If you’ve ever turned your dial away from public radio, you have very likely heard Delilah. The self-proclaimed “queen of sappy love songs,” Delilah is a powerhouse DJ who airs a nightly call-in show on more than 200 stations. Delilah fields calls that run from sweet questions about new love to tough conversations with people going through heartbreak. And she pairs romantic advice with suitable songs.

Kurt Andersen: What do you love so much about sappy love songs?

Delilah: I have always loved music. My father was a musician; he had a country-western band. I was raised around people that danced — my parents would go out the Eagles or the Elks [club] every weekend so they could dance. Music has always been a part of my life.

Are there songs that are too sappy even for Delilah?

Yeah, there are songs that are so sappy it’s like eating a spoonful of sugar. It just puts me on edge. But unfortunately they’re still really requested.

I’ve heard you say that about the song “The Wind Beneath My Wings.” And everyone has sung it!

Well, I like the version by Lee Greenwood the best. That I can listen to maybe twice before I want to put a pen through my eyeball. But Bette [Midler’s version] gets requested all the time. I still get requests for that song every night.

You have 13 children, and you’ve been married four times. How have those two facts shaped how you do your job?

With each of the children that God gave me, either through birth or adoption, there have been challenges. There was a time we were homeless. There was just so much stuff that we went through that when a young mama calls me and says, “I’m a single mom, I’ve got three kids,” I know what she’s going through. Am I going to pay rent? Or am I going to buy food for my kid? I know those choices. 

Bonus Track: Hear Kurt’s extended conversation with Delilah