Awesome! :)

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

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!

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.

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

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.

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!!!

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.

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

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 ! 

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.

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?

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

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!

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.

The blue glow of my Pioneer receiver in the middle of the night with the
best music ever to come across the airwaves.  Still remember
Springsteen's version of "Fever."  Awesome.  Great site here, thanks.

Glad to hear about the reunion!

I worked with Perk Clark (who is out of town this weekend) on print ads
for the station for the Tucson edition of New Times in '71 and '72. I
miss the station!

I have been a cartoonist for the Tucson Weekly since '87.

Rock on!

In 1981 or 82 KWFM partnered with the U of A Flandrau Planetarium to
present "Cosmic Radiance" the first locally produced full-featured
laser light show ever done there. 

The show opening was a panorama of the Tucson skyline with an orange
setting sun, under which the KWFM logo letters faded in. The sun set as
the panorama faded out and then the letters faded out as the music
started. 

I remember going to the KWFM studios every week with an arm-load of LPs
to trade for the LPs for the featured artist for that week's show. We
mixed the show in a small studio in a converted closet covered in
carpet by the planetarium loading dock then took the tape into the
theater to add the visual effects.

I can still see the images from 'Dark Side of the Moon' in my minds
eye. (We certainly played that show a lot!) One of the best points of
my life.

Thanks for this web site's trip down memory lane.

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

Hey everybody!  Looks like Jim Ray is coming to town for a visit and
that means KWFM staff reunion!  Mark your calendars for November 6th
and contact me or Margie for the details.  Looking forward to seeing
you all there!

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!

It was so much fun photographing the crew throughout the years. KWFM was
my favorite station. Miss all of you.

I started listening to KWFM in 1974 while cooking breakfast and lunch at
Dorado Country Club. Listened to Mark Youngs morning show and called in
requests alot. He had us over for a party at his apartment. Was sorry
to hear the next year he died. I'm listening to his recorded dec 1974
show as I type this. This is a great idea and brings back great
memories from a time long gone by. Thanks.

John Shook where are you?

D

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

I grew up on KWFM ..... Nothing like growing up at the base of the Santa
Catalinas with the warm winds blowin' and Steely Dan, Bad Company and
Santana pumpin' thru on the old Kenwood.  Beautiful .....

Doug, that "Street" something would be Street Pajama, and you can find a
song by them in the "KWFM On The Air" album, posted on this site under
the "LIVE!" tab.

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!

I don't really understand why Clear Channel didn't bring back the KWFM
call leters on Tucson's 92.9 frequency, maybe a few of the old jocks,
etc.  Especially since they play a Triple AAA format now and own the
calls KWFM on 1450 AM.  Seems like the least they could have done out
of respect for Tucsonans and radio fans.

Course in this day and age of corporatism it still wouldn't really
resemble the old KW.  What a GREAT station that was.  A lot of great
memories!

Hi everyone,

Looking back on KWFM and those days ...it was amazing how the station
really helped promote local bands.
Those memories of the desert are still dear to all of us that were
there.
Today, the Air Brothers and Rock Doctor are almost never mentioned at
all yet we lived there many years.
If you're interested in The Air Brothers  Band, Rock Doctor, Roy
Raisin, then please contact Chris Drake at Sphinxtricity@gmail.com. 
I'd love to get back in touch with friends.

Thanks for everything...Chris