by Kelly Rogge
While his “paying gig” might be as a Kansas City Kansas Community College Professor, it is through his second career that Mike Pettengell is now receiving recognition.
For the last 25 years, Pettengell, professor of English, humanities and fine arts at KCKCC, has been promoting and popularizing black historical music on the radio.
“Dr. Mike,” as he is known on the air and by his students, has been on radio in Arkansas, Mississippi and Ohio since 1994. He is also on KCUR, public radio and KKFI, a community, all-volunteer radio station in Kansas City.
He was recently awarded the “Living Legend Award” from the African American Museum of Philadelphia. Founded in 1976, the AAMP is the first institution in a major U.S. city to honor and interpret the life and work of African Americans. Visitors have the opportunity to experience the rich vibrancy of African American heritage and culture while learning about history at the same time. Exhibits include those depicting politics, architecture, sports, family life, arts and entertainment, the Civil Rights Movement and religion, among others.
“I come in every week, at all hours of the day and night,” he said of his work at KKFI. “I do it for the music – those who created it and those who I hope will listen and be inspired by it as I have.”
Some listeners have become inspired, including those in Philadelphia who listen regularly to Pettengell’s programs online and felt strongly enough to acknowledge his work.
“I see it as a continuation of my teaching. There is no reason why young (and old) folks today shouldn’t know about and listen to (and truly love) the music of Charlie Patton, Howling Wolf, Miles Davis and the Dixie Hummingbirds, to name only a few,” he said. “Whenever possible, I also try to add important black music to the curriculum of my courses here at KCKCC.”
Cherilee Walker, dean of humanities and fine arts at KCKCC, described Pettengell has a “true modern renaissance man.”
“In addition to his composition classes, he taught the first on-ground class in Humanities that KCKCC had seen in several years this spring. He enlivened it with presentations by performance artists in the Intercultural Center,” she said. “He’s active in the community through his radio show and supports other events in a variety of arts – music, theatre, etc. The breadth of his knowledge – in everything from meditation to animal shelters – is truly amazing. The college is proud to have scholar of his caliber who contributes so much to our cultural life.”
Currently Pettengell can be heard every Wednesday evening on the “Classical Challenge” program from 9 to 11:30- p.m. and early Saturday mornings from 1 to 5 a.m. on the “Early Morning Medicine Show.” On the show, he highlights a mixture of blues, jazz, funk, soul, African and East Indian music. In addition, he fills in often for other deejays on KKFI, 90.1 FM (kkfi.org).