Super Celeb – Danielle Carrier
She’s the “better half” of WOKQ’s popular Morning Waking Crew with Mark Ericson. And between the two of them, “popular” only scratches the surface. In this year’s N.H. Magazine‘s Best of NH poll, WOKQ executed a hat trick, winning the popular vote as “Best FM Radio Station,” “Best Morning Show” and with the lovely Danielle taking the title of the state’s “Best Celebrity” — a much-coveted spot held in the past by such luminaries as skier Bode Miller, comedian Adam Sandler and N.H. storyteller Fritz Wetherbee. It’s by no means the first honor bestowed upon her or the show. They are regulars at Nashville’s Country Music Association Awards.What started your path to fame? I was a really bad waitress trying to make it in the music industry. Mark Ericson and the new WOKQ program director came into the restaurant I worked in and Mark was a bit of a smart aleck. Since I’ve got a dry sense of humor, I was smart aleck right back. This seemed to crack up the program director who proceeded to ask me if I would be interested in co-hosting for a week with Mark while his regular co-host went on vacation. Before I could answer, my mother, who was in a booth listening to this whole thing, popped up over the divider of the booths and said “Yes, she’ll take it!”Has your new title as the state’s über-celebrity gone to your head? Somebody had to take Fritz Wetherbee down a notch! Ha ha! Mark told me to say that.What’s the best thing about your job? I’m always in awe of our listening audience. There’s nothing like talking about how the Salvation Army in Rochester was robbed a week before Christmas and our listeners responding by helping to raise — in 4 hours — almost $16,000, including former Governor Craig Benson walking into our studio in the middle of the show to write a check for $10,000! What’s the worst? The hours. Sometimes we will work for months without a weekend off. Lots of events, concerts and promotions keep us busy. But it beats waiting on tables — which I said before, I wasn’t very good at.I suspect you get to rub shoulders with lots of national celebrities. Anyone in particular stand out? We’ve been nominated six times for CMA Personalities of the Year and when we get nominated, we head to Nashville for CMA Week to broadcast the morning show live from Music Row. The first year we got to go, a new group called Rascal Flatts came by for an interview. You could tell they were tired, so we asked them if they wanted to interview themselves. That’s when Jay DeMarcus sat in my lap and proceeded to conduct the entire interview with Joe Don and Gary. That was fun!Next time you meet Toby Keith or Kellie Pickler, promise you’ll show them your NH’s Best Celebrity certificate? I absolutely will. Since Mark made about 100 colored copies and taped them up all over the office, I have an ample supply to bring with me to all the summer concerts.
