User:Morningwakeupguy/Kevin Hilley

Kevin Hilley Kevin John Hilley (born December 11, 1958) is a radio air personality. While he has worked other timeslots during his career, the vast majority of his 30+ years in broadcasting have been spent in the highly visible Morning Drive shift. Hilley teams with co-host Erin Hart on the daily “Hilley & Hart” program on 94.3 KAT Country in Jefferson City, MO. They have been together since 2008 and have witnessed a steady growth in popularity and listenership in that time.

Radio career College broadcasting Hilley’s first experience as a disc jockey was during his freshman year at Houghton College in 1977 when he walked into WJSL, the Houghton College radio station. The station’s format was Contemporary Christian and, at the time, the station was merely broadcasting over local telephone lines (“carrier current”). It later went on the air at 90.3 FM under the name “WJSL Stereo 90”. Hilley admits that during his time at Houghton College, he spent more time in the studio then he did in class, one of several reasons for his less than stellar grade point average and ultimately leading to his leaving school without a degree. It was this radio experience, however, that would launch Hilley into the career that he says he was born to do. Professional career In February of 1980, Hilley accepted the 7 pm-Midnight slot at WSLB (1400 AM) in Ogdensburg, NY. The stint was short-lived, however as he was hospitalized a month later with aplastic anemia, a usually fatal blood disorder. Hilley never returned to WSLB. In March 1980, he received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from his brother Keith and spent the next year and a half recovering at home in New Jersey. Following his recovery, Hilley resumed his radio career. In 1981 he began doing mornings at WKQV in Vineland, NJ. The station was in significant financial trouble following the divorce of its owners, so much so that the air talents would often bring in their own records to play on the air. The unprofessional conditions soon wore on Hilley and in 1982, he was offered and accepted the night slot at crosstown WWBZ (1360 AM). The station was in the process of switching from Adult Contemporary to an Oldies format and Hilley was excited to be a part of the transition. It was at this station that he was introduced to much of the music and artists of the format. Other stations along the way in Hilley’s career included: WZZD (990 AM), Philadelphia. In 1984, Hilley began working weekends at this Contemporary Christian station while looking for a jumpstart to what he felt was a somewhat stalled career. WNAT (1450 AM)/WQNZ (95.1 FM), Natchez, MS. In the spring of 1985, Hilley packed his car and headed further from home than he had ever been, travelling to the deep South to take the afternoon slot at Adult Contemporary WNAT (and doubling as a News reporter) and then returning to do overnights at “95 Country” WQNZ. While the move was the adventure of a lifetime for the 26 year old, the new and unfamiliar surroundings, his inexperience and lack of a support structure soon had Hilley turning his eyes homeward once again. He returned to New Jersey in July, just months after leaving. “Radio-Free Kevin” – The next several years marked life outside broadcasting for Hilley as he found work far from the career he had known thus far. He held several jobs, most notably as a printer’s assistant at Pioneer National Press in Ambler, PA for about 2 years. While running the day to day operations of the print and copy shop, he held on to hope that he could one day soon return to what gave him the most pleasure, the world of radio. In 1989, his wife-to-be Donna realized that Hilley would never be content until he was back in radio and encouraged him to pursue that goal once again. Just one month before they were married, Hilley accepted the night on-air position at Adult Contemporary WATS (960 AM)/WAVR (102.1 FM) in Sayre, PA. In December 1990, he moved into the Morning slot at the station following the departure of morning personality Todd Bowers. September of 1991 saw Hilley return to his native New Jersey and the morning show at WVLT (92.1 FM) in Vineland, NJ. The station was the latest incarnation of the former WKQV where Hilley had worked a decade earlier, After a disagreement over an off-the-air incident, Hilley and the station parted ways in 1993. However, he kept his hand in the business with part-time work at Oldies station WTKU “Cool 98.3” in Ocean City, NJ. In 1994, Hilley accepted an overnight position at Harrisburg, PA Oldies giant “KOOL 94.9”. It was a turning point in his career as, just a short time after taking the job, he met up with new Morning personality R.J. Harris. Harris, a seasoned veteran who had enjoyed success in New York, Chicago and other major markets, became the mentor that Hilley needed. After working his overnight slot each evening, Hilley would stay on as Harris’ producer and member of the popular “RJ Harris In the Morning” show, watching and learning from the legendary air personality. From Harris, he took skills that would serve him the rest of his career. The greatest success that he had known thus far began in June of 1996 when Hilley took over Mornings at WJYY (105.5 FM) in Concord, NH. “The Kevin Hilley Wake-Up Show” was lauded by locals as fun and family-friendly. It was the first Top 40 station that Hilley had ever worked at and, together with co-host Suzanne Lewis, the show and the station enjoyed ratings success. In 2000, Hilley was offered a huge contract (“more money than I had ever seen in my life”) by Telemedia Corporation to move to Albany, NY and take the morning reigns of struggling WCPT (100.9 FM). Telemedia was the parent company of Concord Oldies station WNNH and industry rumors whispered that the company offered the position to Hilley due to his success and to get him out of the Concord market. The move turned out to be a bitter pill to swallow for the now 41 year old morning man. He and his new boss saw eye to eye on almost nothing and daily criticism of his work soon began to wear on him. The day-to-day on-air routine, once a joy to Hilley, became a burden and he left after only 5 months in Albany. It was back to New Jersey in the summer of 2000 for Hilley as he began mornings at WCZT (96.7 FM) in Cape May, NJ. While it was a relief to be out from under the oppressive atmosphere of his former employer, Hilley soon found himself missing the professional challenge at his new station, one that was very small and especially catered to a seasonal seashore audience. In 2001, Hilley was contacted by Mike Kaplan, the Program Director of WJLK (94.3 FM) “The Point” in Asbury Park, NJ to be reunited with his former WJYY co-host Suzanne Lewis. Kaplan had heard an audition tape featuring the two and was impressed by their chemistry. Hilley initially rejected the overtures, deciding that he did not want to make another move so soon after taking his present position. However, Kaplan’s persistence and the appeal of the larger market and all that goes with it soon changed Hilley’s mind and, in May 2001, he and Lewis were working together again. On June 7th, 2002, Hilley and Lewis were informed that WJLK parent company Nassau Broadcasting had sold its stations to Millenium Broadcasting and that the morning team along with other staff were being let go by Millenium. It was a day later referred to by Hilley and his colleagues as the “Friday Morning Massacre”. Nassau dismissed Hilley with a generous severance package while he searched for new employment. That search led to a call from radio consultant Tim Moore in July of 2002. He told Hilley that he was consulting a station that he thought he “would be a perfect fit for”. The station was Adult Contemporary KPLA (101.5 FM) in Columbia, MO, owned by a group of local businessmen. They flew Hilley out to interview and to introduce him to his new morning show partner, Sarah Hunter, herself a local broadcast institution. On August 19, 2002, “Hilley & Hunter” debuted on KPLA. The show was a hit with listeners and was a perennial ratings winner throughout its run but the station was sold to Cumulus Broadcasting in March of 2005. Personnel and budget changes soon began, including the announcement just two months later by Hunter that she was retiring. Hilley was assured by management that there was a “nationwide search” on for a replacement co-host. However, in June, Hilley was told that he was being taken off KPLA and moved to the Morning show (along with program director duties) at Oldies KJMO (104.1 FM) in Jefferson City, MO. In early 2006, Hilley left Cumulus and was invited by friend Karen Dye to join her on Contemporary Christian station KMFC (92.1 FM) in Centralia, MO. The “Karen and Kevin” morning show was born. Their off-beat sense of humor and family-friendly approach endeared them to listeners who turned to the duo for a daily dose of encouragement and laughter. The station was struggling financially, however, and owner Jerry Clair found it necessary to put the station up for sale. Dye left the show and station in 2007 to pursue ministry opportunities and Hilley was informed by Clair that, due to the station’s financial ills, it would be in his best interest to seek work elsewhere as well. On February 25, 2008, Hilley took over mornings at Zimmer Radio Group station KATI (94.3 FM) “KAT Country” in Jefferson City, MO. He was initially teamed with Carissa Cole as “Kevin & Carissa”, but she was shortly thereafter put on the morning show at sister station KCLR (99.3 FM) “Clear 99” in Columbia, MO. It was about that time that Hilley was a customer at a local spa and salon and met Erin Hart while she was working the front desk. Impressed with her voice and conversational skills, he asked her if she would be interested in filling in on the Morning show on a part-time basis until he found a permanent co-host, to which she agreed. Zimmer Radio management was pleased with the job she did and in July 2008, she was offered the job full-time, marking the official start of “Hilley & Hart”. The show has steadily grown in listenership and is the longest running morning show on a music station in the Columbia/Jefferson City market.

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