Ken 'Spider' Webb

Since the late 1960's native New Yorkers depended heavily on the voice of Ken ‘Spider’ Webb, one of New York’s most popular morning radio personalities, to get them going early every morning with classic soul music, 'the color of the day', plenty of laughs and family humor.  Ken has made radio his life-long profession, beginning his on air career in amateur radio at the age of 13.

Concurrently and after 6 years as a Television Broadcast Engineer/Instructor at Brooklyn College (CUNY), in July of 1971 Ken became the very first radio ‘morning man’ for Inner City Broadcasting’s flagship station, WBLS-FM (NYC).  He has also worked at WRKS-FM, WLIB-AM, WWRL-AM, WQCD-NY (CD101.9) and currently with Sirius Satellite Radio  ('Soul Town' Channel # 53  -  Mon-Fri 6am to 12 noon Eastern Time)

By 1983, Ken had raised WBLS-FM morning ratings to the #1 position becoming a household name in the city.  He then moved to RKO Broadcasting’s WRKS-FM and brought it’s morning ratings to the #1 position for the very first time in that station’s history, where it remained until 1995 when he returned to WBLS.  While on the air, Ken exceeded exceptionally in the area of community service.  He founded the WBLS Sure Shots Benefit Basketball team in 1972 and the KISS Kards Benefit Basketball team in 1983 in which he regularly coached and played.  These teams literally raised thousands of dollars for the local communities in the NY Metro, New Jersey and Baltimore-Washington areas.  Ken used his broadcast presence to raise needed funds for numerous community organizations, ranging from community causes to needy families.

Ken has been consistently in demand to serve as Master of Ceremonies for numerous major concerts on local, national and international stages.  These include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, The Apollo, The beacon Theater, Westbury Music Fair, the Nassau Coliseum and many other theaters and clubs in the New York Metro Area.  Outside the US mainland, Ken has served as master of ceremonies for events and concerts in the US Virgin Islands, Japan, Mexico and more.

Along with interviewing these many artists, he has served as MC and host on stage with entertainers such as; George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Phyllis Hyman, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, Nick Ashford and Valorie Simpson, Pattie LaBelle, The Commodores, Barry White, Luther Vandross, Will Smith Vanessa Williams and many more. These and more would attest to his solid reputation of working with the best in the entertainment industry.

In early 1990's he pioneered streaming on the internet and currently streams audio and video content on his web site;  www.kenwebb.com.

Ken takes great pride in his image as a wholesome role model, often lecturing to students in schools and colleges, in and out of the US on the necessity of a good education and the perils of substance abuse.

Ken has not only appeared many times on NY television but actively involved in TV engineering and television production as well.  He has appeared on VH1’s “Four On The Floor”,  “Lou Rawls Parade Of Stars”, “ABC Eyewitness News” (WABC-YV), “Midday Live”,  “Tony Brown’s Journal”,  “The McCreary Report”  (Fox TV),  “Regis Philbin & Kathy Lee Show”, 'NY-1' and others.

He also served as the Program Director of the Tropical Television Network, which served over 1 million households in New York City and Miami Florida.  He is currently a consultant for HBA Television, a firm that is constructing a multi million dollar television project for the West Coast of Africa.

In 1985 Ken began syndicating his 2-hour weekly radio jazz show, ”Jazz From the City” from his studio in Long Island New York.  The 2-hour weekly jazz show aired in Japan on the 40-station Tokyo FM Network, the Philippines, the Caribbean and 150 stations in the US.  In connection with this, Ken thus produced numerous sponsored jazz events associated with his JFC in New York City and the Caribbean.  He has recently developed a internet radio marketing and advertising company, Webb Internet Radio Network which is made up of 15 internet streaming channels and can be found at www.kenwebb.com.

Currently Ken enjoys listening to jazz, golfing, water sports and electronics.  Since his early days as an audio and video engineer, he designed and constructed radio and TV studios.  Ken not only constructed and maintains his own studio, but is an active consultant for broadcast radio and television stations particularly in the Caribbean and Africa.  Ken has also served as Senior Director for ChaRosa Foundation and proposal and grant writer for government funded non-profit organizations.

Ken manages to fit in hosting a daily satellite radio show, "Soul Town 53" which is heard on Sirius Satellite Radio.  

Ken married Theresa Cannady in 1964 and has daughters Felicia (Teri Webb – WJJZ-FM Philadelphia), Tracey, Laurie, twins Kevin and Keith, Seth and Chanel.  Ken and his family have resided on Long Island since 1971.

PO 548, Wheatley Heights, NY 11798
Tel: (631) 491-5368 
Email: kenwebb@kenwebb.com 
www.kenwebb.com