*Editor's Note: Every Wednesday, we will be bringing you a set of photographs taken by our photo essay staff. Any opinions conveyed via the photographs or commentary are those of the essayist and are not representative of Austinist as a whole.*

*Disclosure: Patrick works as a Web Assistant at KUT, under guidance from KUT Web Producer and Austinist Music Editor Paige Maguire.*

The following has been provided by essayist Patrick Dentler.

As well known for rants and raves as eclectic as the music he broadcasts at 90.5 megahertz, KUT's John Aielli has been waking up Austin for the last thirty years. As Austin's public radio station approaches it's 50th birthday, Aielli shows no signs of slowing down.

Beyond his morning variety show, /Eklektikos/, Aielli stays busy moderating live performances in KUT's Studio 1A, interviewing art and entertainment figures of Austin for his blog, /Aielli Unleashed/, and hosting /Eklektikos Live/, a premiere concert showcase of local acts in the Austin City Limits studio. John Aielli has a loyal following of listeners in and out of Austin who have remained faithful to KUT even when they cut into Aielli's airtime in favor of more NPR.

He will remain an Austin mainstay for years to come and you can be sure memberships, contributions and listenership will follow, even if you do end up sitting through some obscure eastern orthodox choral hymns every once in a while.

- Patrick Dentler

Click here to see Patrick's complete photo set of John Aielli.