I grew up listening to the River. It was everything that I thought was cool about music—and it was on the radio. I also grew up surrounded by music. Thousands of LPs, CDs, and cassettes lined the walls of my parents’ living room and basement. Throughout middle school and high school, once every couple weeks, my father and I would have what we called “rock-out nights.” We’d go song for song, each playing tunes we loved—songs we couldn’t live without. John Hiatt, Bob Dylan, Robyn Hitchcock, Elvis Costello, White Stripes, Fountains of Wayne, and beyond. This was the music I loved and adored. And the River got that.

Every time I heard Wilco or NRBQ on the River, it was sort of like a dream. I went away to college and couldn’t shake the music bug. I helped run the radio station at Ithaca College and after graduation found myself back in the Pioneer Valley with an amazing job. I produce the commercials you hear on the River, help pick the music, and you can listen to me on the air Monday-Saturday 10a-3p and on Sunday 3-7p. I’m also in a band called Bunk. We play around the Valley, so come see us! And thanks for listening.