Bios

Kevin Matthews

Kevin Matthews (Official Idiot of the New Millenium)

The radio voice of Kevin Matthews has been heard over airways across the country for nearly 25 years. Kev, as he prefers to be called, began his radio career in 1978 at WSRX student radio at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich.

After graduating from GVSU, Kevin worked his way up through the Grand Rapids, Mich. radio market until he finally settled at the city's classic rock station, WLAV-FM. There, he created a legendary morning show that quickly earned number-one status in the West Michigan market - and stayed there until he left West Michigan in 1984. Next stop St. Louis.

As the morning man in St. Louis for only a year, Kev's reputation as a quick wit with legions of loyal listeners rapidly spread throughout the national radio circuit. Before long, Chicago LOOP (WLUP) - the most popular radio station in the country for 10 years running at that time - got wind of Kev and snatched him up. When his personality hit Chicago airwaves in 1985, his fan base instantaneously grew into thousands. "KevHeads," a name for his fans that began in Michigan, could now be found throughout the Midwest - in Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois.

At the LOOP/AM 1000 Kev developed his wildly popular alter-ego, sports radio announcer Jim Shorts. This character became a significant part of the Chicago sports scene through featured radio chats and public appearances with Chicago sports heroes Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka, Jim McMahon and many, many more.

< --(Photo of Kev's wife, Debbie)
With more than a face for radio, Key has appeared on stage with such television personalities as Dana Carvey, Mike Myers and Jerry Seinfeld as well as many others. His guest appearance on the internationally acclaimed television show Bay Watch in the early 90's is yet another "dumb moment" of Kev's career.

He also uses his comedy sketches, characterizations and cunning personality in stand-up routines to "keep up his stupidity" at some of the biggest stages in the Midwest, including Alpine Valley, the World Music Theater, the Chicago Park West, The Vic any many other venues. Kevin Matthew's has entertained thousands and thousands of KevHeads.

He's done it all, baby, including giving back. Through the years, Kevin has supported a wide variety of charitable and community organizations. He is particularly proud of the Kevin Matthews'-Clause Foundation, which supports numerous children's charities throughout the Chicago area.

In 1998, Kev left AM1000 to join Chicago-based ABC radio.

After three years with ABC, Kev took a short pause in his radio career to pursue some of his personal interests, one of which is cooking.

Driven by his passion to cook (and eat), Kev truly practices what he preaches, "Live to eat; don't eat to live!" That passion sparked the idea for his latest venture, a cookbook aptly titled, This Book Could Kill You: Recipes to Die For. The book is filled with Kev's favorite recipes and boils over with Kevin's humor and stories from the heart.

Kevin now works for Citadel Communications in Program Development, and also does the morning drive slot at WLAV in Grand Rapids, MI.

Uncle Buck

Ed was born and raised in Grand Rapids, but got his start in radio “on a dare” in Big Rapids while attending Ferris State University. In January 1967 he first hit the airwaves as Larry Cole. Buck then came to Grand Rapids and got his first full time job doing Top 40 radio at WERX-AM.

The station switched formats in June of 1968, and Ed moved to the FM band for the first time at WXTO-FM. He did a show there called “Campus After Hours” where the music choices were up to him. He also recalls having to spend his paychecks to get new music for the show.

In the summer of 1970, WXTO was bought and turned into WGRD-FM. Ed left and went to WAFT-AM here in Grand Rapids. It was totally free-form, progressive station, but it too was purchased in the fall of 1970, and it went from playing Steppenwolf one morning to Anne Murray the next. Needless to say, Ed moved on.

He booked local bands and played in a couple of them for a few months until he got a call from WLAV in January of 1971. At the time, WLAV-AM was rockin' and number one in the market. WLAV-FM was playing Easy Listening hits of the day, and it was at that time the station decided to change his name to... Ed Buchanan.

In 1972, in a cost cutting measure, the station switched to automated oldies 24 hours a day. Ed ran the automation for a few months and decided to move on. He did a short six months at WMUS in Muskegon before being called back to WLAV in the fall of 1972. At the time Ed was on the air playing Album Rock from 10 PM to 4 AM... the rest of the day WLAV was still automated oldies. The Album Rock was doing well at night though, so they decided to expand it. Ed called up Aris Hampers to join him, and the two of them were live from 7 PM to 5 AM. Finally in 1973, WLAV-FM went full-time Rock, and Ed moved to Middays. There is one more station story however. In the Fall of 1979, Ed quit WLAV-FM over their plans to use consultants to chart the course of the station. He ended up at WFFX-FM, The Fox 101, which was LAV’S rival in the Rock market. On Memorial Day 1980, The Fox switched formats to Country Music, becoming the first FM country station in Grand Rapids, WCUZ-FM. Ed stayed there for almost 15 years. In 1995, after conflicts with management over the direction of the station, Ed left, and actually thought of getting out of radio after almost 30 years.

But then, WLAV-FM fired their Program Director and brought Tony Gates back. Ed called Tony, and Ed Buchanan was back on Middays in May of 1995.  In 2002 Ed moved to the Morning Train Wreck with Tony Gates, and when Kevin Matthews returned in 2005, Tony moved to Afternoons and Ed stayed in the morning with the Kevin Matthews Morning Show.   

Lerch http://www.facebook.com/lerchwlavfm

Whats up. I been in radio for almost 2 years.  I started on the might KLQ then Kev kiddnapped me and has been fathering me ever since. I can drink my body weight in Miller Lite and enojoy sipping on High Beams (monster and Jim Beam).  Heres a few other things, I love heavy metal and cougars, I hate small children and my in-laws. And thats probably too many commas.  If you hate me let me know I don't care, but it will be funny as hell to read your hate mail on the air.

http://www.facebook.com/lerchwlavfm