She came from Hell’s Kitchen and now you can hear her on weekdays from 7 to midnight on Country 102.5. Her name is Renee Castle and she is one of the newest members of the award-winning country radio station in Boston. Recently, Renee took some time to chat with New England Country Music about her favorite artists, her experience in country radio, and what she has done in Boston since making the big leap to Beantown. Check it out!
How long have you been in radio and country radio specifically?
“Well interestingly enough, country radio is almost the only format I’ve been in. I’m just obsessed with country music. I love all music but I love country radio the most because the fans of country radio to me are the most loyal people you can ever imagine. They love their artists. And then the artists too. The interaction between the artists and the listener is phenomenal in the country format. So that’s primarily the only format that I’ve worked in. I used to be a television producer, and I still work as a television host. I produced the television show Hell’s Kitchen for FOX and a bunch of other network shows. The major transition (to radio) probably happened five years ago or so. I was doing morning show calls to all of the radio stations letting them know we were coming to town to do show auditions. I was having so much fun doing it- it was literally the highlight of my day. I had a couple stations, especially one in particular, that invited me to host the morning show with them. From there, they invited me back for the rest of the week and I was hooked!”
What radio stations have you worked at in the past?
“I moved to Nashville and worked for Mix 92.9 and NASH FM 103.3. I also worked all over the country for Westwood One solely in their country format.”
What’s your favorite story that you have from working in country radio?
“There are so many. I am torn. One would be the way that country artists, country radio, and our listeners give back. Just the other night, on WKLB, we were doing the High-Low Cash Jackpot and a listener called and we had just had a winner and I had asked the caller, “What would you do if you had won?” And he said, ‘I honestly would give it all to St. Jude’s.’ The collaboration that country radio has with all things philanthropic really moves me. I love that the artists tend to be givers as well as the listeners. That would probably be one of my favorite stories. Another favorite would be when I had a caller request a song and he asked me to dedicate it to his girlfriend. And then he said, “I wanted to ask her if she would marry me.” It was my first on-air proposal. I played the song on the air and I told him that he had to call me back immediately and let me know if she said yes. He called back a few minutes later and she gets on the phone and she’s just crying and said, ‘I said yes.’ It was really, really sweet. I ended up talking to them and I found out she actually was struggling with cancer. He had been her boyfriend and fighting by her side through this for like two years. So it wasn’t just that he had proposed but also that she had just finally been given the news that she was in remission. It was a really special night. And I’ve stayed in touch with them. She’s doing great. Cancer hasn’t come back. They are happy and have a baby now. To have a real relationship with a listener is an amazing thing.”
Who are your favorite country artists?
“I have to go with Kenny Chesney. One of my good friends is his lead guitarist. So I’ve known Kenny- he’s a really great guy and someone great to work with. Dierks Bentley- I love him just as a human being and his music. He’s a phenomenal writer. I was so excited to see him co-host the ACMs because I feel like he stays under the radar and he’s so dang talented. I feel like he should get a little more credit than he does. And then Blake- who doesn’t love Blake!? One of my best friend’s husband is his bass player and they have been with him for over 15 years. He’s this super down to earth guy. People who don’t listen to country know who Blake Shelton is.”
How excited were you when WKLB came calling for you?
“Oh my gosh, I was so excited! First of all, it’s a super prestigious station. And not just in Boston but all over the country. WKLB has won a CMA Award. It was nominated for an ACM Award this year. It’s a major market- one of the then largest markets in the country. One of my friends knew my now-boss, Mike Brophey, and when she found out that I was speaking with him, she told me, ‘Renee, he is one of the best people you’ll ever meet.’ And she was not lying. I pinch myself that I get to work with him and everyone at WKLB. It’s such a supportive and positive environment and everyone is really passionate about what they do. It’s pretty much a dream job.”
What has been your impression of the country fans in Boston so far?
“I love them! I have literally- and this isn’t to be boastful but just to say how into it they are- every night, I have had my phone lines lit up from top to bottom. They’re calling and they are excited and super into their music. They talk to you about their lives and what they are doing that night and even giving tips (since Renee is new to the region).“
Since moving to Boston, what sort of touristy things have you done? Favorite part of Boston?
“I’ve been trying to do a whole lot of different things. I’ve gone to the Public Garden- I loved that. I have a little Terrier mix so he’s obsessed with the Public Garden. I’ve been to Quincy Market. I was told there’s all these Italian restaurants I was told to eat at while I was over in the North End but I got so full from the food in the market that I didn’t end up eating dinner in any of the restaurants- so I have to go back. That was a really fun experience. They had a street performer outside. I walked down the Freedom Trail. I have taken a picture with a Benjamin Franklin look-a-like. I checked out Southie to the restaurant where they filmed ‘Good Will Hunting,’ which is super cool because that’s a great movie- one of my all time favorite movies. I’ve just been trying to take in everything I can. The history here is so rich. The only thing that would rival with it is Europe.
I have also had an amazing experience dining at ‘Top of the Hub,’ which is a restaurant that provides views of Boston from 52 stories up in the Prudential Tower. I blogged about it on country1025.com, and there are some great pictures of the city there! I also checked out Skywalk, which is also in The Prudential Tower. That was awesome!
The coolest thing I’ve done so far is attend opening day at Fenway Park, and see the Red Sox play! Although it wasn’t a win, it was a once in a lifetime experience, and there are lots of wins to come!
I also cheered on the runners at The Boston Marathon, and was in awe of the athleticism of the participants, and the spirit of this beautiful city!
I’ve been sharing all of my Boston adventures on my social media. On Twitter, I’m @ReneeCastle1025, and my handle is the same on Instagram. I’m also on Facebook!”
What shows are you most excited for this summer?
“Well definitely Kenny’s show! Dierks too. My top two. I’m excited for all of them. It’s such an experience to be up here. The fans here are such awesome fans. It’s like we are with sports here. So much passion.”
What do you want listeners to know about you?
“Just that I couldn’t be more excited to be here. I truly love this city and I want to hear from them. I want to engage with them. I am so excited to build that relationship with listeners. I love this city. I love being here. And I love the listeners!”
Thank you to Renee for taking time out of her day to chat with us here at New England Country Music! Give Renee a follow on her social media accounts and give her a listen every weekday from 7PM to midnight on Country 102.5 WKLB!