Jim grew up in a small town in Illinois with a childhood dream of someday training dolphins at Sea World. (He may have watched “Free Willy” a few too many times) That was until his high school speech teacher pulled him aside one day and said quote “You should be on the RADIO”! That’s all it took to abandon his childhood dreams and pursue a career in broadcasting.
Jim has traveled the country and the radio dial entertaining anybody who will listen. He’s lived and worked in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska, and Indiana…finally calling Michiana home, where he met and married his wife Kelli. They have 2 very spoiled fur babies, Bella Sue (a Golden Retriever) and Lucy Sue (a Boxer). Jim has 3 daughters and is a proud grandpa to 2 grand babies.
He is a die-hard sports fan…GO Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Hawks! And without a doubt…GO NOTRE DAME!
Jim’s accomplished a lot in life and his career. He was the champion of his 3rd grade spelling bee. Just don’t ask him to spell “RESTAURANT”. He has moonlighted as a “Hand Model” in Farm & Fleet catalogs. He is the 2018 American Cancer Society “Mr. Relay” title holder and has received and been nominated for several broadcasting awards, including CMA Personality of the Year. Jim holds several Michiana charities close to his heart, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where he has helped raise millions of dollars for the kid’s at St. Jude.
Jim claims to have the personal phone numbers of Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton, but when you ask him to call them…he refuses (Hmmmm)! If you were to ask who his favorite country artist is, he can’t name just one. But he’s been known to hang out on the deck with a cold beverage of choice stalking Carrie Underwood’s Instagram and singing “Ring of Fire”! When he’s not on the radio, Jim is probably DJing a wedding somewhere or recording the next episode of his weekly podcast, “Jim Mackey Radio….The Podcast About Nothing”.