Your Favorite Anchorage Radio Personalities Where Are They Now?

by Michael R Dougherty
(California)

Ron Moore

Who were your favorite Anchorage Radio personalities?

We all remember listening to our radios at home, in the car and on those small portable transistor radios that we could carry in our pocket or purse. And we all had our favorite radio personalities.

So who were they and where are they now?

The following list will no doubt grow as visitors to Anchorage Memories (that's you) add their favorites to the list.

Remember, Anchorage radio personalities moved around to different radio stations, so if you have additional information, be sure and use the "Comments" section below to update this list.

Anchorage Radio Personalities

Ron Moore - "The Royal Coachman", KFQD, KENI and KBYR. Now retired and living in Texas

Jim "Boom Boom" Cannon, KBYR, is now working in television in Las Vegas

G. Morgan S. (Gene Shedlock), KENI, KBYR, lives in Pennsylvania

Larry Wayne, last known location was K-Love radio in Sacramento, California

Jerry Valley - also Frank James (Frank Tonnema), KENI, KBYR, owns a flower shop in Arizona

Ruben Gains, KHAR, sadly, Ruben is no longer with us

Herb Shaindlin, KFQD, Herb is no longer with us

Jerry Rose (Peter Bie), KENI, KBYR, went into the ministry and lives in Southern California

Dick Lobdell, KENI, Dick is no longer with us

Roger Lathum, KENI, KBYR, Roger is no longer with us

Les Snow, (Gene Miner) KBYR, Les lives in Florida (where there is really "les snow")

Tom Rivers, KFQD, sadly, Tom is no longer with us

Marcus in the Morning, (Mark Lewis), KFQD, KYMG (Magic) Marcus is now retired.

Jack Frost, KBYR, owns Jack Frost & Friends Ad agency in Anchorage

Steve Knoll, KPXR (Power 102), in Arkansas

Merrill Mael, KENI

Bob Fleming, KENI, KYAK, no longer with us

TY Clark, KENI

Ed Riley, KFQD, KANC, KOOL, retired and still spends summer in Anchorage

Scotty Ferguson, KFQD

Ron Gardner, KYAK

Jim Robbins, KYAK, sadly, Jim is no longer with us

Rodney Overstreet, KYAK, now in Tennessee

Dan Thomas, KWHL (K-Whale) now in Minnesota

Rocky Roberts, KWHL (K-Whale)

Steve Agbaba, KHAR, KENI, Steve is no longer with us

Fern Chandonnet, KHAR, KENI

Jack Arnold, KYAK, sadly Jack is no longer with us.

Chris Adams, KENI

Michael Tremayne, (Mike Pocaro) KENI. Still on the radio in Anchorage using his real name, Mike Pocaro)

Gerry Reynolds, KENI

Hank Mann, KENI, owner of KANC, sadly, Hank is no longer with us

Ed Riley, KFQD, KANC, still in Anchorage

Rick Goodfellow, KLEF, still in Anchorage

Dave Stroh, Oldies 102.1, still in Anchorage

Art Bell, KENI, sadly, Art is no longer with us

Randy Kruse (Terry Curtis), KENI, KANC, KBYR, KTVA, now in Renton, Washington

"Tracy in the Sky" (Heidi Hayes) KENI

Michael W. Rogers, KFQD (1990 - 1996) now lives in Las Vegas.

Chuck Albright, Chuck is no longer with us.

Doc Hawkins or Dr. Wade Hawkins (Bill Brink) KYAK, now lives in Virginia.

Note: This list is "in progress" and will update as we get information.

To add to the list, use the "Comments" section below

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Comments for Your Favorite Anchorage Radio Personalities Where Are They Now?

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Linda and Tom Edgeworth
by: Bill Brink

Does anyone know where Linda and Tom Edgeworth are?

They used to be part owners of Empire Advertising in Anchorage. Linda later worked in sales at KYAK or KGOT. Tom worked part time on air at KYAK as Gator Williams.

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Bill Brink at KYAK Radio
by: Bill Brink

Bill Brink here. Was Program Director at KYAK throughout the seventies.

Later, returned to KYAK on air as Doc Hawkins or Dr Wade Hawkins.

Now retired, living near Roanoke, Virginia.

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Anchorage Radio and TV 1972-1975
by: Jeff Allen Gonnason

I was West High classmate of Al Bramstedt Jr and Jim Boom Boom Cannon.

Worked for KHAR TV briefly in 1971, then KENI Radio and TV. DJ every summer as Jeff Allen with Mike Porcaro, then DJ KANC Country summer 1975.

Got my Optometry Doctor degree in 1976 and practiced in Anchorage for 42 years.

Also a classmate of Mike Swanigan (Swani) who was chief pilot Alaska Airlines and did the Seahawks ads - brother of Lester Holt NBC News.

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Bill Stewart
by: Stewart

My dad
Bill Stewart KENI

He started at KENI Radio then moved to KENI TV as News anchor & sales manager.

We lived in the KENI building until I was in 3rd grade.

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Art Bell, Fern Chandonnet, Dick Lobdell
by: Anonymous

I worked AT KENI/KKGR in 1987-1988 selling airtime and writing commercials.

It was the old building on Westchester Lagoon.

I would work with Fern getting guests. I would deliver tapes to Art Bell at the FM sister station of KENI, KKGR. Dick Lobdell worked there as well.

The tower sat in saltwater, a great conductor for the lower power station. We would get mail from as far away as Sweden.

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Daryl Webster
by: Daryl Webster

I started KASH back in 85.

Then moved to KYAK as Program Director and did a morning show.

Now running customer support operations in Las Vegas.

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Charlie Albright
by: Anonymous

Charlie Albright (was a DJ in the 60s but is no longer with us).

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Favorite Anchorage Female Radio Personalities
by: David Jensen

CC Ryder

April Powers

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Steve Heimel
by: David Jensen

Great newscaster and voice.

Always thorough and reliable as a source for news.

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Monika Thomas
by: Brian Ross

Monika Thomas, formerly of Mix 103.1 KMXS middays, also on The Buzz 102.1 KDBZ mornings, and NewsRadio 750 KFQD with weekends/fill-ins on Kool 97.3

She moved on to California and was a talent on 94.5 Bay FM.

Monika is also a real estate agent in San Francisco and is still does some radio on-call with KQED there.

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Who was He?
by: Judith Wright Twitchell

During the summer of 1966 I worked in the KFQD office.

I was a junior at West High at the time.

There was a boy from East High, a senior, I think, who was a radio announcer with his own radio show who worked there at the time.

Although I met him, I didn't know him.

I was sworn to secrecy about him because of his age.

He had a deep, booming voice and sounded considerably older than he was. I don't remember either his real name or the name he used on air.

Does anyone know who it was, and what/where he is today?

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Bob Lake, KFQD, 60s
by: Judith Wright Twitchell

Bob Lake got me my first-ever (non-babysitting job the summer after my Junior year).

I had the prestigious job of Saturday morning receptionist, which included writing up the outcomes of local sports events.

Bob and his wife Linda were friends of my family and I used to Babysit for their two daughters.

Just after I left for college, he quit radio and became a full-time missionary, moving to Missouri. Years later, he retired from that and moved to mildly (at the time) famous Branson, MO, where they bought the only little laundromat/dry cleaner in town, much to the disdain of their now-grown daughters, who thought their parents could have better invested their retirement savings.

Surprise to them all was the "eve" of Branson's big boom, with all the big-name Hollywood & Nashville entertainers taking up with Branson.

And they all needed to have their clothes and costumes laundered.

Only one place in town, remember.

They may not have become millionaires, but they were sitting pretty for retirement.

Side story:

In the 90s, I was secretary to our County Executive, and we had a new department manager coming in whose last name was Lake.

Mind you, I hadn't been in touch with the family since the late sixties, but it looked to me like this woman was about the right age to have been one of my little proteges, and she even had one of their first names.

I wasn't aware that Bill and Linda were living in Branson, just a few hours away.

But my curiosity got the best of me and I finally approached her and asked her if she had ever lived in Alaska.

She was quiet and looked at me funny and I just wanted to crawl away at that point.

Finally she said, "how did you know I grew up in Alaska?"

I told her I used to babysit her and told her my name. She actually remembered me!

She then filled me in on her parents story above.

It was a great reunion.

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Justin McDonald
by: Anonymous

Flipped KBYR to TALK in 2002, hosted the Citizen Soap Box (With Ken Smith) from 2006-2009 (Won Most Entertaining show at the ABA awards in 2007) also brought back and hosted Tradio on the weekends and was GM of ths station till 2010.

Now a News Anchor at KXL in Portland.

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Marcus in the Morning
by: Candee Schweitzer

I can’t remember if it was Marcus, but there were 2 brothers and they were both in radio I think.

They used to broadcast from crazy places.

I remember something about camping on the island in the lagoon or some little island.

Was this Marcus and his brother? There was a definite reason there were there and they were staying until something happened?

Really funny Characters. Hope someone remembers the details.

Also how about Steve Stripling?

He is still broadcasting.

Played great music with his hands.

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Chip Lewis
by: Anonymous

Not sure which Anchorage radio station he worked for.

I think he moved to somewhere in Washington station in the late 70’s.

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Ken Flynn
by: Mike Dahlager

Ken Flynn of Fern & Flynn fame?

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Michael Rogers Radio Personality KFQD
by: Michael Rogers

Michael Rogers KFQD 1990-1996 now living in Las Vegas Professional Headshot Photographer.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Michael:

Thank you for the update. We have added you to the list.

Thank you

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KENI Radio Jocks in the Early 70s
by: John Grant

Art Bell is mentioned here a few time. He did do middays at KENI for awhile.

I worked there doing the 6-midnight shift for awhile. I've used John Lee as my air-name for most of my radio career but I think I was using Jay Carter back then. Really can't remember.

Other DJ's included Larry Wayne, Chuck Roberts, Dan York, Bob (something) was the Program Director and morning show guy. (Larry W, what was his last name?)

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Tracy in the Sky (Heidi Hayes
by: Lynda Myers

On KENI radio of Westchester Lagoon my younger sister used to go and work.

She did a character (voice) for the weather. She went by "Tracy in the sky" and she would be speaking with Gunther.

Her name was at the time was Heidi Hayes. She is now Heidi Main.

She wasn’t on the air a long time, I think maybe a year maybe year and a half, but she was awesome and she had a lot of people that liked her.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Lynda:

Thank you for your comment about your sister Heidi Hayes doing a weather voice for KENI radio. We have added her to out list of Anchorage Radio Personalities.

Thank you

Mike

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Terry Curtis
by: Anonymous

Terry Curtis (Randy Kruse) KENI,KANC,KBYR,KTVA,
now in Renton Wasington

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Doc Pournelle
by: Anonymous

These comments were written by my adopted uncle, Robert Knox. He and his wife, Wilma, were journalists in Anchorage between 1951 and 1984.

In spite of its small size—or perhaps because of it—KBYR tended to attract some unusual characters.

One of these was Doc Pournelle, who was hired to be the station manager.

I never learned his real name, but he acquired the nickname Doc because he was said to have a national reputation for being a doctor for sick radio stations.

Pournelle took over the early morning time slot (on KBYR), and Anchorage residents were soon being coaxed from sleep with Doc’s low, slow, Southern drawl, then jolted awake with rousing military marches.

"Let’s get up and march around the breakfast table!" he urged his listeners.

As unorthodox as it was, the show caught on and became the most popular radio program in Anchorage.

(Note: Pournelle died in 1965. A death announcement was printed in the Anchorage Daily Times on April 19, 1965.)

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RE: Art Bell
by: Tony

I am pretty sure that Art Bell was at KENI in 60's, maybe 70's. Someone in the biz, as we say, should know for sure.

I was told this when I worked radio 1997 - 2000 somewhere in there.

Way back when KENI was down by Westchester Lagoon area.

The only reason that I say 'pretty sure' is that it came 2nd (maybe 3rd) hand from a lady that had been involved in radio there, back in the day.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Thank you Tony, we have added Art to our list. Sadly, Art is no longer with us.

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KWHL
by: Anonymous

Mark Raney and Carry Carrigan - KWHL

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Aka Ed Riley
by: Walt Larson

Retired after 40 years on the air in Anchorage.

Worked at KANC, KFQD and KOOL.

Now snowbird Anchorage and San Tan Valley, AZ.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Ed:

Thank you for checking in. We have added your name to the growing list above.

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Anchorage Radio Personalities
by: AnonTom Hughesymous

Art Bell is no longer with us.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Wasn't Art Bell a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, and not a local Anchorage DJ?

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Father in Radio
by: Karen Sykes

Please add Hank Mann 1960-70’s.

KENI radio DJ/owner of KANC. He since passed in 2012.

Past President of the Anchorage Broadcasters Association and owner of Columbia Broadcasters Association... Anchorage.

Thank you
Sykes Family

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To Our Anchorage Radio Personalities
by: Michael Hankins

Anchorage has, and has had, some great radio DJs.

They helped make those long, dark, winter-days and nights more palpable.

God bless them all!

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Anchorage Radio Personalities
by: Steve Knoll

I had the privilege of working in Anchorage radio from January 1987 to May of 1991.

KPXR-FM (Power 102) doing morning drive for most of that time along with being the Program Director.

A Note from Anchorage Memories

Steve:

Thank you for the information. We have updated our list to include you.

Where are you working now?

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