Telling Our Story: Rebel Mae

By Rebel Mae
Co-host of Thick As Thieves
Tuesday, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Having the opportunity to support the Saint Louis communities through an irreplaceable institution like KDHX is an honor and privilege. As a queer, non-binary individual, KDHX provides me with a platform to amplify the voices of those who have been silenced for too long, or of have not had the chance to be heard by a listening audience. 

Let me introduce myself a bit more first. I'm from a small river town here in Missouri. We were just close enough to Saint Louis that I could rabbit ear the classical music station at bedtime. I would lie in bed listening to symphonies being played with just the hint of static, and with my eyes closed, I would dance the most beautiful ballets in my head. I've never danced a ballet a day in my life, but in my head, I was glorious. 

My youth was surrounded by classical music. At age 12, I started vocal training. By senior year, I sang solos for contests and the National anthem for civic events, and all the while learning to play my guitar. It took one class in Music Theory my first year of college in 2002 for me to change my major from mass communications to vocal performance. I even hosted a radio show called Phish and Chips. 

By 2006, I lived in the Saint Louis area and added KDHX to my presets. For most of college, I listened to jam bands, so when I came across a station playing the Grateful Dead and String Cheese and, of course - Phish, KDHX immediately captured my heart. I had found my place on the radio dial. Sometimes bluegrass, sometimes reggae, occasionally surfer rock, KDHX was the station I always tuned into when wanting to discover new music. It's been a powerful beacon for myself and others for many years. KDHX unites us all with music.

Being a force of nature, music brings artists and fans together under the magical umbrella of a shared experience. KDHX transports music through airwaves and stream ways, connecting listeners from all over the Saint Louis region to listeners in every state in the US. By broadcasting live on the radio and streaming on the internet, KDHX creates a shared experience beyond space and time. The value of an institution like KDHX surpasses the capacity available in today's climate of media consumption. Establishing or reestablishing an institution on any parallel level would be like getting struck by lightning twice. 1 in 9 million.

My time volunteering with KDHX has given me the privilege to collaborate with many talented individuals. I have had the chance to meet and exchange ideas with veteran DJs and new up-and-coming DJs. Through a fresh network of diverse minds, KDHX is an irreplaceable incubator for music and ideas. The environment cultivated at KDHX allows for an open and free exchange of concepts and challenges.  

KDHX is successful because of the support from everyone who comes in contact with the station. Listeners, DJs, donors, and staff alike have all had a hand in the success story written about the KDHX experiment. To preserve the prosperous organic growth of KDHX, all who have a passion for the station must continue to show their enthusiastic support for the disbursement of cultural diversion. KDHX offers an outlet for varying communities to express their culture for their community and provide exposure across cultures.