Bob Dorr

Bob hosts KUNI's weekend evening music, including "Backtracks" and "Down on the Corner," and also is one of the hosts on weekday evenings.

Email: Bob Dorr.

Phone: 1-800-772-2440, ext. 37632 or
319-273-7632

Take 5 Profile with Bob Dorr:

A little about Bob:
I was born in Chicago, grew up in NW suburbs until the 8th grade, went to Davenport Central High School, (go Blue Devils!) where I lettered in two sports, (3 years football, 2 years baseball) and graduated from UNI in 1974. I’m old enough to have an AARP card, but not old enough to get the senior discount at Perkins! I did the first night time show on the station that has evolved into the present day KUNI and have worked at the station ever since, except for an 18 month sabbatical that allowed me to play in a road band and base in Minneapolis during 1978/79. I admit to being workaholic, being responsible for 2 1/2 nights of locally originated programming at KUNI each week, being the leader of The Blue Band, averaging about 130 dates a year during the band’s nearly 25 year history (traveling anywhere between Sun Valley Idaho and Memphis TN) and managing a little record/music production company that releases and promotes albums by Iowa artists.

What is your favorite NPR/PRI program?
That’s kinda like asking which of your eight children do you like best?! For news and information, I love All Things Considered (I’d probably like Morning Edition too, but outside of catching the 4-4:30 a.m. start before going to bed, I’m usually sleeping during that show!). For music/entertainment I really like American Routes because it often has similar elements as my Backtracks show and I seem to learn something new about the music makers every time I hear it. I used to enjoy the Sunday afternoon rerun of Car Talk, but its 9:00 a.m. start on Saturday morning these days doesn’t allow me to catch it very often!

Why/how did you get into radio?
Sex, drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll??! It also was a way to show my dad that I could make a living with my speech degree! At KUNI, I was literally in the right place at the right time. I had a management position at the student station in the Union, (then called KYTC-Know Your Teachers College!) when Mr. Vernier came to UNI and brought his diverse programming ideas to Broadcasting Services. I was taking summer classes when the word went out about a “new radio concept” at UNI, so I applied, had a minimum knowledge of the mechanics of being a radio announcer, and a “mature” voice for a 20 year old, and got the job. You know the rest.

What is your most memorable moment with KUNI/KHKE?
Well memorable can be good or bad, right? One of the most fun/good memories is the night that Steve Maravets and I “covered” the Rolling Stones visit to the UNI-Dome. We didn’t get to meet the Stones, but called in live reports from a little closet at the Dome. The Lamont Cranston Band was the unannounced opening act and Stray Cats, at the time unknown in the US, (altho’ I was playing their import records at the time on KUNI’s Progression program) was second. It’s strange that one of the things I remember about that show is that the stage lights were so bright/hot and the weather outside (it was in November) so cold, that it was literally RAINING from the condensation, inside, on the stage area!

The BAD memorable day was the day that Mr. Vernier announced that we had lost $250,000 in funding and consequently he and Program Guru Carl Jenkins were retiring. I still remember the shock and tearful emotion of the entire staff that day.

What do you do for fun?
Well, workaholics seem to get their fun from accomplishing work related goals, but outside of my work, I’m a HUGE fan of pro football and politics (they both have similarities as far as entertainment values, don’t ya think?). As far as recreation, I try to walk 15-20 miles a week. I also get a charge out of getting a bargain on collectable music related items purchased at auctions (buy low, sell high!).

What, in your opinion, is the best aspect of KUNI/KHKE?
The best overall aspect would be the opportunity to work with skilled professionals that all share the same goal of making KUNI the best public radio station it can be. The best personal aspect is the freedom afforded each producer to proceed as he or she sees fit to produce programs that are entertaining, enlightening, and that pay for themselves with listener pledges.