Cara Carriveau
Encyclopedia
Cara Carriveau is a radio personality, currently hosting middays (10am-2pm) at 101.9 WTMX "The MIX"
in Chicago, Illinois and host of Cara's Basement podcast.
, Michigan.
Her first professional radio job using her maiden name Cara Stern was at 95.3 "The New Foxy 95" WCFX
in Clare, Michigan while attending college at Central Michigan University. She was hired as a weekend overnight/fill-in personality at WCFX in 1986 and was soon promoted to weekend middays (10a-3p), then full time evenings (7p-12mid) and eventually middays (10a-2p) and Production Director.
In 1989, using the stage name Cara Simms on air, Cara began hosting overnights at 103.9 WABT "The Wabbit" in Dundee, Illinois. Within a year she moved up to evenings (7p-12a), and within another year began hosting middays (10a-3p) and also became Assistant Program Director. She was appointed Program Director in 1992 and shortened her on air shift to 10a-12noon to accommodate her new responsibility. She remained at WABT until the station was put up for sale in 1995. Using her newly acquired married name Cara Carriveau she became Program Director at Shadow Broadcast Services in Chicago, Illinois in 1995. One responsibility of her position was anchoring the news and being a sidekick on the nationally syndicated "Kevin Matthews Morning Show" originating from WLUP studio's in the John Hancock Building
. Later that same year Cara began hosting weekends at 95.1 WIIL "95 Will Rock"
in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Within a few months (March, 1996) she accepted the simultaneous positions at WIIL of Morning Show Sidekick/News Anchor, Midday Host (via voicetracking) and Promotion Director. At the same time, she also began hosting weekends at "Rock 103.5" WRCX in Chicago, Illinois. It was during this time that Cara discovered she was pregnant with her first child.
After her daughter was born in 1996 Cara left WIIL
and chose to continue working only part time at WRCX allowing her to dedicate more time to being a mother. When WRCX changed formats in 1998 and terminated the entire on air staff, Cara briefly filled in at WTMX
hosting evenings and then middays for vacationing jocks during the holidays, then began working part time at 97.9 WLUP "The Loop" in January, 1999. Within 2 months she was promoted to full time evenings (7p-12a), and then in 2000 was promoted to middays (10a-3p). She remained at WLUP
until 2006, when she was let go after writing a letter to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder
lamenting about legendary radio personalities currently off the air.
During her brief time off the air Cara decided to pursue her passion of interviewing entertainers, specifically rock stars. She started her podcast
Cara's Basement in February, 2007 and still continues to host it presently. Some her interviews include:
During this time Cara also began providing artist interviews for The Chicago Music Guide and also providing blog content for The NBC5 Street Team. She quickly returned to the Chicago radio airwaves, working weekends and often filling in weekdays at WTMX beginning in November, 2006. Cara was chosen to host middays full time in July, 2008 after a nationwide search. In 2010 Cara was named "Best Radio Personality" by the Illinois Broadcasters Association, winning a first place Silver Dome award.
WTMX
WTMX is an adult top 40 radio station licensed to Skokie, IL in the Chicago market. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.-History:...
in Chicago, Illinois and host of Cara's Basement podcast.
History
Cara was born in Detroit, Michigan June 12, 1966. She grew up in West BloomfieldWest Bloomfield Township, Michigan
West Bloomfield Charter Township is an affluent charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 64,690. As of 2008, West Bloomfield Township was ranked the 8th highest income city in the...
, Michigan.
Her first professional radio job using her maiden name Cara Stern was at 95.3 "The New Foxy 95" WCFX
WCFX
WCFX is an FM radio station broadcasting at 6,000 watts in Clare, Michigan. The station primarily serves Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, the home of Central Michigan University, with an Top 40 format as "Today's Best Music, 95-3 CFX." The station has operated with its current calls and format since...
in Clare, Michigan while attending college at Central Michigan University. She was hired as a weekend overnight/fill-in personality at WCFX in 1986 and was soon promoted to weekend middays (10a-3p), then full time evenings (7p-12mid) and eventually middays (10a-2p) and Production Director.
In 1989, using the stage name Cara Simms on air, Cara began hosting overnights at 103.9 WABT "The Wabbit" in Dundee, Illinois. Within a year she moved up to evenings (7p-12a), and within another year began hosting middays (10a-3p) and also became Assistant Program Director. She was appointed Program Director in 1992 and shortened her on air shift to 10a-12noon to accommodate her new responsibility. She remained at WABT until the station was put up for sale in 1995. Using her newly acquired married name Cara Carriveau she became Program Director at Shadow Broadcast Services in Chicago, Illinois in 1995. One responsibility of her position was anchoring the news and being a sidekick on the nationally syndicated "Kevin Matthews Morning Show" originating from WLUP studio's in the John Hancock Building
John Hancock Tower
The John Hancock Tower, officially named Hancock Place and colloquially known as The Hancock, is a 60-story, 790-foot skyscraper in Boston. The tower was designed by Henry N. Cobb of the firm I. M. Pei & Partners and was completed in 1976...
. Later that same year Cara began hosting weekends at 95.1 WIIL "95 Will Rock"
WIIL
WIIL is a radio station in Kenosha, Wisconsin that plays Active Rock music and serves Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee Counties in Wisconsin, and northern suburbs of Chicago. The call letters stand for Wisconsin and Illinois, as Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, the station's transmitter location, is...
in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Within a few months (March, 1996) she accepted the simultaneous positions at WIIL of Morning Show Sidekick/News Anchor, Midday Host (via voicetracking) and Promotion Director. At the same time, she also began hosting weekends at "Rock 103.5" WRCX in Chicago, Illinois. It was during this time that Cara discovered she was pregnant with her first child.
After her daughter was born in 1996 Cara left WIIL
WIIL
WIIL is a radio station in Kenosha, Wisconsin that plays Active Rock music and serves Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee Counties in Wisconsin, and northern suburbs of Chicago. The call letters stand for Wisconsin and Illinois, as Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, the station's transmitter location, is...
and chose to continue working only part time at WRCX allowing her to dedicate more time to being a mother. When WRCX changed formats in 1998 and terminated the entire on air staff, Cara briefly filled in at WTMX
WTMX
WTMX is an adult top 40 radio station licensed to Skokie, IL in the Chicago market. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.-History:...
hosting evenings and then middays for vacationing jocks during the holidays, then began working part time at 97.9 WLUP "The Loop" in January, 1999. Within 2 months she was promoted to full time evenings (7p-12a), and then in 2000 was promoted to middays (10a-3p). She remained at WLUP
WLUP
WLUP-FM is a commercial classic rock radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area. Owned and operated by Merlin Media, LLC, WLUP transmits its signal from an antenna located the top of the Willis Tower in Downtown Chicago at a height of with an effective radiated power of 4,000 watts...
until 2006, when she was let go after writing a letter to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder
Robert Feder
Robert Feder is a noted Chicago media blogger who was the TV and radio columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times from 1980 until 2008 and a blogger for Vocalo.org from 2009 until 2010...
lamenting about legendary radio personalities currently off the air.
During her brief time off the air Cara decided to pursue her passion of interviewing entertainers, specifically rock stars. She started her podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
Cara's Basement in February, 2007 and still continues to host it presently. Some her interviews include:
- Daughtry
- Adam West, Batman
- Tom Hamilton from Aerosmith
- Kevin Jonas of The Jonas Brothers
- Jesse Valenzuela of The Gin Blossoms
- Twilight: Eclipse actors Boo Boo Stewart and Tinsel Corey
- Michael Franti
- Tre Cool of Green Day
- Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti of Creed (announces Creed reunion)
- Rik Emmett of Triumph (announces Triumph reunion)
- Michael Buble'
- P!nk
- Dave Matthews
- Rick Springfield
- Kelly Clarkson
- Mick Jones of Foreigner
- Randy Jackson from Zebra
- Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues
- Stephen Pearcy of RATT
- Jim Peterik (Ides of March, Survivor)
- Andy Taylor from Duran Duran
- Van McLain of Shooting Star
- Mr. Zero from The Kings
- Lovehammers
- Dobie Maxwell (comedian)
- Lee Camp (comedian)
During this time Cara also began providing artist interviews for The Chicago Music Guide and also providing blog content for The NBC5 Street Team. She quickly returned to the Chicago radio airwaves, working weekends and often filling in weekdays at WTMX beginning in November, 2006. Cara was chosen to host middays full time in July, 2008 after a nationwide search. In 2010 Cara was named "Best Radio Personality" by the Illinois Broadcasters Association, winning a first place Silver Dome award.