Think of something you love to do and have done most of your life.

Fishing, knitting, playing tennis, hiking, any of those things. And the next thing you know, in a blip of a lifetime, you’re getting ready to do it for the last time. You know that final time is coming up.

My final radio show is this Friday, on KRKO, “Everett’s Greatest Hits”, my radio home for just about the past five years. And that will be it!

I’m not just saying this to convince myself, because I’m really, really OK with all this. It’s the way I would choose to go out. On a station playing music I actually enjoy and will keep listening to and handing it off to a friend and co-worker that I’ve known for over two decades and that is one great guy.

So many in this sometimes-caustic business don’t get this opportunity.  At KOMO, I was called into the GM’s office after a Friday morning show to learn of one of the worst-kept secrets in the building. At KLSY, we found out that our annual Christmas spectacular at the Village Theater in Issaquah was our last show. Right after our last live break, the general manager came backstage to let us know the show was history, leaving our listeners wondering what the heck happened. I mean, ‘Tis the season!

Being able to bow out at a slow, relaxed summer pace gives me a chance to say goodbye and to hear from listeners, friends and co-workers I’ve gotten to know over the years…plus, have a say in who takes over–it all makes me realize how lucky and blessed I am.

I’ve received some great messages from those special folks over the years after I posted the story on Facebook and I just wanted to share them. (instead of scrapbooking, I’m just sticking ’em up on my blog)

Thanks friends, thanks listeners, thanks everyone. 

If you can tune in this week (maybe you never got around to it–we didn’t make it easy), stream it here, download the KRKO app and stream it on your phone, or if you live in the north end, catch me while you can between 6 and 9am through Friday morning at 1380AM or 95.3FM.

And I might as well share a letter I wrote and shared with KRKO’s sister media company, Everett Post so next week, I’ll start the next phase of my career with one less thing to do.

Hi there,

Almost five years ago, I heard the new music version of KRKO. They called this collection of great songs, “Everett’s Greatest Hits.” And I liked it.

The station had just flipped from an All-Sports format, to playing the music I grew up with or played myself on the radio during the early days of my career. Frankly, of all the stations I’ve worked at, it was as they were playing Tim’s favorites.

I initially contacted the radio station about possibly doing some voice tracks. You know, to get a foot in the door and get back on the radio. Over my career, I enjoyed a fun ride—from the airwaves of Yakima, over to Seattle at KOMO radio and then to KLSY for 19 years. I even did a year of weekends and fill-in at “The Wolf” here in town.

While I felt I had the radio thing down, I decided to focus on expanding my skill set. I went to work for an advertising agency as a writer, which evolved into radio and TV production, directing commercial shoots and developing mad video editing skills.

Then, after ten years of that, I broke away. I launched Tim Hunter Creative Services and went to work for another agency run by a friend, Create Impulse. I developed a hodge-podge collection of all kinds of jobs, such that every day was different. I could wake up and start working on an email blast, then a digital ad, a commercial, write a blog, you name it. My current career salad is made up of a dozen or so various jobs and somehow, it has just all worked.

Five years ago, when I heard KRKO was looking for a morning show, I thought, “What the heck! I’ll throw in my hat.” I had been off the radio for over a dozen years and I was hoping to prove to myself that I could still do a good radio show.

And KRKO let me prove it!

I was pretty much given free rein to do whatever I felt was entertaining, which is any morning show DJ’s dream. I got to interview the likes of Tommy James and Governor Inslee, helped create a mock concert on an April Fool’s Day, as we remembered the great Jetty Island concert—the northwest’s own Woodstock. (Mungo Jerry was the headliner)

I had a lot fun. But all those afore-mentioned jobs I’m juggling have been getting busier and busier as I get older and older. OK, I’m not THAT old, but I’ve just reached a point where 12-hour days and working weekends seems excessive. And so, I’m leaving the radio part of my dream job scenario behind.

Everett, Snohomish County and beyond, you’ve got an amazing resource in your backyard that is a rare breed these days. Passionate local ownership with employees that want to be involved with the community and have fun. And if you listen carefully, you’ll hear it. Actually, it’s pretty obvious.

What’s making it easier for me to give up radio is that I’m handing the morning show off to a long-time buddy, Bryon Mengle. He filled in for me when I took occasional vacations, but we actually go way back: he was our morning show producer during my Murdock, Hunter & Alice Days on KLSY. I was the best man at his wedding 18 years ago. And he is one of the really great, honest, hard-working family guys you will ever meet.

And you’ll get to meet him on the air, Monday, August 7^th.

My last day is going to be this Friday morning, August 4^th. When 9am rolls around, I’ll be putting that chapter of my life behind me. But taking along with me a ton of great memories.

Go get ‘em, Bryon!

Thank you for being out there for us.

 

Tim Hunter

KRKO

Everett’s Greatest Hits

I’ll continue to this scene of the crime each week with a weekly blog, I’ll continue posting a collection of jokes and funnies on Fridays at wackyweek.com, I’ll continue doing a weekly Ima Norwegian cartoon, and doing all those non-paying-but-so-satisfying things I do, plus all those work things I do to pay the bills.

If you ever want to drop a message, my tim@wackyweek.com address is always going to be good.

So, in reality, I’m not “retiring.” Just giving up one of the things I love, but with so many great memories to look back on.

And here we are.

Thank you.

Tim Hunter