Bob has asked Tom a lot of questions. Some of those questions haven't gotten answers...until now. This episode is all about those questions without resolutions. No stone left unturned for this show.
18 Oct 2026
At long last, it's time for KQ
This episode marks the beginning of the KQRS portion of Tom Barnard's life story. Bob Sansevere focuses on how Tom was recruited, what the station was like when he arrived, and how the KQ Morning Show evolved into a major success.
11 Oct 2026
Tom's voiceover days
Tom recalls how his distinctive voice caught people's attention at Brown Institute, leading him to pursue voiceover work in his early twenties.
His first agent, Victoria, helped launch a career that took off almost immediately, with Tom quickly booking a full schedule of commercial work.
Tom describes balancing his KQRS morning show with frequent trips to Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York to record commercials, often flying home in time for the next morning's broadcast.
Bob remembers watching Tom record a Western Auto commercial perfectly in one take, something Tom says was common throughout his career.
Tom explains how his natural reading ability, distinctive voice, and conversational delivery helped him stand apart from traditional booming radio announcers.
The two discuss major advertising clients, including Target and Northwest Airlines, and the substantial money Tom earned through national commercials and residual payments.
Tom shares memories of working alongside famous actors, encountering celebrities in New York, and building relationships throughout the entertainment industry.
He reflects on the competitive Minneapolis voiceover market, the importance of unions, and how the industry has changed with the arrival of artificial intelligence.
4 Oct 2026
From Minnesota to Florida and back again
This episode follows Tom through the next stage of his early career, from steadily moving up the schedule at KSTP to leaving for WDGY, a decision he says he still regrets. He talks about the veteran broadcasters who taught him the business, earning just $11,000 a year, and eventually moving from radio into record promotion with Ariola and Capitol Records. At Capitol, Tom suddenly found himself working with acts like the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, the Knack and Ricky Nelson, while learning the business side of entertainment and how record companies influenced radio airplay. The conversation also covers his stint at WAPE in Jacksonville, his developing on-air personality, getting fired and returning to Minnesota, and ultimately discovering that his distinctive voice and ability to read copy naturally could become an entirely separate career in voiceover.
27 Sept 2026
And now, onto radio
Attending Brown Institute and learning the basics of broadcasting
Feeling culturally out of place at Brown after growing up in North Minneapolis
Developing a natural on-air style instead of the traditional “disc jockey voice”
Getting his first radio job at KDAN while still a teenager
The first time he went on the air
Moving from KDAN to 1500 KSTP after being noticed by people in the industry
Starting at KSTP doing overnights and weekends
20 Sept 2026
Early life listener questions
This episode is all listener questions, from start to finish. It's the final part to focus on Tom's pre-radio life.
Understanding his father’s mental illness and how it shaped Tom’s childhood
Learning to read at a very young age and using books as an escape
Playing basketball at St. Anne’s and memories of his teachers
Christmas traditions and his brother Terry returning home from Vietnam
The friends and families who gave Tom support outside his own home
Getting around Minneapolis by bus before he learned to drive
Receiving a scholarship to Brown Institute and studying radio
Tom’s rebellious streak and getting into trouble at broadcasting school
The music and local bands that influenced him growing up
Meeting musicians he had admired, including Ricky Nelson
How Tom met former Viking Philip “Philly Dog” Wise
Tom and Philly Dog’s decades-long friendship and his later role on the morning show
6 Sept 2026
Early jobs, school days, and the origin of "Catman"
Growing up poor and moving between neighborhoods in Minneapolis
Tom’s early jobs and learning to work from a young age
His relationship with his siblings and taking responsibility for his family
Attending St. Anne’s and adjusting to a very different school environment
Tom’s experiences at Jordan Junior High and with his teachers
Growing up during the Vietnam War and upheaval of the 1960s
The moment Tom first became interested in radio
His earliest radio jobs and the people who helped him get started
Moving to Jacksonville for his radio career
The origin of Tom’s “Catman” nickname
29 Aug 2026
Early childhood and the Barnard family household
This is a new series where Bob Sansevere interviews Tom Barnard, one-on-one, about his life. It's a focused show whose ultimate goal is to be compiled into a memoir. In essence, it's a mini-series with a beginning and an end. When will that end come? We won't know until we get there.
Growing up poor in North Minneapolis
Tom's grandparents and complicated family history
Childhood memories of his mother and father
Growing up with his brothers and sisters
Working from a young age to help support the family
Tom's relationship with his father and their eventual reconciliation
Neighborhood life and the communities Tom grew up around
Early jobs and learning to make his own money
Discovering his voice and getting his start in radio
The beginnings of the career that would eventually take him to KQRS
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact It All Works Out in the End
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