Another Station Bites The Dust...

I was in my car yesterday afternoon, heading to the school to pick up my kids. I had been listening to a CD instead of the radio for quite a bit, so I decided to listen to the stereo for a change. I had the number 1 button programmed to KKSF out of San Francisco, a very cool smooth jazz station. Imagine my surprise when the music started pouring out of the speakers, and it was Led Zeppelin. Last time I checked, they were hardly a smooth jazz group. I thought that maybe I had pushed the wrong button, so I punched the number 1 button again.

Still Jimmy Paige screeching.

What the?......

My first thought was there had been a format change, so when I arrived at the school, I fired up my iPhone and looked on KKSF's website to see what was up. It was as I feared...KKSF smooth jazz had become 'The Band', playing classic rock similar to what can be found on any one of about 50 other Bay Area radio stations. Crap.

I had listened to KKSF since Day 1, when it switched formats to smooth jazz from the old KFRC-FM "Yes/No Radio" genre. The station would play songs, and listeners would call in and vote yes or no to add the song to the station's library. Pretty cheesy, but the station was popular with the little old ladies sitting at home with nothing better to do, or the unemployed people who were too lazy to dial the 1-800 number for any of the high priced tech school commercials aimed at just that demographic. KKSF brought a new format that was rare in the Bay Area; the only other jazz type station was KBLX, and they played too much R&B and Soul for my taste. KKSF had real live DJs playing songs, and their names quickly became familiar with listeners. At night, after 7pm, they ran a show called "Lights Out San Francisco". Very few commercials, all instrumental music, aimed at the tired worker bee home from the office, kicking off his or her shoes, tippling a glass of wine and relaxing after a long work day. Being a paramedic, I was a huge fan of "LOSF", and since I was up a lot at night working, the station was always on in the ambulance. I purchased many CDs based on the music I heard over KKSF. I attended a few concerts sponsored by the station; Special EFX, The Rippingtons, The Yellowjackets just to name a few. I even won one of their "Loyal Listener" promotions...a cool $1000 dollars after I heard my name called on the radio. For more that 20 years, KKSF was *the* home for smooth jazz in the Bay Area.

Then, things slowly began to change. Long time DJs left for other stations. Overnight programming became automated; no live people, only computer-played tunes. More and more pop music leaked into the format. Really now...is Alicia Keys jazz?

Hardly.

KKSF became more like the KBLX I detested. When the morning and evening drive-time slots switched to shows broadcast from other markets, I knew the end was near. I just wasn't expecting it to be so soon. Remember Whoopi Goldberg's show? Didn't think so. Is Ramsey Lewis really a radio show host? Nope. He's a world-class jazz piano player. And finally, on May 18, 2009 at 3pm....KKSF smooth jazz died.

In its place...."The Band". Nope. Won't listen. Radio button number 1 will be re-programmed after all these years. KDFC is moving up in the world. I always did like classical. Just not as much as smooth jazz. And, I still have XM...71 is a great channel playing smooth jazz....called "Watercolors". Plus, I like Lily....her voice is awesome.

RIP KKSF Smooth Jazz. You had a great run.