Episode 8: Tom Mara

Tom Mara might have the best job in the Seattle metro area. A love affair with music guided Tom to a student volunteer position at KCMU in 1987, and led to him running the coolest radio station (KEXP) on the planet for 30 years. Tom has guided KEXP from a station with a 12-mile radius to a music powerhouse reaching nearly 2 million people around the world every week. The station’s evolution has expanded beyond technical advancement and produced a more culturally diverse platform as well. Jon and Tom discuss that ongoing work, his deep history in building KEXP into what it is today, how the engineering team kept the live music going during the pandemic, Paul Allen’s impact on the region’s music scene and more. Join us for Seattle City Makers with Jon Scholes and guest Tom Mara.