JMAC

KNON Blues DJ Since 1987

I was born in California but I've lived in North Texas for more than 20 years and natives tell me I am "naturalized" now. I miss my family and the Pacific but I love Texas and all the great people here and Texas is my home. The Blues Scene in North Texas, in my humble opinion, is second to none. (That includes Chicago!)

Blind Lemon Blues Festival

B.B. King

I clearly remember the moment I got hooked on the Blues. I was looking for something different and found a copy of Mississippi Fred McDowell's first Arhoolie release. The first track was "Write Me A Few Lines" and from the moment the needle hit the groove I was hooked. Could one man with a guitar really make a sound like that? I still have that LP and have spent countless hours trying to capture Fred's sound. Today the Blues is my first love and it comes out in everything I play.

When I moved to Texas I started looking for Blues on the radio. KNON went on the air two months after I arrived. I didn't find it until years later when a friend at work told me he vaguely recalled that a local station (then at 90.9 FM) played the Blues.

Gatemouth Brown

Beth Garner & Holland K. Smith

It took a few tries but I found Marc Tuton's show playing artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Tampa Red, Memphis Minnie, Curly 'Barefoot' Miller, Black Ace, Willie McTell, Blind Boy Fuller, and my #1 guitar hero Blind Blake. I called to request favorite tunes and Marc turned me on to the rest of KNON's Blues schedule, which wasn't much back then. Don O's "Best of the Blues" on Friday night was a favorite but other Blues shows were on after midnight - tough for a person with a day job.

I started helping at pledge drives and getting to know the folks at KNON. Marc invited me to play live on his show in June of 1987. Not long afterwards "Mr. & Mrs. Hippy" had to give up their show and KNON's program director (Niteman) asked if I would be interested doing one. You betcha! I had two interviews and put together a sample playlist. I must have done something right because they hired me (KNON DJ's are unpaid volunteers) and I did my first show on August 10, 1987. I've done a Blues show on Monday ever since.

JMAC and Ginger

JMAC and Johnny Mack

Working at KNON does not make you famous and it sure won't make you rich. You do it because you love it. I am honored to contribute a tiny bit to the local Blues Community. The best part is that through KNON I have met dozens of really great people including a few legends like B. B. King and lots of great KNON listeners!

But nothing is as much fun as having a listener call to ask "Who did that song you just played? That was awesome!"

It's been a lot of work but it's also been a lot of fun and I look forward to being part of KNON's third decade and beyond.

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Judy & Dana

KNON's Texas Blues Radio Last Siet Update: Tuesday August 12, 2008