WNKU

If you are like me, you think Cincinnati is a radio wasteland. For 20 years or so, I've rented cars all over the country for work, and I can tell you there are markets half the size of ours that have a better variety of music on their local airwaves. It's embarrassingly predictable here. If they're playing the Eagles, it must be Take It Easy, One of the These Nights or Hotel California. Stones? Satisfaction, Brown Sugar, Jumpin' Jack Flash. And so on. Nothing ever surprises or interests.

Except on WNKU, the public station at Northern Kentucky University. It's the best source here for new music, interesting music and deep cuts. Among the new people NKU has turned me on to over the years are David Gray, the Subdudes and Jack Johnson. Plus the Grateful Dead Hour on Saturday nights is outstanding.

The older you get, the harder it becomes to find stuff you like that you haven't heard several million times. WNKU rarely disappoints. I'm going over there this morning at about 10, to play 30 minutes of stuff I chose for the occasion. Take a listen (89.7) and if you like it, keep listening. And if you really like it -- if you're like me and NKU is the only local station worth listening to for more than a few minutes -- write them a check or phone in a pledge. Live big.