Bonnie Simmons from the KSAN days. That's Tom Donahue on the right.
Attention all Bay Area Radio Survivor readers, it is time for you to go to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame & Museum and vote for the Class of 2010’s best radio announcer. BTW: I’m urging you to vote for Bonnie Simmons of KPFA-FM.
Now if you want to vote for one of the other nominees, what can I say? That’s fine, I guess. But it just happens that Simmons is without question the best music DJ in the San Francisco Bay Area. I will simply repeat what I’ve written on this blog earlier.
“For two hours [8 pm to 10 pm on Thursdays] it’s like an alternate universe where nothing ever sucks. How does Simmons do it? Years of experience in the music biz, going back to the free form radio days: music director at KSAN, promoter for Prince and Dire Straights, deejay at KFOG, LIVE 105, and KOFY. Plus she managed Cake for eight years and currently hustles for Noe Venable and Etienne de Rocher.
Plus, I just love listening to her . She’s got this charmingly officious way of talking. “Oh so Beattle-y, and yet not . . . ” she crooned as she back announced the Phillips tune. Plus she’s endlessly meditating on the second half of the evening, Derk Richardson. “I believe that Derk Richardson will be in tonight ” she proclaims, as if she was warming up for the Prime Minister of some place. “I haven’t discussed this with him in depth, but I believe that he’s headed in.” She’s got this way of tartly saying Derk —drives me nuts.”
So sure, go ahead and vote for one of the other contenders. I won’t be bitter. I mean, here I’ve been busting my tail on this blog for a year FOR YOU and all I’m asking is this one thing, that you vote for Bonnie. Your choice. No pressure.
But I repeat that Bonnie is absolutely the best radio DJ in the Bay Area. She leaves those other nominees in the dirt. And I’m not talking about that good Bay Area compost dirt either. So do what I say and vote for Bonnie.
BTW: Interestingly, KPFA founder Lewis Hill is up for best radio station manager. But given that he died over half a century ago . . . well, your call.
PS: On line voting site here. Go vote now.
