Kevin Matthews

The radio voice of Kevin Matthews has been heard over airways across the country for nearly 25 years. Kev, as he prefers to be called, began his radio career in 1978 at WSRX student radio at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich. After graduating from GVSU, Kevin worked his way up through the Grand Rapids radio market until he finally settled at the city's classic rock station, WLAV-FM. There, he created a legendary morning show that quickly earned number-one status in the West Michigan market, staying there until he left West Michigan in 1984 for St. Louis. As the morning man in St. Louis for only a year, his reputation as a quick wit with legions of loyal listeners spread rapidly throughout the national radio circuit. Before long, Chicago LOOP (WLUP) signed him up and in 1985, his fan base grew to thousands. "KevHeads," a name for his fans originating from Michigan, could now be found throughout the Midwest; in Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. At the LOOP/AM 1000 Kev developed his wildly popular alter-ego, sports radio announcer Jim Shorts. This character became a significant part of the Chicago sports scene through featured radio chats and public appearances with Chicago sports heroes such as Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka and Jim McMahon. Kev has appeared on stage with such television personalities as Dana Carvey, Mike Myers and Jerry Seinfeld as well as many others. His guest appearance on Bay Watch in the early 90s is yet another "dumb moment" of his career. He has performed stand-up routines, comedy sketches and characterizations at some of the biggest stages in the Midwest, including Alpine Valley, the World Music Theater, the Chicago Park West, The Vic and many other venues. Over the years, Kevin has supported a wide variety of charitable and community organizations. He is particularly proud of the Kevin Matthews' Clause Foundation, which supports children's charities throughout the Chicago area. In 1998, Kev left AM1000 to join Chicago-based ABC radio. After three years with ABC, Kev took a short break from his radio career to pursue some of his personal interests, including cooking. His latest venture, a cookbook aptly titled, This Book Could Kill You: Recipes to Die For, is filled with his favorite recipes, examples of his humor and stories from the heart. Kevin lives with his wife, Deb, and their two children, Trevor and Teage, at their home in Chicago, where he now broadcasts on WCKG 105.9 FM in Chicago.