Which shows do you DJ?
On The River and After Dark
When did you start volunteering at the station?
January 2023
How did you first hear about KAXE?
KAXE/KBXE has been embedded in my life since I was a young girl growing up in Northern Minnesota! Not only have my family and friends been listening to the station for many generations, but we also have generational volunteers that have stepped in to offer their time as on-air radio DJs, Green Cheese Hosting Extraordinaires, Backporch Harmony gurus and techs, Phenology experts, and Riverfest volunteers!
Your favorite recent album or artist?
Gigi Perez - "At The Beach, In Every Life"
Who got you into music?
My love of music was driven by my family that always had music playing in the background or in the forefront. From tuning in on the radio, being enthralled by massive vinyl collections, recording radio shows as a teenager on cassette tape, buying all the CDs I could, and then spending all the money on concert tickets - I blame it on my family and the influence around me.
Most memorable concert or festival?
SO MANY come to mind! My most memorable to date is Farm Aid 40 - 2025, with my Dad. It was a phenomenal day of legendary performances that I'll never forget!
Tell us about your favorite KAXE memory.
Memories with KAXE have been plentiful! The memory I'll always carry with me is how this station and it's staff/volunteers have always felt like family. It's a community camaraderie that can't be beat!
Favorite fellow on-air DJ at KAXE?
KOOOOONS! Malachy Koons - The realest, down home, raddest MN DJ around.
What hobbies do you have outside of DJing?
I'm a passionate Outdoorswoman - You can typically find me on some trail in the forest hiking bursting my heart out, embracing all the seasons, flora, fungi, and creature I discover.
What's a musical ick for you?
NOT everything needs to be in the Key of B...just expand!
Prince or Dylan?
LEGENDS - there is no fight here.
KAXE is turning 50 in 2026! Why should KAXE exist for another 50 years?
KAXE should exist for another 50 years because it does something increasingly rare: It makes people feel less alone.
In a world of algorithms, automation, and disposable noise, KAXE is human. It’s neighbors talking to neighbors. It’s music chosen with care, not clicks. It’s local voices telling local stories - about weather that actually matters to us, artists who live down the road, and moments of joy, grief, curiosity, and wonder that bind this region together.
KAXE is a place where volunteers, families, friends, and first-time DJs are trusted with the mic. That trust builds confidence, creativity, and connection across generations. It teaches us how to listen to new music, to unfamiliar perspectives, and to each other. Those are skills every future needs. For 50 years, KAXE has been a cultural campfire in northern Minnesota: steady, welcoming, and warm. People tune in while driving logging roads, cooking dinner, grieving loss, celebrating love, or simply needing a familiar voice in the room. That kind of presence can’t be replicated by a playlist.
Another 50 years means future generations discovering their first favorite song. Future volunteers finding their voice. Future communities staying connected when everything else feels fractured. KAXE should exist for another 50 years because it reminds us that local still matters, curiosity still matters, and community - real, imperfect, beautiful community - is worth broadcasting.
Sweet Melissa's 50 Songs
In honor of KAXE turning 50, we asked our volunteers to send us a playlist of 50 songs that help tell their musical story.
Find Sweet Melissa's 50 songs here to play on your preferred streaming platform.
