The year was 1991. The time was 12:00am on an early February morning. It was the first time Jimmy Wright turned on the microphone at STAR 102.5 (then known as Q-102). Jimmy had been hired to do overnights after a stint at rock station Z-93. At the time, nobody thought that this might be the start of a long tenure on the 102.5 frequency. Just a few years later, after Q became STAR, Jimmy was moved to weeknights and thus began a long relationship with Des Moines radio listeners that continues today.

In the mid-90s, Jimmy helped start shows like “Totally 80s Friday Night” and began co-hosting what has become not only the biggest, but one of the longest-running New Year’s Eve parties at the Embassy Suites Downtown. After many years of just playing the songs on STAR, in the early 2000s Jimmy became the Music Director for the station and helps shape all the music you love to listen to each day. Jimmy also made the transition to afternoons where you can still hear him from 3-8pm every day.

In his 25 years at STAR 102.5, Jimmy has accomplished many great things, had unforgettable experiences, and become a mainstay in Des Moines broadcasting. While other personalities may bounce around from station to station, Jimmy has been rocking the same microphone while having the most fun doing it. Whether he’s flying across the country with a STAR artist performing on the plane, riding a tank on I-235, or looking dapper in a tuxedo during a New Year’s Eve broadcast, Jimmy has been a part of all the great moments on STAR for the past two and a half decades.

Jimmy Wright is quintessential Iowa and Des Moines and Jimmy truly is the heartbeat of STAR 102.5. All of us at STAR 102.5 and the Des Moines Radio Group family of stations congratulate Jimmy on his 25 years of tireless dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to making great radio for the people of Central Iowa.

Do YOU have a favorite memory or story about Jimmy? Tell us about it in the comments below or on our Facebook page!