K-LIFE FM

Meet Mike Phillips

Host of Music and Features, 4:00 - 9:00pm

Born:

June 16, in Fresno, California

Family Statistics:

Married to Karen since July 21, 1984. We have two daughters, Lindsay and Madeline, and a son, Matthew.

Testimony:

I was raised in a Christian home, and because of my parents’ relationship with God I came to know the Lord at an early age. In fact, I can’t remember when God wasn’t part of my life. I remember “formally” asking Christ into my heart after Sunday School when I was in the second grade, and making my decision public by going forward at a crusade that was in town. In my teens, a trio of events came together which helped strengthen my faith and deepen my spiritual maturity. First, I became active in my church’s chapter of Christian Service Brigade, which was sort of like a Bible-based scouting program for boys, and eventually earned its highest award — the Herald of Christ. At the same time, I began attending Immanuel High School, a Christian high school in Reedley, California. And at age 17, I was hired as the evening DJ at a radio station that was experimenting with a new format known as “Contemporary Christian Music.” The ministry of artists like Keith Green, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Phil Keaggy and Daniel Amos not only appealed to my taste for popular music, but challenged me to become sold-out for God and seek His plan for my life. I believe having a strong focus on God in my youth gave me a heart to serve Him throughout my adulthood.

Favorite Bible Verse:

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Favorite Artist:

The Normals

Favorite Song:

“Calling Out Your Name” by Rich Mullins

Favorite Book:

“Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett

Favorite Food:

Chunky peanut butter (God’s perfect food)

Most Embarrassing Radio Experience:

I was 17 years old, just a few months into my first radio job at KONG FM 93 in Visalia, California. One evening, a record promoter brought a new recording artist named Kathy Troccoli to the station for a live interview. Being new to radio, and having never done a live interview before, I was terrified. What should I ask? What if we both run out of things to say? How can I do this and not sound like an idiot? By the time I got Kathy set up with a microphone, I was a wreck. I played her single, “Stubborn Love,” then asked her about the song. Her reply took about 20 seconds, after which I stammered, stuttered, and tried to formulate another question. After what seemed like an eternity of panicked silence, I apologized and literally RAN out of the studio. I was going to drive home and leave my radio career forever. But I bumped into my program director who had been working after hours, and convinced him to complete my interview. He did. I stayed in radio. And probably gave Kathy Troccoli a good story about this weird young DJ...

Anything else you’d like people to know?

I’ve been on “Wheel of Fortune,” and I play the bagpipes. In other words, I take the concept of nerdiness to a whole new level.