I grew up on the west side of Charleston, near the old Stonewall Jackson High School.  Our family moved to the Huntington area when I was five, but I always spent the holidays and entire summers in Charleston with my grandparents.  My childhood memories of Charleston radio and 95 WKAZ are wonderful, and were probably the root of my desire to pursue a career in broadcasting. 

During high school, I began working fulltime for the now defunct WCAK-FM in Cattlesburg, KY.  My radio career as a DJ spanned 11 years, working afternoon drive at WIRO in Ironton, Ohio; midnights, then evenings at WGNT in Huntington, West Virginia;  nights at the original FM 94 WAMX, also in Huntington;  and finally at WKAZ.   Not the original WKAZ at 950 kc., but at the short-lived AM 1300 'the Beat of Charleston' (sister station to the legendary FM105) in nearby St. Albans.  Still, the thrill of opening the mic and getting paid to say "WKAZ" on the air was not lost.  I think I would have worked there for free!

As someone who grew up in the radio business, I still admire the creativity and energy that the old 1970's AM rockers seemed to have.  My favorite legends include WLS, Super CFL, WRKO, WOWO, KLIF, WABC, KHJ, KCBQ, Keener 13 (WKNR), WOKY and The Big Ape (WAPE).  In West Virginia, Charleston's 95 WKAZ stands at the top of the AM powerhouse stack, with their adrenalin-laced, reverb/jingle/power song sound that is so recognizable and made 70's rock radio great.  Like the old saying goes, '... they just don't make 'em like that anymore...'.

I am now compiling news articles, souvenirs, airchecks and some old WKAZ retro-jingles from PAMS through KenR Productions.  Informational and historical contributions from readers are both welcomed and appreciated, and you will be acknowledged (unless you request otherwise) on our website for any information, photos, airchecks, etc., you can supply.

Thank you.

95 WKAZ FOREVER Curator and Webmaster