Although WKLH's Patti Genko does a lot of chatting between classic hits during her weekday show, given the chance, she's more of a storyteller.
With 23 years of experience at multiple stations and myriad different positions and air shifts, Genko is loaded with great stories and insights. Her wit and intelligence make her tales a joy to listen to, both on the air and over coffee.
Best of all, after more than two decades, Genko doesn't seem overtly jaded by a profession that, as she put it, is sometimes fickle. Instead, she remains upbeat and friendly and willing to share her thoughts on commercial radio as well as playfully namedrop famous rockers she has seen in bathrobes.
They say a good interview is one where the journalist does very little talking. Considering this journalist did almost no talking -- rather a lot of laughing and listening -- Patti Genko must be one of those interviews.
OMC: As a radio personality, have you met a lot of rock stars and do you get to go backstage a lot at shows?
Patti Genko: Depending on the artist and show, that is always a possibility. Of course, these days it is a lot harder to get access backstage and since Sept. 11, security has really tightened up.
Backstage for the most part can be a pretty boring or hairy place to hang out, with equipment being moved and stage crew running around you have to stay out of the way. You don't see the performer every time you are backstage. They kind of stay in their little dressing room until it is time to play.
I went on a weekend tour once with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and they were pretty cool. I also used to intro many of the bands at Alpine Valley. Once I was getting ready to introduce the Jefferson Starship -- when they were just Starship -- and they actually allowed me into their dressing room to listen to them warm up. There was Grace Slick and Mickey Thomas and Paul Kanter just singing a cappella. That was pretty cool.
At another Alpine Valley Show, I caught a glimpse of Sammy Hagar in a robe coming out of the shower after the show backstage! Whew! I stood on stage with The Who a couple of times in Milwaukee and Chicago, next to John Entwhistle, and watched the show. Incredible.
And I can't forget David Lee Roth ... Backstage at the Auditorium with two women on his arm and a bottle of Jack saying hello to me.
Some other memories include introducing Jay Leno at the Riverside. I got to hang in his dressing room before I brought him on. Nice guy. I also introduced Tim Allen (also at the Riverside) just before his TV show started, "Home Improvement," and he was telling me how worried he was that it would bomb and it was all his comedy sketches and like his baby and he wanted it to succeed. I think he got his wish.
Ellen DeGeneres was a bit aloof -- I did her intro at the Riverside -- and after the show I tried to chat with her, but she wasn't too friendly. I've met Ann and Nancy Wilson or Heart, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, the Scorpions, Eddie Money, the Doobie Brothers with and without Michael McDonald, Peter Frampton -- who was very temperamental! -- Kansas, Graham Nash, The Cars -- Ric Ocasek is a very odd man -- the list goes on and on.
OMC: Wow, lots of "brushes with greatness." Who was the coolest person you met?
PG: Graham Nash was very interesting. A funny guy and very deep and committed and knowledgeable about World and U.S. affairs.
OMC: Gotta ask: If you could meet any musician, living or dead, who would it be?
PG: I would love to meet Bruce Springsteen. He seems like a really intelligent and down-to-earth guy that would make you feel comfortable.
OMC: When did you get into radio?
PG: I went to Western Illinois University for Mass Communications/ Electronic Emphasis and produced my own radio and television shows for the university community TV and radio station while I was there.
OMC: Why did you get into radio?
PG: I really loved music, and my dad said to me, "I wish you were as good at your studies as you are at knowing all of these artists and songs on the radio. You should go into radio." He definitely had a sixth sense about it.
OMC: What is your history in radio?
PG: I have been doing professional radio for 23 years now. Good thing I started when I was just a toddler! I started working in Rockford, Ill. in 1979 at a rock station there, Y-95. I worked weekends at first then the 11 p.m.-5:30 a.m. overnight show.
I moved to Milwaukee in 1980, due to my boss taking a job here, and asking two of us to join him at WQFM, 93.3. At WQFM I was originally hired for promotions, but also started handling production director duties, public service announcements, assistant program director responsibilities, a weekend air shift. I was also news director for a time and board operator for the syndicated Steve Dahl and Gary Meier show out of Chicago. What a way to learn all the ropes in radio!
I left WQFM in 1984 and worked a year in promotions and sales at WLUM, then HOT 102. WQFM asked me come back and I worked in the research department, and eventually landed a full-time air shift 2 a.m.-5:30 a.m. Talk about the graveyard shift! I worked my way up to the 10 p.m.-2 a.m. shift following Downstairs Dan Hansen, whose show now follows mine.
In 1987 I was offered a job at a station that had changed call letters and format the previous year, WKLH. I started working 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Then I worked my way to the 3 p.m.-7 p.m. afternoon drive show, and finally landed the 10 a.m.-3 p.m. show.
For the last couple of years my show has been 10 a.m.-2 p.m. I work alone on my show, no side kicks, no engineers to blame technical mistakes on. I do enjoy the noon-1 p.m. workforce lunch hour, where listeners who are at work can call in requests to get them through their workday.
OMC: Where did you grow up? Where do you live now?
PG: I grew up in Libertyville, Ill., not to far from Great America. I live in Brookfield now.
OMC: What do you say when people complain commercial radio is too repetitive?
PG: Growing up in Chicago, we had so much more variety since it was a bigger market. Milwaukee is a very conservative city, and people for the most part prefer to go for what they know. I think WKLH and the classic hits format has been so successful all of these years because of that fact. People still like to feel comfortable with the artists and songs they grew up with. At WKLH we do play the new material from artists like Clapton, McCartney, Mellencamp and we do mix in "deep cuts" album cuts you don't hear too much anymore, but for the most part we play the "tried and true" for our listeners.
Also, at WKLH every day is a no repeat day. I usually hear people talk about the things they love about radio and about WKLH in comparison to other stations here in Milwaukee and around the country. When they do have a complaint we make sure we listen and address their concerns and determine the best way to improve. One of the ways we do that is through our Listener Advisory Board. Our listeners are our customers and any good company knows it needs to know what their customers want out of their product. We are constantly in touch with our customers to determine their tastes and preferences. Our listener advisory board actually listens to the classic hits and tells us what they like, and what they don't or what they are tired of hearing. Taste is a very personal thing, no one will be happy with every song they hear. There will always be a part of any radio stations audience that feels radio is to repetitive, but the upside is that the vast majority are hearing what they want, at the frequency they are comfortable with.
OMC: Who are you favorite bands?
PG: Well, I love any bands that are blues based: Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company. I also like some of the country rock stuff, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Eagles. Now I have a very eclectic music collection at home, you can find '70s folk music, Harry Connick Jr., Tracy Chapman, Faith Hill, Nora Jones, India Arie, Sade, Widespread Panic, Joe Strummer, Frank Sinatra, Little Feat, Creed, 10cc, Squeeze, Bon Jovi, Van Halen and the list goes on. Even opera and classical. I have a wide variety of tastes for every mood!
OMC: If you weren't working for a classic hits radio station, what kind of station would you work for?
PG: Hmm, maybe a college station where I could be as eclectic as I want. Maybe NPR and the World Cafe. I used to host a two-hour talk show on WQFM and really enjoyed that as well.
OMC: "Classic hits" now includes music I listened to in high school, like The Police and U2. It makes me feel old. What about you?
PG: I think it's great! Our music is truly music that stands the test of time. I almost fell over when my 12-year-old niece told me she liked the Beatles and wanted to know more about them. I sat her down and we watched "Help" and "The Days of Beatlemania." These are really kids who may be listening to 'N Sync and Britney, but want to know the roots of rock, too. I think they are amazed that groups like Led Zeppelin and The Beatles have such a huge fan base, even though the groups aren't together anymore. Not only does the music bring back music for my generation, it is making memories for new generations.
OMC: Your hours, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., allow you to have a lot of free time. What else do you do?
PG: I work on my own business. I have had my own company Lake Country Communications since 1991. I write and voice message-on-hold productions for my clients' telephone systems. When their customers are on hold they hear my voice talking about their company and services they offer. I have almost 100 clients all over the country. In addition I also sell the equipment needed to play the message, and also set up voice mail systems. Having my own business has been very fulfilling and gives me some job security because as we all know, radio can be a fickle business. I feel very fortunate I have worked at WKLH so long, I just celebrated my 15th anniversary in October.
OMC: I don't know if you remember this, but I was on "Hey, Mom I'm on 'KLH" about a year and a half ago.
PG: Sure, I do! It's a lot of fun for people to come on and be our guest DJ. There is a two-year waiting list right now to get on. By the way, "Hey Mom" is our hour-long guest DJ program on Monday nights from 10 to11 p.m. Listeners can enter to be on "Hey Mom" by e-mailing us through our Web site at www.wklh.com.
OMC: Do you ever feel at a loss for words when you're on the air? What do you do when that happens?
PG: What can you do? I punt! You just have to laugh and be yourself and say, "I am at a loss for words" On days like that I poke fun at myself and say things like, "Good one, Patti" Or "Hey everyone, it's an anything can happen day" or "Well you can tell it's a Monday."
OMC: What's the most embarrassing thing you've said on the radio?
PG: Maybe accidentally putting a caller on the air with a question or request and not realizing it was going over the air right away. One time I did that years ago, and my boss ran in the studio eyes bulging with a look of horror on his face, and started gesturing madly to cut. I got the message right away. Oops.
{INSERT_RELATED}OMC: What's the best and worst part of your job?
PG: The best part is the hours I work and what I do. I can't believe I get paid to do this. It's not like work at all, and I feel very fortunate. The worst is occasionally working weekends or holidays, or having to report on terrible breaking news like a celebrity's death or terrorism.
OMC: WKLH is very "Dave and Carole" focused. Does this bother you?
PG: Well any morning show is going to be the anchor at the radio station. It is important to have a strong and visible morning show that can grab listeners first thing in the morning and keep them tuned in for the midday show. I think listeners tune in for Dave and Carole, but stick around for the music afterwards. I think it is a team effort here at the station.
OMC: Anything else you would like to say to Milwaukee's Web readers?
PG: Well I do appreciate them listening to my show and being loyal listeners. It is really cool, although a little embarrassing, when I am out an appearance or Summerfest and a listener tells me they really love my show and what I do, and they have been listening for many years. I just thank them and tell them it's no big deal being on the air, I just do what I love and I hope that shines through.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
