With more than 40 radio stations along the Wasatch Front, it's refreshing to hear a morning radio show that sounds a little different from the rest. Kerry Jackson's "Live Evil" show (6-10 a.m. weekdays) on KZHT (FM-94.9) isn't your traditional morning program.
First of all, it's a one-man affair. He has no partner or backup. Jackson does all the characters and voices himself. In some ways, he's kind of an FM version of Hans Petersen, the main DJ on KISN-AM."I've always liked Hans a lot," Jackson said. "He is different. I try to do something different."
Jackson said that except for doing his occasional fictional characters, he doesn't put on a voice to sound like a traditional disc jockey. He talks in real life the same as on the air.
He believes a radio personality who isn't phony is more readily accepted by listeners. "I think the people are a lot smarter than the programmers give them credit for."
Jackson's show is also zany, sometimes eccentric, and appeals more to a young-adult than a teen audience.
"I am the complete opposite of every morning show out there," he said.
Despite the devilish title for Jackson's show, it's far more mild than you might expect, and Jackson even censors occasional swear words in songs he plays.
But he still warned:
"If you want `McCormick and Scotty' - it's all so traditional, it's all so safe - you'd better listen to Scotty and McCormick (on KUTQ)."
Jackson stresses he's no devil worshiper and said he got the idea for the show's "Live Evil" title as an offshoot from his former "Radio From Hell" show at KJQN.
He doesn't pay much attention to the ratings, but he does make a priority of keeping in touch with his listeners. Every Saturday night Jackson does a live, three-hour broadcast from Club Rage in Salt Lake City.
KZHT has a rhythm crossover format, a mix of hit and urban music, but Jackson has done many different formats - from country to rock - in his 11-year broadcasting career.
"I try to be as music-intensive as possible," he said. "I like to do things live. That's the way old-time radio was, and I love old-time radio. They pulled off a lot of stuff."
Jackson also said DJs can't let the radio business take control of their lives.
"I found the hard way, you can't let the business take control of you. . . . You may be riding on the waves of popularity, but your personal life can go right to hell. . . . I got caught up in the whole lifestyle - from one party to the next - and my personal life suffered terribly."
Jackson grew up in Salem, and if things had been different, he would have been back in Utah County on a different radio station.
When several dozen KJQN employees quit in November 1991 over a dispute with management and remained unemployed for several months until a deal was reached at "X-96," Jackson had to stay at the station because of health reasons. "I needed work, I needed insurance. . . . I frankly was scared out of my wits. The doctor told me I had cancer and I was like, whoa."
Otherwise, he admits he would have left with the rest of the "modern music guys."
He's recovered now from "The Big C," as he calls it.
He started at KZHT last Thanksgiving after spending a month in limbo when he was let go with many other KJQN employees when the station became "The Killer B."
Prior to KZHT, Jackson was a partner with Clyde Lewis at KJQN after being paired as one of the "Fun Pigs" with Bill Allred in the 1980s. He had previously worked for stations in Provo, Salt Lake City, Logan and Roosevelt after starting out in broadcasting right out of high school.
Jackson's regular features at KZHT include "Lyrically Correct Theater" and "West Valley 84210."
Jackson describes himself as a "geek" who likes motorcycles, Spider Man comics and hanging out with his friends.
He said he's happy at KZHT. Following his daily on-air shift, he'll retreat to a health club for a workout before going home to read and type up his material for the next day's broadcast. His health is a priority now.
- WEST POINT RADIO INVASION - This small community in northwestern Davis County will have two radio DJs assisting with the annual Fourth of July celebration this year.
As a prelude to the main holiday weekend events, the city is holding its first annual Miss West Point and Junior Miss Pageant at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 26, at Clearfield High School. Len Allen of KLO (AM-1430), a Utah radio veteran with more than 45 years on the Ogden air waves, will be the master of ceremonies.
At 6 a.m. Monday, July 5, Tracy Chapman of KKAT (FM-101.9), the station's "Evening Guy," will be giving West Point residents a special in-person wakeup call with music as he drives around before the city's holiday flag-raising ceremony.
- KISN, KISN EVERYWHERE - During a recent trip to Lagoon, I couldn't help noticing the lengths to which fans of KISN-FM have gone to put station bumper stickers on the tops of the support poles on the park's Skyride. It must be a fad to try to put the stickers on the poles because there are so many of them. By the way, I didn't notice any other radio station's stickers on these poles, some of the highest points at Lagoon. Does this mean the sky's the limit for KISN?
- I DECLARE - Many of National Public Radio's high fliers, including Bob Edwards, Nina Totenberg, Cokie Roberts, Susan Stamberg, Anne Garrels, Baxter Black and David Molpus, will read the Declaration of Independence on Morning Edition, airing 5-9 a.m. Friday, July 2, on KUER (FM-90.1). Each person will read a portion of the document in an early celebration of Independence Day. One portion was recorded by the late Red Barber.
- DOCUMENTARY LOVERS TAKE NOTE - KUER continues to broadcast "Soundprint," an ongoing documentary series exploring an eclectic variety of topics, on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7 p.m. July offerings are: "Tho' the Body May Be Frail," life and death at Woodview Nursing Home (July 1); "Vavilov's Ghost," the vast and endangered seed collection of Russian geneticist Nikolai Vavilov (July 8); "Grandmother's Seeds," the passing of heirloom vegetable varieties from gardener to gardener (July 15); "Feral Pigs of Hawaii," exploring the divisive issue of what are "native" and "invasive" species in Hawaii (July 22); and "Looking for Bears," examining efforts of conservation biologists to find and preserve the few remaining grizzlies in the American West (July 29).