‘He’s an icon.’ Merced radio personality still going strong after 45 years on the air

Dave Luna once again spent his Fourth of July traveling across Merced County from Gustine to Atwater.

The longtime Merced radio personality started his morning emceeing the annual Gustine Fourth of July Celebration. Luna, 66, has been a guest at the Gustine Independence Day festivities for 20 years.

He then traveled to Atwater to participatein its Fourth of July celebration at Castle Air Force Base, where he greeted fans and hopped on stage to introduce bands.

Luna’s voice has been traveling across radio waves in Merced County since he started in 1979 at the age of 19.

Forty-five years later and Luna says he doesn’t see a finish line in sight. He still enjoys what he does, loves interacting with listeners and does his best to bring some levity to their day.

“When people come up and say, ‘You make me smile in the morning,’ that’s the satisfaction I get,” Luna said. “When they say I love your stupid jokes. I love that little ‘Los Banos, baby,’ thing. That’s the kind of stuff that tells you you’re doing something right.”

Luna hosts a weekday morning show from 5:30 to 10 a.m. on 97.5 KABX FM. He also works as a program director, productions director and remote coordinator.

Local icon

“His voice is legendary, and his personality has been around here forever,” said local musician Mike Hammar, who has known Luna for decades.

Hammar has been playing music, including as the lead singer of Mike Hammar and the Nails, in Merced County for over 40 years and Luna has introduced his bands many times at festivals and concerts.

“I’m 60 years old, so I’ve been hearing Dave Luna’s voice since I was in high school,” Hammar said. “He’s an icon. He’s a friendly person, a real caring person, and funny. It comes across when you hear him on the radio, and so you wonder if it’s a persona. And when you meet him, and get to engage with him, and talk to him in person, it’s really the same guy or even better.”

Luna was born and raised in Newman and graduated from Orestimba High School. It was while attending Modesto Junior College that he got started with radio on campus.

Luna’s original plan was major in industrial arts and become a shop teacher. The lure of working in entertainment eventually won out.

After graduating from MJC in 1979, Luna was hired to work the overnight shift in Merced at KYOS, which played Top 40 rock. When new owners came in 1989, they switched KYOS to News Talk during the week and rock oldies on the weekend. The sister station KABX, which used to be a beautiful music format, switched to rock oldies and switched to adult hits in 2012.

Luna has been doing his morning show since 1989.

When Luna started he was playing records and cassettes. He’s seen the impact technology has had in the industry and adapted with it over time. Now everything he plays is digital and can be accessed on a hard drive. The station also has an app so anyone around the world can listen to his morning show at any time.

Luna has been married to his wife Arlene for 38 years. They met while he was working part-time at a radio station KOSO in Modesto and Arlene worked in the sales department.

Luna says he has other family in Modesto and the Bay Area who listen to his show online.

Local real estate agent Andy Krotik has known Luna for 35 years. Krotik used to have a local real estate show on the radio 30 years ago and he said Luna taught him how to speak on the radio.

He says it’s no secret why Luna has had the longevity in his career.

“It’s easy, it’s his upbeat personality,” Krotik said. “When you listen to him on the radio, you feel like he’s a friend, and then working with him professionally, he’s just so good at what he does. Merced is lucky to have him, because he should be in broader circles.”

Merced is home

Meanwhile, he fell in love with Merced and hasn’t had the urge to pursue bigger jobs in larger markets.

“I could have easily worked in San Francisco or Sacramento,” Luna said. “But those guys, they’re there for maybe three or four months or a couple years, because the competition is so fierce. If you don’t get the ratings, you’re out of here. Whereas here, they appreciate what you do and people know me.”

Working a morning radio show for many years, Luna’s audience consists of moms dropping off their kids at schools and people making their morning commute.

He engages his audience by informing them on local events, weather and cracking jokes. While giving the weather, Luna never refers to Los Banos as just Los Banos. He always adds Los Banos, baby! .

“It’s just me being silly,” Luna said. “You know how they say Vegas, baby, Vegas?

Gustine is also always referred to as the Gateway to Santa Nella.

“One thing I’ve learned that it’s not so much being funny, it’s being fun,” Luna said. “That’s what I strive for, be a person the listener would want to hang out with. I want to be the crazy Uncle Dave.”

Sought after emcee

Luna’s popularity led to many opportunities to serve as emcees at festivals, parades, fundraisers and other local events. He recently served as emcee of the Newman Fall Festival in his hometown.

“I’ve been at events where he’s the emcee and it’s like having a celebrity running the running the event,” Hammar said.

Luna says these appearances are a way to connect with his audience.

“A long time ago I was told you have to reach out and touch your audience and I took that to heart,” Luna said. “So whenever there was a fundraiser or something, you know, and people said we need an emcee, I said, ‘I’ll do it.’”

“That helped me grow my audience and it’s nice when people come up and tell you, ‘You make me laugh in the morning or I’ve been listening you since I was little,’” Luna added.

After 47 years of working in radio, Luna says he doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon.

“I know if I stopped doing it, I’d probably go crazy,” he said.