When avid Seattle radio listeners hear KYYX, most likely they would remember it as a Seattle's New Wave radio station. But in reality, it only had that format of the last year and a half of it's existence. It's founder and owner was Pat O'Day (pictured above) virtual czar of all things radio in Seattle in the last 40 years.It was the summer of 1982, a hot August day in Walla Walla, Washington. I fresh out of college, working in my Father's business in the weekdays and moonlighting with a part time gig at KUJ, babysitting their automated FM. I had spent the winters traveling the west coast, in the guise of looking for work, actually enjoying the experience of culture different from Pullman or Walla Walla. I had stops in Phoenix, Las Vegas, LA and San Francisco.
Cousin Burl ran out and told me that Elvin from KYYX was on the phone. Elvin told me that there was an opening for a part timer and I could have the job if I could make it up there now. This was the most exciting thing to ever happen. I was to do what I had been dreaming of, to work radio in the big city.
KYYX at that time consisted of 2 stations. The low power AM KXA was on the 3rd floor and played golden oldies. It was more or less, the training ground for the big KYYX-96.5 FM upstairs in both location and stature. I was to start at KXA working afternoons and some overnights until I got my licks in enough to work upstairs.
to be continued
1 comment:
This is a fascinating post. I have a vague recollection of New Wave from 1969 when a Nampa, ID station did New Wave on Sunday nights (mostly Moody Blues I think). I also remember Pat O'Day from KJR-AM in the late 50s, early 60s. Tell us more about New Wave and some of the artists on the play list that we might remember.
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