Press Release Summary = Wilsonville's own Mitchell Keller, 15, is heard on 34 stations in six countries
Press Release Body = By Josh Kulla Ten million listeners is an awful lot, even when you're an international radio personality. But in Mitchell Keller's case, he still feels the tug of friendship with each and every one of them, even with seven years behind the microphone under his belt. "After seven years, and a lot of late nights with Mitchell, I don't think of them as listeners. I think of them as friends," says the 15-year-old Wilsonville youth. Perhaps that's not so surprising for someone who exudes charisma, not to mention a maturity seemingly well beyond his years. It also goes a long way toward explaining the success over the past year of "The Back Porch Show," Keller's own baby and the number-two rated independent radio music show in the United States at present. "It's so fun to share all the stories we can with my listeners," he said during an interview at his home studio last week. "We can all relate to them. And I relate to my listeners." Currently aired on 34 radio stations in 11 states and five foreign countries, "The Back Porch Show" is a growing phenomenon in country music radio, and has played host to some of the genre's biggest stars, including Kenny Chesney, George Jones and Faith Hill, among others. It has been an amazing progression for Keller, who was first drawn to the world of radio broadcasting when he was six years old. It was then that the budding broadcaster inside first launched himself upon the world. Starting with a low-powered Radio Shack hobby kit, Keller started playing tunes at night for his neighborhood in West Linn. Those that bothered to tune in, that is. "I was in Radio Shack shopping and I remember this little purple box," he recounted. "I probably had two CDs then, and this radio was the most funny thing. I had this little piece of gear, and it would go out to the neighbors." As time progressed, so did Keller's on-air personality, his equipment and professionalism. By the time he was 13, he had honed his distinctive baritone delivery to a fine edge and was ready to really set out into the often-cutthroat world of broadcasting. Armed with the confidence of youth and an innate belief in what he was doing, Keller and his syndicated program quickly found a home in the Phillipines, of all places, and from there the die was cast for the show to grow into its current incarnation. But it took a lot of hard work along the way, and a bit of luck, as well - something Keller is quick to emphasize. "We all work together to bring out this one-hour show," he said. "And I'll tell you this, we work really hard." His father, Casey, agrees. He also says he has no idea where Mitchell got his talent as an on-air personality. "In the whole thing, it's been Mitchell's hard work, going 24-7," Casey said. "I don't know where he got it from, but I know he got his work habits from his mom." A key part of Mitchell Keller's success over the past several years can be credited to his partnership with country music star and college professor Kay Wilder. Wilder, who has reached the top of the country music charts with her own material, co-hosts "The Back Porch Show" and also fronts "Moments In Country Music History," a 10-minute segment each week which highlights country music's pioneers. "Kay and my mom, they help me to stay organized," Keller said. He added that Wilder's extensive contacts in the music industry have been indispensable to the show as a whole, while her overall professionalism has rubbed off on Keller and the rest of "The Back Porch Show." The opinions of station programmers are a good measure of this. On the show's Web site (www.backporchshow.com), a host of station managers and DJs have written in to laud both Keller and his show. "His conversations with the stars are like they've known each other for years," said Sam Peterson of Gold Rush Radio, which is based in The Netherlands. "I might also mention that he does a supreme job when it comes to connecting with his listeners." Keller is far more modest, however, when it comes to talking about himself. "When I go backstage," he said. "I think that the first thing people think when they see me is 'What the heck is that kid doing here?'" He also admitted the tricky business of running an actual interview is one of the more difficult parts of his job. "I'm afraid of coming off somehow wrong or awkward," he laughed. But after learning from professionals around the country, Keller is well on his way to carving out a fabulous career for himself. Indeed, his show is already known for its outstanding interviews with country music celebrities, perhaps its biggest selling point to station managers. And when it comes to meeting the stars, Keller seems right at home, sometimes even inviting them back to his parents' house. "These people are so easy to deal with," Casey Keller said of country musicians in general. "It's so Oregon, and so down home. It's really a whole experience from the music standpoint. I'm pretty proud of Mitchell." Mitchell Keller said he isn't quite certain what the future holds, although he is insistent that he plans to move to Dallas, Texas, as soon as he turns 18 and graduates from Wilsonville's Arts and Technology Charter School, where he is currently a freshman. The charter school, he added, seems like a better fit than a larger high school at present, mainly because it will allow him a better chance to pursue his radio career while he still in school. For their part, staff at Art Tech, as it is known, say that Keller is quiet and unpretentious amongst his peers. "He's one of our 13 fabulous freshmen who seem to forming a tight-knit group," Art Tech teacher Beverly Grossman said. At this point, Keller's plate is pretty full, with school, The Back Porch Show, a music management venture and promotion work for the BMN Radio Group. Through that company, The Back Porch Show was able to partner up with the popular Texas show Texas Music Radio Show hosted by Gary Barton. That, Keller noted, was also one of the turning points for his own program. "When I met Gary I came close to passing out," he said. "He's the guy who's really helped my career." For now, The Back Porch Show is his main vehicle for continued growth, with Wilder contemplating a possible move to Oregon to facilitate the show's needs. "You never know," Keller said. "I'm going to keep doing this for right now. I want to put the show out there, and I want to be recognized for what I'm doing, not for my age."
Web Site = http://www.wilsonvillenews.com/WVSNews0.shtml
Contact Details = BMN Radio Networks 31098 SW Country View Lane Portland, Oregon USA
2022
