PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- In his first week on the MORNING REPORT, the new music contributor is already like a son to Lee. And there's a good reason for that.
Xander Nelson IS the son of longtime NEWS CENTER anchors Lee Nelson and Cindy Williams. On Thursday, Xander delivered his inaugural Rave 'N' Rage segment about the Maine music scene.
"We're going to be talking about shows, not just going in Portland, too, which is going to be cool," Xander said about his plans for the segment. "We're really going to spread things out through the rest of the state. We're going to try to get some Bangor shows in there, Lewiston-Auburn, Waterville, Brownfield. Wherever the heck there's cool music, we're going to bring it to the people."
In addition to his genetic connections to NEWS CENTER, Xander also brings with him impressive musical credentials. He is a musician himself with formal training from the Berklee College of Music in Boston and experience honing his craft on stages across Maine. For his day job, he works as a disc jockey at WCYY radio.
That love of music was nurtured in the Nelson household. Xander and Lee share a similar taste in bands and can often be seen at concerts together. They don't always agree, though. And the kinds of musical debates they once waged over the breakfast table will now take place over the air for all of Maine to see.
Their snarky chemistry was on display as Lee offered a few words of fatherly advice: "Be yourself. Don't try and bee somebody else. Keep your hands out of your nose. That's solid broadcasting advice."