Talk That Talk

An Inside Look at Kat Country’s Award Winning Morning Show

Kat Country has over 200,000 listeners – chances are you’re one of them. Even if you aren’t, if you’ve lived in San Joaquin County long enough, you’ve definitely at least heard of them. Their presence is everywhere, from the local sports scene to charitable events. But most importantly, they’re on the radio, bringing music and news to the Valley – even at 5 AM.

“I get up in the middle of the night,” says Dennis Walker, better known as D.J. (Yes, that is his real name). He commands one third of Kat’s weekday morning show with co-host Jaimee Lee. “I try to get in by 4 or 4:15.”

“I’m here a little later,” Jaimee adds. She wears the hats of both Assistant Program Director and Music Director at the station as well as being D.J.’s co-host.

Recently, D.J. and Jaimee have been joined by Erin Haight, Digital Content Director. Once they’re all together, the upbeat banter flows like fresh coffee in the morning.  

But don’t think they’re taking it easy in there.

“This job is 24 hours a day,” shares D.J. “If something is happening in media, news, community, we want to be involved in it the next day.”

Plus, that odd sleep schedule does cause some problems. Jaimee and Erin both admit that they hit a wall around 11 AM and must either power through or indulge in a nap. Beyond their actual show, they have events to attend, and the next day’s show to plan. Of course, sometimes outlines get thrown aside. That’s just the beauty of a live show.

“There are times when we have an outline and then we come in saying, ‘You won’t believe what happened to me last night!’” explains Jaimee. “Those are some of the most fun shows.”

“And then there’s times when stuff is happening and we have to get the information out,” D.J. explains. “Especially if it’s going to affect our listeners. Then we vet the information to make sure it’s 100 percent accurate.”

On any given day, the hosts could be informing listeners of emergencies, like any of the recent fires that have devastated Northern California, or of daily headaches like traffic jams. Sure, you could get that information on social media, but that doesn’t mean the news you’re getting is as accurate or detailed as what you’ll hear on Kat.

“I once had a report of a shark on the roadway in Tracy – you won’t get that on Waze!” quips Jaimee.

To listen to D.J., Jaimee, and Erin together, you get the sense that you’re amongst old friends, covering every topic from health issues to embarrassing anecdotes. And while they themselves are friends already, they do consider their listeners to be like family to them.

“Technically, we’re just talking into a microphone in an empty room,” laughs Erin. “But I love going to events and meeting people and talking to them – these are our neighbors and people in our community and getting to be involved and give back is rewarding.”

Kat’s team prides themselves on their community outreach, whether it’s their annual St. Jude’s Radiothon or starting ambitious fundraisers like their Quest for a Million Pennies (the logistics of which have been impossible to repeat due to its massive success). Time and again they’ve proven how much they care, determined to be more than just the voices you hear through your speakers.

Beyond the countless connections they’ve made over the years, part of their success lies in the fact that they’re clearly having a good time.

“I don’t know of any other job I’d really want to do,” admits D.J.. “I’ve been fooling myself into pretending I’m working while I’m having a good time!”

Jaimee and Erin feel the same way. Both San Joaquin natives, working for Kat has been a dream come true.

“There was no other place I wanted to be,” says Jaimee.

“It’s been so fun it feels kind of sneaky,” adds Erin. “Like I should be paying them!”

These days, there are countless ways to listen to music. But it’s a testament to Kat’s quality that their ratings are still high, and that they still get nominated for awards. “People can listen to anything they want, but they choose us,” says D.J. “And that says a lot.”