Claim to Fame: KMBC Chief Meteorologist (Kansas City, Missouri)
DOB: No comment
Diabetes Type: 2
“I love my job. It was a childhood dream of mine to do TV weather. Since the third grade, this was what I wanted to do. I have a blast up there, and I hope it shows.”
Coming to KMBC 9 NEWS in 1985, Chief Meteorologist Bryan Busby quickly established himself as Kansas City’s leading meteorologist. In addition, Bryan serves as chief meteorologist for Carter Broadcasting, providing weather reports on radio station KPRS, Hot 103 Jamz.
Bryan has put KMBC-TV on the “weather map” with innovative programs like Guaranteed Weather, Earth Station, Weather-to-Go, and Bryan Goes to School, as well as Instant Weather Network, a weather display system that earned him U.S. Patent Number 5,943,630.
Fun, interaction, and community outreach are the key ingredients that make Bryan Kansas City’s favorite television personality. “I never know what to expect when I do an on-location weather report. Spontaneous reactions make my job fun—and sometimes very challenging.”
Bryan was appointed to the National Chapter of the American Meteorological Society’s Board of Broadcast Meteorologists, and named chairman for that committee in 1997-1998. That same year, he was considered for the weathercaster position at Good Morning America.
Bryan’s awards include: the Emmy Award (1984, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005), Emmy nominations (1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006), Ten Outstanding Young Missourians, Missouri Jaycees (1992), Kansas City Media Professionals Hall of Fame (1991), and the Black Achievers Award, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (1987).
Bryan’s interest in weather began in Cleveland, Ohio, when he was a child. As he studied weather, he realized that television was for him. In high school, he broadcast weather reports for two Cleveland-based radio stations. After this beginning in radio, Bryan earned his degree in meteorology from St. Louis University.
He got his start as a TV weatherman at seventeen. In 1978, he began working at KTVI, Channel 2 in St. Louis. Though only an intern, he was on the air after only eight weeks at the station as the weekend weathercaster. He remained in St. Louis for eight years before joining KMBC 9 NEWS. “I will keep doing TV weather until it is not fun anymore. That is a FEW more years down the road,” Busby laughs.
A natural showman with wit and personality, Bryan does not limit his performing to television. Bryan is also the principal timpanist for the Civic Orchestra of Kansas City, performing five or six times a year. Professionally, he has served as the solo timpanist with the Independence Messiah Festival Orchestra, playing in that group’s annual performance of the Messiah at the Community of Christ Auditorium from 1992 until the orchestra’s last year, in 2005. He’s performed with the Kansas City Symphony, the Kansas City Percussion Quartet, and even The Moody Blues at Verizon Amphitheater. He has also been a private timpani instructor to many of the area’s best student musicians.
In addition to performing and teaching, Bryan is the principal guest conductor of the Kansas City Youth Symphony, having conducted that group at Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College, Kemper Arena, the United States Pavilion at the 1992 World’s Fair in Seville, Spain, and, most recently, at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Besides his Youth Symphony activities, Bryan has appeared as guest conductor with area symphonies, community orchestras, bands, and high schools.
In addition to his musical abilities, Bryan is known by friends to be a terrific imitator of cartoon voices. As a matter of fact, he is the voice of his own cartoon character, Georgie Global, a feature that has appeared on the web, television, and in newspapers across the country. Bryan provides all of the voices during his annual radio Santa tracking (all except Santa, of course). Recently, Busby provided the voices for the pig, horse, and bull on the American Royal television commercials. To further an interest he began in grade school, Bryan plans to pursue a job doing voice-overs when he retires from broadcasting.
Bryan’s message to the dLife community: “I am not one who likes labels. Adjectives describe, but don’t define. Diabetes is part of me, but in no way limits me in living to the fullest.”