Tommy Starr was born in Peru, Indiana but since his parents were from Bowling Green, KY, so his ties to this area were formed early in life. He is synonymous with Bowling Green’s music scene and has the longest running band show in local radio and has logged over 600 hours of interviews and performances with local and national performers. He also started Bowling Green’s first metal show.
He says that in 1976, he fell in love with rock and roll after seeing KISS and that his love of radio and work as a DJ came from seeing the television show, WKRP in Cincinnati and the show’s DJ, Johnny Fever. His first job was at WKU’s campus radio station, WWHR and it was here his persona, Tommy Starr was born and his show, Crank It with Tommy Starr began.
His first job was at the Gator, G107 and after a stint in Memphis, he returned to Bowling Green’s D93, with his raucous and free wheeling metal show, Blastin’ Fast and Loud. He featured American Nightmare Radio and “Print Mafia” would make limited edition posters and t-shirts as promotional materials for the show. In 2002, Home Cookin’ with Tommy Starr began and continues today. He credits the longevity of the show to “his passion for the scene, the listeners who call in and comment about the show and most importantly, a station willing to let him have free reign.” As producer and promoter of this show and others, Starr has amassed a large collection of many types of memorabilia. These materials include both printed and recorded items and many have been donated to the Kentucky Library and Kentucky Museum and are featured in this online exhibit.
~ Nancy Richey
See also, "Tommy Starr: Voice of the Local Scene" by Kim Mason in The Amplifier, July 2008 at the Kentucky Library.
