Reprinted with permission – James Pagliasotti (c) 2022

RADICAL RADIO BLOG

In early 1969, I was fortunate to join with Steve Thoreson in doing the very first freeform radio shows at KRNW-FM radio in Boulder, Colorado. That effort became a great success with nearly fulltime freeform radio continuing in that little town until 1978. In 1971, I was invited to do freeform radio shows occasionally on KFML AM&FM radio in Denver, a big step up in the size of the radio audience, the professionalism of the news and production facilities, and the evolution of what was possible in reaching a large audience with respect and care.

Freeform radio was a phenomenon of great consequence. It made possible the classic era of rock music. It facilitated the time when that music became high art.I was grateful to be a small part of that effort, which taught me a lot and greatly enriched my life. It did that for a lot of people, an entire community that was known proudly as the counterculture.

If you were there, you know what I mean.

If not, we encourage you to explore this site. It’s an Archive of a time of staggering creativity and an homage to the people who made it happen. I became a Founding Member of this Archive in respect for them.Freeform Radio changed the music business, and it changed radio. Much of what followed – progressive rock, album oriented rock, all of those labels for the new version of greatest hits radio – is really just cultural appropriation of something these people created.