Posted by Bud on September 10, 2009 at 13:53:08:
Our Chicago ears may have been tuned into Byrd's voice coming all the way from England today, but the eyes of Canada are still focused on their native son. Coming from north of the border, here is a GREAT look at WLUP's Byrd from the Fort Francis (Ontario) Times today:
..............
'Byrd' flying high on Chicago airwaves
By Mitch Calvert, Staff writer
Wednesday, 9 September 2009 - 1:24pm
Above the planet on a wing and a prayer, John "Byrd" Kempf has rocked his way to 30 years as a radio personality.
Time sure flies when you're having fun.
The Fort Frances native is closing in on six years with the Loop, WLUP FM 97.9, in Chicago, now working the 10 a.m.-3 p.m. shift.
"Chicago was always the back-of-mind goal," Kempf admitted. "It's a very, very difficult market to get into, it's very insular with lots of experienced, legendary names here, so they don't have to look outside often, if at all."
Kempf said picking up Chicago radio signals growing up in Fort Frances was a major influence on his path towards the genre in the first place.
"One of my main influences was listening to WLS [Chicago] when it was a music station, and all of the great personalities there," he noted.
"Fortunately in Fort Frances, you could get radio stations from all over the continent because there wasn't the interference, and I was able to compare stations from New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
"In my mind, the stations in Chicago were way above and beyond the quality of the ones coming out of New York and L.A.
"The audience and their knowledge of music and their passion for radio as an art form," Kempf explained. "There's a wonderful relationship between the radio performer, the radio station, and the audience here [Chicago] that does not exist in New York and L.A."
Kempf's journey in the medium had been a nomadic one, including stints at KSHE St. Louis, 98 Rock Baltimore/Washington, D.C., KOMP Las Vegas, Q107 Toronto, and 97 Rock in Winnipeg (now Power 97). And those were just the highlights.
But it all started as a 15-year-old with CFOB 800 AM here in Fort Frances.
"I was 15 [in 1980] and the wisdom of Gordie McBride sensed my eagerness and enthusiasm, and they probably could've used the help at the time and put me on the air immediately," Kempf recalled.
"I guess I was a rabid young kid chewing at their leg, so they thought, 'All right, smarty pants, we'll put you on the air,' and fortunately by then my voice had changed so they figured, 'He's 15, but he doesn’t sound like it.'"
"Byrd" said he's been blessed to have been able to spend 28 of his 30 years in the business working specifically for rock stations.
"I've been very lucky to not have to diverge from my true passion," he noted. "Usually people have to work a variety of formats [in radio], whatever jobs are available, but I've been really fortunate that way that 28 of the 30 years have been nothing but rock."
Kempf has interviewed countless famous musicians and dignitaries on-air, but a few in particular stand out.
"Meeting Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, and having him tell me how much he enjoyed the interview with me, and just hanging out with him," Kempf enthused.
"That grand English gentleman, Paul McCartney, and having him spontaneously sing for me.
"I guess it would be easier to go through the ones I haven't met than the ones I have over the years," Kempf laughed. "Meeting [former U.S.] President Clinton and sitting in his car, just crazy things like that.
"I went to lunch with the Secret Service guys in full uniform after, and that was something," he added. "Secret Service guys and one guy with long hair; you should've seen the looks in the restaurant."
Kempf, who has been voted one of "America's Sexiest D.J.'s" by Playgirl magazine and received the key to the City of Las Vegas, has stuck with the "Byrd" nickname that actually was given to him while growing up here.
"It was a nickname when I was a school kid, and who knows why kids pick nicknames, but I thought that it would be far easier to keep it [for radio]," Kempf reasoned.
"John Kempf was not a very good stage name, and I wouldn't be the first or the last to pick something that is a little bit easier to remember."
Kempf's hectic schedule doesn't allow him much opportunities to come home, but said this area offers some things the city just can't provide.
"Well, certainly the walleye, and the fishing in particular," Kempf remarked. "In Fort Frances, it's like 'Cheers,' everyone knows your name, and I miss that sort of close bond in the community.
"You miss some of the friends you grew up with, and I don't get a chance to get back there as often as I would like just because you are so busy doing this," he noted.
Kempf actually is on holidays this week, but was offered an opportunity to broadcast his show from London, England instead.
"I was going to have a week off starting [last] Sunday, but I was presented with this opportunity to do my show from the Abbey Road studios in London, where the Beatles and Pink Floyd recorded all their albums," Kempf said.
"So here I had this week off but I thought, 'Well, I guess I'm going to London for the week.'"
Growing up in Canada, Kempf naturally has a special place in his heart for hockey. And his radio job has opened new doors to meet people in the sport -- including a recent run-in with hockey legends Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull.
"The Canadian heritage runs deep; hockey is my true sport of choice," Kempf enthused. "I met Bobby [Hull] when I was a youngster when he was playing for the Winnipeg Jets, and kept in contact with him here and there and would have him on my show once in a while.
"And now that he's back involved with the Blackhawks, he introduced me to Stan [Mikita].
"They are both great guys and they've got some great stories," Kempf said.
Kempf gets together with another former Fort Frances resident now living in Chicago, current Blackhawks' defenceman Duncan Keith.
"Him and I get together whenever we have a chance here, and again there's that Fort Frances mentality," Kempf said. "'Hey, you're from Fort Frances? Me, too.'"