It all started back in 1996. As I was traveling around various parts of the USA, both for business and pleasure, I would always seek out the R&B station in whatever town or city I was in. I began to notice that where ever I went, they played much of the same music. Usually it was the hits or the better known songs of popular artists. As a music enthusiast and a drummer, I have always taken “the groove” very seriously. Even though I did like the popular stuff that was being spread across the airwaves, I was always looking for the music that was not so well known or promoted. As a kid when I went to the record store, I looked for the stuff that other music lovers didn’t know anything about. As a result, I have a lot of stuff that never reached the commercial masses.

Well, after hearing all the same stuff on radio stations everywhere I went, my thoughts started to cause my imagination to wonder what would happen if I had a radio show that played the other lesser known songs from popular artists along with music from independents that weren’t signed to major record labels. I wondered for a long time…

I have to admit that I grew up loving the rock music of the 70’s, but, since soul and funk music flowed like a raging torrent in my veins, I never heard enough of it on radio to fully satisfy my cravings. Ah ha… if I had a radio show… the foundation of it would be FUNK! I kept that thought/dream inside my heart for quite sometime…

Because of spending a few years doing a T.V. show for youth and then moving into radio with the same program, after a year my partner and I decided to take a break for several reasons from the kid T.V. and radio responsibilities. Now, having spent sometime on radio, and seeing what went on behind the scenes, thoughts of my funk radio show began to surface. After a year went by, and some personal matters in my life settled down, I approached two separate radio stations about my idea and was told by both that “the public had no interest in such a show”, or that they were already playing some funk tunes on there station. I said to myself, “you sound like all the rest”. I have NEVER liked being like everyone else!! I have my father to thank for that!

Two years went by, a friend of mine (Charles Dottson) told me to check out this new music show on Kuvo radio 89.3. There was a radio host by the name of “Lyric” who was playing some different stuff on her show. At that time, R&B music programming in Denver was practically dead. I listened a few times and thought to myself maybe this station might be open to my idea. It also dawned on me that a public radio station would not have the same restrictions or corporate programming control that commercial stations have. I noticed too, that the specialty shows filled a need that was missing in other Denver radio programming, plus I liked the diversity of community appeal that Kuvo presented.

After I got my concept of the show well in mind, I emailed the music director, “Arturo Gomez” and mentioned that I had a great idea for a music show! It would be called “A Funk Above The Rest”, meaning I would play the “other good songs” from popular funk and R&B artists, as well as new stuff from “independent artists” that other stations and their music shows can’t or won’t play! Arturo emailed me back and said he was open to listening to what I had in mind.

From there, a meeting with program director Carlos Lando was arranged. Of course “me” being my usual confident self, told Carlos & Arturo that this show has the potential to be huge because no one else was doing such a show! They pretty much agreed. Fortunately, I contacted them at a time when they were looking to make some program changes. They said the only opening was from 11pm -12 midnight on Saturday night. It won’t be the best time slot, but that’s what’s available. I asked them could I go till 1am, they said sure.

These discussions took place in Oct of 2005. I started going to the studio to watch the other radio host’s and get a feel for how they did their shows. I learned to operate the board on Wynton Parker’s shift, which was from 4pm -7pm. I also needed to provide my own back-up, so of course I chose a long time friend, Charles "CD the Doctor” Dottson.

We started the show Jan 7, 2006. The first month of shows was filled with mistakes, such as playing the wrong tracks, hitting the wrong buttons on the board, not being as fluent in speaking as I would have liked, etc, but it was all apart of the learning process. Suggestions were made by Carlos, Arturo, and other radio host’s, which were beneficial.

Once our listeners caught on to the concept of the show, we started to get a flood of phone calls, which continues right up to the present. As we started playing the music of independent artists right along side the well known, popular artists, plus having interviews with them, they started to email or call and thank us for helping them get more exposure and sell their music. I was sending our inquirers to other online websites to purchase the music we were playing. WAIT A MINUTE HERE???

Why don’t I start my own online distribution site, that way I can promote independent artists even more so!!! I could go on and on about all of this, but I will close and say…

Welcome to, A FUNK ABOVE THE REST.COM!

Where you hear the “old funk, the new funk, the everything in between funk”! Where you hear the grooves you haven’t heard in awhile, and tunes you have NEVER heard!

So please, check out the artists on this site and support them. There is great music to heard. Like Duke Ellington said, “There are only two types of music, good and bad”. Here… its ALL GOOD!

If you are interested in having your music for sale on this site, please go to our contact page and send your cd to the appropriate address for consideration. We will not accept any music that is distasteful, vulgar, or religious.

Thank you for stopping by and paying us a visit, and remember…“No matter where you go, no matter what you do, always have some FUNK with you”!

Skip your Funktologist