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 !

Memories, sweet memories!
Thank You All!!!!

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?

Just listen to the reunion again, still sounds fresh. Was lucky to have
been around when this history was being made and didn't even know it.

 Dose any one else remember when the City of Tucson would flash the
lights yellow after midnight. So no stopping when coming home from the
Night Train (or Fright Train). 

 The band free style. Where are they now? Can any one comment on it? I
did Google them but so much crap comes up with it.
Thanks
Mark


Song: I can't take it more, still sound good.

Just listen to the reunion again. Still sounds fresh.

 I was lucky to have been here in the 70's when KW was hot. History was
being made and I didn't even know it then.
 Band Free Style. Where are they now? I did Google them but so much
crap comes up. Song I can't take it no more still sounds great. 

 Dose any one else remember when the City of Tucson would flash the
traffic lights yellow at midnight so coming home from the Night Train
you didn't have to stop. Or better known as the Fright Train. 

Hey Margie, I was hoping that you would known what happened to the 
freestyle band. I remember seeing them at tequila mocking bird, El Con
mall back then.  

Just found out today (Oct 2018) about Margie Rye. Deepest sympathy.
Spent the rest of the day reflecting back tot he 70's & 80's.  She gave
me an Tucson and a year at KUPD Phoenix many years of good rock and roll
entertainment. Back before internet I would tape her's and KWFM radio
shows an play them back when working up in Springerville pretending it
was the radio. I just loved it when Margie would host concerts. Margie
you were an original.      

Talk about a time warp..what a wonderful site.  KWFM was truly one of a
kind, because of the people who were there and the music that we could
play.

I'm a 2nd generation radio person; my dad and aunts and uncles were in
the biz in the way old days.  But moving to Tucson, it was Bob Cooke
that said "hi, you have a great voice"..dragged me into the production
room, Jim Ray said "o.k., we'll give her a shot", and 22+ years later I
can't get radio out of my system.

Thanks to Jim Hardy, who called me his "baby d.j." and gave me my first
taste of major market radio at KBPI, Denver, and Lee Dombrowski, who
wouldn't let me quit when I threw a hissy-fit!

I have tapes I need to share, being a wife and mommy to two beautiful
boys, finding time to xfer my stuff to c.d./mp3 is a challenge, but I
promise to come through!

Tim, you're great, thank you for giving us this site to share a unique
time in radio.

Margie Rye
KWFM
weekends/middays/research/production February 1982- August 1984

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

Lived (and just 're-lived') through a lot of this history and memories.
I was girlfriend/wife (now 'ex') of DJ David Slavin (mid 70s). Listened
in many nights (he worked midnight - 6 am slot). Like so many have said
before, thanks for the memories! Interesting to see old articles and
photos, my how we have all changed!!! 

Wow! Thanx for the memories! I was doing a search on NYC radio stations
and recalled when I first moved to Tucson back in 78 and started to
listen to KWFM. The only dj's I could immediately recall from that time
were Dave LaRussa and Karen Stern. Thankfully, I found the site and was
able to go through everything again. PS: I still have the KWFM On the
Air album in my collection!

You guys were the greatest station ever.  Tucson isn't the same without
you!  

The Best ever!!

Hey, awesome site.  I was too young to be able to enjoy this station,
but I wish to God I had been there!!  I wondered if anyone knew where
to find a copy of Bob Meighan's albums, or anything by Rock Doctor?  If
anyone knows, let me know at: kurt@cfa.arizona.edu
Thanks again,
Kurt

What ever happened to Streeet Pajama.  They were the best Tucson band
ever!  I have not heard Screwed Again in ages.  I remember seeing them
at The Embers, Westward Look, and I think a place on 1st Avenue called
Noni's.  That was way back in '82.  Mikey King was great and Merle was
just too cool.  If anyone remembers this great band email me at
choicekten at aol dot com.

From my recollection, in the beginning, KWFM was a mono station that was
on the air 12 hours per day. I believe the broadcast day began with the
tolling of the church bells from the song "Black Sabbath" from Black
Sabbath's first album. The broadcast day ended with a very
psychedelic/energy charged (or was it the "white lightning") version of
"Let's Get Together" by H.P. Lovecraft. Is this correct, or was I
hallucinating?

I remember with great fondness KWFM.  There has NEVER been a rock radio
station anywhere I have travelled that has rivaled the variety and
quality of KWFM.  I sure wish the DJ's were still on the air now,
spinning tunes just like they did back in the '70's. What a blast that
would be!

This is an awesome site and great resource to the community.  Thanks for
all your effort!

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.

Listened to KWFM...nearly...from the beginning. Played a lot of gigs
hosted by KWFM and of course went to a lot of concerts promoted by the
station. A GREAT radio station and a great time in Tucson. And, after
all of this time, I still have my hair!

I started listening to KWFM in 1972 as a snot-nosed 12-year-old. It was
a revelation. No hype, album sides, DJs that sounded like real people.
It was like anti-radio. My only complaint is that I once requested
Black Sabbath and was told you had burned all their albums. You
weenies! It was probably Brady I talked to on the phone. Most
memorable: KWFM used to play new albums in their entirety on Sunday
nights. One evening in 1975 I heard Patti Smith's *Horses*. I had never
heard anything like it before (and probably never will again). A sublime
moment.

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 ! 

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.

I listened to KWFM from the time I was 12 years old (1973).   The
station opened my mind to so many types of music.  It wasn't just rock
being played, but a free, open format.  Bruce Springsteen's version of
"Fever" was a song often played and the one that sticks in my mind as
being an example of the quality of music airing at that time.

I'm still a close friend of Jane Snyder and know Perk pretty well.  I
used to hang at KWFM with Janie in the good ole days and remember
several live interviews that took place at the board.  What great
memories.  (I'm not saying anything here Janie!)  It was a tribute to
Jane that years after, when she would visit Tucson and the station
would give her courtesy air time, guys would still send her roses and
chocolates.  We remember her airtime well.  What a good time we all had
in those years.  KWFM was the only radio station worth listening to
then.  I moved here in 1972 and met Janie that first month.  What good
fortune.  Thanks Lee and everyone else for putting this together.  I
look forward to more photos and some stories.

Helen Gaus

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 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

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?