Far out, truly wild. Hearing the Beatles ID again brought me back to 19.


Hey - I have HOURS of the Sunday night KWFM Jazz Show on fairly good
stereo 3-1/4 inch tape. How do we upload this analog stuff?

What a trip ... this site takes me back to the Naked Pueblo ... the
Stumble Inn ... halter tops ... the best rock and roll station in the
world right there at 92.9.

I remember getting into an argument with the program director - Guy
Zapoleon, who's now a certified radio genius - when they put KRQQ on
the air.


He said Tucson in 1978 had the lowest FM penetration in the country
because FM was so bad. I argued that it was low because the only rock
station - KWFM- was too good for the masses. 

He looked at me like the populist simpleton that I was.

Hearing the Beatles station ID took me to the back seat of a Datsun
210, waking up one morning in at Gates Pass and listening to the
Beatles during a Tucson sunrise....

Nicely done!

[I have several hours of reel-to-reel tape of the KWFM jazz show -
which I loved - from the late '70s. Pls e-mail me if you want a dub...]

Doug Jaffee's Beatles ID lives!  Tune it at noon Pacific time Saturdays
and Sundays to 97.5 FM in Malibu, or online at kbu.fm or
radiomalibu.net . 

So, AM 1330 has gone dark and with it the KWFM call letters have been
released.   
Somebody, please fix the KWFM Wikipedia page! It doesn't even mention
this giant FM station.

I worked as an ad sales rep for KWFM from 1983-1985. Won a couple of
Tucson ADDY awards for the the copy I wrote that was produced by the
great air staff of both KWFM and then sister station KCEE-AM.

In 1983-84, I remember assisting our Chief Engineer (I can only recall
his first name was "Bill") with the installation of the new transmitter
and STL on top of the mountain after hours.

Dan Hicks of NBC Sports (Golf, and most recently 2016 Olympic Swimming)
got his start at KW/KC around that time.

Nostalgic for Tucson.  Nice site you've got here.  One correction if I
may.  You've got a picture in your Gallery labeled "Central Air", which
is actually one of the last incarnations of "The Air Brothers".  Left to
right: John Houge, Greg White, Chris Drake, and Dale Caddell.

Wow!  What a blast from the past with this web site!  I moved away from
Tucson about six months after KWFM came on the air but now 34 years
later when I talk to old friends still in Tucson, "KW" still comes up
as very fond memories.

Started at the UofA in the fall of 1975. KWFM was my indoctrination to
real rock, reggae, southern rock, and jazz.  Oh yes... Blue Dolfin,
KWFM, Sunday evening jazz show.  Thanks for the website. It brings back
many memories Despite all the partying, I still remember.

Lived in Tucson 1980 - 82, remember great station highlighted by Bob
Cooke's tribute to John Lennon when he was killed; have two cassettes
of Beatles music thanks to Bob. Sadly we were still there when BC was
taken from us. Still a sad memory to this day. Long live the memory of
KWFM in Tucson and WZMF in Menomonee Falls,WI.

Looking for Gene/Bill Thayer. Back in my Navy days I was a submarine
sailor stationed in Honolulu, and was the "Ship's Entertainment Petty
Officer".

KPOI was very generous in that they allowed me use of their library and
recording facilities in order to make music tapes for the submarine's
crew music system.

While making a tape one night I encountered Gene Thayer, one of the
"Popular" ones, who allowed me to make copies of some Halloween class
Spooky Tapes made by Gene and Michael Guinn, another KPOI Jock.

Several years ago I found the tapes in my collection of Navy Days
Stuff, and took the time to do some editing and splicing and what have
you and laid the tapes to CD. I wonder if Mr. Thayer or Mr. Guinn would
be interested in a copy of the CD?

The names of the stories are "How I Found Count Dracula" and "The
Monster's Thoughts".

They are both excellent examples of classic radio drama production
work, with cool sound effects and piles of tongue in cheek humor.

Should anyone know them or their whereabouts, please have them contact
me. Halloween is about upon us and I think they would relish some of
their younger days efforts.

Thanks in advance to anyone who could clue them in and/or contact me
via e-mail, and we can go from there.

E-mail is w7tty@centurylink.net

Regards to all,

George Hutchison - Sequim, Washington

Long time listener in the 70's and early 80's.
Now doing Radio at the Burning Man festival.

KWFM. One of the true original community based radio stations. Real
People, Good music, support of talent and local involvement in the arts
and music scene. A lot of stations now claim to be "Community radio"
when all they are is just a soap box for a political agenda. They need
to take a look at one of the great true community radio stations, KWFM.


I miss KWFM dearly. Times change and when they do some of the best
parts of life become a cherished memory.

I can remember having an FM converter in my car so as to listen to KWFM
radio. I remember listening to one of the original DJ's, Jim Ray, and
immediately became a loyal listener to KWFM. One of KWFM's main
formats/strengths was to take other cuts/tracks from albumn's and play
them over the Top 40 formats by other stations. I first heard and
listened to Dan Fogelberg on KWFM. Captured Angel. I was hooked. What
memories.  R.I.P. B.C.

FINALLY ! Some history about one the most influential (and early) Tucson
FM Station!!

Many of the persons mentioned here I've had 
the pleasure of meeting & working with over the 
years in and around Tucson/Southern Arizona radio.

Like Jim Brady, I too hung around the studios from time to time but
alas, I was WAY too young but was 
still Interested.  It's unfortunate that there aren't any air checks to
listen to but . . . the 
voices that made KWFM I can remember like yesterday!! My most sincere
Thanks for your web site, & if by any chance I have ANY air checks in 
my collection, I WILL DEFINATELY pass it on to here!!  

Sincerely,
Frank Luna
Chief Eng.

580 AM, 1210 AM, 1080 AM, 100.3 FM

....thanks for the memories, KWFM RULES!!!

I was also looking around for Meighan and Riopelle music not too
recently (within past year) and dropped by PDQ records on Grant in
Tucson. Browsing through the old vinyl sections, I found several copies
of their albums; picked out all the ones I was missing. You might have
similar luck at Bookmans too, they have used records. I wish they had
recorded more material.
Good luck,
Francisco

I went to high school in Tucson 79-83 & still remember this as one of
the best radio stations EVER! I've worked in the music biz for 20 years
& the world is a better place because of KWFM! Thanks for all the great
music & memories! Cheers

Hi Tim,
I'll scan some 8x10 promo photos I have of Bob Cooke and send them to
you. Thanks for putting together the web site.

Cheers,

Eric Schecter
a.k.a Eric Spector
KWFM 1977-1980 or so.

Bill,
I had dinner with Nina Joy many years (10?) ago. She was out of the
radio biz and working for American Express at the time. Lost track of
her after that.
I gave her a tape of the Open Forum Program the day after Bill Compon
passed away. E-mail me if you want a copy.
Eric

Hi Everybody! Just wanted to share some exciting news with you. Soosie
and I are in the process of re-locating to San Diego. After 30
wonderful years in Arizona I have landed a job with Jefferson-Pilot
Communications as Director of Engineering for their cluster of stations
here. KBZT is radio without borders and of course KSON is the heritage
Country station here. Also there is KiFM smooth jazz to watch the sun
set over the ocean. J-P isn't corporate radio like most groups. I'm
really lucky to be able to contribute to the accomplishments of so many
fine folks here. And hey,no more hot summers! What a great bonus. Surf's
up...

Hello friends! It's been so quiet on this site for over a year! Figured
it's time to post something. My radio job here evaporated at the end of
September, so I am between opportunities as it were.

We are finally going to get some much needed rain here in SoCal.

Hope you all have a pleasant Thanksgiving, 2008, and here's looking
forward to the new administration in Washington.

All the best,

Eric

P.S.: Look me up on Facebook if the mood strikes you.

Hey all, Just wanted to let you know that I'm back in AZ now for about a
year and a half. The San Diego gig went bust after 4 years, and I was
lucky to get my old job back with CBS Radio and be re-united with some
old friends. If you happen by, say hi.

Adios!

Sad to report the recent passing of the lovely and talented Nina Joy.
Danny Zelisko sent out the news on 11/29:2015. RIP Nina

KWFM was the ONLY station my big brother and I ever listened to in the
'70's and early 80's.  It was the greatest, and this web site has
brought back great memories of the station.  I remember one of the DJ's
doing a special segment where a disco record would be "put on trial"
(played) and then destroyed.  Would LOVE to hear that again!

Thanks for the memories,

Eric.

Used to hang around with Dave Gordon  in the mid-70s. Left town in '77
to report for daily newspapers. Retired  in 2013  and moved back to
Tucson. Would love to track Dave down. Anyone know where he is?

I had the privilege of working with KWFM in the glory days of Tucson
radio.

As Opti-Graphics Visual Productions I was tasked to videotape KWFM
music events, like the recordings of the Westwood Studios live
Homegrown Hour sessions, with Central Air, Bob Meighan (sp), Dusty
Chaps, Jerry Rhiopelle and others.

I also taped the fabulous KWFM 10th Anniversary bash at Old Tucson
studios.

Working with the FM greats like Jim Ray, Lee Dombrowski (GM) and 'The
famous Jim Brady'. We had some cool 'parties' too!! (sniff! ;-)

Anybody remember Mud Wrestling with MODA? Remember that? Choo-Choos? It
was on 'PM MAGAZINE' with Martha Vasquez, sponsored by KWFM!

Tucson is not the same without this station and these talented people.
I would love to find some of the albums that were created during these
sessions, and if anyone has a setlist for the KWFM 10th Anniversary
bash, I'd love to have it!

There was a local band, very talented, with a very HOT female lead
singer... what was her name?? The band was 'Street' something..,. GAWD,
I hate getting OLD!! Help me out here folks!

Found this while searching for MODA Mud Wrestling. I had no idea the KW
was still online! HAHA! I just read the blurs, and I wrote it!!
HAHAHA!!! No one answered the question tho'. I believe it was 1980, but
I need the exact date for a video I am making of the Night Train/ PM Mag
show. I guess locals all know that Martha was fired last year from KVOA
for shop-lifting (like they don't pay her enough!!).

I worked 'with' KWFM from 1979-1982, videotaping their events, including
the Westwood Studios Homegrown stuff, the 9th and 10th anniversaries,
the MODA- Choo-Choos, Mud Wrestling event (I was the photographer for
all MODA events). I will be posting the KVOA PM Magazine segment on
Vimeo and will post a link when it is ready. It is about all that
survives on tape, now digitized. I have the Central Air tape, but it is
so bad it would take years to clean it up, but copies were made for the
entire band and Jim Ray, so someone should have a copy! Whoever
monitors this site, please contact me. Wish I would have known about
the 40th event, I would love to have seen the old gang again. BTW, you
have Margie Wrye's name spelled wrong throughout this entire site.
'Rye' is a drink, not  a DJ! ;-) LOL!!

Just stumbled on your site. What a trip down memory lane. I was born and
raised in Tucson and was a disco hater from the get go. My wife of 28
years still remembers me listening to kw back then. I had forgotten
about the Dixie Dregs. Got to go find my cassette. Thanks again.

I remember sitting in my parent's house late at night watching channel 9
with my Walkman tuned to 92.1.  Rock 'n Roll picture show was awesome!

John Shook where are you?

D