Working With One of My Radio Heroes

My love affair with rock and roll began as a teenager growing up in the north suburbs of Denver. In the late 80's and early 90's, there was one place you could go to discover your favorite bands...the radio.  I remember hearing the DJ's interview rock stars, talk about concerts and conduct crazy contests. I knew that's what I wanted to do when I grew up.

Amazingly, I now get to work with one of the guys who inspired me to get into broadcasting all of those years ago.  "The Masta" Steve Cooper was a legend in the Denver area.  I'll never forget the first time I met him.  A group of high school friends and I went to see Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tours" tour at McNichols Sports Arena.  Ozzy swore up and down this would be his last tour.  I've seen Ozzy 6 or 7 times since.

Before the show, we were tailgating in the parking lot and Cooper was broadcasting live from the show.  A small crowd had gathered around the radio station tent when he asked the audience if anybody knew which singer had his private parts insured by Lloyds of London.  I screamed out "David Lee Roth" and Cooper threw me a prize.  It was a "wrap that rascal" keychain with a condom inside.  For a 15 year old kid, it was the coolest prize ever.

I remember Cooper coming up to me and shaking my hand.  He seemed larger than life to my friends and I, yet he was so humble, kind and down to earth.  Several years later, I had just started out on the air working at a station in Colorado Springs.  The classic rock station in town hired Steve Cooper as their Program Director and PM Drive disk jockey.  I called him on the request line to welcome him to town and he was very encouraging.

Now, nearly two decades later, I have been blessed to work for some of the most legendary rock radio stations in the country.  And I'm honored to work alongside one of the great jocks who inspired me to get into the broadcasting industry, the legendary Steve Cooper.