The free online radio station, which launched in 2011, has been broadcasting, but it's been churning out only a backdated catalog of music and the occasional live broadcast.
Station manager and on-air host Veronica Young says the time is right for DER to make a comeback, and a new relaunch is set for the first day of the new year.
"The goal was to revamp, revise and update our music library so that we'll be ready for a relaunch with all new music and The Sounds of Deep Ellum podcast," Young says.
Young took over as station manager back in April from founders Kim Taylor, who relocated from Deep Ellum, and Chad Lovell, who has been in a coma since sustaining a serious fall at his home back in November. Since then, she and her crew have been updating the station's local music library and setting up a schedule of new talk and music shows to prepare for the launch in 2023.
"Either [Kim] was trying to keep the station going or doing a Hail Mary and trying to figure out what's going on from here," Young says. "You'd tune in and not really get a good snapshot of Deep Ellum. So I took on that task of bringing it all together."
The entire operation has been rebuilt. Deep Ellum Radio now has a 24-hour station located in the new Deep Ellum Community Center and a complete programming schedule. It starts in the mornings with the music and morning talk show Mixtape with Meia hosted by Meia Potter, followed by Keepin' it Kool with 88 Killa, Woman Crush Wednesday hosted by Amber LaFrance, and the love and relationship advice show The Smitten Kitten With Callie Dee.
Young says staff are also working on adding more Latin programming and a special series addressing mental health issues.
There are other stations out there that support local music but there's not any in Texas that highly focuses on it." – Veronica Young
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"What was missing are updated shows," Young says. "There's new content whether it's talk, interviews or highlighting the local music scene. There are other stations out there that support local music but there's not any in Texas that highly focuses on it."
According to Young, the station's programming will continue to evolve to match the changing sounds of the Deep Ellum music scene.
"What you hear on the station will reflect what's going on in the neighborhood," she says. "If you're into the dance scene here, you'll hear it trickle in on weeknights. If you're into salsa dancing, that will be reflected."
All of the station's shows will also be broadcast on the usual podcast channels once they air on the station. That way, listeners can catch up on their favorite programs whenever they want.
One of the new shows is the Dallas Famous podcast by frequent Observer contributor Andrew Sherman, which debuted this week.
"I think the great thing about a lot of the podcasts we're offering is they also integrate great music," Young says. "Even if it's a talk show, it's usually centered around music and the arts. That's something that sets us apart. When we're not talking, we're entertaining ourselves in some way."
DER will also give artists who perform in Deep Ellum or have a tour stop at a Deep Ellum venue the chance to get on the air and let people know about the shows that are happening in the community.
"We've talked to [manager] Geoff Lloyd at Club Dada about the opportunity to have bands. Once they're loaded in, maybe we can get them to do an interview and do some acoustic tunes," Young says. "We can capture the artists and musicians in real time. We're ready to spotlight the talent that runs through the streets."
