My Sandusky predecessor made the deal to buy KWFM from Alvin Korngold. 
I was lukewarm to cold on the acquisition for a number of reasons, not
the least of which was that I thought we had agreed to pay too much for
the station.  The ratings had slumped.

Dudley White, Sandusky's chairman, told me bluntly and impatiently one
day that I had to **** or put my pants back on.

So we informed Mr. Korngold that there had been material adverse change
at KW, contract jargon usually reserved for Acts of God, and would not
consummate the deal.  So we renegotiated and saved a million bucks.

In 1982, only 4 AOR radio stations in the country ranked #1 overall in
their respective markets: KBPI, KDKB, KWFM and WMMS in Cleveland.  That
accomplishment, one of many, is a sterling tribute to Jim Hardy, Jim Ray
Cobb, Lee Dombrowski and the entire team of All-Stars that staffed,
loved and continue to love KWFM.

I and Sandusky were fortunate to have played a part in the station's
rich history and tradition of excellence.

Thanks to Margie Wrye, Cool 1450 and Clear Channel for putting together
the KWFM 2010 Reunion Special.  It was a captivating hour and a half; a
trip down memory lane!  (...if you missed it, you can listen to it at
your leisure here on the tribute website...)

Happy holidays, everyone!

The reunion show was fantastic!
Nice to have a short blast of old, favorite memories, specially late
nights with BC.

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?

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.

Since the reunion show Dec. 19, 10, I've made it a habit to listen in on
my youth. Brain theory currently attributes the olfactory wiring across
certain neurocenters to make the scent of a cookie bring us back to a
day in 19-whatever, but I swear, listening to my k-dub on this site
transports me aurally in the same way.
Just the Mark Young Dec. 9 "74 aircheck with Blind Faith's "Can't Find
My Way Home" makes me visualize the Jack in the Box on old Speedway as
I sat talking to the clown ordering a great greasy taco at 1 a.m., on
my way home to Catalina Garden Apts. a couple blocks north at Pima and
Jerry, across from Al-Anon, and 2 Circle K's.
Keep this site up!
And, uh, thanks, man ! 

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

What a blast it is to find this site. We moved to Tucson in 1978 and I
soon started working with Fred, Roger and Bill Cashman at Westwood to
put together a new band for the up and coming Street Pajama. I booked
and did sound for what I thought where the best years. Those gig's at
Tequila Mockingbird very cool. I have just spent most of the afternoon
listing to the Central Air Session that was recorded at Westwood for
KWFM. I happened to be in the studio that night. What a great band.
Cherie and I will be in Tucson in a couple of weeks, would be great to
see some of those folks.

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!!!

Wow!!!  What a flashback this site is.  I grew up in Tucson and played
in a band called "Bloodstone"  along with Marc Lock, Brian LeBoeuf,
Drew Comey, and David Detor.  We were included on your radio ad posted
on this site from the 1980 Night Train KWFM ad.  We used to play at the
Night Train, The Twin Peaks, The Embers, and played at the TCC for a UA
Homecoming party.  I remember Fred from "The Pills" as we went to the
same church together.  I also remember Winston Watson, whom I believe,
joined a later iteration of The Pills.  Great site.  Thanks for the
memories.

I was a part of the KWFM 9th birthday bash at Ried park and would love
to see pictures, video or audio tapes, please contact me  at
aquavato@cox.net

One reason KW was so successful was it had that we will do as we please
attitude. They played what everyone wanted to hear, not what some d!@&
back in New York wanted to play to us. 

  I was sorry to see it go.

Wow, I wish I had been in Tucson at the time of this station! My
girlfriend used to work at Shipwreck Kelly's and would watch a band
called "Central Air, of whom she just turned me onto. 

What's the backstory on those guys? What an awesome group! Thanks
again!

Hey Margie its Sharon remember me we used to work together in the 80s at
Klpx. You always have when we have spoke. Wanted to say Hi and if
possible can u email I am trying to find out if Ohio Joe has a email.in
Texas. Joe and I were very good friends if you remember. Been thinking
about him so if u could let me know.
Love you always 
Sharon

Awesome! :)

I have to say, whoever did your website did a FANTASTIC JOB!

As a radio junkie, and having been employed at great radio stations
like KNUS 99 Dallas, KVIL, WBEN, I always love to find collections of
those stations assembled into little historical archives of how those
stations appeared in the early days.

How I wish that I could find a KNUS 99 website done even 1/10th as
completely as yours is!

When I was an early teen back in the 70's my sister has some Pure
Prairie League albums, and I never listened to them myself.  However I
listened to all of what was available on your site, and I am now hooked
on their music, Thanks!!

Finally, let me add that, as an ex radio broadcast engineer, the high
quality of the audio on this site was a big unexpected surprise! 

Thanks again for creating such a wonderful website
that brought me back by reminding me of my previous radio days in the
early 70's!

Karl Ireland - Dallas TX

On a weekend whim I did a search for the Magic Rat, Michael Hester and I
found that you want to find his whereabouts too.  What a perfect time to
have been in radio.  I was up on Swan Road at KIKX in 1975-77.  Michael
let me visit the KW studio's one night during his air shift.  He even
let me do a Beatles segue and KW sounded a little bit TOP 40 there for
a couple tunes.  Good Memories for what I can remember but the feeling
thinking back still makes me shake.  Too Our Perky Sunny Days!  Toodles
Toots.  Thank you for this serendipity happen chance.  Aloha Baby

SANDUSKY RADIO....SHOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT IT...ONLY TO SCREW UP THIS
STATION..WITH TOP 40 DISCO CRAP...NOW THE CALL LETTERS ARE ON AM...THIS
IS..UNACCEPTABLE....GREAT JOB SANDUSKY RADIO...WHAT A JOKE.........

memories, what wonderfull memeries Tucson in the 70s thanks all.

Wow, been a long time since I commented on th K-DUB site.  Amazing how
many familiar names have popped up.  What's more amazing is that this
once powerhouse radio station is still engrained in so people's minds,
we can't forget that part of our lives, I know I sure can't.  The years
I worked there and the friends I made and still have will be with me
forever.  Thanks Tim for doing this site and thank all of you for
remembering.

I so remember and miss the days when radio was good.

Truly a great station! Remembering staying in the car - even after
arriving at your destination- to finish listening to Hey Jude or Layla-
played in their entirety, of course. Miss hearing all kinds of music and
great DJs.

Geez Louise!!! They just cannot make a Radio Station like KWFM was in
the 70's-some of the 80's.  Bob Cooke was the Greatest!!!!  We had alot
great AM conversation. R.I.P. Mon Ami!!!
Lived in San Francisco in the mid 80's to mid 90's KFOG was like KWFM
but couldn't and never could be like FM in the 70's.
I live in Coastal North County San Diego and we have a cool local
Station called Sets 102,  But I like my music via satellite. Too bad we
cannot "beam" all the Greatness of the 1970's KWFM into  Space and back
to Earth. It's the Back to Earth that hards!!! Thanks to whoever put
this together!!!  My Brother Jim was in a few of those great bands we
had around town back then!!! Adios Muchachos~ Tomas

The Best ever!!

Remembering the 1st KWFM day, at the then Randolph Park. Also the many
good times listening to all my favs...ZZ Top, Lynard Skynard, Clapton,
Seger.
Always waiting to hear what concerts were coming to town. Back then
half the fun was waiting over night in line for tickets. I waited for
hours & hours to get Stones tickets in June of 78 for the July show.
The kids in front of me got the last 3 tickets! I went to TCC the
evening of the show, I ended up getting a ticket for $5.00. Wonderful
memories..I'm still a rock n roll girl !

My aunt, Joan Klukas, worked for KWFM around 1982, 1983 timeframe in the
advertising dept.  She brought my 3 brothers and me in for a tour of the
studio on one occasion, where we met DJ Rick Allen, and were given a
Pink Floyd album as a souvenir.  It was a great experience to see where
the rubber met the road.

Stumbled into this site following a memory lane trip that started with
looking for WTBS's Night Tracks show back in 1982. That brought
memories of the Rock and Roll Picture Show; I was 15 at the time living
in Nogales Sonora Mexico (60 miles south of Tucson). Me and my brother
had to rig up our TV antenna on the roof (no cable!) to properly get
channel 9... fuzzy and ghosty at best but it was enough: it was the
once hour we could see videos and listen to them in full blast stereo
sound. Stopped to check the personalities names in the site and it was
like seeing old friends... Mike Rapp... Kimberly Craft... Bryan
Miller...

Been working as a Radio Broadcast Engineer since 1987, currently doing
so in New York City for a Financial News AM station. Far cry from the
days when KWFM was a staple in my HS and college years... and the one
station that kept KLPX on its toes :-)

Long live KWFM!

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.

Hi there KWFM folks!!  After decades sitting in a closet, I have
transfered nearly 60 photographs I took during my KWFM years
(1974-1980) to disc. I'd like very much to share them with all of you,
as most have never been seen except by a few close friends. Someone
please tell me HOW to get them onto this website. I can't seem to find
out how to accomplish this task.  Help.  It'll be worth it...wait and
see.  Thanks alot, John Shook

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