MIKE BISSELL GREW UP IN THE BAY AREA in the golden age of rhythm and blues-blessed to have older brothers with great taste in vinyl. They jump started young Mike's musical education with exposure to the likes of Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and Fats Domino. Mike's love of the blues, R&B and rock deepened as his adolescence coincided with the British invasion, the arrival of Bob Dylan, and the ascendance of Motown- the tsunami of musical creativity that broke over the Western world in the late '60s. He fondly remembers witnessing some of the greatest music ever made performed live on the stage of the Fillmore in San Francisco. It was an incomparable era.

Then the '70s arrived. Bubble-gum. Disco. Commercialism. Corporate radio. Mike Bissell couldn't stand the music of the '70s. He turned off the radio for 20 years and retreated into a "vortex."

Eventually, happily, his intrinsic connection to music lured him back. He's in love again, and KVMR listeners are the beneficiaries. What Mike calls his "late-life blossoming" of renewed musical pleasure is the force behind The Morning Show, which airs every Wednesday, 7-10 a.m.

Mike's relationship with KVMR began in the mid-'80s when he moved to the foothills after stops in Berkeley, Vashon Island and Loomis. A devoted listener, especially of shows hosted by Bobby Angel, Hap Hazard and Phil Givant, it occurred to Mike from time to time that it might be a kick to be a DJ. But he never took the first step until he happened to meet up with "Walking Larry" Hillberg, host of Saturday morning's Back Roads, hiking the Stevens Trail. It wasn't exactly an omen, but getting to know Larry encouraged Bissell to enroll in the broadcaster training class of 2007. Upon graduation, Hillberg became his mentor at the station. In September 2007, Mike began hosting Dawn Patrol from 4-7 a.m. Wednesdays.

Two years later, he passed the audition for the plum weekly Wednesday morning slot .What he calls his "variety format" ranges among blues, R&B, soul, bluegrass, Americana and beyond. At any given moment, his favorite artists might include Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal, Ma Muse, Perla Bertalla, Michael Franti, Mumbo Gumbo and Jackie Greene. "I try to mix it up, with old and new and spontaneity," says Mike. "The last half hour I try to transition into more bluegrass and folk," since The Morning Show is followed by the folk show.

A financial advisor in professional life, Mike is growing into a seasoned broadcaster with alot to juggle-BBC news, the commentaries of Travus T. Hipp and interviews with musicians or community figures. Precisely at 9:15 a.m. he conducts an interview, usually in the studio, keyed to an upcoming live performance or community event.

Not afraid to dip his toe into political controversy, one of Mike's regular features is a conversation with opinion columnist Bruce Maiman about such topics as the legalization of marijuana or the Tea Party movement. But he keeps the atmosphere light-hearted. After a lively discussion of immigration policy, Bissell segued into "Tijuana" by David Lindley, followed by "Teenage Immigrant Welfare Mothers on Drugs" by the Austin Lounge Lizards. He particularly enjoys the live interviews with musicians-a talk with Kim Simmonds, founder of British blues band Savoy Brown and, his favorite so far, an interview with Mose Allison. "I felt very honored to interview him. I felt unworthy," Mike says. "He is such an icon." In the interview, Mike's genuine fondness for the musician shines through.

Bissell is soft-spoken, reserved and humble, and clearly spends many focused hours every week preparing his show and self-critiquing when it's over. He records every show and listens to it to determine what he might have done better. Mike says he "wants to keep finding good music and expanding my musical horizons, and get better at interviewing." Mike says he is "totally in awe" of his fellow KVMR broadcasters. "They know a lot about music. I don't have that much depth, but it has broadened and deepened." Mike continues his musical education like a serious scholar, meeting weekly, for instance, with a friend he knows from his gym who introduces him to artists and loans him CDs. Mike acknowledges that being a DJ changes the way a person listens to music, always challenging one to think, "How would that sound on my show? It's tyrannical," he jokes. "It's taken over my life." But seriously, he adds, "Being on the air is a privilege, an incredible stroke of good luck. I'm still pinching myself. I have a lot of fun, and I hope people enjoy what they're hearing."

Tune in to Mike Bissell and The Morning Show, 7-10 a.m. Wednesdays.

By Joyce Miller