Ron Sexton recordings showcase the best of ‘Donnie Baker’ and more

Ron Sexton worked as a sports broadcaster in Indianapolis before launching his comedy career. (Photo provided by Tracey Sexton)

A new two-CD collection includes the best of “Donnie Baker,” one of the standout comedic characters in the 41-year history of radio’s “The Bob & Tom Show.”

But the release titled “Parts Unknown” explores many more on-air contributions by Ron Sexton, an Indianapolis native who graduated from Franklin Central High School and Butler University.

Beyond Donnie Baker, a hard-partying simpleton with an overinflated ego, Sexton gave voice to frequent-flier salesman Kenny Tarmac and road sage Floyd the Trucker. The first disc of “Parts Unknown” is devoted to Donnie, Kenny and Floyd, and the second disc overflows with impressions such as James Gandolfini, Steven Seagal, Morgan Freeman, Jerry Jones and Dr. Phil.

“Bob & Tom” producer Jason Hoffsetz edited and mixed “Parts Unknown,” which serves as a posthumous celebration of Sexton, who died in July 2023 at age 52.

“The second CD felt really important to me, to show what else Ron was,” Hoffsetz said. “I guarantee that people who may be longtime ‘Bob & Tom’ fans will hear those things and say, ‘Oh, he did that?’”

“Parts Unknown” isn’t an official “Bob & Tom” release but a project spearheaded by Tracey Sexton, the comedian’s wife. Ron and Tracey were high-school sweethearts at Franklin Central who became husband and wife in the mid-1990s and parents to Eric, Abigail, Alex and Aliah.

After Ron died, Tracey established You Before Me Inc., a nonprofit partially dedicated to raise awareness and funds for comedians facing mental health struggles. According to the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office in Ohio, Sexton died while on tour of an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol.

Hoffsetz said Sexton’s favorite impression was Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack at age 51, in the role of Tony Soprano.

“You would be talking to Ron personally, and he would go into it,” said Hoffsetz, referring to the breathy, slow-burn characterization of “The Sopranos” lead character.

Hoffsetz said Sexton, who worked as a sports broadcaster in Indianapolis before launching his comedy career, had a knack for adapting jokes for the correct vehicle.

“Whatever was happening, Ron came up with a joke and immediately plugged it into one of his characters,” Hoffsetz said. “It might be Donnie, it might be Floyd or it could be Kenny. He plugged it into one of the 20 or so people he had in his head and delivered it in an instant.”

Donnie Baker, who claimed to know more about anything than anyone else he knew, debuted on “Bob & Tom” in April 2005. Hoffsetz said Sexton strategically planned Donnie’s first call-in appearance for a week when show co-founder Bob Kevoian was away on his honeymoon.

Kevoian’s signature laugh helped to define the Indianapolis-based morning show that’s heard on about 100 radio stations in syndication, but he also was a tough critic of new material. Hoffsetz said show co-founder Tom Griswold helped Sexton tweak the Donnie character—perennially in search for a buyer of his boat—into a winner.

Kevoian, who retired in 2015, embraced Donnie’s nonsense for a decade. Griswold continues to lead the show that originates from a studio on Fall Creek Road.

Eventually, Sexton developed Donnie from an audio-only presence into an in-the-flesh, almost-famous lead singer who toured comedy venues and nightclubs with a rock band known as the Pork Pistols. A mullet, wolf-themed T-shirt and outdated Zubaz pants coalesced into Donnie’s signature look.

Eighty “Bob & Tom” bits are heard on “Parts Unknown,” and Hoffsetz said he combed through more than 500 clips to select what appears on the CDs.

Sexton’s calls into the show occasionally went off the rails, which is part of the unpredictable nature of live radio.

“I think that’s part of the brilliance of Tom Griswold,” Hoffsetz said. “He says, ‘It’s OK to screw up, because chances are that we’ll make it funnier from that.’ And Ron was the best at rolling with it.”

To purchase “Parts Unknown,” visit donniebaker.com.