My story? Everyone else probably has their ideas...but here's what I remember:

Grew up in a "Caterpillar" family in Pekin; always loved walking in the woods; always have had a dog or two;
did the typical things that folks did in the '80's & 90's, but don't want to admit to now; graduated from Bradley with honors with a degree in Broadcasting Management & Political Science; been marreid a few times when I probably should have just lived with 'em; started at  WYMG in 1987; love RUSH and swimming naked.

: I grew up in Pekin, IL...and used to sneak into my older brother's room to listen to his LP's; I was my mother's nightmare because I would jump out of my window to catch a ride to Peoria or Champaign to catch concerts. I would not be told "no"! I remember, early-1970's, when KISS played at the Pekin Stadium---large sheets of canvas were put on the fence and I was warned to "not go over there---the hippies are smoking their drugs"...so, of course, I hoped on my Schwinn bike (with the basket on the front), took a spin past the park's "Hippie Hill" and then peaked throught the canvas to watch the show. (I think I about 9 or 10 years old). I recently met up with another Pekinite who works in SPI...and was stunned to find that he had been in the band "The Jets"...which was THE band in Pekin in the 1970's. Here is a fine website that describes the music scene in Pekin when I was a kid.It's no wonder I grew up to work on a classic rock station.

Reed & I celebrating our 4th anniversary on Thanksgiving 2010 at the Wisconsin farm where he grew up: