Kevin Lawrence brings it ‘In the Middle of the Night’ on 88.1 FM
By Thomas Crone
For the St. Louis American
Asked how long his shift at KDHX radio has lasted, Kevin Lawrence is quick to say, “nine years,” before reconsidering.
“Ten years,” he adds. “Ten years of happiness.”
A community radio station, KDHX (88.1 FM) relies on members of the station to provide its programming, in all kinds of musical (and some talk) genres. Lawrence has been one of the linchpins of the KDHX calendar for the past decade, pulling one of the toughest shifts on the station. His show, “In the Middle of the Night,” is located in, exactly as the names suggests, the middle of the night, from 2-4 a.m. on late Thursday or early Friday, depending on your habits.
It’s a slot that he not only tolerates, but enjoys.
“No complaints,” he says.
Part of that has to do with the back-and-forth with his callers, some of them regulars, some happening across his corner of the dial for the first time. Either way, he tries to educate those listeners on the finer points of jazz. Lawrence, a fanatic about reading up on the artists he plays, always discusses the acts live and types in notes on them for the station’s website, kdhx.org.
“I started here in 1996, on from 3-6 a.m., before the shows were cut to two hours. It’s always been a jazz show,” Lawrence says, in his matter-of-fact way.
“I try to read as much as I can. I try to present the show in an educational way. When I first started, I didn’t know as much about jazz as I know now.”
Though always a jazz show, he’s liable to mix-and-match all kinds of acts during a particular week’s show, which he spends about four hours compiling before the broadcast.
Acts that he plays on a regular basis include Miles Davis and John Coltrane, sure, but also “Herbie Hancock. Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino. He’s an underrated artist. I love his work.” He adds, “when I play jazz fusion, the young listeners go crazy.”
Aside from his show, Lawrence is one of the most recognizable voices on KDHX, as he records any number of public service announcements and other station “liners” over the course of a week. It’s part of his regular gig volunteering for the station, but also hits upon another interest of his: acting.
Over the past few years, Lawrence has been studying at UM-St. Louis in what he describes as “a relatively new theater program.” He’s gotten parts in all types of forms, both recorded and live: from the Tin Ceiling theatre company in South City, to Webster U. student films, from Edward Jones industrials to extra work in “The Game of their Lives.” Along the way, he’s studied with acting coach and local casting agent Carrie Houk and Susie Wall, who’s worked with him specifically on voice work.
“Radio’s nothing more than acting, anyway,” Lawrence says.
And while stage and screen roles may be coming, Lawrence’s tenure on overnight radio is unrivaled at KDHX, a station with its share of veteran voices.
“Kevin has been a fixture of overnight programming for as long as I can remember,” says Bev Hacker, executive director of KDHX.
“Beyond that, he’s the voice of many of our announcements and may be the longest-running volunteer doing that. He does have a very distinctive voice. He loves his music, loves what he does here and he does a really good job of it all.”
“In the Middle of the Night” is heard on Friday mornings from 2-4 a.m. You can find a current playlist at: www.kdhx.org.
Lawrence will also take part in the “Taste for Tunes” fundraiser at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 6, with an appearance at the St. Louis Brewery & Tap Room, 20th and Locust. A portion of all proceeds from dinner there (and at many other local restaurants) that evening will go to support the broadcasting efforts of KDHX.
