Unlike when KUJ switched to pop music, about a decade earlier, stations like KIOK, KSXT, and K-Lite already played music geared toward teens and young adults.
The station was personality oriented. The picture above features morning crew members Big Jim Schwartz, along with his co-host Shannon, who helped me with info on the station.
Lyn Daniels, a Spokane native who started at KUJ, would eventually join the staff. Daniels would go on to become well known in Spokane country music. Former Tri Cities DJ Chris Bartels also worked there.
In the late 1980s, about the time I was leaving Walla Walla, Burl Barer would take the morning shift, at first working with Shannon and then with another co-host. Burl gave the station a little bit of a Seattle twist and did some great adlib commercials for B. Barer And Sons, the family business.
A big thank you to Tom Hodgins and Shannon for contributing to this article.
2 comments:
I loved reading this and learning about this station. Our family moved away from Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater in 1963. At that time KUJ, KTEL and KHIT were the only local radio stations.This must have been a welcome addition -- especially to have Burl Barer back on-the-air in Walla Walla. He was an inspiration and role model for my future when he was at KTEL.
I worked there in 89 - 91
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