Diana Linn Ennis shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Diana Linn, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Oh, I’m wandering here and there for sure … wondering what path, if any, I should explore next. After 45 years travelling what may be deemed a rather uninspiring road of administrative and middle management jobs in corporate America, I took a U-turn spending the last 10-12 years donating my time and money to the non-profit sector, focusing on community radio and the local music community. I began my “broadcast career” in community radio at the age of 59 while I was still employed in the for profit world, launched a podcast in early 2018 (age 67) and co-founded the Heartland Song Network, a Kansas non-profit in 2020 (age 69). I would characterize the “path” I’ve walked most of my life as a facilitator. My current conumdrum — am I okay wandering through whatever time I have left? Do I give myself permission to take the path/road “less traveled?”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have lived for 30 years in the same little Westwood, KS bungalow first as a single mom and now a retired Baby Boomer. I spend a good deal of time as a volunteer programming and producing three weekly music performance and artist interview radio shows on the 100,000 watt blow torch of creative insanity that is KKFI, 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio. Since 2017, I have curator and producer of the Tasty Brew Music podcast spotlighting songwriters in the Americana/Roots Music genres. I set my own hours, create my own on air and social media content and answer to no one really but my own conscience (and the parameters prescribed by Programming Committee at KKFI and the FCC).
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Early in my professional corporate life, an attorney that I worked for when I first moved to Kansas City in the early 1970’s patiently and intentionally served as my mentor. He pushed me to work hard at mastering our chosen field of practice – real estate law. He was one of the smartest, hard-working, liberal minded person I ever met. As one of the earliest proponents of the paralegal/legal assistant concept, he empowered me to exceed my colleagues and my own expectations of what was possible without a college degree.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Not really. I’ve survived breast cancer, a brain stem stroke, an emergency C-section, car wrecks and broken bones. I have been scared but I have never thought of giving up or that I was going to die. I trusted my doctors and nurses to help me pull through in the past. I will say I don’t have the same confidence in the medical professionals and health system I once had. I have given up or walked away on a number of personal relationships. I’ve been divorced twice and lost a significant other to cancer in 2008. I spent the next 10 years truly single and resigned to that status… and then a person I had known for years asked me to dinner. I agonized on whether to go “down that path again” at 67 years old, but I said “yes” and we’ve pretty much been joined at the hip ever since.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
I would say I rely upon, or most closely identify with, the philosophy and teachings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. He believed in a fundamental connection between nature, God, and humanity. His philosophy of individualism and self-reliance, which encouraged people to trust their instincts and values…his essays, poems and lectures really resonate with me.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
At nearly 74, I hope I have 10 productive, relatively healthy years left, but if I knew for sure I had 10 years left, I will strive not to worry so much… about everything. Nearly everything is out of my control. I still care what people think of me… just not that much.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kkfi.org/people/diana-linn/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radiodiana/; https://www.instagram.com/tastybrewmusic/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-linn-ennis-798a8411/
- Twitter: https://x.com/TastyBrewMusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TastyBrewMusic/; https://www.facebook.com/tastybrewmusicpodcast/
Image Credits
All photos were personally taken by me or friends/colleagues at the radio station or at shows; non professional
