Elvis Duran talks about the magic of radio and his special connection with listeners – Blogging Sole

If the annual Jingle Ball at New York’s Madison Square Garden is what the Super Bowl is to holiday parties, Elvis Duran is taking on the role of head coach. From introducing acts like Olivia Rodrigo, to mingling with pop princesses (“Sabrina Carpenter, everyone!”), and interviewing rock royalty like Cher, on this day, this Elvis was king.

But he says doing a TV interview is different for him: “I’m not a camera guy, I’m a radio guy.”

If you don’t recognize his face, you probably recognize his voice. Since 1996, the 60-year-old has hosted “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show,” the country’s most popular Top 40 morning show. “I can’t believe it’s been 30 years, because it’s been nothing but fun,” he said.

Every day, millions of listeners across the country wake up to Duran and his crew talking about music and pop culture… pretty much whatever’s on their minds. “I’ve worked with some of the same people for 25 to 30 years,” he said. “The energy with each other is what makes it work. I don’t need to be the center of attention.”

With 70 markets across the country listening to the songs, Duran is a rarity these days – a nationally known radio DJ.

She asked, “When I grew up, I remember the big DJs on the radio. Now that’s nice of you and Ryan Seacrest. What happened?”

“Radio isn’t what it used to be,” Duran replied. “A lot of radio companies have given up on personalities; They just wanted to play music, it was cheaper. This is not good for our business. So, I did everything I could to maintain my morning radio show persona.

And it’s Duran’s personality that has earned him loyal fans over the years, including some of the biggest names in pop music. “Lady Gaga grew up dreaming of hearing her song on our show,” he said. “And when she walked into the room, she was kind of nervous. And I was thinking, ‘Well, shouldn’t it be the other way around?’ It’s Lady Gaga!'”

But it’s the regular listeners with whom Duran feels a special connection. “We’re in the friendship business,” he said. “I think about you when you jump in your car in the morning. You’re either leaving a home that might be full of turmoil, or you’re going to a job with a boss you don’t like. But I have 20 to 30 minutes, and I can be your friend.”

Duran fell in love with radio as a child: “I would spend the night at my grandmother’s house when my mother and father would go out late, and I would listen to the radio. I became friends with that sound in the dark.

He was only seven years old and grew up in McKinney, Texas. “I didn’t have a lot of friends growing up. I was lonely. That’s how I found friendship through the radio.

And so began his quest to become one of those voices. He even built his own transmitter, with a studio housed in his bedroom closet. “My only listener was the lady next door.”

Duran’s first real job in radio came when he was fourteen years old. After leaving college, he spent a decade traveling markets around the country. “In the old days in radio, you never unpacked, you never took dishes out of boxes, because you were always moving,” he said. “But you know, I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been in the Z100 since 1989. So, I’m fine.

While his show is set in the Big Apple, Duran’s heart belongs to New Mexico. As a child, he frequently visited the Land of Enchantment. He says the tranquility of Santa Fe is the complete opposite of New York City. “Of course, I need to. Santa’s in a magical place. And I think, in some ways, this town saved my life a little bit. It’s nice to be in a situation where you have to relax.”

Doran and his husband, Alex Carr, share a home here, not far from where they married in 2019. But decades before their first date, they had a chance meeting — where else? — on the radio in 1998. “I made him a contest winner once,” Duran said. “Jingle Ball tickets. How old were you?”

“Eighteen,” Carr said.

“Oh God!”

Duran often hosts his show from Santa Fe. Thanks to his home studio, his commute is short. “Every morning at 2:30 a.m. Santa Fe time, I walk up these stairs, and there you are.”

I asked, “Is Elvis in New Mexico different from Elvis in a New York studio?”

“Oh, sure,” he replied. “And everyone in New York said to me at one time or another: ‘You’re so comfortable there. “We really love New Mexico Elvis.

Duran can’t say how long he’ll be broadcasting (“To be able to do this for that long, with this family, it’s a miracle, it’s really a miracle”), but he’s not ready to mute his microphone just yet. He still has plenty of friends to keep him company.

When asked how much of this was down to seven-year-old Elvis listening to that voice on the radio, Duran replied: “All of it. You know, I’m not alone anymore. I never want to go back to being a lonely person again. And I don’t want to “Anyone who listens to our show feels alone. That’s the legacy we’re all trying to leave. I don’t want them to remember my name; I just want them to remember how we made them feel every day. That’s all.”

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The story was produced by Michelle Kissel. Editor: Karen Brenner.