Shawn Parr has been a pretty big deal in the world of country music radio for the past couple of decades. He started out on Orange Country’s KIKF (KICK FM) in 1988 and moved to KZLA when the station was anchored by Peter Tilden.
KZLA gave up country music in 2006 and switched briefly to a Top 40 format with a Rythmic flair and called it Movin’ 93.9 FM. Rick Dees became the morning host after being replaced at KIIS by Ryan Seacrest.
Saul Levine, owner of one of the most powerful FM signals in the market at 105.1, elected to pick up the format and abandon classical K-Mozart. After 18 years, overnight, 105.1 went from Bach and Beethoven to Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts.
Parr became a part of that DJ line-up in early 2007. Parr was thrilled that country music was back and said at the time, “In my 20-year career I have never seen anything like this! It’s really happening and Saul Levine has answered so many prayers.”
Parr was at KKGO until a few days ago, when he announced that he was joining a syndicated country outfit, NASH FM.
“About ten days ago, Shawn Parr met with KKGO management and announced he had signed an agreement to work in Nashville,” said Saul Levine, owner of KKGO. Apparently in the discussion with Levine, Parr offered his syndicated program to air on KKGO during the evenings.
“This offer was declined since KKGO does not broadcast syndicated programming during that time frame. In addition, Mr. Parr had a contract with the station running until February 2014. Mr. Parr was released from said contract so that he could begin his new employment immediately,” said Levine.
Levine reiterated his family’s commitment to country music and the station is looking for candidates to replace Parr. “We plan to employ the best person in the USA to host that morning program time,” concluded Levine.
Breakfast at Saddleback College
Saddleback College radio station KSBR 88.5FM and the city of Mission Viejo will welcome seven-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist Al Jarreau as a guest on the next “Breakfast with Gary and Kelly” radio for TV broadcast on Nov. 23. The Saturday morning radio show will broadcast live starting at 9 a.m. The production will take place in the McKinney Theatre on the campus of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
A studio audience will watch the show being videotaped for later broadcast. The program airs on the city of Mission Viejo’s MVTV Channel 30 and also airs on Saddleback College’s SCTV Channel 39 throughout the Cox Communication cable system in south Orange County.
Past guests on “Breakfast with Gary & Kelly” have included Debbie Reynolds, Linda Evans, David Benoit, and Peter White. KSBR is a community service of Saddleback College.
Food Drive
K-EARTH (101.1 FM) is hosting a “People & Pets” food drive and broadcast next weekend in Costa Mesa (1175-C Baker Street). K-EARTH is teaming with Stater Bros., Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, and Best Friends Animal Society to collect food for its annual Harvesting Hope for People & Pets Food Drive.
Stater Bros. Charities provides funding to more than 100 food banks and self-help organizations in Southern California. Pet food donated is distributed through Best Friends Animal Society working collaboratively with animal rescue groups, city shelters and passionate individuals who are all dedicated to a mission of no-kill in shelters.
Who Do You Love?
In addition to writing the weekly radio column in the OC Register, I have published a radio tribute website to the men and women who have entertained us in the Southland for the past 50 years at LARadio.com. Every year we take a poll to determine what our readers listen to on the radio each day.
A similar poll for readers of the Register might give us some insight on who and what you are interested in reading about in 2014. If you would be kind enough to answer the following questions and email them to me at the address at the bottom of this column, it would be appreciated.
1. When you get up in the morning, what radio station do you turn on?
2. Who do you think is the outstanding personality currently on the air in Los Angeles radio?
3. Which personality or station do you listen to most in middays (9 a.m.-3 p.m.)?
4. Which personality or station do you listen to most in afternoons (3-7 p.m.)?
5. Which personality or station do you listen to most in evenings (7 p.m.-midnight)?
Classical Gas
Brenda Barnes is president of USC Radio, which operates Classical KUSC in Los Angeles and Classical KDFC in San Francisco. She is this year’s recipient of Public Radio Capital’s Public Media Visionary Award.
“Public Radio Capital was critical in our efforts to preserve classical radio in the Bay Area, and working with them was one of my most rewarding professional experiences,” Barnes said.
Contact the writer: For radio related questions or comments or to vote in the survey about listening habits, send emails to: db@thevine.net
