End of an Era
March 27, 2022
It seems like the older I get, the more "end of an era" declarations are experienced. Here's another one...this is so sad! I am an avid listener of KRTY and enjoy country music. It is NOT the twangy stuff of yesteryear; it resembles the rock and roll I grew up on - and many of today's artists grew up on the same, and it's shaped today's country music. Once upon a time, I worked for Empire Broadcasting - the company that has owned KRTY since the early 1990's. Hearing that the station is now sold is a shame - it's our only Country Station in the Bay area.
Gary & Julie and Yours Truly - Garlic Festival, 2018
I listen every day to the station and enjoy it - I got to meet Gary and Julie at the 2018 Garlic festival, pictured, and got to meet Walker Hayes at a small event that same year. They were collecting "How you KRTY" (how you listen) and I asked if I could record one and Julie Stevens said absolutely yes! I went to record it, and didn't like my initial recording. (I have this nice microphone from work as I make a lot of training videos). I went to do "Take 2" and Simone, my Siamese mix, ran over and very spontaneously meowed into the microphone. That was the take I used.... Simone and I on KRTY. I recorded that in early March, 2021 and I still hear it today - I heard it a few times this past week.
It's going to be a very sad day when I no longer can hear my favorite personalities on KRTY. One of them, Tony Michaels, is a neighbor! He lives in the same town I do and same neighborhood. I wouldn't know him if I saw him, but still. Local color!
When I worked there, it was at the Story Road Location when they owned KARA , and I was a "board operator." The programming was automated (except in the mornings) and my job was to make sure the commercials all played, appropriate playlist played - loaded up those "carts" and making sure I checked off each commercial that played. The kind owner, Bob Kieve, was always in his corner office late into the evening. He was a very kind man and always stopped to talk to me if I happened by. He ran the station until he left the planet in May, 2020 at the young age of 98(!)
It's very sad that were are losing another Bay Area Icon like KRTY. I wish all of the staff the best and THANKS for the great music, great times and memories.
And THAT is a personal opinion.
