loved the title of the show but even more I enjoyed the fun vibe the hosts brought to it. They would have bands in the studio and the energy of the music they shared was infectious. When I was in high school, I was really into Christian Rock. My brother and I listened to a local radio station that did a Saturday night Christian Rock show from 11 p.m. to Midnight. We had to keep the volume low because our bedroom was right below our parents’ bedroom. I can remember my dad yelling to turn the radio off and go to bed. But our enthusiasm for the music wouldn't be denied.

3. What do you do at WHFR and how long have you been involved with the station? I host a three hour show on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. called Light from the Underground. It's an eclectic mix focused on songwriters spanning many musical genres. I also try to help out at special events the station hosts. I've been on the staff since 1997.

4. What drew you to become a WHFR volunteer? I was managing the high school station and wanted to do a show where I could play any music that I wanted to play. I didn't feel like it would be right to do it on the high school station. I learned of WHFR through statewide groups we were part of and realized that WHFR provided the best opportunity to explore my musical passions.

5. What impact do you think WHFR has on the local or global community and why is local/independent radio important to you? The independence at WHFR allows us to play music that is often unheard of on other stations, whether that is specific genres, independent labels and artists or local music. I think WHFR's impact can especially be seen in the support for local artists. The live blues CDs we created, the Mitten State comp, and the local vinyl release are all part of that. But the most important thing we do is play the music on the air, throughout our weekly schedule. Local shows are important but it's even more vital to let the local artists mingle with nationally released projects throughout shows. I know the artists especially appreciate it. Phil Maq has built a statewide reputation based on his support of local artists. I know that the opportunity to hear your music on the radio for the first time is magical for artists.

6. First album (or CD/cassette) you ever purchased? My brother and I bought Toto IV on cassette. That summer Toto was all over the radio and so many of the songs became favorites.

7. Favorite song/artist right now? That's a hard question to answer because there are so many. Jon Batiste's album World Music Radio was my favorite in 2023 so I'll go with that right now. But that changes weekly.

8. If you could play an instrument at expert level, which one would it be? Why? I would love to play guitar. I was a very bad trombone and clarinet player in elementary, middle and high school. I probably drove the band director crazy because I didn't practice enough.

9. In the “jam session of life”, are you more the Lead Vocalist commanding the stage, the Background Singer/Musician weaving in harmonies/melodies, or the Behind-the- Scenes Mastermind making it all happen? Behind the scenes mastermind. I volunteer at Trinity House in Livonia and I appreciate the opportunity to shine the spotlight on artists and provide them with a stage. That support role is right up my alley and is probably what I love to do on WHFR.

Be sure to listen to our broadcast as we will air many more WHFR Volunteer Spotlight Series "Behind The Mic" recordings throughout the day, the last day of Radiothon!

⮕ Today is the sixth day of WHFR's once-a-year pledge drive, RADIOTHON. Full story here! ⬅

As a highlight of our 2024 "Spotlight on Our Volunteers" Radiothon theme, we're thrilled to present "Behind The Mic," our WHFR Volunteer Spotlight Series where you, our Loyal Listener, can get to know a little bit more about your favorite WHFR personalities!

They'll be sharing their passions, memories, and unique perspectives, responding to some fun and thought-provoking questions we've posed to them.

Today we feature: DJ KittyLuv;)
Host of: Highway 61
Fridays 2:00-4:00pm
Blues

1. What's your earliest memory of listening to the radio? My next-door neighbor, Red Fisher, was a radio and television celebrity in Canada when I used to Summer in Mitchell's Bay, Ontario. We would listen to his radio program, "The Red Fisher Show", when it came on the AM transistor radio. Red would chat with different Celebrities he too out on a boat. We'd see the astronauts, stars, hockey and baseball players, who'd be at the Bay to record voiceovers for his fishing program from the set at the "Scuttlebutt Lodge, the Tall Tale Capital of the World". Red would bring famous stars from all walks of life to the program to go on fishing trips over the world, and brag about the big catches and the ones that got away. Red Fisher once took the Hollywood actor who played the Captain of the "SS Minnow" on his first ever canoe white water fishing trip. He was a radio star from 1963 until '68, when the show became a television program which ran for 21 years. Many memories, on the Lake Saint Clair shore, listening to "The Red Fisher Show" radio show.

2. What is/was your all-time favorite radio show or DJ? What makes/made it special? Host Jo Ann Korczynska / "Highway 61". Jo Ann K. always did a great job of showcasing Detroit Blues Artists and new music and was passionate about "Keeping the Blues Alive". WHFR once did a live remote from "The Moby Dick Lounge", a Dearborn local Blues club, with D.J. Jo Ann K. as host, and I thought to myself, "Such special and wonderful Blues music "Highway 61" is bringing to the FM airwaves".

3. What do you do at WHFR and how long have you been involved with the station? I am DJ~KittyLuv;). I have been a member of the WHFR Staff Radio Station, at 89.3fm, since successfully completing the course in 1999. I think my first radio broadcast was in February 2000, on "The Circle Within", which was aired until March 2013. I produced and hosted the late-night Tuesday, longtime running, Midnight until 2am, "The Circle Within" which brought local and heavy rockin’ Bluesrock from independent labels to WHFR FM radio. I came back to WHFR, in 2015, to help produce Jo Ann's, "Highway 61" (2pm until 6pm) Blues program which she presented each Friday, from 1995 through 2015. I, DJ~KittyLuv;), am now the volunteer Disk Jockey for "Highway 61" program, which airs each Friday from 2pm until 4pm, with newly released Blues music that is sent to WHFR, by Blues Promotion Companies and Artists, from all around the world. Each Week, I also present a Local Blues Calendar during the airing of the "Highway 61" program, so our Loyal Listeners know where they can find our local performing Blues friends. I am also the volunteer Blues Music Area Director for WHFR. I am responsible for cataloging and debuting all the new Blues Music which is sent to Henry Ford College radio. I track all the newly released Blues songs aired on WHFR, which are in our online playlist, and report the top ten most played each Month to "Living Blues Magazine" and "The Detroit Blues Society" newsletter. I have most recently been appointed the volunteer, Social Media administrator for the WHFR Media pages. I post photos, mentions and WHFR station news updates to Facebook's "89.3 WHFR.FM", "WHFR 89.3 Alumni" and "HWY61" pages.

4. What drew you to become a WHFR volunteer? My friend Rusty used to praise the WHFR Radio station's musical selection attention to local music and talk about the station being noncommercial. Sometime back around then, I met WHFR DJ Jo Ann K. at Sully's Blues Bar in Dearborn. We became close friends. I watched her during a live remote Blues WHFR broadcast. I thought, "Maybe, I wanted to do that too."

5. What impact do you think WHFR has on the local or global community and why is local/independent radio important to you? WHFR's mission to provide independent Artists and labels new unique music, and local music, to our listening audience is magnificent! I am more than happy to be able to volunteer to review the music sent to WHFR and bring the musical works of these fresh and talented groups and individuals to our WHFR listening audience. A longtime running "WHFR Top Ten Blues" list has been being compiled and charted, from the WHFR Playlist by the WHFR Blues Music Director, for incorporation into the new Blues Artist Album entries for consideration for the Top 25 listing in Monthly, "Living Blues Magazine” issues. I have gotten "Thank You" emails from emerging artists saying how much they appreciate the WHFR airplay and how being on that "WHFR Top Ten Blues List" has boosted their careers!

6. First album (or CD/cassette) you ever purchased? I would probably need "Peabody and Sherman's Way Back Machine'' to look back to see what album I picked as my first purchase. And, it probably would have been an "8-track."

7. Favorite song/artist right now? Red Hot Chili Peppers. Too many favorite songs to mention. I love their music.

8. If you could play an instrument at expert level, which one would it be? Why? I do play many instruments at an expert level! Guitar, vocals, flute, piano, and percussion. I also excel at recording and producing music. (Fight club, don't ask, don't tell NDAs.)

9. In the “jam session of life,” are you more the Lead Vocalist commanding the stage, the Background Singer/Musician weaving in harmonies/melodies, or the Behind-the- Scenes Mastermind making it all happen? I have played with many musicians and have been a background vocalist. They also love me in the spotlight. I love creating and performing music. Being in the right place at the right time sort of thing.

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow to read about another WHFR DJ, and be sure to listen to our broadcast as we will air many more WHFR Volunteer Spotlight Series "Behind The Mic" recordings all week long throughout Radiothon!