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The Accidental Archivist: Kurt Riemann | Hometown, Alaska

Man with a beard and glasses stands in front of an audio station.
Audio wizard Kurt Riemann has been contributing to the sounds of Alaska for four decades. (Kurt Riemann)

If you’ve ever listened to local radio, or found yourself humming along to a catchy jingle from an Alaskan business, then you've undoubtedly heard the work of Kurt Riemann. In a world dominated by visual imagery, lifelong Alaskan, Riemann felt most at home enveloped in sound. His passion for all things audible developed into a 40-year career that has seen the audio engineer produce some of Alaska's most iconic music. From the Alaska Music Archives to KONR and the Alaska Music Show, and his recording studio Surreal Studios, Riemann has used his hands — and ears — to shape the Alaska music scene since the 1980s.

HOST: O'Hara Shipe

GUEST: Kurt Riemann

LINKS:
Alaska Music Archive
Nightworks Media/Surreal Studios
Nightworks Music

O'Hara worked at Alaska Public Media till 2026. She was a host of Hometown, Alaska.