Sometimes the printed page (or screen) isn't enough. I've admired Kathy O'Connell, the host of the Kids Corner radio show at Philadelphia's WXPN for many reasons. She is in essence the dean of kids music radio, having hosted Kids Corner for more than 20 years (and other shows before that). She is also an absolute riot to be around -- meeting her at StinkFest/KindieFest 2009 was definitely a blast. So I was excited when O'Connell agreed to answer a few questions. Read on -- even if you live nowhere near Philly -- and find out how O'Connell got her start in radio, what she looks for in putting together Kids Corner, and her connection to Vampire Weekend (really).
Zooglobble: What music did you listen to growing up?
Kathy O'Connell: My parents had lots of novelty records, like Spike Jones, Stan Freberg, and Betty Hutton, along with a lot of Sinatra and Dean Martin. When I started buying my own music, I went heavy on the show tunes. The album that had the biggest influence on me growing up was Carol Burnett Remembers How They Stopped the Show. I won talent shows lip-synching her version of “Adelaide’s Lament.” I pretty much had the “novelty” category to myself in the CYO Summer Recreation Talent Shows.
Then, the Beatles came, and I never looked back. I was a British Invasion girl all the way, with a soft spot for novelty tunes. When the Beatles and Soupy Sales were on the same Ed Sullivan show, my brains fell out.
What radio stations and DJs did you listen to growing up?
WABC in New York. Top 40 radio at its best. I had a transistor radio to my ear all the time. The WABC jocks were my first introduction to the possibilities of creative live radio. I think people look upon radio as a conduit to music instead of an art in itself. The WABC jocks were entertainers who happened to play records. A good live radio artist is a like a good jazz musician. They can roll with anything and make it entertaining. And the intimacy of radio leaves such an imprint. I can still sing the theme songs for Scott Muni and “Cousin” Bruce Morrow more than 40 years later.
My favorite DJ, then and forever, was Dan Ingram. He did 2-6 pm on WABC. He was the most creative voice on the radio. And when he needed to, when a news story warranted it, he was serious. Dan Ingram had the mix of funny and serious down perfectly. Listening to WABC back then, you felt like you were part of a bigger community. So, it was a big deal when Cousin Brucie’s son Dana John (DJ) was born, and we got swept up in the “Principal of the Year Contest” every year. I even nominated the awful principal we had at St. Hugh’s. We weren’t successful.
When did you first realize that you wanted to work in radio? When did you start doing kids radio -- it wasn't exactly planned, was it?Interview: Kathy O'Connell (Kids Corner)
Sometimes the printed page (or screen) isn't enough. I've admired Kathy O'Connell, the host of the Kids Corner radio show at Philadelphia's WXPN for many reasons. She is in essence the dean of kids music radio, having hosted Kids Corner for more than 20 years (and other shows before that). She is also an absolute riot to be around -- meeting her at StinkFest/KindieFest 2009 was definitely a blast. So I was excited when O'Connell agreed to answer a few questions. Read on -- even if you live nowhere near Philly -- and find out how O'Connell got her start in radio, what she looks for in putting together Kids Corner, and her connection to Vampire Weekend (really).
Zooglobble: What music did you listen to growing up?
Kathy O'Connell: My parents had lots of novelty records, like Spike Jones, Stan Freberg, and Betty Hutton, along with a lot of Sinatra and Dean Martin. When I started buying my own music, I went heavy on the show tunes. The album that had the biggest influence on me growing up was Carol Burnett Remembers How They Stopped the Show. I won talent shows lip-synching her version of “Adelaide’s Lament.” I pretty much had the “novelty” category to myself in the CYO Summer Recreation Talent Shows.
Then, the Beatles came, and I never looked back. I was a British Invasion girl all the way, with a soft spot for novelty tunes. When the Beatles and Soupy Sales were on the same Ed Sullivan show, my brains fell out.
What radio stations and DJs did you listen to growing up?
WABC in New York. Top 40 radio at its best. I had a transistor radio to my ear all the time. The WABC jocks were my first introduction to the possibilities of creative live radio. I think people look upon radio as a conduit to music instead of an art in itself. The WABC jocks were entertainers who happened to play records. A good live radio artist is a like a good jazz musician. They can roll with anything and make it entertaining. And the intimacy of radio leaves such an imprint. I can still sing the theme songs for Scott Muni and “Cousin” Bruce Morrow more than 40 years later.
My favorite DJ, then and forever, was Dan Ingram. He did 2-6 pm on WABC. He was the most creative voice on the radio. And when he needed to, when a news story warranted it, he was serious. Dan Ingram had the mix of funny and serious down perfectly. Listening to WABC back then, you felt like you were part of a bigger community. So, it was a big deal when Cousin Brucie’s son Dana John (DJ) was born, and we got swept up in the “Principal of the Year Contest” every year. I even nominated the awful principal we had at St. Hugh’s. We weren’t successful.
When did you first realize that you wanted to work in radio? When did you start doing kids radio -- it wasn't exactly planned, was it?
