Welcome to all our Readers! The following are ongoing articles about our wonderful, volunteer DJs at Blues Music Fan Radio. I hope you will enjoy getting to know each DJ, and discover the radio station that brings you the Best in the Blues. With this article, we are showcasing DJ Birdie.
Sookie Jade: When did you start Djing?
DJ Birdie: It all started in a program called Second Life. I was a host for a DJ and wanted to learn how to become a DJ. At the time, I was on a mac computer, and not many DJs use macs, but I met one and they told me about the Broadcaster “Nicecast” and were happy to tell me how to use it, and how to get tunes from iTunes.
Sookie Jade: How did you decide to make Ollie a part of your show, and is that why you use the name Birdie?
DJ Birdie: I got the nickname “Birdie” back in grade school. I’m not really sure how it came about, but I was always “flying around”, not sitting still, and I could whistle pretty good back then, so maybe that had something to do with the nickname. And Ollie made the choice for me to add him to the show because as I was talking during my set, Ollie would chatter in the background. People would comment, so I thought it would be cute to add him as my Co-DJ. He tends to know when the talk button is on, and he’ll chatter when the music plays. He loves listening to the Blues.
Sookie Jade: How do you come up with your playlists?
DJ Birdie: I spend hours and hours on my playlists, searching and listening to tunes. I am a firm believer that Blues music gets into your soul, it’s the vibe, and the guitar talking to you. I will listen, and then say “Yesssss! I need that song!” It just grabs me.
Sookie Jade: Do you have a song or track that never gets old no matter how much you play it?
DJ Birdie: Oh, there are many I love. One that comes to mind is by Albert Cummings titled Lonely Bed. His guitar and vocals just move me in that song. Also, Selwyn Birchwood’s smooth sound in the song Brown Paper Bag is one that I love to listen to over and over. The contemporary Blues are my favorites, but I also love Buddy Guy’s later songs, back in the day.
Sookie Jade: If you could meet any artist, who would you pick and why?
DJ Birdie: I would love to meet Buddy Guy and would have loved to have met Stevie Ray Vaughan when he was alive.
Buddy is a Blues Icon for me, and has influenced generations of amazing artists. I’m sure he has some wonderful stories to tell and I could listen to them for hours. Buddy’s style is unique and when I hear his guitar, I recognize the sound it makes, so I know that it is Buddy even before he sings the first note.
I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan in Daytona Beach, back in 1987, and all I can say is “Wow!” Talk about fantastic, I’ll never forget that concert, and it is my favorite one so far.
Sookie Jade: If you could be stuck in one year’s music scene, which would you pick and why?
DJ Birdie: I would have to say the 1960’s. So many styles of Rock music emerged in the USA, and then the British Invasion and Blues Rock came onto the scene, which is my favorite genre of the Blues to this day. I remember listening to all these Rock Artists as a kid, and now, they have become Legends, and I am still listening to their music.
DJ Birdie & her pet parrot, Ollie, have sets on Mondays at 3 pm and Tuesday at 2 pm eastern standard time. She’s very active in promoting the online radio station, and has become an awesome online friend to many. Check out her sets on www.bluesmusicfan.com
