Radio Waves Podcast #140

Radio August 26, 2016

With KLOS (95.5 FM) on a roll under the direction of programmer Keith Cunningham -- complete with a revised playlist, Jonesy’s Jukebox offering an alternative slant, and a morning show that has held its own -- it was no surprise when the station announced that hosts of said morning show -- Heidi Hamilton, Frank Kramer, and presumably Lisa May -- were re-signed to a “multi-year” deal.

What was a big surprise was the announcement that Frosty Stillwell, who left what was once called the Heidi Frosty and Frank Show when it aired on KLSX (now KAMP, 97.1 FM) and KABC (790 AM) years ago, would return to the program effective September 6th.

Left unsaid is whether Stillwell will move back to Los Angeles to do the show in studio or, more likely, will stay in Colorado and do the show via the magic of modern technology as was done by Mark Thompson on The Sound (100.3 FM) until he left the station a few weeks ago.

The announcement is big news to fans of the show; while “Heidi and Frank” has been successful for KLOS, especially in recent months, many fans still missed Frosty. “I am so excited,” wrote reader Jeff Swanson of Long Beach. “Heidi and Frank were great, but Frosty coming back will reunite the triplets and make the show just that much better.”

Heidi, (soon to include Frosty) and Frank airs weekday mornings from 5:30 to 9:30 on KLOS.

Reunion II

It’s not local, but with the internet you can pretend: Low-power FM station KZAP/Sacramento has reunited Jeff Gonzer and Ace Young. Yes THE Jeff Gonzer and Ace Young as was heard for years on our own Mighty Met, KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM).

The duo was first paired up in 1977 on KMET, and stayed together until 1986, much of that time toward the top of the ratings. They have not broadcast together daily since that time.

You can hear them via the internet and various smartphone apps weekday mornings from 6-9 at k-zap.org.

Nasty Passes

Joe Nasty, one of the original DJs to grace the airwaves of Ten-Q (KTNQ, 1020 AM) during the stations high-energy top-40 days in the mid 1970s, passed away August 15th in San Antonio, Texas, where he had retired.

Born Dennis Alvord, Nasty was hardly nasty on the air here. But his tight delivery and quick wit made for some amazing radio, and he was perfect for the evening shift on Ten-Q. You can hear a sample of him on ReelRadio.Com (small donation required).

 

From 1987 to 1988 he was heard on Power 106.

Ken Levine, aka Beaver Cleaver on Ten-Q weekends at the time tells a story of “poor Joe.” “I say ‘poor’ because for one promotion they made him ride a rollercoaster at Knott’s Berry Farm for 24 straight hours. He still walks into walls today,” Levine wrote in a blog from 2011.

Alvord is survived by his wife and daughter; no other information was available at press time.

Back Again?

Don Barrett’s LARadio.Com has had a new posting almost daily for at least the past two weeks. Apparently you can remove the boy from radio, but you can’t remove radio from the boy. Nice to have him back.