Mark Young

Personally responsible for bringing Nina Joy to Arizona. A full timer at KWFM, Mark is also an announcer for Country stations KHOS and KCUB.

— from a KWFM print ad, circa 1974.

Doug Jaffe recalls, "I knew Mark Young from 1968 back in Burlington, Vermont. His real name was Ronald Yantz. That quip from the ad is about Nina Joy Nadworny, the cousin of two friends of mine who introduced me to Mark.

"Mark became my radio mentor back there when I was about 13 and he was doing Progressive AM on 1400 WDOT. He pushed Top 40 daytimer WDOT to the limits in those days, with programs such as 'Collage' and 'Rock Revolution'. He mixed in progressive music with pop hits all day long."

"Mark worked all over the country, including gigs in Burlington, Fargo, ND, and Moorehead, MN. Prior to KWFM, he also worked as PD at KIKX and did more than one stint there in the 60s if I'm not mistaken. I remember reading a whole book he had written for KIKX detailing his AM radio programming philosophy and intelligent Top 40 format design. His instructions to announcers: Be Bright, Tight, Brief, and Real."

Lee Dombrowki remembers, "Mark Young was one of the most talented men I ever knew. In the early 60's Mark worked in NY and in 1960 was the radio voice for the John Kennedy for President commercials. He was hired by KWFM owner Alvin Korngold as the first Program Director. Mark also worked over nights at KCUB Tucson for Jimmy Sloan.

"Mark was a whiz at editing tape for commercials, and he was smooth as silk on the air."

As with many highly creative, artistic individuals, Mark chose to live an experimental lifestyle, and in 1975 the years of over indulgence claimed his life at the age of 34 -- too young and sorely missed.

What a great setting for a photo... turntables in the foreground, with a wall of delicious, nutritious vinyl for a backdrop.