Cricket Country in the Morning: Wake Up With Scott Schuler

Angie and Scott Schuler: Photo courtesy of Angie Schuler

In the darkness of early morning, hair still wet from a shower, headphones on and holding a steaming cup of coffee, Scott Schuler sits comfortably in fleece and cargo shorts facing five computer screens and a microphone.

Ready for his 6 a.m. radio show, thousands of Albany residents get ready to tune into KRKT to hear the LBCC alumnus take over the airwaves on his show Cricket Country in the Morning.

Despite the early hour his energy is upbeat and his sense of humor is obvious. Upon walking to his studio he poked his head into a neighboring studio and said, "This is Jon. What I do is way more interesting than what he does."

He was referring to Jon Warren who was on air for KLOO news radio.

Warren responded with a smile and said, "He has it easy, he just throws on some music."

Although the friendly banter left them laughing, Schuler does far more than just play music. He co-hosts the show with his wife Angie Schuler and they actively engage with their audience for three hours while listeners start their day.

"Work is our life and life is our work so they aren't very separate," said Angie. "Our work involves creativity, humor, and sharing our lives with KRKT listeners. It's probably one of the rare careers when it can work."

The on-air and off-air couple met at the radio station in 1997. Schuler pointed out that he trained Angie on her first day. Angie said the first thing she noticed about Schuler was how tall he was. Love blossomed and they now have three children. They are also the owners of Downtown Shabby, a shabby-chic home decor store in Albany.

 "They do a ton of stuff. A lot of fundraising, they get into the community and are very visible. They do food drives and people love it," said Warren.

On the morning of Feb. 26 Schuler ran the show solo. Operating all five computers and the phone lines, when a song played for listeners he prepped his next move. Always thinking ahead, he used the time for voice-tracking which he explained meant he would prerecord his voice intending to use the snippet in an upcoming segment.

Schuler on air at KRKT

His love of country music oozed in conversation between his shuffling of keyboards and computer screens. In the business for 17 years, he spoke happily about his encounters with stars in the country music world.

He has attended the Country Music Awards and shook hands with the artists. He has incorporated his love of golf as recreation with big stars such as the Dixie Chicks.

"Right when the Dixie Chicks were hot Martie [Erwin] wanted to go golfing. We played in Albany and on the first hole I ripped the front of my shorts wide open. They made a point on stage to make fun of me. I joke that I inspired [their songs] 'Rip' and 'Wide Open Spaces.'"

Evidence of his celebrity encounters adorn the studio. Several signed guitars, signed photographs, and signed posters liven up the walls, posted between the sound-proof foam panels.

 "He is not someone who is forgotten, even by a country singer that met him one time at a random event in Nashville where they may have met 50 other people. They remember Scott, 'Schuler, Oregon, right?' they'll say. It's fun to watch," said Angie.

He broke from our conversation and went live on the air.

"We've got stupids," referring to the segment of the show where he reads less-than-smart criminal activity from police reports. While he read the newest of the "stupids" he giggled and poked fun as if he was sitting next to his listeners telling the story.

"Cops will stop me [in public] and tell me about 'stupids' I should use on the show."

When listener and LBCC student Macy Omstead was asked of her favorite part of the show she said, "The Stupids! I like how funny he is and the voices he does."

To listeners and friends Schuler is known for his estimated 200 character voices. He has the ability to mimic voices so well that he has been hired to portray famous voices. For example, Hank Hill from the series King of the Hill.

He told a story of calling a friend at Asylum Records and leaving a message using the character voice of Hank Hill. His friend found it so funny she played it for anyone that came in her office and word got back to the label president of his perfect impression. It turned out they had talked with King of the Hill creator Mike Judge about lending his Hank Hill voice for an album idea, which he had declined. By chance, in came Schuler at the perfect time, and he was hired to promote the album calling radio stations in character.

"Most of [the voices] are characters I've practiced like Schwarzenegger, Sean Connery, and Homer Simpson. I was always the funny voice guy to my friends."

A clock with the face of Homer Simpson hung centered on the wall directly in front of his recording equipment.

He has always had an ear for voices. He recalled his mom telling him of when he was growing up and the voice for Superman changed. According to his mom he was really upset about it. For her it was not big deal but to him it was. He had to learn the new voice.

Due to the nature of his job it makes sense that Schuler spends a lot of time in Nashville, home of The Grand Ole Opry. He attends industry events and conferences there often. Other than spending time in his hometown of Albany, he said that Nashville is the city he frequents the most. He searches for new artists on his visits.

"There's a new group I saw in Nashville last week, American Young, and the guy is Jon Stone from Eugene. He will come to the station when he comes to Oregon."

He was not only excited about the talent of the group but by the local ties. He played the song aloud in the studio said that it was to be the first day he played their new single "Love is War" on the air. He mixed it into the "Wrapper Wednesday" line-up featuring new songs.

It was time to give away the new Dierks Bentley CD to caller number nine.

"It's hump day, the hump day giveaway is back!"

Within seconds of informing listeners his phone lines lit up. Lucky number nine won on their way to work.

Life at the radio station has treated him well. He has received six Silver Microphone awards for commercial production and was named Country Radio Broadcaster Small Market Promotion of the year.

Growing up he used his grandmother's old Panasonic stereo that had a microphone to record his grandfather snoring in his EZ Chair, but Schuler didn't always know that radio was what he wanted to do.

He told the story of how he came to walk into KRKT for the first time. As a delivery driver spending hours on the road he turned to KRKT to keep him entertained. He was a loyal listener but decided one day that he didn't want to listen anymore, he wanted to talk.

"I came here because I wanted to work at KRKT."

He walked into the station on his driving route and asked who he needed to talk to about being on the radio. He studied business at LBCC and had no experience in the industry. He walked out unsure of what would come. A few days later his phone rang and the rest is history.

"I did every shift in the station."

First he started operating the switchboards, then got overnight shifts filling in, then weekend shows. Finally his talent was acknowledged and he was given a chance to have a show of his own as we know it today, during peak listening hours.

Now the only driving he does is in the Cricket van. When driving the van he described his awareness of his small-town fame status.

"People wave. It's like you're in a parade all the time," he joked.

After years of serving Linn County his fans look up to him. His show was once listed as a "life line" for the TV show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. A listener appearing on the TV show had tapped them as a resource to call if they found themselves stumped on a question.

"A producer called and gave us the window we had to stay available for the call. Then they called and said the contestant was out."

Schuler uses his show not only to entertain but as a platform for the greater good. He is an active volunteer for St. Jude's Hospital, Show Mercy International, Operation Homefront, and for the Oregon Jamboree.

"Growing up my mom always said even if we can't give money we give time. Whatever the church was doing, we were doing."

His volunteer work can be seen in the studio. A KRKT poster for a St. Jude's event had a handwritten note that read, "St. Jude loves you." There are several posters showing his involvement in supporting the troops. Both his father and grandfather are vets so Schuler continues to wave the flag for America the way he knows best; on the radio.

"If he can help a person he will help them," said Angie.

Another flag he waves comes in the color orange and has the image of a beaver on it. The OSU Beavers, of course! His Beaver-fever is apparent to all entering the studio with a huge sticker on the door greeting them and a figurine of a beaver holding a duck head at the station where they sit.

"Okay, time to give some stuff away," he said referring to his "Such and Such" game he would play with the first caller to answer the initial question correct.

The second caller made it through the first round. She would have to answer five more questions live on air to win the movie passes.

"We're going live on the radio in a few seconds so no swearing," he joked with the caller.

He clearly wanted the caller to win. When she stumbled on a question he put his voice impersonation to the test and made the "hee-haw" sound of a donkey. She immediately guessed correctly and hung up happy.

"Scott is the guy that everyone wants to know and everyone wants to be friends with," Angie said. "He's a big kid, he is larger than life."

Schuler's enthusiasm for music and ability to have fun with his listeners was apparent. He was warm and welcoming, knowledgeable and passionate. It's appropriate to close out this story the same way he requires his callers to end their calls.

"It's not just country, it's Cricket Country."

Schuler and I taking a selfie in the studio

-At a Glance-

Name: Scott Schuler
Age: 41
Hometown: Albany, Oregon 
LBCC Alumnus: 1991-92
Talk show host: Cricket Country in the Morning
Interests: Golf, Fishing, Family, The Beavs, Country Music
Awards: Six Silver Microphone Awards, Country Radio Broadcaster Small Market Promotion Of The Year.