Parker, a Salt Lake City DJ, has a ready answer when asked what he considered his competition. "Anything and everything," he said. "What you're having for dinner is my competition."

You can chalk one up for dinner, now that Parker is no longer on the air.

Parker, the program director of KENZ-FM (101.9), was laid off in late November, but he won't be forgotten by national fans, who include Coldplay frontman (and Gwyneth Paltrow spouse) Chris Martin.

Martin bowed to Parker (whose real first name is Mike) during the band's Nov. 22 Utah show at EnergySolutions Arena. Before performing the band's last song, "Yellow," Martin announced: "This is for our old friend Mike. … We're grateful for all you do. See you wherever and whenever we see you."

Parker, who asked The Tribune not to print his last name to protect his family's privacy, was noted in the industry nationally as a tastemaker. During his on-air career, he introduced listeners to the music of Coldplay, as well as musicians such as Eminem, the White Stripes, Linkin Park and Matchbox Twenty (whom he touted when they were known by the name Tabitha's Secret).

In a mostly homogenized radio market like Utah's, Parker was rare in his commitment to introducing local listeners to new music, as one of the first in the country to play songs by Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, Metro Station and OneRepublic. KENZ, in one incarnation or another, has been championing alternative music for 25 years in Utah, but Parker took it further, mixed it up more and promoted new acts more aggressively than others before him had. Listener Rachel Davis, 25, of Cottonwood Heights, appreciated that aspect of Parker's show. "I get new music faster," she said.

But because of what station general manager Eric Hauenstein termed a "reduction of force," Parker's last day at the Citadel radio station was Nov. 26.

Now fans, artists and label executives are talking about the loss. Parker's MySpace page is filled with messages from well-wishers: "Dude, I always looked forward to getting into my car, and driving up Mill Creek Canyon after work to go mountain biking," wrote Tom. "The thing is, I always listened to the Parker Show and loved it! ... Some DJs are good at their craft, yet you stepped it up which allowed us to experience your art."

"Parker, you are the best thing that happened to that radio station in a long time," Bonnie wrote.

Parker spent a decade working alongside Howard Stern at the influential New York radio station WXRK ("K-Rock"). After the station's format changed, he moved to Salt Lake City in January 2007 for the KENZ job.

Parker praised his time working for Citadel and living in Utah, saying losing his job was a business decision that had nothing to do with performance or ratings. In the spring ratings period, giving credence to that claim, Parker's 3 p.m. show was ranked ninth overall among all stations for listeners ages 18-34, and sixth overall among women ages 25-54, the station's targeted demographic.

Parker was an anomaly in Utah radio in the afternoon time slot. He was a DJ who made music decisions, rather than following the direction of corporate suits, and he made his four-hour drive-time show as much about talking about music as playing music. "I tried to take chances," Parker said. "We were out ahead of everyone, [because] when others zig, I zag."

Rather than resorting to shock-jock tactics, he displayed an affable, opinionated and witty on-air personality -- as well as golden ears, an incredible knack for figuring out what listeners would like. He was a talk-show host for people who hated listening to talk radio. "He brought something to the Salt Lake City market that people weren't expecting," said Chantryce Diehl, a promotions manager at Citadel. "He is out-of-the-ordinary."

Bareilles' MySpace video archive bears evidence of Parker taking chances on unknown artists. In a late 2007 video titled "Sara hears 'Love Song' on the Radio for the First Time," the pianist and pop singer is shown in a van with her band listening to Parker's radio show on their way to play a special set as part of his show. During the video, Parker introduces "Love Song" and plays it as Bareilles and her band scream in joy. (The song later went on to become a No. 1 hit and was nominated for a 2009 Grammy for Song of the Year.)

Chances like that pay off, such as when the then-unknown Coldplay was trying to break through back in 2000 and Parker was one of the first DJs to play the band's breakthrough hit, "Yellow." Fast-forward eight years to this fall, when because of Parker's longtime connections with the band, KENZ was the only station in the area to schedule a meet-and-greet with Coldplay. In addition, Parker was able to auction off a private piano lesson taught by Martin, with the winning bid of $3,000 donated to Utah Youth Village. (Coldplay matched the bid, too.)

In a more recent example, Parker championed the up-and-coming rock group Thriving Ivory. When the band's debut album was released in June, Parker reviewed it on air by doing what he did every Tuesday -- playing a section of each song on the album -- and he raved about it. Lead singer Clayton Stroope praised Parker's willingness to support Thriving Ivory, and Parker organized a concert when the band came to Utah for the first time in October. The show sold out in five days.

The DJ will be missed by record-label execs who claimed that Salt Lake City has become part of their marketing strategy for up-and-coming artists, all because of Parker.

Parker was an early supporter of The Killers and was "very instrumental in Matchbox Twenty's career," said Mark Fischer, Island senior vice president of rock-format promotions. The DJ continued his advocacy of outside-the-mainstream acts when he came to Utah. "I'm going to miss him because he brought a lot of music to Salt Lake City," Fischer said.

"Mike has been a great friend and supporter of so many artists in the Sony Music family for quite some time," said Lisa Sonkin, vice president of Triple A and Public Radio Promotion of the Sony Music Label Group. "He was a force in introducing Salt Lake City to the voices of Sara Bareilles, Adele, MGMT, Ting Tings and most recently, Lenka."

KENZ, under Parker's tenure, simply played more songs than other stations, according to BDSRadio.com, a national media company that tracks the Utah radio market. During one week in late October, KENZ played 609 song titles. That compares with 493 songs for competitors such as KJMY (99.5), 299 for KXRK (96.3), 287 for KZHT (97.1), and 124 for KUDD (107.9).

One notable example of Parker zagging when others zigged was in November, when the DJ was deciding whether to review new Nickelback or David Cook albums on the air. Instead, he decided to skip both. Stating his dislike for both artists, Parker instead promoted a 2000 album he loved by the unknown and now-defunct band Paloalto.

But it was his skill at launching new artists that will be his legacy in Utah. "He is one of the best for discovering new music," said Michael Parrish, vice president of operations at FMQB, a leading radio-industry publication.

While at WXRK, Parker was named FMOB's assistant program director/music director of the year in 2001 and 2004. While he's likely to have more chances to claim such prestigious national titles, it will probably be for launching new music in some other market.