Radio News

Deep Ellum online radio station reboots with fresh programming for 2023

If you're going to do an internet radio show, get the biggest microphone you can find.

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A Dallas musical outlet is setting itself up for a great 2023: Deep Ellum Radio, an online radio station that first launched in 2010, has unveiled a refreshed lineup that incorporates music, podcasts, and news updates.

According to a release, it'll "relaunch" on January 1, with a greater focus on the history and culture of Deep Ellum, as well as providing listeners with an eclectic array of music genres.

The station will also feature podcasts that are a mix of talk and music.

The relaunch is an initiative by station manager Veronica Young, who was appointed to the position in April 2022, although she's had a longtime relationship with the station, having hosted shows on it in recent years such as Hungover With V.

Deep Ellum Radio was originally founded in 2010 by Kim Taylor and Chad Lovell, and capitalized on the growing importance of online/internet radio — a format that allows for complete freedom of programming including the valuable option of being able to broadcast songs with the F word. Can't do that on FM or AM radio.

The station also provides an alternative to the increasingly drab personality of "regular" terrestrial radio in Dallas.

Deep Ellum Radio broadcasts through deepellumradio.com or Live365, where you can download it directly onto your phone or computer. They've updated the website to make it easier to navigate, whether you're searching for a program or tuning in anytime to hear music (which is automatically programmed when DJs are not on the air).

The refreshed lineup includes:

Meia's Mixtape in the Morning
What's Up with Byron
The Veronica Young Show
Journey of an Artist/Song
#WCW: Amber LaFrance (a weekly mix show featuring women, to pave a path for positive change in the music industry)
The Smitten Kitten with Callie Dee
Confession on Sundays, a nod to the old days of The Church in Deep Ellum
Massive Intensive, heavy metal
The Church of Procrastanati, spinning a variety of unusual tunes

January will bring new shows and interviews from Savant Garde, which favors eclectric music tracks.

Other new offerings include The Austin Young Show, an interview-style podcast with punk/ska bands; Music on My Mind, featuring offbeat interviews hosted by Andy Rodriguez, who is also the drummer for North Texas band Astra Atlas; Keepin' it Kool with 88 Kill; and Dallas Famous Podcast.

The station will air 24/7 continuous music, podcasts, news updates, and more independent artists.

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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