Jul 5

Written by: Steve Clawson
7/5/2009 7:48 AM

     As the United States of America celebrates its 233rd birthday, I mark a personal anniversary. It was 20 years ago I left the only life I had ever known in Flint, Michigan.

    I had just recently been fired from my radio job. It was actually a group firing as the new owner of the station sent everyone packing when he took over, but hey that’s the nature of the business. It’s been said you haven’t been in broadcasting unless you’ve been fired. This meant I had finally made it.

     Even as a kid, I had always wanted to move west, specifically Los Angeles, so I started laying the groundwork to leave. On the morning of July 4th, 1989, my Pontiac Grand Am was loaded with as many personal possessions as I could pack in it and I began driving west. I had about a thousand dollars to my name and I didn’t know anyone, but I was determined to make it work.

     About 36 hours after leaving Flint, I found myself in hot, sunny Phoenix, Arizona. I spent a few days here and interviewed for a job at KTAR that I didn’t get. Even though I wasn’t hired, it paved the way for my future employment at the station.

     The next three weeks were spent on the road splitting time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. I crashed on the floor of a friend’s house in Vegas who was doing morning radio there. I rented a cheap summer dorm room at UCLA for a place to live while I scoped out my beloved L.A.

     Late in July, I made the decision, Phoenix would provide me with the best opportunity to restart my life. I rented an apartment, got a couple of starter-type jobs and began anew in Arizona.

     Looking back over the past 20 years, it’s been an incredible journey. There have been highs and lows during this time as you would expect, but overall the decision to move to Arizona was the best thing I’ve ever done.

     I’ve accomplished things I never thought possible. I’ve met incredible people. I’ve made some mistakes and like the Frank Sinatra song “My Way” says “Regrets I’ve had a few”. But I realize all the good times and bad decisions make for this thing called life. An American life. And nowhere but in the greatest county in the history of the world could this happen. 

     Happy 4th of July America!

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