KEXP is revamping its Friday and Sunday night lineup to focus more on dance, R&B, hip-hop and rock. The station is saying goodbye to long-running rockabilly program, "Shake the Shack," and looking for a new DJ to host its new "Soul Sounds on Sunday."
KEXP is shaking up its weekend lineup, retiring its long-running program “Shake The Shack,” which primarily plays rockabilly, and replacing it with a new show in the 6-9 p.m. Friday time slot that will focus more on electronic, soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock.
The station announced the changes on its website. The brand-new Friday show, which has yet to be named, and will be hosted by DJ Michele Myers, is described like this on the website: “The program will feature dance-worthy sets and upbeat music, showcasing musicians of diverse genders, backgrounds, and music styles, with a deep focus on women artists.”
“Shake the Shack” is hosted by Mike Fuller, who is stepping down, according to KEXP. Fuller took over “Shake the Shack” from DJ Leon Berman, who in 2016 retired after 30 years at KEXP.
These aren’t the only big moves being made at KEXP. “Street Sounds,” the station’s only show devoted to local and national hip-hop, will move from its 6-9 p.m. Sunday time slot to follow Myers’ new show on Friday. “Street Sounds” is hosted by Stas THEE Boss, who said in the statement: “I’m very excited to be moving to Friday nights. Especially with the opportunity to set the tone for everyone’s weekend.”
The station will fill Sunday’s 6-9 p.m. slot with a second new program, “Soul Sounds on Sunday,” which will play classic soul, funk, R&B and hip-hop. The show will be staffed by current KEXP DJs while the station looks for a permanent host.
And that host could be you, says KEXP DJ John Richards. “Ultimately, we decided to open the new DJ gig to a public-application process. We’re confident this will allow us to hear from a more diverse set of applicants with deep knowledge of funk, soul, and R&B, an understanding of the cultures and experiences this music comes from, and a deep investment in our mission to enrich lives through great music.”
The station promises to have a job posting on its website soon.