Chris was born to two parents in Minneapolis. Having never met, they were surprised. He spent the following years growing older.
Raised in New York City, he appreciated the opportunities offered there, but had the nature and sense to leave. Since, he has lived in Wyoming, Arizona and Hawai’i, as well as California. Chris has been in all 50 states, most of Canada, some of the
Caribbean and Old Mexico.
Daniel is a second-generation broadcaster. His father, Dan, a radio veteran of 51 years, has been broadcast in America’s #1 market, NYC, from 1961-2006. Dan is a recipient of AFTRA’s “Broadcaster of the Year” award and one of the original WMCA
“Good Guys”.
Chris arrived in the Valley in 1989 to help found rock station KRZR. He was the host of the “Front Row” morning show from 1990-2004. Since, he has been in talk radio in Fresno and in San Francisco, prior to taking the afternoon drive reins at KMJ. He has been in broadcasting all of his life and has earned an income from it since 1985.
A celebration was held in the Spring of 2019 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of KMJ’s Chris Daniel Show. Mayor Lee Brand (pictured) honored Chris by declaring March 22nd, 2019 “Chris Daniel Day in the City of Fresno”
Chris lives with Ace, his Norwegian hellcat. She was a 1st team All-American and MVP for the 1983 volleyball state champion Avenal Buccaneers. Ace received more awards in high school than Chris received absent slips. In the 2005 Canine Supplemental Draft, Chris and Ace acquired a German Shepherd/Husky named Lau Lau. She is a natural base-stealer and the family’s only vegetarian.
Daniel is a staunch SF Giants, NY Jets and Arizona Wildcats basketball fan, is freakishly double-jointed, has survived an unscheduled dam opening while tubing in Wisconsin, scored two points at Madison Square Garden (then taken to security office), reeled in a 200-lb marlin and threw up on it’s face and once swept out the Yellowstone East Entrance Visitor Station to earn the $2 he didn’t have to get in. He may be the only person to have read everything James Michener ever wrote. He loves his Sweet Baby Acura with 261k miles. A great speller, he has always had a hard time spelling alcohol, liquor and broadcasting, this to the shock and mirth of those that have known him a while.
Chris is an avid “foodie”, making messes in the kitchen and collecting strange food gadgets. He can cook a pig in the ground or make a sublime pork cassoulet. His specialties, though, are Italian and Asian cuisine.
Daniel received his pilot’s license in 1997, much to the chagrin of many Central Valley towns, especially Kerman (see FAA regs. Sec. 91-15, “Dropping Objects”).
The causes and issues that interest Chris most are literacy, substance addiction, the National Park System and anything involving making better lives for dogs. Daniel prefers to be in Kaua’i and would rather eat with chopsticks than anything else.
Besides his dad, Chris’ heroes are Marco Polo, Ben Franklin, John Quincy Adams, Silvio Dante, and Wayne Chrebet.
