Steve Smith Archive: Greg Aust

The most frequently seen photo of KVI’s Greg Aust is with a shaved head, a promotional thingee. Anyway, this is a better photo of what he looked like in real life. I saw him often, he lived in the KIXI building residences across from the Camelin Hotel. I do not have any audio of him, I know you have at least one good clip. I found this shot some years ago….I think it was on ebay in fact. Steve



From our KVI AUDIO page:
STEVEN SMITH writes:
I met Greg in 1973 when he was a new hire at KVI and I was new at the KIXI newsroom. We met in the elevator at the Towers Bldg, KIXI studio on 9th floor. A young guy introduced himself in the elevator, seeing that I was going to the upper KIXI floor. He said I had a deep KIXI voice and he was Greg Aust….new at KVI and he was in the elevator because he lived in that same building.
I started listening to his mid-day show and loved it. Later, when I was with SRO, I spoke with the former KVI GM, Jack Banksen. Jack said Aust was unpredictable, one day he announced he was doing his show naked and a quick peak proved that to be true. One year he got a great book and demanded a raise. Greg got the raise but, next time his numbers were down and he came in the manager’s office and resigned.
I do not know of any Aust KVI airchecks, but his voice is available as Austin in Boston and Chuck McKay at CKLW. A search online will turn those up. The McKay tape is infamous as weird, so if you have not heard it, then check it out.

Greg Aust Meltdown

****EMAIL – I’ve attached an aircheck of Greg Aust from September, 1973 on KVI. In it he spoofs KJR’s cash call contest.
Thanks so much for your site! -Sam Lawson


Author: Steven Smith

Presently editor and historical writer with QZVX.COM in Seattle. Former radio broadcaster and radio station owner, 1970-1999. Journalism and speech communications degrees. I enjoy researching articles and online reporting that allows me to meld together words, audio and video. P.S. I appreciate and encourage reader comments and opinions. View other articles by Steven Smith

1 thought on “Steve Smith Archive: Greg Aust

  1. Jason says:
    January 27, 2017 6:44 pm at
    Ego – jocks like Aust had HUUUGE egos. It came with the territory. The bigger the market, the bigger the ego.

    Steven Smith says:
    January 27, 2017 7:10 pm at
    In the years I listened to Aust at Kvi, I thought he was a true entertainer. He had ego, but he had talent to go with it. That part is unlike some guys I knew with the massive ego but mediocre talent.

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