Kacky Walton
Classical Music HostI owe my radio career to the Ford Motor Company. My daddy had a Ford dealership in our hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and he thought it would be cute if his 7-year old daughter did his radio commercials. The pay wasn't great, just a pack of Wrigley's gum, but I was hooked on radio from then on.
I majored in Theater at Ole Miss, and really enjoyed the stage, but I always came back to radio. Now I have the best of both worlds: Everyday I get to create and host a classical music show and talk to fascinating people from the art world, and I get my theater fix when I host previews of Playhouse on the Square's musicals on Friday Live Lunch. Who could ask for anything more?
When I'm not doing radio, I love hanging out with my sweet rescue dog, who got his name from The Kinks song, “Do You Remember Walter”, from the album “Village Green Preservation Society”. I have to thank my late husband for that one. Walter is, without a doubt, the most handsome boy on the planet, and completely deserves having his own theme song. I also love putting on loud music and having my own little throw-down dance party from time to time. Not sure is Walter is so keen on that. He gives me funny looks sometimes.
I started playing the piano at age 2, and began classical training at age 5. Having gone without a piano for a large chunk of time has made me pretty rusty, but now that I have it again, I'm working on getting the old chops back. Things that I can't do without: TV, a good movie, and yummy food and wine. Also any book by John Irving. And Tab.
I don't get paid in gum anymore, and I don't make big bucks either, but I do get to wake up in the morning excited about working for a radio station that matters. I get to work for public radio! How did a girl from Clarksdale get so lucky?
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Kacky Walton has a conversation with director Angel Clark and actor Cleavon Meabon, discussing Hattiloo Theatre’s upcoming production of the Tony-nominated musical “Blues in the Night.”
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Kacky Walton talks with local artist Jim Henderson, whose paintings are being shown alongside those of Sandra Carpenter in “Our Expressions Art Exhibition” at the Memphis Botanic Garden this April.
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Kacky Walton talks with Germantown Community Theatre's (GCT) executive director Marques Brown and Jari Head, the lead actor of GCT's upcoming production of the Olivier and Tony Award-winning play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.”
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Kacky Walton talks with Phyllis Boger, a member of Artists’ Link, a resource and support organization for visual artists.
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Kacky Walton has a conversation with Kell Christie and Susan Brindley. Kell is directing Terrance McNally’s “Master Class” at Theatre Memphis, and Susan is taking on the role of opera diva Maria Callas.
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Kacky Walton talks with Cindi Younker, Executive Director of Buckman Performing and Fine Arts Center about the last show of the season.
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Kacky Walton has a conversation with Greg Belz, Director of ArtWorks Foundation. They discuss Art in the Loop, the arts festival in East Memphis, happening April 12 —14 on Ridgeway Loop Road.
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Kacky Walton has a conversation with Christina Lai, Director of Operations and Programming with Prizm Ensemble.
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Kacky Walton has a conversation with Mia Henley, Executive Director of Creative Aging Mid South, a local nonprofit that strives to enrich the lives of seniors in our community by bringing music and the arts to places seniors live and gather.
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Kacky Walton talks with Jimmy Rhine Jr, french horn player with Pyramid Winds.