Iowa Public Radio Music Program Director Al Schares has stepped down from his full-time role after three decades. Schares joined KUNI in the early 1980s, starting in classical programming before rising to music director for both classical and contemporary formats.
In the mid-1980s, he took a break to perform in bands across the Midwest and beyond, including a stint in Nashville. He returned to the station in 1990 and remained a driving force through KUNI’s transition into Iowa Public Radio.
He has worked across nearly every genre during his career, from classical and folk to blues and alternative, most notably through his leadership of IPR’s Studio One, which he helped relaunch last year as a full 24-hour radio format, including expanded service in Des Moines through KKSO.
Schares will continue contributing to the network as the host of Rust On The Dial while exploring travel and returning to his own roots as a performing musician.
