If you ever tuned into the Seattle airwaves and found yourself headbanging at just the right moment—or felt like someone got your love for local bands—there’s a good chance you were listening to Kevin Diers.
Kevin wasn’t just a radio host. He was Seattle’s music scene. For years, he brought metal to the mainstream and gave local bands a platform that felt like a lifeline. Whether it was through Metal Shop or Loud & Local on 99.9 KISW-FM, Kevin didn’t just play records—he raised voices, championed artists, and turned listeners into loyal fans.
He didn’t start out as an insider. Kevin won a contest to co-host Metal Shop. From that chance moment, he built a career not on ego, but on passion—on knowing that the loudest voices can come from the most humble places. And when he wasn’t on commercial radio, he was on public radio, making just as much noise in the most thoughtful, generous ways. At KUOW, his energy and love for the craft were the same. He brought heart to every mic, every shift, every show.
Kevin was everywhere—behind the booth, in the photo pit, on the DEFY Wrestling stage, online, in podcasts, and always right there when someone needed support. He was the kind of person who remembered your band’s EP and shouted it out two years later. He cared. He listened. He made sure others were heard.
The Seattle music scene didn’t just lose a host—it lost a heartbeat. And while tribute episodes of Metal Shop and Loud & Local will air this weekend, the truth is, Kevin Diers will always be on air, in spirit, wherever loud music plays and local voices rise.
He made sure of that.
