Mark Milleson Rocks

Mark Milleson, middays on Your Country 99.7 WCYK, claims he was born in South Florida and raised by a pod of dolphins...actually, he was born and raised in Orlando. After a brief stint in northern Virginia, he moved to our beautiful city of Charlottesville at 12 years old (when the only thing on Rt. 29 was Barracks Rd. and Fashion Square). He completed school (and somehow got elected as Senior Class President at A.H.S.), and has lived here most of his life.

Mark is an avid sports fan, a HUGE DOLPHINS FAN, and a diehard Hoo's Fan as well! He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree and occasionally paints commissioned original watercolors. Mark has a wonderful family and church family. He loves the outdoors - especially the beach and fishing! On the tube, "24", "Nip Tuck" and "Fox News" are musts, and a few reality shows are guilty pleasures.

Mark’s musical tastes run the gamut from Sinatra and Bennett to Bluegrass, Blues and Hip-Hop. He grew up on and gravitates towards Country, Classic Rock and some Pop tunes, music that stands the test of time and turns up on American Idol each season. After getting involved with the crazy radio lifestyle in the mid-90's, he has been on the air in the area ever since. He has seen and introduced countless great acts; Mark has also been fortunate enough to meet and/or interview legends such as Peter Frampton, The Allman Brothers, The Fifth Dimension, B.B. King and many others.

Mark loves hearing from and meeting listeners at events and on location at live broadcasts. Let him hear from you at: Mark@country997.com.

Lisa Plays Radio

Lisa Allen, our afternoon DJ and Program Director on WCYK, grew up in South Florida. While other kids were swimming and playing tennis, she would hang out at home with her huge record collection, playing guitar and singing along with her favorite tunes. She really wanted to be a rock star, but soon realized that her guitar playing and singing weren’t very good, so she’d better come up with a different plan.

After high school, Lisa enrolled in Broward Community College to pursue an accounting degree, but still wanted to be involved in music. While attending classes, she became friends with one of the personalities at her favorite radio station, and after completing her degree, decided to attend the same broadcasting school that her friend attended. Maybe she couldn’t sing, and couldn’t play guitar very well (or keyboards, or banjo, or violin… all instruments she abandoned along the way), but she knew she could play records like a pro…plus she had a vast knowledge of all kinds of music to share with anyone who would listen. Radio became her new career goal.

She soon landed her first on-air job in the Florida Keys and never looked back, working in Panama City, West Palm Beach and Miami. As much as she loved being on the air, she wanted more responsibility and authority, so she took a job as Program Director in Augusta, Maine. More Program Director positions followed in Columbia, MO, Frederick, MD and now at WCYK. Lisa enjoys playing guitar (when nobody is listening); cooking, reading and taking long walks with her dog on a nice day.

Email Lisa at: lallen@cvillestations.com

Congratulations to WCHV's Melissa Neeley

Monticello Media began operating our six radio stations, four streaming stations, and six websites in Charlottesville almost two years ago. We did so with a strong commitment to local news, expecially on WCHV News/Talk. Joe Thomas came on board early on with his fabulous morning show. Melissa Neeley joined us as News Director and we added an FM signal (94.1 FM) to our 1260 AM broadcast. In short, we built a market leading news and talk operation.

Melissa was nominated for an award for Best Newscast by her peers at the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. I want to publicly congratulate Melissa, and thank her and Joe for the fabulous work they have done (and continue to do!) in making WCHV News/Talk the best news/talk station in Charlottesville.

And you ain't seen nothin' yet!

George

Meet Our Personalities: He's the Dude

Kerry James, our very own “Dude” at TOM@107.5, plays “Anything, Anytime” … a philosophy on which Kerry has lived his whole life. This could explain why he’s still single.

Kerry grew up in Staunton and moved to Richmond at 18 to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. He spent six “glorious” years there (all of them undergrad) studying Theatre and Mass Communications. Ask Kerry what he remembers most about college, and he says, “It’s the only time in your life when you get unlimited food and sleep……oh, yeah, I guess you gotta go to class every now and then, too.”

Despite what he says, he did go to class, and one day on his way to Kegorator Construction 101, he discovered the student radio station. “This has to be more fun than sleepin’”, thought KJ. Sure enough it was, and he was hooked.

When Kerry finished VCU in December of ’96, he embarked upon his career in broadcasting. For nine years, he worked in Richmond radio and TV including news and airborne traffic reporting – picking up acting gigs when he could get them. Kerry moved to Charlottesville a few years ago which led him to spin country music. He’s on afternoons on TOM@107.5 now. Over the years, it truly has been a little bit of “Anything, Anytime” for the Ol’ KJ.

For those of you already acquainted with Kerry, you know where he hangs out when he’s not on the radio. So, he’ll definitely see you around. Or you can email him at kerry@1075tom.com.

Middays with Murph on Hot 101.9

Erik (“Murph”) Murphy hosts Middays with Murph on Hot 101.9 (WHTE). Murph is a HUGE fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. He thinks Kirk Cameron is the greatest actor of all time. He likes Grizzly Bears, but dislikes for Polar Bears. Erik likes Las Vegas, playing kickball on Sundays, and watching the Simpsons and The Office. He also enjoys reading “Choose Your Own Adventure Books” with indecisive people.

If you like Paris Hilton, you probably won’t get along with Eric. If you know Jessica Alba or Megan Fox, then he would like to hang out with you sometime. He likes Haikus, Carnies, and especially, writing Haikus about Carnies. Murph has great friends, and is always eager to meet new and interesting people. His biggest heroes are his Mom and Dad, and that masked stranger who pulled him from the burning building.

I asked his friend and co-worker P J Styles how he would best describe Murph, and he told me: “asinine, juvenile.....and breathtaking.” Reach Murph at: murph@1019hot.com or Facebook (search for Erik Murphy).

30 + Years On Cville Radio

Vinnie Kice is Operations Manager, Program Director, and Afternoon Host for “generations102.3, the music for your generation.” He began his radio career in Charlottesville at WCHV radio in 1978, doing the 7pm-midnight shift. He eventually moved to the 3pm-7pm shift, and then to the morning show, 5:30am-9am.

Vinnie has been on Charlottesville radio over thirty years! In 1982, Vinnie transferred to 3WV where he did the morning show as well as handled Program Director duties. Vinnie was hired by WCYK in 1994 (at the time it was Country 102) to do mornings and handle the Program Director duties. WCYK moved to 99.7 on the FM dial the following year. In 1996, Vinnie was hired by MIX 107.5 to do the morning show. In 2002, he was hired to work at Super Hits 102.3, where he hosted the morning show and was Program Director.

In 2007, Monticello Media bought the station and changed it to generations 102.3. In addition to the 3pm-7pm shift, Vinnie is the Operations Manager for all six stations in the Monticello Media cluster.

Vinnie has been a part of many civic groups and has helped emcee events such as: The Miss Albemarle Pageant, Welcome Wagon Luncheon, and Dogwood Festival Events. He is the soul of Charlottesville radio, and we’re glad he’s here! Email Vinnie at vinnie@generations1023.com.

"Tom@107.5" takes a listener request from Delta # 1150

This is a cool story about how radio (and Monticello Media) is embracing the new, digital technologies. As you know if you follow this blog, we run an Interactive Request Show Friday and Saturday nights on "Tom @ 107.5". Tom takes requests via phone, email, Facebook and Twitter; our DJ, Steve York, has authority to play anything requested, even if it is not in our library (a really BIG library) and he has to download it.

Last night, my friend Stephan Sloan was on Delta flight # 1150 listening to Tom's stream (unbeknownst to me). He emailed a song request to "Tom" and sent me a copy. I also happened to be listening to Tom. Steve got the email and immediately played the request, "Big Audio Dynamite Medecine Show" (which Steph confirmed on my Facebook page hearing in real time moments later from the plane). I think that might be a radio "first."

The times, they are a-changin'.

George

Request it and we'll play it (on Tom @ 107.5)

Tonight and tomorrow its TOM's Interactive Request Show 10p-mid...request songs via Twitter (1075tom) or at our Facebook (tom@1075). Listen in Charlottesville on 107.5 FM or on the web at: http://www.1075tom.com/