A foundational tip of mine is: Never assume that people want to hear what you have to say.

You have to earn the listener’s attention every time you open the mic – even if you’re just doing something simple like intro’ing a song (in a music format), or adding “colorful” details to a story (in any format). Your “interesting sidebar” may indeed add something – but not always.

So…run what you say, or what you want to say, through the “Does the listener care?” filter first. Then, you don’t have to try to make it matter.

We all try too hard at first. Early in my own career, I tried too hard to be funny. I’m sure it probably came across as insecure, or even flippant sometimes. Two of my mentors — Lee Abrams in Chicago, and Bill Young in Houston – helped me get away from that. (Thank goodness.)

Now I’m passing this thought on to you. Sound your best. I love to hear people do it right.

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Tommy Kramer
Talent Coach
214-632-3090 (mobile)
e-mail: coachtommykramer@gmail.com
Member, Texas Radio Hall of Fame
© 2026 by Tommy Kramer. All rights reserved.

Among his many accomplishments, my friend Lee Abrams is the guy who started XM radio (now SiriusXM). The idea that most radio people thought would never work is now a giant entity that changed the face of radio for countless people.

Having worked with Lee in Chicago and Cleveland, and watching him do his magic over the decades, let me share something about him that you might want to consider:

Lee always searched for an attitude in his stations. In Chicago, for instance (his hometown), he knew that the traditional AM Top 40 stations in the early seventies had become stale. Same thing in Cleveland. No new ideas. The jingles all sounded typical, the Production elements were predictable, etc.

Lee wanted the slew of stations that he consulted to have several ingredients that stood out: Hipness. Up to date. Young. Idealistic. Not afraid to take chances.

So…do a little “gut check” and listen objectively to your station. Is it those things? Is it ANY of those things?

The great pioneers of modern radio (Gordon McLendon, Todd Storz, Bill Drake, Jack McCoy, and so many more) heard what was already there, and decided to change it.

“Oh, but change is so hard.”

No, it isn’t. Start by taking something that’s been there forever and throwing it away. Then you HAVE to think of something new to replace it with.

Rinse and repeat. Forever.

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Tommy Kramer
Talent Coach
214-632-3090 (mobile)
e-mail: coachtommykramer@gmail.com
Member, Texas Radio Hall of Fame
© 2026 by Tommy Kramer. All rights reserved.