Chair Gerdes Visits Radio St. Pete

During our Anniversary Week Celebration "Big Broadway Energy" host Stephen Riordan sat down with St. Petersburg City Council Chair Copley Gerdes. The two old friends took a deep dive into the cultural vibrancy of St. Pete. Chair Gerdes, emphasized his enthusiasm for local art and music. He spoke about the city’s thriving creative community, highlighting the rise of new galleries, events, and artistic collaborations. Stephen, whose shows highlight local performers as well as a Sunday evening show focused on Broadway classic hits,connected local trends to broader themes of community engagement and the role of independent media in fostering a sense of belonging. "Big Broadway Energy" podcasts can be found in our podcast library on line. The music show replays airs Sunday nights at 10PM on Sunshine 96.7FM/RadioStPete.com and on RadioStPete.com on Saturdays at 4PM.

Anniversary Month News

In recognition of its contributions to the local community, Radio St. Pete was honored with a proclamation from the City of St. Petersburg, officially declaring March 5, 2025, as “Radio St. Pete Day.” You can listen to the proclamation as read by Mayor Kenneth Welch at the link below. The proclamation was presented during the city council meeting on February 13, 2025. It commemorates the station’s first anniversary at its new studio at Thrive DTSP, marking a significant milestone in its mission to promote local music, culture, and community engagement. Radio St. Pete is honored by this recognition highlighting the stations positive impact on the local arts and media landscape.

Radio St. Pete also gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of St. Petersburg in the creation of our new website. Along with the new online appearance we also have a new logo and several new graphics to accompany our new look.Skyview Media proved to be a wonderful asset to our new look and we thank them for their guidance and expertise.

Live from the Radio St. Pete Studio

Jimmy Pickett and Mark Doran

This month music director, J Kolb hosted another show from the Thrive DTSP studio. On March 18th Mark Doran and Jimmy Pickett were there for a live performance. Doran and Pickett captured the attention of listeners in St. Petersburg, FL, with their engaging personalities and conversation. In between songs the duo reflected on their start in music. Jimmy, who grew up in Maryland, began playing drums as a teen in his parent’s basement. He credits his interest in drumming to his older brother who introduced him to jazz. Mark, who grew up, in Central Florida wanted to play piano but chose the guitar because he could bring it to the beach. He began writing songs in 1974. They performed several tunes they co-wrote about fishing, springtime and life on the road. The set included Radio St Pete listener favorites such as; Out on the Road, Pleasant Living, Just Like You, Jimmy Jazz and more. You can hear their tunes on Music from the Bay with J weekdays at 2PM.  A replay of this live session will air on Tuesday, April 1st at 6 PM as part of the Bootleg Sessions.

The Songwriters Hour Continues

Since its inception, “The Songwriters Hour” hosted by L.A. Moore has featured a stellar lineup of talented artists from the area. Among the guests who’ve graced the show’s airwaves are: Billy Rae Wheaton, Sarah Mae Gunn, Pamela Jo Hatley, and Joe Milligan. On Saturday March 15th Moore hosted Dustin Krein & Natalie Kulka two more fabulous local musicians. Tune in on Tuesday, March 25th at 6 PM for a rebroadcast as part of the Bootleg Sessions.

Radio St. Pete is a station that prides itself on promoting local talent and culture. We can't think of a better way then to produce live shows from the studio that showcase the vibrant spirit of the area.

Radio St. Pete will once again join with other non profits at the Do Good Day Nonprofit Fair on Saturday, March 29th. Meredith Pericles, the organizer of Do Good Day, stopped by the studio to discuss the event and its background. Meredith started Do Good Day to connect local nonprofits with volunteers. The event, which is not a job fair but a networking opportunity for nonprofits to share their missions and needs for volunteers, saw an increase from 14 nonprofits in its first year to 36 in the upcoming event. Key activities this year include a bingo game, a photo booth, and an ice cream food truck. She highlights the importance of volunteers for nonprofit organizations.

If you are looking to volunteer or simply want to learn about options to give back to the community stop by and say hello.

Radio St. Pete Broadcast Live From The CommUNITY Festival at Azalea Park in St. Petersburg

On March 8, 2025, Radio St. Pete was front and center at the highly anticipated CommUNITY Festival in St. Petersburg, FL, broadcasting live music and capturing the vibrant energy of the event. The festival brought together an exciting lineup of local musicians, Greg Roy & the Pressure Band (Bob Marley tribute), Dead Set Florida (Grateful Dead classics), and Ajeva (original set) with Radio St. Pete serving as the platform to share it all with a broader audience.

The station’s music director, J Kolb, stationed on-site, ensured that every note, every beat, and every burst of applause was transmitted through the airwaves, bringing the spirit of the CommUNITY Festival directly into homes and cars throughout the city and online for those out of the area.

By broadcasting these performances live, the station not only showcased the talent of the musicians but also underscored the festival’s mission to unite people from all walks of life through the power of music and shared experiences.

Send your listener comments to info@radiostpete.com. You could be a featured listener next month on our social media and in the newsletter.