KCRW’s October Volunteer of the Month

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Meet Andrew Ackerly! As one of our longtime weekly sound interns for Morning Becomes Eclectic live-sessions, Andrew arrives early in the morning to help with the band load-in and stays late to load-out and take down the studio. He’s the engineer’s right hand man and among other duties, ensures the session is recording, the headphones are plugged into the channels, and that all of the session information is shared with the right contacts. His role is so important, live-sessions wouldn’t run as smoothly without his help! For these reasons and more, he’s our October Volunteer of the Month!

Where did you grow up and do you have any siblings? Pets?

I grew up in a small town called Na’alehu, located on the south side of the Big Island of Hawaii with my mom, my sister Amy and my cat Coco.

What 5 things would you wish you had if you were stranded on a deserted island?

a huge supply of matches, a guitar, a knife, sunblock, and some sort of radio for communication (No particular order)

What is your current occupation / what do you do outside of KCRW?

I get to work with a band that travels several months out of the year. I also serve/bar tend at a restaurant in Hermosa Beach when I’m not on tour playing music.

When did you first discover KCRW?

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2011.

How did you find your way to our station for volunteering?

My girlfriend worked for the station at the time

What’s your current volunteer position and how long have you been at it?

Sound Intern for Morning Becomes Eclectic. I think i started in 2013, so about 5 years. (whoa)

Favorite volunteer moment?

Discovering “White Lies” for the first time during an MBE session. Now they’re one of my favorite bands ever.

If you could get on the mic and say one sentence on the air, what would it be?

“Hi mom!”

What song(s) have you hit repeat on lately?

“All Mine” by Kanye West

Favorite book, movie?

book: Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss

movie: Stand By Me

Favorite thing to do outside the station?

Make beats, play music with friends, golf, eat, sleep. (I just realized how old and boring I am now, thanks).

What does KCRW mean to you?

As a lover of all things to do with audio/music, KCRW is a place where i get to go nerd out in the studio and connect with people who thrive in the same kind of environment. That can be very motivating.  It also gives me an opportunity to stay active with my craft, which means a lot.

Andrew, we thank you so much for your dedication and expertise and are so happy you’re on the team!