Jack Lee Heard From

My name is Mike McKinney and I learned of your KAAY blog the other day from Bill Sadler (ASP and before that - KARK). I worked in news at KAAY back in 76 thru 78 with Nick Markel (Mitch Michaels) and djs like Bob Spears (Bob Robbins) and others.

From his email: I wish the present owners of KAAY would drop the call letters. Then maybe XM Radio's 60s on 6 would do a Friday afternoon re-enactment of the old KAAY like they do so many other old classic AM stations from the 1960s.

Thanks Mike for you comments and Mike has offered to share some recordings which I will share with all of you on the blog. Bob Spears (Rob Robbins) deserves a feature story on this blog, but I don't feel qualified to write it. Will someone step up and do a story on Bob for this blog?

I will try to do something on Matt White (Sonny Martin) who you have probably already heard on the "Timeless Tracks" audio clip. Knowing Matt, he may beat me to it and write his own, which would be great with me.

Concerning Mike's comments about XM and current owners of KAAY. First, I appreciate current KAAY attempt at broadcasting some of the old KAAY sound. However, the few shows I have heard seem to have mostly been about the music. With the exception of "Beaker Street" KAYO was never about the music.

I was a very early subscriber to XM, having heard raves from other past djs. I really enjoy what they do. They are almost like a super 50,000 watt station with lots of formats. It's a shame they don't go the extra programming step that creates loyal listeners as in the "old days". If they did some contests, local appearances, and create a following, Howard Stern wouldn't have a chance. Sometime look at their stockholder's report under a figure called "listener acquisition cost". Think what they could do if this were spent in contests and building a loyalty.