Catfish came to Santa Maria to attend Allan Hancock College and play baseball in 1980, transferring to Fresno State U 2 years later, continuing his baseball dreams and aspirations while playing for the SLO Blues as well. At FSU, Catfish worked for the college radio station KFSR as the inimitable ‘Joe Rockhead’, also anchoring the News for Cable 4, the college TV station.
After college, a x-country trip landed the fish in Knoxville Tennessee, continuing club-jocking at night, and working for The Nashville Network as a sitcom extra, during the day.
Then, a gig at ‘Ghost Town in The Sky’ in Maggie Valley, NC, as a singer and gunfighter for one season, before returning home to begin his radio career at Sunny Country/KSMA in 1985.
Moving to KHAY in Ventura in 1989, the paycheck wasn’t enough to support a family, so a move to Ventura County Fire was made, working 5 years as a 911 Fire-Rescue dispatcher and comm operator.
Then, old friends returned to Sunny Country and Catfish swam back. In 1999, Monterey called, and Catfish could be heard on KTOM in afternoons and mornings for the next 2 years, as well as weekends on KRTY San Jose/San Francisco, eventually taking over as program director and oldies morning boss jock at KYA/KHITS Monterey-Salinas til 2005.
Again, the call came. This time for WYCT Cat Country 98.7 Pensacola Florida, to anchor afternoons and music, WYCT winning 2 station Academy of Country Music Station of the Year awards in 05 and 08!
Contract over, Catfish tried to make his way home, but swam northward to Idaho Falls, to program and do mornings on KCHQ Q102/River Country radio for the next three years, winning the 2010 Idaho State Broadcasters Association [ISBA] Morning Show of the Year award.
Finally, back home to Santa Maria, working as Operations Manager for 3 years at KRTO Mega 97.1! And now……
dah dah da dahhhh……Catfish swims full circle to Sunny Country 102.5, The Santa Maria Valley’s Best Country, and boy, are his fins tired. Ba dump bump.
He’ll be swimmin in the afternoon pond TFN. Talk to you then, andsayheytoyurmomanem!
Catfish turn on’s – Sunday mornings in the fog at Avila Beach with the paper and a coffee, before anyone else gets there.
Catfish turn off’s – The fact that Doritos are NOT a health food.
Catfish fun facts – Cookie Randolph was NOT a real person, for you old-timers.