Ted
Knight, disc jockey
For DJ Ted, it's the music that matters.
He uses quality sound equipment including Electro-Voice mains and Cerwin-Vega subwoofers with 3,000 watts of power. It's full, rich sound that's crystal-clear at any volume.
For those times when less is more, Ted's system is scalable to a single powered speaker that fits anywhere. DJ Ted is ready for anything, from a living room to a large outdoor venue, from groups of a dozen to 300 people or more.
His long experience as a radio programmer and announcer means he knows how to pick songs that people like, from rock and hip-hop to jazz and standards. See the song sampler and master list.
That radio voice means the announcements are always smooth and poised. Ted talks less than a lot of DJs, though.
"I do all the right announcements but I don't just
talk to hear myself talk. The
wedding or party itself is supposed to be the center of attention, not
the DJ. We've all been to weddings where the DJ seems to think he's on
Comedy Central, and that's just not my style.
"Many DJs are used to playing certain songs at certain times and they want you to go along with them. I don't feel that way at all. There are too many possibilities to get hung up doing things one way all the time. I want to hear your ideas, to make it as fresh and as much fun as possible.
"Clients are coming up with creative song lists, which is great since so many people say they're tired of hearing the same songs all the time. I like working with lists and making the music flow. But even if you're not so specific, I know to with with your ideas. You don't have to tell me what to play, but when you do, I listen."
Weddings
Brides and grooms appreciate the way Ted plays the music they really want. For a wedding at Abacoa Golf Club in Jupiter, the bride and groom chose an eclectic mix for their ceremony including She by Elvis Costello and Lady in Red for the bridesmaids. Reception music included Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Jamiroquai and Van Halen. They chose Duffy's Syrup and Honey for the cake cutting, and Turn Me On by Norah Jones for the last dance.
A couple at the Jupiter Beach Resort chose a mix that included Miles Davis, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, and Shania Twain. For a wedding at the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton, Ted played Lady Gaga, Motown and Sinatra.
At Delray Dunes Country Club, the golf pro's bride was a teacher so he had Ted play Van Helen's Hot for Teacher for the cutting of the cake.
For a New York couple at the Palm Beach Ritz-Carlton, Ted's live quintet played jazz for cocktails and smooth standards for dinner, and Van Morrison's Someone Like You for the first dance. Then the band packed up and Ted played DJ dance music into the wee hours.
It was Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Sinatra and Tony Bennett for a Cocoa Beach wedding, a three-hour drive from his South Florida base. The bride said Ted was the first DJ she found who understood what she wanted and was glad to do it.
Party time
At a Delray Beach party held for neighbors who were moving away, Ted played requests from a list faxed over in advance. With tunes from Janis Joplin, Meat Loaf and Warren Zevon, it was a wild time.
For a road rally party at a home in Boca Raton's Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club, owners of exotic convertibles enjoyed car songs like the Beach Boys' Fun Fun Fun and Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.
The background
For Ted Knights first DJ gig, a 1983 poolside college graduation party at the Ocean Club in Ocean Ridge, he brought twin turntables, a Peavey amp and speakers, and boxes of LPs and singles. Beat It and Jeopardy were among the big hits at the time.
Today his laptop has 8,000 songs, from Abacadabra to Zoot Suit Riot. Everything is cross-referenced so songs can be located easily, and having the right gear means the sound is fantastic. Ted loves music, and he says that hearing it played right is just as much a treat for him as it is for you.