College Radio Day is Tuesday, Oct. 2 and KSTM, Simpson College’s radio station, will be partaking in the event. KSTM is one of five radio stations in Iowa that is participating.

Rob Quicke founded College Radio Day December 2010 in order to raise a greater, international awareness of college and high school radio stations. The goal is that people will tune in on College Radio Day and become regular listeners when they enjoy what they hear.

“On Oct. 2, KSTM will be not only be going about its normal everyday programming but we will be hosting Ryne Doughty in Holy Grounds, Dirlam Lounge that night for a special concert in support of college radio day,” senior Station Manager of KSTM Jesse Stewart said.

Ryne Doughty is an appropriate musician for the event because college radio tends to focus on unsigned, local, small label and independent artists.

“College radio is a place where new stars are broke,” Stewart said. “The easiest way for musicians to get there music out there is college radio.”

Many well-known bands today began their career by being played on college radio stations.

Ryne M. Doughty is a folk, roots, Americana singer and songwriter. He currently has released two albums and is waiting to release his third album hopefully late this fall.

“The first is a self-titled folk album with great players and I was also able to get rising star songwriter, Gregory Alan Isakov to play banjo,” Doughty said. “The second cd, ‘To the Factory’ also features top-notch players from the Denver metro area and is more of an eclectic and upbeat album ranging from folk, POP, and country rock.”

Doughty encourages students who have a passion for music to “practice a shit load.”

“I’m a very firm believer in the 10,000 hour rule and am always working to get to 10k or keep adding to it if I’m not already there,” Doughty said.

A second piece of advice that Doughty gives is to keep an open ear and mind.

“The more well-rounded your influences are the more well-rounded of a player or writer you will be,” Doughty said.

Doughty attended Simpson College for one year in 2003 but graduated from the University of Iowa in December 2007. He has a BA in Communications Studies with a minor in Sociology.

Elvis Presley was an early influence for Doughty, he began to listen to his parents albums at the age of 5.

“I would lip sync and impersonate him, entertaining my family,” Doughty said. “I knew at a young age that I enjoyed both the feeling music brings to my soul as well as the rush and fulfillment of entertaining.”

Throughout his youth, Doughty learned to play piano and at age 14, he learned guitar. In high school Doughty was in a garage band.

“It wasn’t until my freshman year at Simpson that I started writing songs seriously and thought, ‘Hey, I want to make music for a living,’” Doughty said. “Since then it has been my main passion and focus.”

Doughty will be performing a folk/folk rock show at Simpson College on College Radio Day. Along with Doughty, Will Locker from Des Moines will perform playing percussion.

Doughty will be selling CDs after the show for anyone interested.

College Radio Day is a great thing, we are trying to get our name out there and we are trying to everything we can to promote our brand,” senior Zach James, Program Director of KSTM said. “I think that College Radio Day is a great platform to help us do that.”

For more information about College Radio Day check out its website at collegeradioday.com.