Kid Corona
Disc Jockey & Radio Host
Career Synopsis
KLCR - LAZER 98.3 (NOGALES, AZ)
This was my very first radio job which started in my hometown of Nogales, AZ while I was still in high school. Unfortunately, it wasn't on the air, at least not rightaway......lol. I will never forget how exciting that first day was. I believe I was only 14 years old when this amazing moment began. I went from creating demos in my bedroom all summer long, to being hired as a baby sitter (or "board-op" as they call it in the biz), for KLCR that same year...lol. This is where I first learned how to control volume levels, insert cd's and run major programs like Casey Kasem's Top 40 countdown. Finally, after a few months of "Board-Opping", I was given my first on air shot......lol......lol.....it was a train wreck!....lol. I thought it was over, I was so embarrased I almost quit. Thanks to my parents support, i decided to stick with it, learn as much as I could and set my first dream goal of one day working for KRQ......and the joy ride begins!
KOHT - HOT 98.3FM (TUCSON, AZ)
The time of my life is all I can say about this great beginning. I started my career professionally at Hot 98.3 (formerly known as La Caliente De Tucson Hot 98fm). Fresh out of high school, I was hired by James Rivas AKA Manic Hispanic. Lucky for me, I was highly recommended by a top morning show host in town (Betsy Bruce KRQ FM) which helped me land that first job. Here I was only 18 years old and already on my way to the top...so I thought..lol I came in to audition and within a week i was hired on full time as the new night host of La Caliente. Unfortunately, it was also my first glimpse at how radio worked. I replaced the night Disc Jockey and they moved him down to part-time. I will never forget how bad I felt for the guy. Of course as time went by, i realized that the entertainment business was all about hiring, firing, quitting, replacing and always living out of a suit case. So, to secure myself, I started my first mobile DJ business Sound FX DJ's, it was great. Here I was, on the radio and performing as DJ services on my spare time ....I loved it!
NASTY BOY KLICK - aka NB RIDAZ (PHOENIX, AZ)
My agent introduced me to this up and coming artist who was trying to break in to the music scene. Although I was not familiar with this artist or his music, my agent insisted that I at least give him a listen. At first, I wasn't really interested. Mainly because I was always being hit up by up and coming artists who just didn't have it together. Most of these guys were usually a waste of time. After meeting MC Magic for the first time, I was actually surprised. A well mannered, very business like person was the impression I got.
To make a long story short, I took his demo with me and later that night, I played his song "Lost in Love" on the radio. Within a few minutes after the song was played, listeners started calling in asking who that artist was. Wow! that's all I could say. I knew a star was born. Shortly after that, MC Magic and I developed a friendship that would last forever. As his song got more and more recognition, MC Magic went on to start Nasty Boy Klick. As a special thanks for helping him and his group get started, he asked me to appear as myself on his forth coming album "Nasty Boy Klick - Tha FIrst Chapter" and the song I appeared on was "AZ Side", the groups second selling hit single. You can hear that song here or click here to be taken to the audio player
KSJM POWER 97-5FM (TUCSON, AZ)
After leaving Hot 98 (due to the Art Laboe take over), my best friend (R Dub!) and I decided to go across the street and start our own radio station. Here we were, 2 punk kids trying to be superstar DJs by going across the street and convincing the radio station owner to change the format...lol...We DID IT!! and within a few months, Power 97-5 was born and I was the host of the morning show.
KPTY 103.9 ARIZONA'S PARTY STATION (PHOENIX, AZ)
I had a love hate relationship with this particular radio station. I loved the station, but I hated the drive from Tucson to Phoenix. My gosh, that has to be the most boring drive ever. Nothing to see but weeds, cactus and tons of Desert. Despite all that, I continued driving to Phoenix to fulfill my on air Disc Jockey obligations. Thanks to Rick Thomas (Program Director who hired me) I had my shot at major market radio. In other words, I was working with the big boys.
KPSI POWER 100.5 (PALM SPRINGS, CA)
I had never heard of a town called Palm Springs, CA until I came to this Desert Oasis in 1998. Although Palm Springs was a cool little town, I just couldn't come to grips with myself to staying in such a small town. I mean, c'mmon, I was used to the bright lights big city, everything is open 24 hours type atmosphere. One night after getting off the air, I was starving and ready to hit the nearest fast food joint, but to my surprise, everything closed by 9pm...errr, it was like living in Mayberry. There was no street lights, no traffic and everything closed early, i couldn't believe it, I was in the twilight zone. I had made up my mind, I had to get the heck out of there. So I did. I was offered a prime gig as the night time DJ on KSFM Jamm'n 102-5 in Sacramento. So, I took this great paying gig, packed up and bolted for Sactown.
KSFM JAMM'N 102-5 (SACRAMENTO, CA)
I hated Sacramento! Now hold on there Sactown peeps, it wasn't the town or the people I hated..no! It was the freaking allergies that were kicking my butt!. When I first got to Sactown the first thing I was told was "If you've never had allergies, you will certainly have them here"....I laughed it off thinking..."riiight". Well, within a few short weeks, Kid Corona had the worst allergies ever. And to top it all of, it rained a lot, which always made me feel gloomy and unproductive. As my contract came closer and closer to expiring, I had my agent on the phone trying to get me back to sunny Southern California. I didn't care where, as long as I left the allergies behind. To my surprise, it was back to Palm Springs. I couldn't wait!
KKUU - U92.7 (PALM SPRINGS, CA)
What can I say ...I loved the fact that I was back in Palm Springs, yep, never thought I would love Palm Springs so much after my never ending allergy attacks in Sactown. I was hired by U92 as the new morning show host replacing Barry and Andy who moved on to Tucson, Az. Although U92 was an up and coming station at the time, unfortunately for me, it was also one of my shortest on air experiences. Without going into any details, I was let go and I returned to Tucson, AZ with a better opportunity. I didn't know it at the time, but departing from U92.7 was actually a blessing in disguise.
KRQQ - 93.7 KRQ (TUCSON, AZ)
One of my dreams was finally fulfilled thanks to U92.7. Throughout my high school years, (Nogales High School) working for KRQ was a huge dream of mine. Eventually, I got to work not only for the dominating radio station in Tucson, but also with some of the most talented and intelligent people in the radio industry.
I will never forget my first shot at this dream. I remember being at my grandmothers house in Nogales when I got the call from Mark Medina (program director) offering me an opportunity to work at the legendary KRQ...I was absolutely stoked, it was definitely a dream come true. Thanks to my best friend R Dub! and Mark Medina, not only was I able to add KRQ to my resume, but I was also able to achieve a high school dream that I will never forget. You have to understand, during that time, getting into KRQ was a lot harder than breaking out of prison....seriously. KRQ had a reputation for scouring the Country and hiring top notch talent.
KPSI - POWER 100.5 (PALM SPRINGS, CA)
And here we go again for round 3 in Palm Springs. A great opportunity opened up at Power 100.5 and it was offered to me. Boy, it was a tough decision to leave a huge station like KRQ in a medium sized market for a smaller radio station in a beautiful Desert. After lots of thinking, I took the gig and worked both in Palm Springs and in Tucson for about 2 months. That's right people, I was driving from Palm Springs to Tucson every single weekend, now that's DJ dedication. Unfortunately, after a year of success with my show, KPSI decided to change the format to a more contemporary sound. That means they went from a Lil Kim and Justin Timberlake style format to more of a Jack Johnson type format. I was devastated. I couldn't believe that a station of 20 yrs. decided to flip the format and let me go. It was a very down moment for me. In fact, it was my down hill spiral which took years to recuperate from.
KOHT - THE NEW HOT 98.3 (TUCSON, AZ)
Thanks to my best friend R Dub! who was the program director at the time, he offered me a part-time position on the new hot 98.3. It was weird at first because the last time I worked for that radio station was at the beginning of my career. Anyway, I took the gig and began planning my return to full time radio. Interestingly enough, I had always had my sights set on hosting a television show. I never thought that opportunity would actually happen in Tucson. Later that year, R Dub! was hosting a TV show called "The Saturday Night Street Party" and like a great friend, he brought me along as a producer and co-host of the very successful show on WB.
KRCK - THE NEW HOT 97-7 (PALM SPRINGS, CA)
Round 4...lol. I went back to Palm Springs to start up The New Hot 97-7, Southern California's Party Station. I took a low rated under performing 80's radio format and turned it into a true music outlet for people who love the mixture of Top 40 and Hip Hop. Unfortunately for this short lived project, the owner of the station (Edward Stolz) just didn't understand the concept of a TOP 40 radio station. The poor guy was still stuck in the 80's.....lol, he let a huge opportunity slip through his hands quicker than you can say "hi". Within a few short months, I resigned and moved to Los Angeles.
KXOL - LATINO 96.3 (LOS ANGELES, CA)
Present time. Yes, this turned out to be the best opportunity of my career. I got to work for one of the hottest Latino radio stations in Los Angeles. Read the full story here
KID CORONA PRODUCTIONS, INC (LOS ANGELES, CA)
I started up my own graphic design company King of Business Cards.com along with a DJ Entertainment agency. So far, the results have been amazing! I've had the entrepreneurial spirit since the day I started my first DJ service in Tucson, AZ.
