BEMIDJI — When Maggie Montgomery first tuned in to KAXE in 1976, she was a newcomer to Northern Minnesota: living off the grid, in a tent, with only a battery-powered radio for company.
Hearing Woody Guthrie’s voice through the airwaves, she knew she had found something rare. It wasn't just the music, but KAXE was then and is now a a reflection of the culture and stories of the people and land of Northern Minnesota.
Decades later, as KAXE’s general manager, Maggie guided the station through funding threats and financial struggles.
In the wake of the loss of federal support for public media, Maggie joined the KAXE Morning Show to talk about how KAXE helped her “find her people” and why those connections remain essential.
"The main thing I think, is to bring people together," she said. "And, you know, we can educate, we can bring news, we can bring all the stories. But how you can find your people is on the radio."
From listener to leader
Maggie's connection to KAXE grew deeper, and she and her friends Karen and Valerie made the leap to become on-air volunteers. They were nervous, but they did it.
The three young mothers headed to KAXE to host a program called Patchwork. They traversed the winter roads from Bemidji to the campus of then-Itasca Community College in a van outfitted with a wood stove, chimney included.
"We stoked the fire and then went in," Maggie said. "When we were done we were all shaking," explaining how nerve-wracking a first radio show can be.
"We all had a shot of whiskey sitting around a wood fire in a van out in the parking lot of the community college."
Maggie's involvement at KAXE didn't stop there. She then continued as a board member and board president, and eventually applied for the general manager position.
During the KAXE Morning Show interview, former Board President Julie Crabb texted in, remembering how Maggie came to the interview very ill. "We saw she had real stamina," Crabb said.
Maggie remembered having her son bring her in, worried she would throw up on the long drive.
That perseverance paid off and she got the job.
"I remember going into the manager's office and just feeling awestruck and so honored," she said. "Things were pretty dire at the station at the time and we had a debt to asset ration of .33, which means, you know, we had 33 cents for every dollar."
Maggie said it wasn't the first time KAXE was in financial danger. There were times when the board was one vote away from closing the station down.
"I think through time, members and the community, all the volunteers, all the staff, come together in hard times and made good things happen and turned things around."
KAXE kept true to its mission through these times, like we still do today, connecting with people and being a community resource and being a cultural part of the community bringing people together.
"You find your friends here, you find your music here, you find places to go and things to do, and you learn about the place you live."
Maggie said she is proud that KAXE is continuing to be a community resource even through the recent crisis of the defunding of public media by the federal government.
"I am so amazed, $160,000, congratulations! All of you who have helped, all of the staff, all the volunteers, everyone who has made that happen and that is just phenomenal."
Thanks to Maggie and all the staff, volunteers, members and listeners who have, since 1976, kept KAXE people-powered radio for Northern Minnesota.
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Listen to the full conversation with Maggie Montgomery above.
What's your KAXE origin story? Let us know!
