(back)

Meet your neighbor: Mike Chamberlin
Competing sportscasters find harmony as musical duo

By M.V. Moorhead

When most Valley TV viewers see Kyrene Corridor resident Mike Chamberlin, the first word that pops into their heads is probably “sports.” Much as this attests to his success as a local broadcaster—he’s covered sports for Channel 3 KTVK since 1988—it wasn’t the direction Chamberlin originally saw his career taking.

“When I was younger, when I was in my 20s, I thought music was going to be my life,” says the former Californian.

“I did time with progressive rock bands, and would come home smelling like smoke.” And now, along with a fellow Valley sportscaster, Chamberlin has gone back to those days, albeit in a quieter fashion—he and News 5 sports director Chris Coraggio have teamed up, and are playing gigs around the Valley as “The Singing Sportscasters.”

Chamberlin’s passion for music did lead to his current job, however circuitously.

“I was a product of the Beatles, in more ways than one,” he says, of his major musical influence. His focus eventually switched from performing to radio—he was a disc jockey, which led to work in radio news, which eventually led to TV news, and then to TV sports. “I was always a fairly good athlete, and a sports nut, so it was natural,” he says.

Chamberlin served as sports anchor on TV stations in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Salinas-Monterey.

He’s also covered surfing and other water sports for ESPN2 (he’s an avid surfer himself), and is the color commentator for ASU football games on 3TV.

After landing in the Valley, Chamberlin settled in the Kyrene Corridor.

“When I first came here,” he recalls, “my boss showed me around Scottsdale. But I really like where I ended up.”

Chamberlin had never lost his musical itch, of course, and somewhere in there he learned that Coraggio, his counterpart at News 5, hadn’t either.

“I bumped into Chris at a basketball game, and we started talking,” says Chamberlin. “Chris plays guitar, and also piano; he’s a really good piano player.”

The two men put together a one-hour show, consisting of standards as well as some originals.

“We’ve played coffeehouses,” says Chamberlin, “and we’ve also found a little niche playing retirement homes.

“When you see the faces of the people in a retirement home when you come and play for them, there’s nothing like that feeling.

“I think I speak for Chris in saying that music is truly the universal language. We may not all like the same kind of music, but we all like music.”

Those interested in arranging a performance by the “Singing Sportscasters” can call (602) 809-0534.

(back)