Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Engle.
Hi Todd, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I started out in Country radio in the 6th grade in elementary school and switched primarily to R&B/Hip Hop in my high school years. Under the name Dr. Todd, I became a part of The Rodney J Show on KTAE 1260AM. After the show went on hiatus in the late 80s, I started a mobile DJ service which I focused on until mid-1993. I started being serviced music through S&S Record Pool and the owner Steve Savage was at that time the music director at KAZI 88.7 FM. Since they needed programmers, he asked me if I wanted to get back into radio and I accepted. Going by The White Brutha, I started doing a jazz show in the afternoons and moved to overnights shortly after playing Hip Hop/R&B. In 1996, I started the Texas Artist Showcase. On this show, I focused on Texas independent artists and showcased them with interviews and premiering their music exclusively. Because of the participation, I also came up with a Top 20 Countdown in 1999 and began counting down the most requested songs on KAZI from the indie artists. This caused some friendly competition that they weren’t used to. Through my critiques and opinionated sarcasm, I became known as the “Simon Cowell” of Austin by many. I won’t go into details at this time. With the exception of a 7-year break from 2003-2010, I stayed with KAZI until the Summer of 2020, right after the Covid pandemic began. I then started an internet station and called it Insanely Gifted Radio.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being at KAZI, a black community-owned station, and being one of a handful of Caucasians there, it seemed I was walking on pins and needles. Growing up on Howard Stern and admiring his come-up, I really had to watch what I said on-air. Or get suspended numerous times from “walking the thin line” so to speak. Some of the community thought my name I went by, “The White Brutha” had a racists tone to it. But if that was the case, how come I was nominated two years in a row for Radio Personality of the Year by a local awards show. Both years I lost out to commercial DJs but at least I was nominated. Because of my “countdown” status, I then transitioned to being referred to as the Texas version of “Casey Kasem (RIP)”. All my countdowns were based on the facts, requests, or the interaction from artists from all over Texas. Many artists didn’t like that because it meant they had to work to promote themselves. The countdowns continue to be a staple of my internet station
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Aside from all this DJ work, I was also an artist. I performed with Willie Nelson at Farm Aid in 1992-1993 as part of the group Central Texas Posse. I started a recording studio called Wongkaville and mixed/mastered various artists albums in central Texas. Some of my own hip hop recordings can be found online under the name “Whitey Wongka” which is my hip hop alter ego. I am very controversial with a majority of my lyrics. Currently, I host “Da Midnight Ryde” with El Martel on Insanely Gifted Radio. The show airs every late Saturday night at Midnight, hence the show name.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Insanely Gifted Radio is accepting pre-recorded shows to be added to the programming. Mix shows and talk shows included. Donations to the station can be given through Cash app at $InsanelyGifted.
Contact Info:
- Email: insanelygiftedradio@gmail.com
- Website: www.insanelygiftedradio.com
