Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Sharpe always dreamed of being a rock star. He took up drums in 1982 and was in his first band called The Frustrated in 1984... Upon realizing this dream was easier said than done he opted for plan B, play the music rock stars record on the radio and get paid for it.
Sharpe has always lived the Rock N Roll lifestyle. So what better job than Rock N Roll DJ could there be for him. His dream job is afternoons at KSHE 95 in St. Louis. In 1987 he enrolled in The Broadcast Center St. Louis, learning what was to become his life's trade from local industry professionals.
In 1988 he was sent to do an internship at KSMO in Salem Missouri. He was fired 3 weeks into it. Upon returning to Broadcast Center he was informed that he had two job placement possibilities, one in Kodiak, Alaska and the other in Marianna, Arkansas. Upon declining both offers, Sharpe was asked to leave the school and not to return.
His parents had just moved from St. Louis to Conway, Arkansas and at the age of 20 Sharpe found himself moving there too and living under their wing again. But he wasn't going to give up on radio just yet. He contacted Alan Caudell at KUCA, a radio station on the campus of The University Of Central Arkansas, about coming in and doing some part time work. But it was so close to school being back in session Caudell didn't need the help. But he did offer a Job Opening lead. Magic 105 was looking to hire a couple of part timers so Sharpe jumped into action and put together his resume and audition tape.
He sent his stuff in to Tom Wood who inside of a week called him in for an interview it was a week after that before Wood called Sharpe back to offer him a ground level on air job at Magic 105. At the time this was THE classic rock radio station, serving central Arkansas with 100,000 watts of power! Sharpe would come in on Saturday mornings at 6, do a one hour radio show before running the board for special shows including "Reelin' In The Years". On Sunday he would come in and do an hour and a half show before running religious programming and The Doctor Demento Show.
Sharpe grabbed some Magic 105 letterhead and an envelope and began to write a letter to Broadcast Center St. Louis. In it he thanked them for the education he received yada yada yada...if you read between the lines he was politely giving them the finger. He went on to mention that he was hired to do mornings at Magic 105 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Not once did he say Saturday and Sunday. Broadcast Center sends Sharpe his degree in Broadcasting!
Sharpe Dunaway's Mobile DJ Service began in 1994 when he and then girlfriend (NOW WIFE) Angela maxed out a Visa gold card they got in the mail. It was one of the best decisions they ever made. The DJ Service has done very well for them.
Since his Arkansas radio career began in 1988 he has held almost every part-time and full-time on air job there is except mid-days. In 2008 Magic 105 died as some other legendary classic rockers did...at the age of 27. Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison all died at this age. Kind of ironic that this once great station would go away at this very same age.
Shortly after joining the ranks of the unemployed in 2008, he was offered a position at The Point 94.1 doing afternoons with program director Mike Kennedy. In 2011 this duo would move into mornings until Sharpe's shocking and unexpected departure in July 2012.
Now Sharpe has an online radio station at www.r80-o.com and an FM signal that bears his name called Sharpe 99.3"The River Valley Rocker!"
