Kyle Smith hasn't always been a Pittsburgher. But he's been into music for years.
He grew up in Minnesota, moved to Salt Lake City and Burlington, Vt., then accepted a job at WYEP-FM . He served as a morning host and currently is content director. The station turns 35 years old in April.
What do you like most about WYEP? I like the fact that we can play new artists and still have specialty shows devoted to soul, blues, roots rock, folk and bluegrass. And some of those shows have been around for 30 years, almost as long as the station. What I enjoy the most is that it is something a little different every day. It is broadcasting rather than narrowcasting. People in the past have said, "It is like college radio for grown-ups."
You have worked at commercial stations before. What do you think the benefits of working for a public station are? The fact that we are not owned by restrictions on what we can play, say or do. There is a lot of creative input. I think what a lot of people don't understand is that on commercial radio, announcers do not really have input on songs or things that go on the air. They are just trying to be talent and talk in between songs. They are trying to appeal to the widest audience. I think sometimes things get kind of dumbed down.
How much new music do you receive? We get hundreds of submissions every week. They come from labels, both major and independent, and local musicians. A lot of times, we get advances months before the single or the album will be out.
Who are your favorite artists? There are so many to mention that it is hard to narrow it down to just a few. I like anyone from the modern era, like Beck back to Neil Young. I really like The Replacements. Band X has always been a favorite, R.E.M., also some smaller, unknown bands, but it is always changing.
What do you like most about Pittsburgh? It has character — the neighborhoods and how the rivers cut up the city. I like the fact that it has a landscape and has a look to it. It is not strip-malled out. There are a ton of local businesses and local restaurants.
What do you like least about the city? What I really notice, from living in other places, is the amount of trash in the city.
What new projects is WYEP working on? We are updating our Web site, WYEP.org, to make it more interactive. We are also working on a project for spring, WYEP's 913 essential songs. We are asking listeners to submit their top 20 songs on our Web site for a countdown in May. Our 12th annual music festival is also coming up June 26 in Schenley Plaza in Oakland.
Additional Information:Kyle Smith
Age: 38
Residence: South Side
