Desert Oracle Radio

Ken Layne broadcasts Desert Oracle Radio from the high desert of Joshua Tree, California, on KCDZ 107.7 FM every Friday night at ten. That alone should tell you something about the vibe. This is not a slick, studio-polished production. It is campfire storytelling for people who like their roads lonely and their skies full of stars. With over 250 episodes and a 4.9-star rating from more than 800 listeners, Desert Oracle has built a dedicated following by covering the strange and beautiful corners of the American desert. Missing tourists. Abandoned mines. Venomous creatures with bad attitudes. UFO sightings that the locals swear happened. Ken delivers all of it in this low, deliberate voice that sits somewhere between a nature documentary narrator and your most well-read friend after two whiskeys. But it is not all spooky stuff. He interviews scientists, artists, and desert rats who have spent decades living off-grid. He talks about Edward Abbey and desert ecology and the politics of water rights in the West. The original soundscapes by RedBlueBlackSilver give each episode this atmospheric quality that honestly makes you want to get in your car and just drive until the cell signal disappears. Episodes clock in around 28 minutes, which is perfect for that stretch of empty highway where nothing is on the radio anyway. Distributed through PRX public radio, and still going strong into 2026.