Marla Stone | Radio DJ |

 

I did radio as a 'day job' for years.  I let radio borrow my personality.  And, I let radio damn near destroy Marla Stonecipher.
 

I've done 'radio broadcasting' as a career for 29 years.  I'm done now.

Unless, of course, I need to borrow 'radio' for one of my musicians'.

Then, I'll do it again.
 

Radio was a large wild ride for little 'ol me.  I broke into the airwaves completely by accident actually. I was set upon being an editor for Universal Studios when my accidental radio career happened. And, strangely enough, I thank the Largo PD for encouraging me to jump on that bandwagon rather than become a dispatcher for them....thank you men/women in blue!  (I think)

 

I ended up in radio because a paid internship went awry, badly awry.

I was still at USF, and had taken a semester to do a paid internship, running cameras, for Home Shopping Network.  At the last minute, and I mean last minute, that little deal fell apart. Which left me with a semester with no classes, and no paid internship!  UH OH> I ended up at 95YNF, as that was the only media outlet that wasn't fully staffed with interns at that date.

 

Enter Charlie Logan, and company.  

 

I was NOT INTO ROCK N ROLL at this point.  At ALL.  So, I was thoroughly unimpressed by the sophomoric bullshit that surrounded me at YNF.  I did have a knack for writing quickly, effectively, and for reporting correctly.  So, I found myself in 'research' - paid, and writing for WSUN which was one of the premiere CBS O&O newsrooms at that time. I filled in for the legendary Al Ford when he was on vacation, and Al Ford liked me, and coached me on 'traffic reporting live'.  I'm forever grateful, and in his debt. On the day I watched some stripper bitch do herself on the Ron & Ron Show, through the window that separated Becky "Flash" Gordon from the boys, I decided I could do a better job doing a radio show.  I was completely disgusted that MUSIC was not the focus--music was just the vehicle for complete madness to be delivered to the masses.  Gutter from hell stuff folks.  Hell, I have those body parts, and they still don't have much to do with new, great music.  Although, maybe body parts used wisely can INSPIRE great music.......

 

I was the person who got to do all the legwork for the Cutting Edge (Charlie Logan's breaking new bands show), and for The Wax Museum (Russ Albums). Russ took a lot of time to teach me the fine 'art' of radio, and I modeled myself after him, on air, complete with NOT USING HEADPHONES.  Russ was about the MUSIC.  He also just happened to have a great voice. Charlie had a great set of 'ears', and I stole that talent from watching him.

 

Women in rock radio back then were for the news, for fucking, and that's about all.  Trust me folks.

So, I did the news better than the men, and I refused to use anything that even related to my body to further my career.  That cost me a lot, trust me, but if I'd have used the body, there would not have been a career........

 

I will use the body NOW, as it is still use-able!  But, not for a career in radio for sure!!

 

I became a sponge.  For information, for technique, and for the record. Carey Curelop had a strange way of doing things, and he decided that I had a voice, without consulting me at all. He had me come in at midnight on April 1st....which I thought was a joke, but I showed up. Carey said, "what is your air name?" as he sat across the board from me at WSUN....and I said, well, Marla Stone.

 

I'm one of the only people that used my real name on air.  And, I'm grateful.

Then, at midnight straight up, he said, "read this, and take :60 seconds".....

I remember clearly that adrenaline rush that came with that first LIVE minute.  It was the longest minute of my life folks.

And, that's where I got the radio bug.

thanks to the boys, and to the listeners over the past 30 years.  

I've never been less than number one - ratings wise - in both FLA & Colorado.

Rock ON.