KBON Radio: Small Town Radio in the Heart of Acadiana

At the KBON studio.

The sound of Acadiana is KBON radio: 101.1 FM on your radio dial. Driving south on I49, we always get off the interstate at Alexandria and take 71 south on to Krotz Springs, our first official cracklin stop of every trip. The drive is prettier on 71 than on 49, with Bayou Boeuf visible much of the time, sugarcane fields and depending on the time of year, rice fields or crawfish ponds. We can start picking up KBON on the car radio around Bunkie.

KBON radio station is located on the main drag in Eunice, Louisiana (pop 9,310) in an old storefront building with big windows looking out onto 2nd Street. Founded in 1997 on a wish and a prayer, Paul Marx's dream continues still, almost twenty-five years later. 

Paul Marx risked it all on this little radio station; he had a dream. He and his wife sold or mortgaged nearly everything they had to start this radio station and against all predictions, it has been a success. The "radio experts" told Marx that his vision of a mixed genre radio station was pure folly, but with a background as an event DJ, Marx knew people wanted to hear a variety of genres and that's what you get on KBON. You might hear the Rolling Stones and the next song might be local favorite Travis Matte and the Kingpins. Rock, country, Cajun, zydeco, it's all there. Saturday and Sunday mornings are strictly Cajun music, the old DL Menard tunes, the French songs, and the DJ broadcasting in Cajun French. Other days you might get the "Swamp Pop Double Shot" - two swamp pop tunes back to back, or All Louisiana Friday where every song is by a Louisiana artist. And during Mardi Gras, you'll hear "La Danse de Mardi Gras" on heavy rotation.

The radio station is a joyful throwback to what radio ought the be. You want the birthdays and anniversaries? DJ Phil Daigle is going to give it to you. Want to win some boudin and a six-pack? Be the third caller (or whatever number comes up) when you hear Marx shout "Where's the ice chest, babe?!" to get qualified. The Eunice Superette will fix you up!

Part of the pure fun of KBON is their open-door policy. Anyone can go by the station, walk right in, and

Autograph wall.

visit. If Marx's daughter is there you'll probably get a tour. The walls along the winding hallway are autographed by musicians, both local and famous, who have visited the station. If that person has since passed on to glory, there is a tiny silver cross affixed to the wall by their name. And there's a little kitchen in the very back and those walls are signed by famous and locally famous cooks who have dated their visit and sometimes written down what they cooked!

Many local musicians hold a debt of gratitude to KBON; your band made a CD and you're trying to get it out there? Go to KBON, they'll put you on the air!

Steve and I went to see the KBON studio for ourselves. It felt a little strange just walking on in with no invitation or prior notice, but we needn't have worried. Marx's daughter Angela welcomed us, gave us the tour, and told us to just take our time, stay as long as we wanted to look around. We even ended up on-air as the DJ invited us into the booth, asked us where we were from, and chatted for a few minutes. Everyone is a celebrity at KBON! The station itself is a veritable museum; besides the autographs on the wall, there are instruments, costumes, and other memorabilia. We left with a cool bag of KBON swag and I drink out of my KBON coffee cup every single day!

My KBON swag

When I am in Shreveport, and wishing I was back in Arnaudville (which is most all the time), I turn on KBON. The app is on my phone and with just one little click the zydeco and Cajun tunes play, making my heart homesick for a place I've never actually lived. But I know the places they talk about, I know where the Eunice Superette is, I know where Uncle T's Oyster Bar is, I know the little towns and the cracklin stops. It brings me "home." We even listened to KBON all the way to Iowa one year. At our little Arnaudville house we have KBON on exclusively; no television, no other radio, just KBON, and the same goes in the car. As we drive past sugarcane fields and through tiny communities heading out to the Basin or down to St. Martinville, we have KBON. 

If you are in the area I encourage you to see KBON for yourself. Eunice is also the home to The Cajun Music Hall of Fame and The Depot Museum. There are shops to visit and you can always grab a delicious plate lunch at Ruby's Cafe, just down the street from the radio station. 

KBON is truly the sound of Acadiana. And maybe of heaven, too.

Further reading:

The Advocate: KBON's Paul Marx remembered as an advocate for local music and culture until his final day