Kidd Kraddick
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Kidd Kraddick was born David Cradick in Tampa Bay, Florida, Kraddick is a popular radio personality based in Dallas, Texas that hosts the radio show, "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning". The show, co-hosted by Big Al Mack, Kellie Rasberry, JC, and Taylor is broadcast from 5-10am CST on weekday mornings and nationally syndicated in 49 markets. Kraddick himself has been in the radio business since his teen years and has a strong following that is growing nationwide.
Kraddick decided his career while serving as 10th grade class president. "We sponsored a big dance for the seniors, but didn't have enough money to hire a deejay. So, I snuck out my dad's stereo and did it myself."
From there he was hooked. After stints as a nighttime teen idol in Miami, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Tampa (where he was given the nickname "Kidd" by a program director), Kraddick took his show to Dallas, where he quickly made the transition to morning drive. Kraddick has been called the "goody two shoes" of radio, a sentimental family man who lives his life on the radio. He frequently talks on the air to Carol, his wife, and his teen-age daughter, Caroline. The conversations and stories range from mundane to profoundly honest.
But it's not just his openness that has made his show top-rated in virtually every possible demographic. Kraddick's big heart has also played a part. Each year, through fund-raisers and special events, his non-profit organization raises over a $200,000 to send sick children to Walt Disney World. For fifteen years, Kidd's Kids has provided free trips for the families of hundreds of chronically and terminally ill children. Kraddick fills the seats of a 737 airplane each November and spend four days helping the children fulfill a fantasy. A film chronicling the trip won last year's prestigious Videographer Award of Excellence.
Kraddick's accolades include the following: last year's Radio Music Award for America's Best Radio Personality, the American Junior Chamber's Ten Outstanding Young Americans award, numerous Radio and Records' Major Market Personality of The Year award, and the distinguished Marconi Award for Radio Personality of the Year.
In 1991, Kraddick won the respect of his colleagues by launching a monthly publication called "The Morning Mouth", which contained show prep tips, including interview contact numbers, comedy bits, and all elements necessary to produce a top-notch on-air shift in morning drive or any other daypart. Kraddick deliberately kept production costs low to make it affordable to on-air staff who were unable to get their station to pay for it, and had to do so out of pocket.
