What an honor to see my name listed as a former employee.  I was only at
the station for three months (I think) at at $350/mo...that's all I
could afford.  When my salary was cut to $175/mo. and was billed for
the electricity used to record my "news,"  I finally got the hint and
left.  Short time but major creativity.  News isn't fun anymore...it's
downright nasty. Reunion plans?  Please let me know...I love Tucson.

Larry Jacobs

I can't believe I have stumbled upon a website that brings me so close
to an incredibly important and never to be forgotten part of my
history.  I have been looking for ways of staying in contact with so
many of the site's contributers.  Thanks to those of you who have
posted information and thanks for never letting go of the work and
memory of my late husband Bob Cooke.

The Best ever!!

You guys were the greatest station ever.  Tucson isn't the same without
you!  

Tim, thank you for constructing this web site.  As General Manager of
KWFM from 1972 to 1982 it gives me great pride to know that after all
these years listeners continue to remember KWFM.

Many of the crew have gone on to start their own businesses while many
have continued in radio.  Matt Siegel 20 years # 1 at Boston's WXKS,
Larry Jacobs ABC Radio News, Lou Waters CNN, Karen Stern Denver radio
personality and voice talent.  Little did we know that the innovative
and creative staff which deveoped: Live from Lee Furr's, the Radio/TV
simulcasts of national acts, the outdoor birthday celebrations at
Randolph Park and the Rock n Roll Picture Show — to name but a few
— would live on for so many years.

We should also remember the greats that have since passed away; in
particular the first P.D. Mark Young and of course Bob Cooke. 

Thanks to every one who supported KWFM then and continue to remember it
today.

Tim, Thanks !

KWFM supplied the soundtrack for my stoner-rock teenage years...fond
memories of the syndicated Flo and Eddie and National Lampoon shows on
Saturday nights before I started attending house parties every weekend.
I remember when the station first started as a pre-teen floating around
the head shops which had just moved from 6th St. to 4th Ave...donation
cups for a new "freeform" commercial free FM station...broadcast in
mono. I went to California with my parents and upon return, tuned in on
my Craig portable cassette/tuner; low and behold the red stereo beacon
was glowing! Fond memories of absolute on-the-air madness the day Nixon
resigned. How about the summer millions of grasshoppers took over the
city and people were phoning in suggestions on how to get rid of them.
I remember someone suggesting the issue of pistols to everyone, ha-ha!
(Oh my and how about Hot Rocks Records? I started going to bars way
under age
Choo Choos and that other place that was on the corner of 4th Ave and
6th St. By the way miss both Doc and Shag!) Back to FM. With the good
there is always some bad. I hated all the country rock and jazz
and when punk rock brought life and rebellion back to rock music, hated
how the station ignored this music.
but alas, it did trickle as with a Talking Heads interview
Karen Stern playing DEVO and our pal Dave Larussa with the "Anything
That's Rock 'n' Roll" show. We had the big "protest" by the UOFA in
regards to the three rock FM stations ignoring "new music" to the
dismay of recording engineer/producer Bill Cashman who released an
album by my band JOHNNY SEVIN
I'm trying to squeeze 10 years of memories into this paragraph which is
coming off as some sort of stream of consciousness / ADD rap but I will
say that I'm happy this site exists and I will return to hear more air
checks. RIP Bob Cooke
you were a talented, funny DJ who was a pal
I cherish memories of your visits to the Johnny Sevin house

Wow! Thanx for the memories! I was doing a search on NYC radio stations
and recalled when I first moved to Tucson back in 78 and started to
listen to KWFM. The only dj's I could immediately recall from that time
were Dave LaRussa and Karen Stern. Thankfully, I found the site and was
able to go through everything again. PS: I still have the KWFM On the
Air album in my collection!

Lived (and just 're-lived') through a lot of this history and memories.
I was girlfriend/wife (now 'ex') of DJ David Slavin (mid 70s). Listened
in many nights (he worked midnight - 6 am slot). Like so many have said
before, thanks for the memories! Interesting to see old articles and
photos, my how we have all changed!!! 

I ran the Pawnbroker from 1975 to 1980 and have a photo of Bob and Lau
Cooke at my home having dinner.  Also lots of Riopelle, Meighan,
Straight Shot, etc. photos. That and wild memories, what does a gal
need?  Ran into Lee Dombrowski at a Denver restaurant several years
ago, should have but didn't follow up.  Saw Steve Zind recently, what a
fine soul.

- Lisa Harber Maher 520-232-3878  

Precious stuff... Thanks mucho mon ami. Tap tap tap, is this thing on?
Sliding vinyl records back and forth to cue the next track... and
playing In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida to hit the head. Free Bird also, such
frivolity and festivity in the classic "not on this frequency - no
disco" '80's style. 867-5309, you got it! Remember that number. And who
can forget the "legendary" band Toto.  And Flock of Seagulls
 The Styx laser light show! That Frank Zappa interview was leading edge
for Tucson radio during that era. The first televised in Tucson on a
local channel music video program was brought to you by KWFM.  You see
those "I Love the '80's" shows on cable and what comes to mind? KWFM! I
lived in Seattle at the time and after a weekend visit while driving
back to the northwest would listen the excellent Sunday night jazz show
hosted by my brother Chris Ryan till the signal would fade out somewhere
near Phoenix.  Nice mix, a jazz show on a hard rock station; very all
inclusive and rare in the rock radio genre.  I was so proud of my
brother at that early stage of his radio career, and of course still am
a fan of his continued accomplishments.  After Chris cracked into the
west coast radio scene in San Diego after leaving KW, a lofty
accomplishment to be sure, did you KWFM nostalgia buffs know he played
the music as stadium DJ at the San Diego Charger games in the '90's?
Great website, keep up the good work.  Brilliant!

Thanks for the great memories that I have been enjoying with all the
pictures and recordings in this site.  I worked from 1975 to 1980 on
KEVT am, wich was a Spanish radio, in the same building and of the same
owner of KWFM, so I knew a lot of the great announcers of KWFM, as we
shared the studios and a lot of good times, both the Spanish speaking
announcers and the KWFM dj's.

Great site, Thanks again

Found this looking for anything I can find on the classic "Mississippi"
Charles Bevel song "Overheard".  

I have heard only on two radio stations, both in Tucson.  One of course
was KWFM (still the best station I have ever listened too).  The other
had a direct link to KW because the music director the overnight DJ for
several years on KW, and that was KEKO.  

It was a shame when KRQQ went on the air and forced KW to change its
(what is now called AAA) format.

Was in Tucson last March (O4) and heard the Mountain, good, but still
not as good as KW in its heyday.

Bob Meighan with Norm Pratt and Dick Furlow bring their notable musical
talent to the Calabazas stage at Oracle State Park Saturday for a
twilight performance.  Known for desert rock and ballads the talented
trio will wrap up the 8th annual Fiesta de las Calabazas.  Meighan
became well known in the 70’s and developed a regional reputation
for his original sound.  He’s back and has brought with him two
fine musicians to rouse a crowd and prompt some dancing under the
stars.

For more information contact:
Diamond Jim Hewitt
400-4965
jim@hewitt.name

Greatest radio station ever! This is the heart of my college days on
display, thanks!

Talk about a time warp..what a wonderful site.  KWFM was truly one of a
kind, because of the people who were there and the music that we could
play.

I'm a 2nd generation radio person; my dad and aunts and uncles were in
the biz in the way old days.  But moving to Tucson, it was Bob Cooke
that said "hi, you have a great voice"..dragged me into the production
room, Jim Ray said "o.k., we'll give her a shot", and 22+ years later I
can't get radio out of my system.

Thanks to Jim Hardy, who called me his "baby d.j." and gave me my first
taste of major market radio at KBPI, Denver, and Lee Dombrowski, who
wouldn't let me quit when I threw a hissy-fit!

I have tapes I need to share, being a wife and mommy to two beautiful
boys, finding time to xfer my stuff to c.d./mp3 is a challenge, but I
promise to come through!

Tim, you're great, thank you for giving us this site to share a unique
time in radio.

Margie Rye
KWFM
weekends/middays/research/production February 1982- August 1984

Heh, Doug....when I was a young single woman I used "RYE" for some
anonymity at home....you are correct the real spelling is Wrye, but I
answer to either/both...haha  :)

This is truly a fun site to visit, however what about going back a few
years to the real beginning of rock and roll, 1955 through the mid
60's.  Thanks everyone at the site.
Mark Gateman

Great site. listened to the show. No body made mention that the City of
Tucson would turn off the traffic ligths at midnight. Thats how small
this town was. The lights would flash yellow E&W an flash red N&S. 
 They did that so when yo were coming home from the Night(fright)Train
on 4TH it was just that mush less you had to Negotiate.

  You got to ask your self just what is wrong with clear channel for
dropping the old KW an going commercial?

Just listen to the reunion again, still sounds fresh. Was lucky to have
been around when this history was being made and didn't even know it.

 Dose any one else remember when the City of Tucson would flash the
lights yellow after midnight. So no stopping when coming home from the
Night Train (or Fright Train). 

 The band free style. Where are they now? Can any one comment on it? I
did Google them but so much crap comes up with it.
Thanks
Mark


Song: I can't take it more, still sound good.

Just listen to the reunion again. Still sounds fresh.

 I was lucky to have been here in the 70's when KW was hot. History was
being made and I didn't even know it then.
 Band Free Style. Where are they now? I did Google them but so much
crap comes up. Song I can't take it no more still sounds great. 

 Dose any one else remember when the City of Tucson would flash the
traffic lights yellow at midnight so coming home from the Night Train
you didn't have to stop. Or better known as the Fright Train. 

Hey Margie, I was hoping that you would known what happened to the 
freestyle band. I remember seeing them at tequila mocking bird, El Con
mall back then.  

 Just took a second look at the pictures from the 9th Anniversary at
Reid Park, what you don’t see are fat people. Now go by any high
school and look at the weight the kids have on. What happen?
 Can’t be the beer, we drank plenty of that back then plus drinking
age was 19 so you could start your drinking (legally) career earlier. 
We made plenty of runs to Jack in the Box at 10 PM (ya know why), so it
can’t be the snacking. 
I think the quality of what food we are sold is the problem. Plus
exercise, too much playing with computer games and not getting out. 
Let’s see if we can’t do better with the next generation. 

Just found out today (Oct 2018) about Margie Rye. Deepest sympathy.
Spent the rest of the day reflecting back tot he 70's & 80's.  She gave
me an Tucson and a year at KUPD Phoenix many years of good rock and roll
entertainment. Back before internet I would tape her's and KWFM radio
shows an play them back when working up in Springerville pretending it
was the radio. I just loved it when Margie would host concerts. Margie
you were an original.      

An amazing time machine - I can not stop browsing the playlists and
remember the times...

Thanks for this!

Chill

Memories, sweet memories!
Thank You All!!!!

Producer on the Matty in the Morning Show, Checking out the early days
of my boss, Matt Siegel! Pretty cool!

My uncle, Steve Howser, was a DJ at KWFM from 1970 to 1971. I have a
reel-to-reel tape of one of his broadcasts from that time, which I have
since converted to digital.  Contact me if interested in it.

I worked with a lot of these bands and was involved in a few of the
simulcasts. I did the in house mix for the Pills, worked with Central
Air [sound] until I got hired away. It's great to be able to get this
stuff back. GOOD JOB and a GOLD STAR to all involved in making this
happen. Thank You.

I bought a copy KWFM On The Air from 1980 at a garage sale. The first
track, " Tough Customers" by Central Air, has a familiar sound,a lot
like the Steve Morse band, The Dregs. With no liner notes I can't say
for sure. Got any input? Good album though.

Aside from that, we had a progressive station in Cleveland, WMMS, but
they keep changing formats. We do have The Fusion Show once a week on a
college station with Randy Allard hosting for 22 years.

Mike

This station so rocked when I lived in Tucson.  Air Brothers, Straight
Shot, Jerry Riopelle, Bob Meighan,  Dusty Chaps...dancig to this great
music at the Pawn Broker...so home grown and so great.