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Bringing The Funk To Reno Radio

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The KOZZ crew in the early years. Image courtesy of Steve Funk.
The KOZZ crew in the early years. Image courtesy of Steve Funk.

Recently Steve Funk shared the fact that he has tossed his hat in the ring to be considered to fill the morning show vacancy at KOZZ. I sat down with Steve to find out a little more about his background as it applies to filling this role.

Steve Funk.

Steve came to Northern Nevada in the mid 60’s and has been a part of the KOZZ family off and on since 1977. His first foray into radio was when he anchored the student newscast at Carson High School. Eventually he worked his way into KUNR doing the Friday and Saturday night freeform radio show. “Wild West Radio” is how he describes it.

While going to school he was working for a billboard printing shop. One day he called in to a radio show to win a T-shirt – won the T-shirt, got hired as a DJ, and wound up working the day shift there for 13 years. After that experience Steve moved back to California and worked in radio in San Francisco and Modesto before life brought him back to the Biggest Little City in The World in about 1994.

For the past several years, among other things, Steve has been the guy who filled in on air for vacations or during periods of time when transition was in the making at KOZZ. Having his own business and making his own schedule has afforded him the flexibility to accommodate the needs of the station and be available when needed, and they have appreciated and found value in that.

Robert Plant, left, and Steve Funk. Image courtesy of Steve Funk.
Robert Plant, left, and Steve Funk.
Image courtesy of Steve Funk.

With regard to taking this position I asked Steve, why now? To paraphrase, the gig has become available at a time when changes is his life have made this the perfect opportunity at the right time. Sometimes things just fall into place. Steve is currently undergoing the vetting process to hopefully be chosen for this amazing opportunity. 

It seems to me that Steve is the right guy for this. He’s got deep roots in the community and all the experience one could hope for. He brings a heritage and history with KOZZ that nobody else can bring to the job, and can you imagine the stories he could tell?

Oh man! If the walls could talk! But they don’t have to, if we’ve got Steve.

Good luck, my friend.

Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe
Nick McCabe is a Reno-based photojournalist and musician. He’s been shooting concerts in the Reno-Tahoe area since 2006 and writing articles and reviews since 2012, as well as doing interviews on occasion. His musical education and playing experience goes back to 1967. He is a founding member of the Reno Tahoe Forte’ Awards, and he still plays music locally for enjoyment. First concert: Jimi Hendrix. Last concert: we’ll see.

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