A February article in Forbes magazine said radio DJs are facing significant job losses from corporate consolidation, programmed playlists and prerecorded tracks that replace their presence in the studio. But Forbes didn’t interview KBON and its iron man DJ, “Gumbo” Phil Daigle.
KBON, at 101.1 FM in the Lafayette market and kbon.com, already bucks trends with a 24/7 mix of Louisiana’s Cajun music, zydeco and swamp pop with country, oldies, R&B and blues. Daigle has been live from noon to 6 p.m. since the first day the station went on the air in 1997.
Twenty-nine years later, Daigle is in the same time slot, a rare feat in the radio business. In fact, Daigle is fond of his “13-1” schedule, which puts him on the air 13-straight days, followed by one day off. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I told somebody the other day, if you don’t hear me on the radio, that’s when you have to worry about me,” said Daigle, 65. “But if you hear me on the radio, I’m good to go.”…