Working
at a local video store in Carthage, Mo., Curt Campbell
wanted to be a voice on the radio, sort of.
The local program director was a customer of the store and
Campbell would repeatedly pester the man, asking jokingly
when it was going to be his turn to get on the radio.
"Finally he just called my bluff one day," said
Campbell, remembering how he first got in to the business
15 years ago. "He said 'Come in and make a tape' and
I did. And that started the whole thing. I never thought
I'd be a DJ."
Campbell quit his job at the video store and focused his
time on the airwaves and has been performing for audiences
in one way or another ever since.
"Part of being a DJ is being a performer," said
Campbell, an announcer for Hub City Radio. "I've got
to tell my corny jokes and be up-tempo and peppy. I love
the challenge of performing and that's probably why I do
the theater stuff. I just like to entertain. I'm kind of a
goofball that way."
Campbell has been involved in several Aberdeen Community
Theatre shows, including both productions of “Honk!”
Last month, that musical took third place at the American
Association of Community Theatre Festival in Charlotte,
N.C.
First role at 16
Ever since he was a young boy, Campbell has loved
performing. He's always wanted to be a part of the plays
he used to watch as a child. When he was 16, he finally
got his first role in a community performance.
"I just got hooked," Campbell said.
"Everywhere I've been, I try to get involved with
community theater. There is nothing like being involved in
a show for me, it's an amazing feeling. If I could do it
professionally I would, but this face isn't going to get
me into movies."
Campbell moved to Aberdeen in 2004 from Arkansas after he
met Melissa Igl of Aberdeen through eHarmony.
"I'm kind of a cynic when it comes to these kind of
things," Campbell said. "Online dating? I didn't
think it was going to work. But she keeps me around, so it
makes me happy."
The couple got married in October 2005. Their family
consists of Curt's stepson, Evan, 8, and their son Quinn,
17 months.
Team effort
Campbell, 36, relies on his family more than the average
person. Because of problems with his vision, he does not
drive.
"My vision is somewhat limited in the left side, and
the right side is pretty much completely blind," said
Campbell, who started wearing glasses when he was just 2
years old. "The right eye is more or less not good
for much. The left eye isn't great but it definitely does
all right."
Campbell's wife drives him to and from work a lot and he
cannot go out for lunch. So he just brings a frozen lunch.
Because of his limited vision, Campbell has been adapting
to his surroundings his whole life.
"He obviously has some limitations because of his
vision," said James L. Walker, managing and artistic
for Aberdeen Community Theatre. "It really isn't an
issue. All actors have some sort of limitations to some
degree. People always respond to him as an actor onstage
and off as well."
Nothing special
Going through the challenges life has thrown at him,
Campbell has so far always come out on top. For now, he's
just enjoying his daily performance on the radio and the
times he gets to be on the stage for a live audience.
"I don't think I'm anything special," Campbell
said. "I'm just a goofy DJ who like to do
plays."
Hanging with Tommy
Thompson
Armada
Community Meet and Greet
with Staff from Little River Country Club
Amy Kretz, Governor Tommy
Thompson, Jessica Wilke
Stratton man wins Trip to Vegas Scratch Game
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
LINCOLN -- Vincent Sis of Stratton won a $4,000 travel
prize playing the $1 Scratch game Vegas from the
Nebraska Lottery.
Sis received his winning Vegas ticket in a prize
package of 25 tickets from KICX radio in McCook. The
winning ticket contained three matching
"plane" symbols for the corresponding trip
prize. The prize is valued at $4,000, which includes a
$3,000 credit for travel expenses and a $1,000 cash
payment. There are two top prize trips in the Vegas
Scratch game. Sis is the first person to claim at trip
prize to date.
Radio Traditions
Wednesday,
November t, 2007
One
of McCook's radio pioneers met the new regime Tuesday
during Armada Media Corp.'s open house at the Coppermill
Restaurant. Jack Rogers, left, who started with KBRL Radio
in 1950, spent time visiting with Tommy Thompson, board
chairman of Armada Media. Thompson, who gave the keynote
speech at the open house, is the former governor of
Wisconsin and secretary of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Rogers is former editor of the McCook
Daily Gazette and is a McCook city councilman. Armada is
the owner of seven radio stations in this area: KICX, KBRL,
KRKU, KFNF, KADL, KSTH and KJBL
