The Softer Soundsof Jazz host, Ken Meades, was born and raised in London. He served in the Royal Corps of Signals as a Special Operator in the Middle East.  In 1957 he emigrated to Canada with his wife, Pauline, and their 2 year old son. While in Canada their daughter was born and after moving to the US in 1963 a third child joined the family.  Having had a child in every country they moved to made Ken and his wife decide to not move again until they found out what was causing this.

Ken worked in the industrial coating industry developing high tech paint and holds a patent for removeable, water -based paint which was used by the US Marines in Operation Desert Storm.

He found he had a talent for public speaking, winning the Upstate New York Championship of Public Speaking  four times. No one had ever won this competition more than once, dating back to the 1930's. In 1989, after several attempts, he made it to the finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking; one of nine speakers from the English speaking world. Ruefully, he admits he didn't place.

Ken retired in 1993 and moved to New Bern the following year.  Shortly thereafter he approached the owner of a local radio station with an idea for a different  kind of jazz program he called The Softer Sounds of Jazz. This successful program ran for 638 consecutive weeks until the station changed it's format.

Ken is thrilled to be back on air on Public Radio East .