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 !

Both smiles and tears seeing this site..... I met Bob Cooke at a KWFM
party in 1977 when I heard someone say "blah  blah  blah...Union, NJ."
I turned around and said "who's from Union?" There was Cooke, after we
exchanged names we found he graduated Union High with my younger
brother and I graduated with his older brother. (His DAD was the
principal of Union High during my time there). An instant bond was
formed. I hung out at the booth many night's with Bob and always felt
special when he would say  "Hi, Bob Cooke....AND FRIENDS...here at
KWFM"  Many, many very good times with him at the station as well as
off work. His death was not only a tragedy for his friends, family and
fellow workers, but a loss for Tucson and beyond.

This has been a very enjoyable trek down memory lane being some 25-30
years ago. If anyone wants to talk about old times, I'd love it.

Mike 

was norm flint, KWFM's GM in 1970, the producer of a garage band in
Monterey, CA in 1967, called The Rock Shop? I just found their only
song "Is That Your Halo?" on Fuzz, Flaykes, and Shakes Vol. 4 on a CD
produced in Germany. The Norm Flint I know was also a DJ from KMBY 1240
AM before being the producer of the Rock Shop. Great song!

It's great to see that so many people have signed this guestbook and
visited the KWFM page over the past 2 years.  KWFM meant a lot to many
people.  I especially like listening to all the old airchecks from
folks I knew and to remember that era in Tucson.  This is a great web
page!  Keep up the great work!

Mike Kraushaar (aka Pete Michaels)
Former DJ at KLPX, KSTM and currently at RadioFreePhoenix

One of my favorite memories was sitting on 4-Wheel Hill near Snyder &
Harrison with all my buddies and our girlfriends around the fire with
KWFM cranked up.  It was about 1978 and whenever "The Smoke Off" by
Shel Silverstein came on (it was a new record then so it came on KW a
couple times each night) we'd all shut up and listen to the lyrics with
a big grin, then roll another number and have a good ol' time!  KW was
the happenin' thang!

This site is fantastic!  It's a great tribute to the staff, the
listeners and to the Old Pueblo. KWFM was the best and a great part of
broadcasting history.  What a time we had, growing up in Tucson and
listening to KWFM.  The station was my inspiration to go to UofA, major
in Radio/Television and become a DJ/Announcer in the 80's and 90's. 
Those days of creative FM programming are gone forever but never
forgotten.  Party On!

Mike Kraushar, AKA Pete Michaels
FORMER DJ AT KLPX & KSTM "The Storm" in Phoenix

Wow!  This brings back some memories! I loved KWFM!  As a youngster,
rock musician and budding radio guy myself, that was the pinacle to
which I aspired.

I have a Bob Cooke story... I was a student DJ in the late 70s on
KUAT-AM (the local public radio/jazz station).

Bob called me during my shift one night to ask if I'd ever considered
doing commercial radio.  He said he thought I'd do well in the
business. 

That blew my mind! Having this pro-DJ calling to talk to me was a
thrill that I still recount decades later.  It meant a lot to me. I was
so sad when he left us...and in such a bizarre way!

I still do a bit of announcing on TV and Radio in Tucson, but one of my
buddies (also a budding student DJ at the time) is still burning up the
airwaves in Tucson...Mike Rapp.

A hearty pat on the back to all those who made my college years more
liveable by letting me tune into KWFM on my radio!

Mike Serres

Man, what memories this site brings back. I started listening to KW when
I was about 15, in 1976. The many great times that I associate with
listening to this station all come flooding back, Choo Choos, the Gran
Faloon Salloon, and just hangin' out with my buds....and somebody
always had an FM radio so we could party while we listened. Thanks for
a fantastic site.

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.

Got Fogerty's live of "Almost Saturday Night."  I was at Riopelle's "In
the Round" shows at the Celebrity Theater.  Listened to Meighan but
never caught him live.  Saw Jerry Riopelle about a dozen times.  Would
really like to get a line on some Meighan material.

Anyone have any leads or know of who may sell his work???

Thanks!

What a treat to see this.  Brought back some great memories for me.  I
was the Local Sales Manager from sometime in 1981 through 1983, when I
moved to Sacramento to work for KZAP.  Any one know where Jim Ray is? 
I know Jim Hardy is in Puerto Vallarta.  How about Lee Dombrowski or
Kimberly Craft?

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!

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.

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.

Dear Old Real Radio Hounds,

	Imagine my surprise….. KWFM certainly lives in my head and heart,
and I’m happy to see all the aged expatriates writing in to confirm
that they have not been swallowed-up by what now passes for commercial
radio. Since my mother was the first female newscaster in New Mexico
(in, I believe, 1938) I have a small bit of family investment in the
free airwaves.  Mom would like that New Times picture of me too… all
that hair….

	It is of course crucial to add some names to the employee list. Those
of us in the Public Affairs Department in 1974 (ok, that means me) were
busy recording news-maker and rocker interviews for the show entitled
“Love News Confusion,” an original creation by Dick Hermans whom I
replaced.  My personal favorite interview exists now as a CD: a killer
discussion with John McLaughlin, who presented a number of stunning
insights into his spiritual and musical paths.  Forgive me but the
interviews with Ravi Shankar, Howard Baker, John Mayall, and Cheech and
Chong (recorded at the still-standing El Minuto after their show) have
long disappeared into tape-dust.

	I am indebted to many of you for an era of very creative effort, and
my final hurrah in public media.  The experience drove me to become a
psychotherapist, where I still work with crazed individuals but now
make more than $40 a week.  

	*thanks to those guys in the next-door Spanish radio station for
calling me “Pescado” whenever they saw me
	*thanks to Matt Seigel for demonstrating that a music segue could
literally provoke an altered state of consciousness 
	*thanks to Lee Dombroski for selling advertising so that I could spend
eight hours generating thirty minutes of taped music and interviews
	*thanks to Janey Snyder for being the brilliant station on-air female
presence and for playing Allman Brother’s “Blue Sky” every time I
phoned in the request…

	Let’s quit our day jobs and start up again!  I’m ready!

Perk Clark

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!

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"

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.........

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!

Hey, come on over and take a look at the great new KTKT tribute web
site!
Relive the great old days of Tucson radio at www.ktkt99.com!

Before there was KWFM, there was KTKT. Be sure to check out the KTKT
tribute website at www.ktkt99.com

Glad I stumbled on this site. My air name was Rich Kalin. I started out
at KW as a part timer sometime around 1980. Bob Bish showed me the
low-tech board while getting high on a overnight shift! I did weekends
and fill ins for about a year. I left for a brief time to do sales for
an AM Top 40 station in Tucson (KHIT???). I returned to do part time
again (for minimum wage!). Soon after I returned, KWFM was bought out
by a large company. Bob Bish was let go and I replaced him as the
weekday overnight DJ until sometime in 1982. Bob Cooke was the morning
DJ. Great memories from a great station.

After a few years out of the business and some 24 years after being on
the air at KWFM. it's nice to see a legend being remembered.

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.

Tucson really lost a great radio station when the KWFM as we knew it
left us.  Bob, we love and miss you......  Radio just ain't the same
without ya.  Can't read that from a liner card!

Robert (Foster) Napier

Had a crazy dream last night...was up on the roof of my teenage house
listing to KWFM again. Heard Street Pajama's "Screwed" in the dream.
After getting the morning caffeine, I went straight to the web looking
for that song. Thank Goodness for Google! Found this website and
remembered how much fun I had filling out 150 forms for the 79 top ten
list for rolling stone magazine! I still have three k-dub stickers on
my metal footlocker! Thanks for giving me an eclectic taste in music!
Have added the site to my favorites!

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!

Where else in 1970 could anyone hear songs like "The Legend of the USS
Titanic" by Jaime Brockett but KWFM?  Or anything by King Crimson? Or
"Layla" coming from a cheap FM radio purchased at AMA? Or Hot Tuna's
"Water Song" played at sunset from a backyard patio on a steamy,
post-monsoon-rain summer day?

But I digress. My yellow Datsun wore the stripey KWFM bumper sticker
until the sun bleached it white. Were there any other stations then? Oh
yeah: KTKT. Pop. Shrimp.

Y'all have your memories, I have mine. KWFM was there for so many of
them. Thanks to all.

How fun! KWFM was MY station! How I loved listening to Bob Cooke on
Saturdays - he had the silliest sense of humor! I recall one year when
Mikey King (of Street Pajama) sent Bob a Christmas card to "the second
funniest person in Tucson". Ah, the good ol' days!