Radio News

Dallas online radio station Deep Ellum Radio would love to make you a DJ

Deep Ellum Radio has a new permanent home at the Deep Ellum Commmunity Center.

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An independent Dallas radio station dedicated to Deep Ellum has officially moved into the neighborhood: Deep Ellum Radio, a nonprofit online radio station that's been on air for nearly 15 years, has made permanent headquarters at the Deep Ellum Community Center at 2528 Elm St.

The move marks a step up for the volunteer-run station, says spokesperson Mimi McLaughlin.

“Having a dedicated space will really allow us to support Deep Ellum musicians and businesses in a whole new way,” she says. “This is what we’ve been working toward for years.”

Deep Ellum Radio was founded in 2010 by Kim Taylor and Chad Lovell, former drummer for Course of Empire. The station broadcasts through deepellumradio.com or Live365, with an anything-goes mix of eclectic music and talk shows hosted by local personalities such as artist Frank Campagna and Jerry Rutherford.

For many years, the station was based out of Taylor’s arts & crafts store, In Accord, at 2719 Main St., in Deep Ellum. After the store closed, operations got spread out into the homes of its volunteers.

In 2023, Taylor turned over the reins to the Deep Ellum Community Association, which now manages it.

The permanent location not only creates a sense of place, it makes it more accessible, giving Deep Ellum musicians and businesses a predictable place to find it.

“Bands and musicians can easily drop off their music, area businesses can come by and record commercials,” McLaughlin says. “The reason the station exists is to support the music and businesses of Deep Ellum, and the new space allows us to do a better job at that."

It also helps to further the momentum led by the 2023 opening of the Deep Ellum Community Center, which houses local nonprofit and arts organizations including the Deep Ellum Foundation and the Deep Ellum Community Association.

Nonetheless, Deep Ellum Radio is still primarily a volunteer-based effort. They hope the establishment of a permanent home will attract more warm bodies in areas such as programming, scheduling, and even additional DJs.

“We’re looking at putting on workshops so we can train people on how to produce live streams from a venue and how they can pre-record their shows and play them in live timeslots," McLaughlin says. "It’s all very grassroots, which is one of the many things I love about it.”

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RIP Mark

Colorful Dallas musician and DJ Mark Ridlen passes away at 65

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Mark Ridlen RIP

A bright and colorful light in Dallas' music scene went out: Mark Ridlen, DJ and musician, passed away on November 17, following a bout with cancer; he was 65.

From his appearance in Ron Howard’s 1978 directorial debut, Cotton Candy, to his groups Quad Pi, Lithium X-mas, and a plethora of side projects with scores of DFW musicians, to his full-time job as a professional DJ under the moniker "DJ Mr. Rid," Ridlen had been a steady staple on the local creative scene.

He surfed pretty much every musical wave: from Dallas' epochal dance music scene in the early 80s, to punk rock to his role as one of Dallas' top DJs — the guy you called when you wanted your event to be cool and fun.

Ridlen had been quietly battling kidney and lung cancer for the past three years. Over the summer, he had his second kidney removed, which meant he was on dialysis treatment a couple times a week.

He remained upbeat, but according to friends of the family, two more tumors were recently found in his brain. His family and friends decided to forego further treatment and were by his side when he died.

He remained in demand until his passing. In May, he DJed a party at the Kessler Theater, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Starck Club, the legendary '80s dance music club designed by Philippe Starck, which had a huge influence on Dallas, and which Ridlen was part of.

He was invited to DJ at the Starck Club when it opened in 1984 and remained in that role until the club closed in 1989.

Reid mark ridlen Mark Ridlen (right) with close friend Reid RobiinsonFacebook

From there, he migrated to Expo Park, the underground neighborhood across from Fair Park where art and music ruled. His stints at XPO Lounge, Double Wide, and other neighborhood venues made him a staple in the community.

At the same time, he was a member of Lithium Xmas, a psychedelic art-rock band which he formed with acclaimed musicians Chris Merlick and Greg Synodis.

He was also a pop culture savant with a comprehensive knowledge of music, who balanced a low-key charm with a vibrant sense of style, whether it was a vivid pop-art tunic or a flashy sequinned jacket, he did it all with originality and panache.

In late August, a large circle of musicians and friends rallied to participate in a benefit for Ridlen, to help pay for his medical costs — a sweet indication of the high regard in which he was held.

“I do want people to know that I am not being slowed down by cancer,” Ridlen said at the time. “I'm ready to continue working. I have more-or-less a clean bill of health for the moment, and hopefully that doesn't change.”

Survivors include his mother Nancy and his brother David. A memorial service is in the works with details still to be announced.

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