On Radio: Former KBSG-FM host finds new home
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER
Randy Lundquist didn't have to familiarize himself with an entirely new playlist in an unfamiliar genre of music when he landed as classic-hits KJR-FM/95.7's afternoon host. Much of the music was what he was playing at his prior job at KBSG-FM, before that station dropped the music format earlier this year.
He won't have to spend a lot of time familiarizing himself with his new boss, either. KJR-FM program director Jay Kelly is the guy who recruited him to KBSG-FM six years ago.
Lundquist appears to be one of the first of the recent KBSG alumni to land a new regular home on the Seattle radio dial, since Bonneville International switched that station's format to a simulcast of KIRO-AM/710's news/talk programming.
At KJR-FM, Lundquist, who handles the 3-7 p.m. shift, joins not only Kelly but other veterans of the local radio market, including Heidi May and Cathy Faulkner.
"That's been part of my plan all along, to get live, local people," says Kelly, who even with the departure of KBSG finds plenty of competition in Seattle in the classic hits/classic rock format. For audiences, "part of the attraction is to hear people they're comfortable with."
Lundquist came to the Seattle market in 1987, at adult-contemporary station KMGI-FM (it later switched to alternative-rock KNDD-FM/107.7). In 1990 he moved to KPLZ-FM/101.5, staying there for a dozen years.
"It's fun, when you're on the air, to talk about Lower Queen Anne" and other Seattle neighborhoods and landmarks, Lundquist says. "You can't if you're a national show. If you're local you're going to win. (Listeners) tune in to people who know that stuff."
One part of the day that KJR-FM doesn't use hosts, local or national, is morning drive (although Kevin Ebi, once with KIRO-AM, does news, weather and traffic updates). It's a time slot in which many other music stations run talk-heavy shows. For now, Kelly plans to keep it that way. "We get a lot of feedback from listeners who really like listening to music in the mornings," he says.
In other radio notes:
KEXP-FM/90.3's new series of mini documentaries, the 10-part "Portraits of Post-Punk," debuts at 3 p.m. Thursday (rebroadcast at 2 p.m. Saturdays).
Paul Theroux, author of "Ghost Train to the Eastern Star," is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM/94.9. He's followed at 10 a.m. by King County Executive Ron Sims.
Economist Joseph Stiglitz is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Friday on KUOW-FM.
Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features recent performances by the George Cables trio, the Jon Hamar Quartet, Trombonasaurus Wrecks and the Emerald City Jazz Orchestra.
P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
Bill Virgin's Radio Beat, Thursdays in the Seattle P-I