RANGELEY — When radio host Shon “Guyyy” Rivera approaches the microphone each week at WRGY, he’s sure of just one thing: “When I think about it, I really don’t know anything.”

“We’re going super live from Rangeley, Maine, USA; located on earth, the third planet from the sun, in the Milk Way Galaxy, which is adjacent to but not close to the Andromeda Galaxy. This is ‘Kracken the Code: From Maine and Beyond.’ We’re a show about the human experience intending to share wisdom, knowledge and insight. This is a program to facilitate personal growth, well being, and adventure,” Rivera said over the air Sept. 4.

“Kracken the Code: From Maine and Beyond” premiered in August as a way to share real human experiences, Rivera said. Guests have included individuals who have knowledge and experience in topics such as nutrition and trail hiking. Future guests include a skydiver who holds four world records, and an individual recovering from breast cancer.

“I had given a lot of thought through the years about knowledge and wisdom, and about how insignificant we really are,” Rivera said. “I decided to surround myself with individuals who are knowledgeable to learn and then share that knowledge with others. It is fascinating to me.”

Rivera, along with his in-studio assistant, Levi Washburn, is one of several locals who host weekly shows on the community radio station.

“Kracken the Code: From Maine and Beyond” broadcasts live at noon on Thursdays.

The WRGY 90.5 FM studio is a small soundproof room located adjacent to the Rangeley Friends of the Arts Lakeside Theater lobby. The station broadcasts from an antenna situated atop Saddleback Mountain. WRGY can be picked up on radios throughout the region including Eustis, Phillips, Andover and Errol, NH. It can also be heard on streaming devices and online at wrgy.org.

Some programs, like Rivera’s, are new. Others have been broadcast for years. Every program, like its host, is unique.

“Mark’s Eclectic Hour,” hosted by Mark Lathrop, is broadcast on Fridays at 11 a.m. Eclectic is the only way to describe the show. There is no set genre and the playlist varies. Listeners could hear some rock ‘n’ roll, oldies, classic country, rhythm and blues, and maybe a little jazz, he said.

“Who knows what I am going to play. I get to play what I want. I like being challenged to find music I haven’t heard before,” Lathrop said prior to his show Sept. 5.

Ahead of his dedicated timeslot, the station broadcast a prerecorded playlist. As 11 a.m. closed in, Lathrop prepared to take over. After the WRGY call sign was broadcast, Lathrop steadily adjusted the controls to bring in the first song on the playlist.

The set started with The Pogues, a Celtic punk rock band formed in 1982. From there, listeners traveled around the world with music from Columbia, Korea and Tucson, Arizona. While the set played, Lathrop talked about his show, the studio and music in general.

Last fall, station manager Iris Ramirez announced openings for locally hosted shows and Lathrop decided to answer the call.

“I had never done anything like this in my life,” Lathrop said. “This is show 49 for me. Next week is a milestone.”

While Lathrop typically curates the playlist for his show, he has also given friends the opportunity to host a show from afar. Lathrop said friends send him a list of songs they love and he takes care of arranging the music in an order that makes sense, and will talk about each selection during the live broadcast. One of his shows included a live band that set up and played from the small studio, he said.

“I think I am good at mixing music in an order that makes sense,” he said.  “I can take some songs and by playing with the order, I can make it sound better. The days of making mixed cassette tapes when I was younger have paid off. After all, this is just a big mixed tape.”

All the while, he kept a close eye on the output and made adjustments as necessary. Some music is recorded louder than other music, he explained. 

As the first set comes to an end, Lathrop put on his headphones and readied the microphone. He turned down the volume in the studio to avoid feedback. He told listeners that the show is a sample of world music sent in by his friend Dave in Decatur, Georgia.

As the music moved through the second set, Lathrop checked his cell phone. A message from Dave gave praise and accolades to the host.

Lathrop said the station’s computer programs do most of the work. The songs are plugged in and the computer handles the fading as one song ends and another begins. Another computer records the show. Archived programs are often used when a host is out for the week.

“I love community radio. DJs are autonomous. I have a complete license to play what I want. If I can find a song, I can play it,” he said. “I know a lot of music and I like music but I am not a musician. I’d say I’m tone deaf and this is how I can be creative.”

While Lathrop has nearly a year’s worth of shows behind him, John Pape has tallied up just two week’s worth so far. “Johnny Rocks” premiered on Aug. 28 and his genre is more defined by classic rock ‘n’ roll of the 1960s and ’70s.

Pape said his show came about following the recent Rangeley Friends of the Arts production of “The Mousetrap,” thanks to his partner, Terry Kelly.

“We happened to be in the lobby by the door to the station and Terry said I should have a show. Two weeks later, I have my own show,” Pape said. “I am offering something that is not being offered on WRGY at this time. I play rock ‘n’ roll anthems and standards. My program is filling a void.”

Pape believes his show will be popular because the songs that are his favorites are also the favorites of a generation or two.

“These are songs we’ve all heard on the radio. They are classics that everyone knows and I put them together in a nice, neat package,” he said as he went through a long list of artists such as The Moody Blues, Aerosmith, The Doobie Brothers, Led Zeppelin and Dan Fogelberg.

To prepare for the show, Pape said he listens to music on streaming apps throughout the week. If he hears a song that interests him, he will make note of it. He then sits down to curate his playlist and spends time researching the background of the band or the song. Pape said he had seen many artists and bands of that era in concert and has an anecdote for each one, which he shares as his curated playlist is broadcast.

“Johnny Rocks” is broadcast live at 3 p.m. on Thursdays.

New hosts spend time in the studio with seasoned hosts to learn the ropes. Then, when their show premiers, someone with more experience is there to assist until the host feels comfortable enough to do the program solo.

Ramirez, the station manager, said finding individuals to host a show is the station’s biggest challenge. She welcomes new shows, new hosts and new ideas. Anyone interested in should reach out to her via email at [email protected].

For more information about WRGY programs, visit wrgy.org.