This is one interview I had been looking forward to for some time. The man I am introducing the Raw Brilliance audience to needs no introduction to most black Austin, TX residents. The radio legend, Steve Savage, has been a constant over Austin airways for decades with 88.7 KAZI FM, Austin’s oldest community radio station. He has interviewed and contributed to the careers of hundreds, if not thousands, of artist through his work with the station. In 2021 he began a new journey with his own station, ATX Soul.
Savage's career as a Disk Jockey started out as a thing of curiosity, but with the help of chance occurrences, it became a career passion. He has always loved music, but didn't think of becoming a dj until he walked into a school dance and saw how a local dj had people moving and the attention of the ladies. He thought it was cool, one thing lead to another, and by his sophomore year of high school he became the dj moving the crowd. He was a natural and people loved his style, voice and choice of music. With his natural talent and charisma leading the way more doors began to open.
Before he was chasing sponsors and selling advertisement to make a living off radio Steve worked for the attorney generals office for 7 years to pay bills, but he continued to Dj as well. The attorney generals office is where he met Larry Williams. Larry is the man that would later introduce him to the community radio station he called home for 34 years.
Mr. Savage took over as general manager at 88.7 KAZI FM in 1996 and was volunteering for the station for a decade before earning that title. He took over a station that was in debt but he was able to quickly turned it around. In his years at the helm he got the opportunity to interviewe some of the biggest names to ever do it. The likes of Anita Baker, Morris Day, Babyface, George Clinton, and so many others have made appearances in Steves universe.
He tells me that George Clinton was probably his favorite interview for many reason, but the fact that the funk master was so real and down to earth really impressed him. Steve told me about how George would get younger and younger every time he asked about his age. I got a laugh out of that because I find myself to that the older I get.
The Louisiana natives choice of music happens to be the B-Side. He doesn't just play the artist hits, but rather, the songs not readily played on the radio airways. He's not a big fan of the majority of music that dominates most radio station today. He is more old school in his approach. He tells me that 67% of the music he plays now is R&B, soul and southern soul. He likes to broadcast multiple forms of music to his 16 thousand ATX Soul listeners.
I meet up with Steve at his apartment which currently doubles as the ATX Soul headquarters. He has dedicated his personal space to help get ATX Soul off the ground. He says finding a permanent home for the new station has been a challenge, but a challenge he is focused on overcoming in 2023. So far he has 26 programmers and DJ's, all over the country, who have joined him on this new path. DJ's, programmers and interviewees come and go from his place often, so-much-so that he worries about his neighbors calling the cops on him in suspicion of him doing illegal activities based on all the foot traffic.
Steves apartment is filled with plagues and photos that can be used as evidence for his many accomplishments over the years. The shear volume of artist he has help make household names is astonishing. His plaques from Death Row Records fascinated me the most because of my age and the magnitude of the impression that particular label left on my life.
He received some of his hardware because of the method he used to break artist. Labels would send Steve records and tracks for various artist, he then would distribute those projects to the pool of 80 DJ's, from all across the country, that he had assembled. High profile artist like 2 Pac, SWV, Vanessa Williams, LL Cool J, and P. Diddy all benefited from his techniques.
With all the accolades and years of experience I had to know about him being a black radio personally in a white market like Austin. When I broached the topic he was more than happy to oblige me with an answer. He goes on to confirm for me what I have already been figuring out sense I too started building a media company. He tells me that Austin has not been very black friendly. On top of that, with the percentage of the black population in Austin and central Texas being so low it makes it hard to get corporate dollars when that small percentage of people are your market. He also says, black businesses are disproportionately supported and represented by corporate sponsors anyway. Needless to say, securing lucrative sponsorships has its challenges.
After so many years in radio it felt wrong of me not to ask what keeps the fire going and what knowledge he could drop to the next generation of radio personalities. His answers not surprising or complicated but still profound and nuanced.
As far as what keeps the fire going, he says he just loves music and because he doesn't talk much when he not on air, the music speaks for him when he is on air. To the youth thinking of getting in this game he says, "music has no color", and if you want to make a living off of music like he has, "learn about all types of music". The more music genres you know the more chances to get paid you have.
For the readers whom are 40 and up looking for a new radio station to call home he says ATX Soul is for you. If you're under 40 years of age Steve says, "It's the music grandma and grandpa never told you about".
For more on the radio legend go pick up his book The Making of Steve Savage: A Legacy of Life, Culture, Music and Soul. It was published in November of 2021.
Thanks for reading and lock for more stories in the near future!
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