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Garret Olson co-hosts our alternative music show, Citizen Sound on Sunday nights from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Growing up in Southern California, Garret was raised on a steady diet of music played by the influential alternative rock station KROQ. That foundation informs much of what you'll hear him play on KCBX.

Greg has been with KCBX since 2009 when he was first hired to manage KCBXnet, the Internet and computer-training arm of KCBX, Inc. He was development director from January of 2017 until September of 2023, when he retired. He continues part time with KCBX, working on fundraising, event organizing and marketing for the station.

Kim Foster Carlson is an award-winning broadcast journalist with decades of experience in radio and television news. She came to KCBX as a substitute announcer in 2021 after many years at stations such as KCBS, KGO and KQED. Kim occasionally contributes interviews to Issues & Ideas When she's not traveling, visiting her grown kids or hanging out with her dogs, you will likely find her in a swimming pool. She was a six-time division I All-American swimmer at Florida State University and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Jim Dee, co-host of the world music program Global Spin, has broad tastes in music, and a deep curiosity and passion for the arts that developed from an early age. He studied journalism at Cal Poly, where he began DJing at KCPR in the mid-70's. While in school, he and a friend began to show films for fun, and then in 1979 Jim opened the Rainbow Theater, an art film house in downtown San Luis Obispo. After ten years he closed the Rainbow and opened the Palm Theater, which is the first completely solar-powered movie theater in the US. It's not surprising that Jim often runs music documentaries among the independent film offerings at the Palm, since his love for music permeates most of his life activities.

Ryan Orr is the host of Jukebox Revival, an Americana music show every Tuesday evening on KCBX from 6:30-8:00. Ryan has a rich and varied music background. He's currently the entertainment director at SLO Brew Rock, where he books all of the bands and performers, and coordinates events. He worked for many years at an artist management company, where he worked with high-profile performers, such as the Dave Matthews Band. Ryan has DJ'd many weddings and other events, so he feels quite comfortable in front of a microphone and audio console. He's a drummer and his favorite band is Phish.

Melanie Senn was born in Camden, New Jersey (the resting place of Walt Whitman), but was raised in California. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Latin American Literature from UCSB, and after living a couple years in Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, got her master’s degree in English. She had a 25-year teaching career, including 17 years at Cal Poly where she taught essay writing and argument. Now she dedicates her time to writing and audio storytelling, and hanging out with her with her two sons and their dad, musician Derek Senn.

Blair Gillespie's love of country music goes back to visiting his grandparents in downtown San Luis Obispo and throwing some Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and Oak Ridge Boys on the record player.

Betsey Nash is the former host of a wine segment on Issues & Ideas called "The Grape Nut." Betsey moved from Burbank to the central coast to attend Poly in January of 1969, only to be greeted by a horse tied to a tree in front of the English building. "Oh no, what have I done!": Her culture shock didn't end there: there were vacant lots between the houses! People drove on the beach! And, oh look at those gorgeous green hills! A tradition that she and her roommates embraced was started when their Morro Bay neighbors brought a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies and a jug of Pesenti Zinfandel Rose over to help them get through mid-terms and finals weeks. The place became home, and her exploration of the region's wines continued.

Substitute music host Rob Kimball began as a DJ on KCBX hosting the Americana show "Pickin' Up The Tempo" back in August 1996. In March of 2004, Rob began hosting "Classical Showcase" playing mostly composers from the 20th and 21st centuries as well as music from "The Silver Screen." Now he's mostly retired from the airwaves, but you might catch him performing on 6 & 12 string guitar at a few intimate venues here on the Central coast.