Amazing to see all these pictures of my parents (Jim and Donna). My
father taught me an appreciation for music that fulfills my life to
this day, and by 15 I could convincingly agree why Aja is superior to
Gaucho; however, my father might disagree. He passed in 2001 and he is
missed dearly. I hope these pictures remain up for a long time.

What a flashback! I worked Traffic at KWFM in the mid '70s. What a great
trip it was! Morning chats with Matt Siegel (who I see on TV ads for his
show in Boston - no hair!! :) great seeing photos of his old shag "do").
Afternoon discussions with Dave Gordon. Laughs with Larry Sottosanti.
Dancing to Bob Meighan. Sitting next to Tom Waits during the studio
concerts. Jerry Jeff Walker, picking up bands at the airport - OMG -
all the back stage fun we had!! Worked at Choo-Choos in college -
worked at WHFS in
Bethesda, MD in the '80's (someone here mentioned that station) - I
miss you folks - I miss those days - no commercials - just MUSIC. Radio
is not like that anymore. But I'm still dancing at the edge of the
ocean!
We were like a family - it was awesome.
Thanks for the great flashback I had tonight.

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 remember KWFM as a listener.  I remember how its DJ personalities
molded my and others' exposure and our taste of Rock n' Roll music
while coming of age as a teenager in the late 1970's.  KWFM was an
integral part of the freshman student experience at The University of
Arizona in the late summer of 1978.  Everything felt so new including
what emanated from the stereo speakers in our dormitories, the
fraternity houses and apartment dwellings.

Was it Tucson's "Golden Age of Radio"?  I believe that it was.  KWFM
was one of Tucson's first tenants on the mysterious FM dial, a frontier
that demanded the eclectic and creative.  In the fall of 1978,  KWFM was
voted the 9th best radio station in the country by Rolling Stone
magazine.  KWFM comforted us through the deaths of Keith Moon and John
Lennon.  It introduced Tucson listeners to "Punk" and "New Wave". 
Before cable and before all night local television, KWFM was our
overnight sentinel.

How can one relive the entire KWFM 70's and early 80's?  We must build
a spaceship that can travel faster than radio transmissions.  We must
catch up to all those fleeting signals of the music and the warm voices
in between.


"I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night 
Any place it goes is right 
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here"

Holy Shee-yite!  Came across this site purely by accident.  Almost
brought tears to my eyes!  I moved to Tucson in '63 from northern MN. 
I worked at Choo-Choo's from '71-'75-ish.  I was Doc's housemate
(w/Gary Murray) on Waverly & Shag worked w/me, then took my spot as
mgr. when I left for NoCA.  I was in Tucson a few years back & didn't
recognize it.  My family lived up near Ina/Oracle when it was out of
the city.  God, I loved Tucson!  The Shanty, all of those bars up &
down 4th Ave, PocoLoco.  I've retired from IBM & MGM/Mirage in Vegas
now living in the stix in the Ozarks -- peaceful & beautiful.  PS.
Where's Jon Millar now??

I grew up in Tucson and in my early years, my station of choice was
KTKT. When Kdub came around, I spent quite some time trying to get an
FM setup in my bedroom in the foothills. When I did, my world changed
and I became engaged in music and new sounds that still engage me
today. I'll always remember placing the white sticker with the yellow
sun all over my parent's house and my Dad going nuts.

I was extremely disappointed when Kdub disappeared in a format change
and I still know the disappointment I had back then. I have since moved
away from Tucson and have been exposed to bigger cities and the radio
they offer, but outside of WXRT here in Chicago, nothing really comes
close. Even XRT doesn't fill the bill, but I know how strongly
listeners in Chicago have felt about this station and I understand. It
just isn't enough for me. As time goes on, I find that I really
appreciate the past and this website is a fine reminder of how
important the past can be. I still remember absolute shock over the
senselessness of Bob Cooke's death. But my other memories are equally
as strong and they remind me of a Tucson I no longer see when I'm
there.

When I visit Tucson today, which I do yearly, I seek out a station that
might take me back, but one never does. Kdub will never be replaced but
if I take time and think back, I can't quite feel those days, but their
presence in me is unmistakable. Thank you for the website and the
jogging of memories.

It's so gratifying that this music and time in our lives will live on -
captured here. And what a treat to read notes from fans of the old
K-dub. That was a magic time. Thanks to Dave LaRussa and all who
contribute to make this site possible. 

I stumbled onto this site doing a Google search. What a great find. This
brings back great memories. I was born and raised in Tucson and remember
the only radio that really existed then was AM top 20. FM was in its
infancy and had little to offer except 92.9. I remember having a KWFM
bumper sticker on my ’70 Mustang. My favorite Djs were Karen Stern
and of course Bob Cooke. Anyone remember the "Disco Dystrophy Kangaroo
Court"? Bob would select a worthy current disco record and put it on
trial. The inevitable verdict was death and he'd proceed to carry out
the sentence by smashing it to pieces. Classic and original radio. They
don't make radio like this anymore. Thanks for a great tribute.

I lived in Tucson from Jan 71 to 80. I doubt I ever listened to another
station.  I have many anecdotes about KW, and get red-eyed remembering.
I lived in some bigger cities that claimed great FM, but none touched
KW. My little brother got pulled over in Arlington, Va and was forced
to scrape the sticker I gave him off the car. Thanks for the great
site.

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!!

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

Lord have mercy how I miss J.Snyder, Allen Browning, Bill Russle, Jim
Brady, and of course, Lee Dombrowski. Tried to get in touch w/Matt
Segal (rockin' in Bean Town) Broadcast life after KW was brief...about
a year @ KAIR, then into publishing (Sale-O-Gram, Tucson Shopper), I'm
sure the 'Shopper still inundates the Tucson area mail boxes on a
weekly basis. Then on to El Paso for another 'shopper', then to Austin,
TX for still another tree destroying fish-wrap. Lastly came auto sales
with Performance Mazda, Desert Toyota, Dave Aufmuth and a couple
others. Mom's illness brought me to Dayton, OH in 1990, where I've been
stuck ever since. Although I did get to break bread w/ AB and talked w/
Jim Brady. I sure miss the area where a person can breathe air without
having to chew it first. If any of you old KWs from the early-mid 70's
catch this diatribe, it would be more than fantastic to hear from you.
P.S. Whatever happened to Diane and Stan Sloan???

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.

Was working in Tucson from 1975-1980. Loved that
station, been none like it since. Grew my interest for alot of new
music and boy was there some good music in that you all invited us to
hear.   

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 !

I arrived in Tucson in mid-August 1981 as the new General Manager under
the new Sandusky ownership.  Lee Dombrowski stayed on as General Sales
Manager, Jimmy Ray was Program Director, Jim Owens was Production
Director.  It was a "magic" time for me in my 36 year broadcast career
and I reflect on it often.

Thanks for putting it all together.  

Wow.

Tripped across your site. It brought back many memories of a Tucson
lost to me, where I whiled away the better part of my youth and all my
best memories remain.

My family had moved to the area in 1969, and I was always a faithful
listener until I left in 1996, in spite of the changes the station had
undergone. 

The classic KWFM logo on this site wrenched the heart and revived old
memories for me. The earler yellow-sun and earlier logos would display
nicely alongside, don't you think...?

Thanks for the site. You have no idea.    

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!

I "Stumbled Inn" to this site while Googling for some digital Street
Pajama tracks, and I'm so glad that I did!

Even though I never worked there, KWFM played a huge role that still
impacts my life today. I moved to Tucson in 1980, got a job working for
Perlin Advertising and took part time gigs writing for NewsReal and
running the American Country Countdown show (country music's answer to
Casey Kasem) weekends at KCUB. The whole time I was at KCUB, I wanted
to be Karen Stern or Margie, playing the Dregs, Zappa, Delbert
McClinton and Graham Parker.

Eric Schecter was working at KCUB part time as an engineer, and through
him I met Bob Cooke, Bob Bish and Lauren Pace (Lauren had worked traffic
for KW and went on to own the legendary Hand Me Ups on Grant Rd). It was
Bish and Lauren who introduced me to Bob Baldwin in 1982 - must have
been the right thing because we've been married 20 years.

Bob Cooke was without a doubt the most brilliant dj I'd ever heard then
or since. Listening to his airchecks tonight had me laughing and then
tearing up all over again like it was 1982 all over again. (At the time
of his death, my boss in the copy dept. of Old Pueblo Traders was a
friend of Tanya Robinson, the woman who killed him - made work damned
awkward and I quit shortly after to write copy and produce commercials
at KAIR/K-JOY). I didn't know Bob Cooke well. I felt the loss mostly as
a fan and through people who were close to him - my Bob still
occasionally laments that he owed Cooke a dinner at Blue Willow that he
never had a chance to pay up.

I've spent about 3 hours tonight reliving good music and good times
Ninos, Dooleys, Pawnbroker; Street Pajama, Bob Meighan, Giant
Sandworms, Los Lasers....thanks for the trip back to Bob's Berzerko
Lounge and the progressive radio Camelot of Tucson's musical history. 

I landed in Tucson from the East Coast in 1980 and started working in
radio. (I'm nobody you'd ever heard of - worked mostly in production in
other formats) 

I was lucky enough to occasionally hang out with some of the K-Dub
folks: Eric Schecter, Bob Bish (who introduced me to my husband) and,
all too briefly, Bob Cooke. Listening to the sound checks, hearing his
voice after nearly 26 years - I'd nearly forgotten how freaking
brilliant he was. Hardly knew him, but his death hit me hard - it was a
big loss to the Tucson radio community as well as to him family and
friends.

Those were good time years for a while - dancing to Street Pajama, Bob
Meighan Band and Los Lasers on the too-small dance floor at Ninos,
hanging at the Stumble Inn and (the original) Gentle Ben's,  Giant
Sandworms playing at BB & LP's "wedding", the "Party on the Patio" at
Yanks... I feel so fortunate to have been part of that time and I'm
grateful that KWFM lives on, thanks to this site!

Was a Pills fan and Billy Clone and the Same. What happened to the band
members in The Pills, does anyone know?

You guys REALLY need merchandise! T-shirts and bumper stickers; it's
been years since I've driven a car with a KWFM bumper sticker... it
just hasn't felt right since. 

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.

In 1975 Tim Buckley gave one of his last performances at an old roller
rink near 22nd and Kolb (?) which eventually became a furniture store
and who knows what it is now. It was the one concert of the many I had
seen over the years that I still feel priveleged to have witnessed. It
was also the most bizarre because the roller rink remained open while
Tim played. Teeny boppers scrambling all over the place while Tim and
his group performed on a platform with just barely enough room for them
to stand on and with no room to move. It was "bye bye baby" that night
for the 100 or so fans that turned out to see Tim for what would be the
last time.
What I want to know is this- did KWFM have anything to do with bringing
Tim to that show and does anyone remember the show? Email me if you
like.

By the by...I was working as a CSI with TPD the night BC was slain. I
missed getting the call to the scene by a whisker. I'm glad I didn't
make that one. I want to remember him the only way I knew of him...by
his voice. Bob Cooke, in my mind, is still one of the best to host a
show. He was more than just a voice. He had a wit and personality that
most performers only wished they had. Like most young people in Tucson
during the 70s and 80s I only listened to KWFM. The call letters still
roll around in my fleeting mind as if I was still there. In my 52 years
I can't say that about too many radio stations. Living in Tucson in the
70s and 80s it was only K Dub and KUAT's AM jazz station (which was on
from dawn till dusk) for me.

Aside from BC KWFM had some great voices coming over the waves. Allan
Browning's voice was made for radio as was Dave LaRussa's. Anyway,
thanks KWFM for making this web site so an old fart like myself can
relive his golden years. I now feel I can go another 52. Remember,
"Happiness is submission to Vinnie"

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

Holy smokes! I was there for the Lee Dombrowski, Jim Hardy, Nancy
Wilson, Jim Ray days. And I worked with lots of the alumni at KTKT/KLPX
too. I went to Denver with Hardy and later Lee then moved east to Prov.
RI market. I saw Hardy in San Francisco about 15 years ago. We had a
great visit. And where's Kimberly Craft? I saw her in Boston in the
80's. I'm practicing law now but KWFM has my fondest of memories.

I came to Tucson from northeast Missouri in the Summer of '72. I was
stationed at DM, working at the hospital. It didn't take long for me to
discover KWFM, and my radio stayed tuned to it till 1977, when I left
Tucson. 

KWFM introduced me to a universe of artists I had never heard of, and
probably wouldn't have if not for their outstanding crew and
programming.
Sometime in '76, KWFM simulcasted a concert by Tom Waits. I mention it
because I didn't see it in the history, and it was a really good show.

KWFM also introduced me to the National Lampoon Radio Hour, whose cast
included John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Michael O'Donahue, and other folks
who went on to The Not Ready For Prime Time Players.

I can tell you for sure that KWFM kept a lot of lonely serviceman far
from home company on a lot of nights, and I was one of them. Thanx for
a lot of great memories and music.

Aloha David,

Howszit? Great seeing your pics on the net.  You look like your
father.

Hows Diana?

I am living in Kapaa, Hawaii on the Island of Kauai.

If you get this, email me and we will catch up.  G-d Bless & A Hui Hou,
JR

My start was at Chicago's WYEN in 1973. I'm still on the air at WKOA
Lafayette In. Several of our personalities have spent time in Tuson.
I'm glad you have kept the memories alive.