Broadcaster Profiles

Gene Altshuler
The Democratic Chronicles
Fridays, 1–2 pm

The Democratic Chronicles reviews the past week’s happenings through articles and commentary that are interesting and pertinent to our quality of life. Your feedback is very important to the show, and Gene will take on-air callers, as well as feature guests, who espouse views different from his. Let him know your thoughts and comments, laudatory or not. If you keep it civil, he can take just about anything you care to say.

Gene started out as a labor economist but moved to high tech in 1976 when he programmed his first computer. He was a department director at SRI International and then the partner-in-charge of the Advance Information Technology practice at KPMG Peat Marwick until his retirement. Gene has been a member of the El Dorado County Democratic Party’s Central Committee since 2002 and serves as its controller.

David BlonskiDavid Blonski
The Weed Patch: Music of the Psychedelic ’60s
Fridays, 6–8 pm

Take a trip back to the days of beads, long hair, tear gas in the streets, underground FM radio, and free concerts in the park with the Grateful Dead, the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Janis and Big Brother, It’s A Beautiful Day, and many, many more—if we could only remember their names. Fair warning: An open mind and a psychedelic attitude are highly recommended. For those who missed it or who have forgotten they were there, attitude adjustment and training will be provided.

David, born in 1951, is a child of the ’60s, a California native who has lived on the Georgetown Divide for 35 years and is a founding member of KFOK Community Radio. He is also a recording artist and performer with a 30-year career that includes 24 titles of original music. This program, a journey into the past that revisits many of David’s favorite songs from his youth, also discovers many hidden gems that are seldom heard.

David is a member of KFOK’s Program Committee.

Glen CarlisleGlen Carlisle
Insouciant Saturdays
Saturdays, 4–6 pm

Glen’s program, which focuses on alternative and rock music but also features old and new classics for listeners of any age, brings music to the airwaves that has become hard to find on just any radio station.

Glen is a junior at Golden Sierra High School who likes soccer, music, and the radio. He loves writing music and playing piano, guitar, drums, or any instrument he can get his hands on.

Buzz Chernoff
Home on the Grange
Alternate Sundays, 6–7 pm

On this show, which Buzz cohosts with Takashi Yogi, you will hear current news about Grange and other happenings on the Divide, discussions with guests on topics of relevance to rural living, and a regular update on legislative issues the California State Grange is pursuing at the state and national levels, all mixed with music and spoken word.

Professional Porch Sitters Union Local 4300
Alternate Sundays, 6–7 pm

Get unbusy with Buzz and cohost Cornelius O’Quinn at the Professional Porch Sitters Union Local 4300. Sit down with a glass of lemonade and join in on porch chatter about the weather, goings-on in the community, gardening, raising chickens, road repairs, gourmet recipes, fishing, or whatever else comes to mind, plus stories, music, and a whole lot of fun.

Buzz is a community and Grange advocate who has lived on the side of Mt. Murphy with his wife, Linda, and a bunch of critters since the 1980s. He is the lecturer for the California State Grange and is actively involved with the Marshall Grange in Garden Valley. He has been a KFOK broadcaster since 2009 and a supporter of the American River Folk Society since its beginning.

Buzz is president of the Board of Directors of the American River Folk Society, the license holder for KFOK.

Marc Cuniberti
Money Matters
Saturdays, noon–1 pm

This program is about your money, your country, your livelihood. In short, it’s about you.

Marc has been a regular contributor and broadcaster at both KFOK and Nevada City’s KVMR. His past shows include KFOK’s Thumpin’ Thursdays and KVMR’s Good Morning Show and Center Stage interview specials. Money Matters is recorded live at KVMR and rebroadcast at KFOK.

James Darlow
Sunday Morning House Calls
First Sunday, 10 am–noon

This program is a rotation of music spanning the genres from jazz to modern dance/electronica—anything that would be classified on the old American Bandstand with the words “It’s got a good beat, and you can dance to it.” Here, you’ll find songs we have all heard, a few rarities, and maybe something we can all discover together.

 

Ken Deibert
Georgetown City Limits
First Saturday, 6–8 pm

Welcome to Georgetown, where you never know what surprises you’ll hear until you get here. Join Ken on an imaginary journey down Main Street in the “city” called Georgetown, where you may be surprised to hear early Americana, rock, R&B, folk, country, and lots more.

Anthony Fantano
The Needle Drop
First, second, fourth, and fifth Sundays, noon–3 pm

The Needle Drop is an NPR-affiliated radio show (and a podcast and a blog/vlog) about rock, pop, electronic, and experimental music of the independent persuasion. It airs every week on WNPR Connecticut Public Radio in Hartford. It’s nothing but songs you’ve never heard on albums you haven’t seen by bands you don’t know.

Anthony Fantano is a music enthusiast, blogger, bass player, weightlifter, vegan, and professional weirdo living in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, where he managed the campus radio station. Anthony tries to make the show an authentic new music experience, and the next best thing to having a friend with an almost endless record collection.

Allan Ferreira
Night Roots
Third Saturday, 6–8 pm

Inspired by styles whose origins range from Oakland to New Orleans, Al brings you a mix of blues, soul, jazz, reggae, and various musical musings to keep you going on a Saturday night.

Paul Firth
Jazz World
Tuesdays, 8–10 pm

Paul’s program features jazz music from the 1920s to the present, including jazz blues, fusion, jazz rock and occasional crossover selections—a wide variety of music by jazz legends and new rising stars.

Paul has been a jazz enthusiast for over 30 years. Originally from Los Angeles, Paul moved to the Divide in 1997. His other interests include fly fishing, surfing, gardening, and steam locomotives.

Paul is KFOK’s general manager and is secretary of the Board of Directors of the American River Folk Society, the license holder for KFOK.

Mignon Geli
Flutes & Drums
Wednesdays, 4–6 pm

Mignon shares music featuring flutes, drums, and other Native American instruments from North and South America and Hawaii, plus announcements about Native American events and activities.

David Godley
TCM: Today’s Christian Music
Mondays, 1–4 pm

David loves to play the best of Christian music from today’s top artists. Tune in and listen to artists such as Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, and Audio Adrenaline. Get set to be uplifted by inspiring music, devotionals, Bible verses, and sermons as David takes you on a journey of music and faith. Grab a radio and tune in!

David Godley, a former sawmill security guard in Camino, lives in Placerville and plans to study to become an electroencephalography technician so he can work with people with neurological disorders. Active in his church, he enjoys contemporary Christian music as well as oldies. David volunteers for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Epilepsy Foundation of America. His hobbies include working with model trains, listening to music, and playing guitar.

Ray Griffiths
Science & Environment News & Views
Wednesdays, 8–9 am

This show features news and opinion about various science subjects and the environment. Topics are separated by music selections from Americana, jazz, and pop.

Ray, an ecologist trained at California State University, Chico, and the University of California at Davis, is a horticulture instructor at Folsom Lake College’s El Dorado Center in Placerville. He serves on county committees and conservation-organization boards, has consulted on land use, forestry, and rare and endangered native plants and wetlands, and raises fruit and vegetables. Raised on a small ranch in the Central Valley, he has been a resident of Georgetown since 1978.

Ray is a membership coordinator for KFOK and is a member of the Board of Directors of the American River Folk Society, the license holder for KFOK.

Richard Grimes
Rockin’ Richard
Fridays, 2–4 pm
(on hiatus)

Rockin’ Richard’s show is oldies, classic rock, and blues. He loves to play those songs that have been forgotten and are rarely heard or maybe not heard much but bring back great memories. So, tune in for Rockin’ Richard—he’s sure he’ll play something you like.

The Weed Patch: Music of the Psychedelic ’60s
Fridays, 6–8 pm

Take a trip back to the days of beads, long hair, tear gas in the streets, underground FM radio, and free concerts in the park with the Grateful Dead, the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Janis and Big Brother, It’s A Beautiful Day, and many, many more—if we could only remember their names. Fair warning: An open mind and a psychedelic attitude are highly recommended. For those who missed it or who have forgotten they were there, attitude adjustment and training will be provided.

Richard, raised in Pinole, a small town across the bay from San Francisco, was a teenager during the ’60s and ’70s, so his musical experiences during that unique period were at various legendary venues like the Fillmore, Winterland, and the Avalon Ballroom, plus the Days on the Green at the Oakland Coliseum and free concerts in Golden Gate Park and Berkeley’s Provo Park, just to name a few. He was raised in a musical family: His mother played stand-up bass in the US Navy during the ’40s, and she instilled in him a deep appreciation for music.

Richard is a studio technician and a member of the Board of Directors of the American River Folk Society, the license holder for KFOK.

Ann Gualtieri
Ann’s Tutti Frutti
Alternating Thursdays, 8–10 pm

Join Ann for an evocative ride through the past and present, with cutting-edge music from folk, rock, contemporary, pop, rap, country, classical, international, jazz, and reggae musicians.

Jerry Hobrecht
The Weed Patch: Music of the Psychedelic ’60s
Fridays, 6–8 pm

Take a trip back to the days of beads, long hair, tear gas in the streets, underground FM radio, and free concerts in the park with the Grateful Dead, the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Janis and Big Brother, It’s A Beautiful Day, and many, many more—if we could only remember their names. Fair warning: An open mind and a psychedelic attitude are highly recommended. For those who missed it or who have forgotten they were there, attitude adjustment and training will be provided.

Jerry Hobrecht is KFOK’s veteran of the psychedelic ’60s and San Francisco’s Love Generation. A rock guitarist and vocalist, the native San Franciscan came of age with his finger on the pulse of the City’s ’60s music scene, attending shows at the Fillmore, the Avalon Ballroom, Winterland, the Matrix, and the Fillmore West. Jerry, whose heart belongs to San Francisco forever, is an avid fan of the Giants and the 49ers.

Craig Kuehn
Healthy Families
Fridays, 8–9 am

Craig’s program shares the latest research on relationships and families and what that means for all of us, using stories of real people. (Call-ins are welcome.) There will be more talk about parents than about children, but children will not be forgotten, because when Mom and Dad are happy, everyone is happy. The best gift we can give to our children is being in a good relationship with our spouse.

Craig, an Episcopal priest at Placerville’s Church of Our Saviour, holds a certificate as a board-certified pastoral counselor. He is married to Suzanne, and they have two children, one surviving. Originally from Utah, Craig has lived in Placerville since 2000. Craig is also president and founder of the El Dorado Healthy Marriages Coalition, a founding member of the National Association of Relationship Educators.

Andy Lake
The Big Kahuna Zoo
Thursdays, 2–4 pm

A “Cowabunga!” E-ticket ride! Who knows which tropical beast may have escaped its cage this week at the Big Kahuna Zoo, but it’s gonna be fun. KFOK’s resident zookeeper unleashes a sonic roller coaster of music ranging from the ’50s to the ’90s, washed down with a wild tsunami of music from his years in a world-renowned surf band. So pack up your long board, your suntan lotion, and some cotton candy—oh, and don’t forget the earplugs! Catch a wave with Andy at The Big Kahuna Zoo.

The Weed Patch: Music of the Psychedelic ’60s
Fridays, 6–8 pm

Take a trip back to the days of beads, long hair, tear gas in the streets, underground FM radio, and free concerts in the park with the Grateful Dead, the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Jefferson Airplane, Country Joe and the Fish, Janis and Big Brother, It’s A Beautiful Day, and many, many more—if we could only remember their names. Fair warning: An open mind and a psychedelic attitude are highly recommended. For those who missed it or who have forgotten they were there, attitude adjustment and training will be provided.

Andy is KFOK’s answer to writer Hunter S. Thompson and resident King of Gonzo Radio. His two degrees from the University of California at Davis were of absolutely no use in his lengthy career encompassing many aspects of the music business, but they sound impressive. He now divides his time between family, farm, and being weird on the radio.

Andy is a member of KFOK’s Program Committee.

Steve Meadows
Meadows Road
Wednesdays, 6–8 pm

Catch a tapestry of moving folk, blues, Americana, and old-time music on a show that’s been on the air since 1990! Join poet Steve Meadows every Wednesday night. Keep a dream in your heart and your feet on the road.

‘Meadows Road’ has been around for over 20 years, and during that time, Steve has interviewed scores of musicians from throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Steve earned an FCC license while working at KZSC, the radio station at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Marty Mendenhall
The Best of Gold Country Culture
Alternating Wednesdays, 9–10 am

The Best of Gold Country Culture explores the wineries, restaurants, businesses, activities, events, and culture of our wonderful El Dorado Gold Rush region. The show includes interviews, restaurant profiles, commentary on wines and wineries, discussion of our area’s history and culture, and descriptions of upcoming events.

Marty lives in the historic Georgetown Divide area with his wife, Kathleen, a herd of goats, two akbash dogs, and numerous visiting creatures. Marty holds a bachelor’s degree in art from San Jose State University and changed careers from high tech to become a chef after graduating from Mission College in Santa Clara. Marty has forty years of wine-tasting experience and has been playing with his food for even longer. His specialties are American comfort food, meat curing, food history, and smoke BBQ.

Goldie Morris
Fusion
Tuesdays, 6–8 pm

Fusion is a fun and funny show featuring a wide variety of music. Goldie will also share her thoughts and opinions about the music and more. Tune in and enjoy this fun, family-friendly program.

Goldie is a student at the American River Charter School. She’s energetic and fun, and hopes to get younger listeners to tune in to KFOK.

Rebecca Murphy
Reba’s Reggae Revue
First and third Mondays, 6–8 pm

Rebecca invites listeners to experience the uplifting and beautiful beat of Jamaica and the surrounding Caribbean islands. With a nod toward world music, she also throws in reggae from around the world, including Africa, Latin America, and the United States and often adds music in which reggae is rooted, including zydeco, blues, and Motown.

Rebecca, who graduated from California State University, Sacramento, with a degree in journalism, has been writing since 1982. She has worked for the Georgetown Gazette since 1988, and became its editor in 2008 after working as a reporter and photographer for the local paper for 20 years. She loves sharing reggae, which she began listening to in the early 1970s, when it was relatively new outside of the Caribbean.

Rebecca is KFOK’s underwriting coordinator.

Mark Nichol
Rock of Ages
Thursdays, 6–8 pm

This tribute to the Golden Age of Rock — from the early ’60s to the early ’70s — excavates less well-known songs from famous groups and solo artists, early efforts from rock stars before they hit the big time, additional gems from one-hit wonders, music from other countries, and good tunes from obscure bands. Check out great psychedelic, folk, blues, garage, metal, and more music that you haven’t heard in a long time — and, often, haven’t heard before at all.

Mark is a writer and editor who relocated to the Divide from the Bay Area in 2010.

Mark is KFOK’s publicity coordinator and a member of the Board of Directors of the American River Folk Society, the license holder for KFOK.

Guy Nixon
Grizzly Nixon’s History Hour
Thursdays, 9–10 am

This program explores local history and its connections to world events in human and natural history in a folksy, fun, and informative format. We have some amazing history right here on the Divide that has affected or has been affected by world events since 1543, and Guy brings it to life with surprising interconnections and modern science to put it in perspective.

Guy, born and raised on the Divide and living on the site of his great-great-grandfather’s mining claim, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and minored in geology, and will soon be awarded an honorary master’s degree in history from the University of California at Los Angeles. During his fifteen years with the US Forest Service, he engaged in a three-year survey of the El Dorado National Forest’s abandoned mines and helped survey trails for the Georgetown Ranger District. Nixon, who has Osage, Pawnee, and Cherokee heritage and is a US Navy veteran of the Gulf War, has written seven books and made five wildlife films.

Cornelius O’Quinn
Professional Porch Sitters Union Local 4300
Alternate Sundays, 6–7 pm

Get unbusy with Cornelius and cohost Buzz Chernoff at the Professional Porch Sitters Union Local 4300. Sit down with a glass of lemonade and join in on porch chatter about the weather, goings-on in the community, gardening, raising chickens, road repairs, gourmet recipes, fishing, or whatever else comes to mind, plus stories, music, and a whole lot of fun.

Cornelius, like his cohost, is a local ham who loves to talk and tell stories. He and Buzz are regulars at the Marshall Grange Young at Heart Players Monthly Bistro and Coffeehouse. Cornelius has been a broadcaster at KFOK since the days when the studio was behind the barbershop.

Katherine Okey
Katherine’s Carousel of Musicals
Sundays, 9–10 am

Katherine invites you to experience the world of theater and movie musicals. Each Sunday, you’ll hear the brief history, the plot, and some enchanting tunes from either a stage production or a movie. Katherine features a different production each week, so, if you love musicals, or you want to be introduced to them, be sure to tune in!

Katherine, a university graduate who majored in literature, enjoys singing, writing, and, of course, experiencing the world of musicals.

Gary Oswald
FAT Head Radio
Fridays, 9 am–noon

Join Gary and cohost Cathy Rohm every Friday as they venture back into the Land of Lard with the music of the legendary KFAT, from its glory days to what is FAT now. Former KFAT DJ Gilbert Klein says, “KFOK has Cathy Rohm and Gary Oswald keeping alive the tradition that had no name, and now calls itself Americana. If you get KFOK and don’t listen to FAT Head Radio, you’ll hate yourself forever. And so will I.” Help Gary and Cathy in spreadin’ the weird of the lard. Tell your friends and neighbors that the FAT one has risen!

Gary is coordinator of the station’s Adopt-A-Highway Program.

Cathy Rohm
FAT Head Radio
Fridays, 9 am–noon

Join Cathy and cohost Gary Oswald every Friday as they venture back into the Land of Lard with the music of the legendary KFAT, from its glory days to what is FAT now. Former KFAT DJ Gilbert Klein says, “KFOK has Cathy Rohm and Gary Oswald keeping alive the tradition that had no name, and now calls itself Americana. If you get KFOK and don’t listen to FAT Head Radio, you’ll hate yourself forever. And so will I.” Help Gary and Cathy in spreadin’ the weird of the lard. Tell your friends and neighbors that the FAT one has risen!

Red Dirt Roadhouse
Alternate Saturdays, 9 am–noon

Music guaranteed to rock your socks off on Saturday mornings! Red Dirt is anything from Asleep at the Wheel to the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz, with an emphasis on noncommercial music. Stuff you’ve heard; stuff you’ve never heard of! All good. Guaranteed, or your money back.

Cathy has been a Divide resident since 2001, coming to the area from Sacramento to follow her interests in endurance riding. She’s been a broadcaster since KFOK’s formation, and she says her affiliation with the station has been, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding experiences of her life—right up there with winning the Haggin Cup and Tevis Cup!

Cathy is KFOK’s announcements coordinator.

Marian Smith
Aging with Success
Mondays, 9–10 am

If you wonder about the challenges and joys of growing old, Aging with Success might just be your kind of program. Marian keeps you informed on the process of aging and how to navigate wellness.

Pride of the Mountains
First and Fifth Mondays, 10 am–noon

Marian features songs from the American folk scene, including traditional folk, bluegrass, Celtic, and other acoustic music forms.

Marian, who obtained a bachelor’s degree in gerontology in 2007, has hosted Aging with Success on KFOK since 2005. The idea for the program rose from her need for a senior project at Sacramento State University. Since that time, Marian has interviewed more than a hundred experts on aging for her program. She also enjoys showcasing her favorites in the bluegrass genre when she hosts Pride of the Mountains.

Phil Toschi
Phil’s Sports and Old-Time Radio Show
Sundays, 7–9 pm

Phil covers local high school athletics, as well as college and professional sports, with scores and more. He also celebrates old-time radio with recordings of vintage mystery and comedy radio shows such as The Shadow and Fibber McGee and Molly.

Faith SleepwalkingFaith Wolfram
“Sleepwalking Through Public Places”
Third Sunday, noon–3 pm

Faith’s show features indie, electronic, reggae, hip-hop, and then some.

Faith lives in Sacramento and has worked around music forever—first working at Tower Records HQ and at an indie record label/distribution company, and then running a record label—and has always supported local independent music and radio stations such as KDVS and KVMR. She thanks buddy Al for introducing her to KFOK Community Radio!

Faith is KFOK’s music director.

Takashi YogiTakashi Yogi
Home on the Grange
Alternate Sundays, 6–7 pm

On this show, which Takashi cohosts with Buzz Chernoff, you will hear current news about Grange and other happenings on the Divide, discussions with guests on topics of relevance to rural living, and a regular update on legislative issues the California State Grange is pursuing at the state and national levels, all mixed with music and spoken word.

Takashi is KFOK’s technical director.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

The opinions expressed on any program are those of the individual broadcaster and do not represent the opinion or views of the American River Folk Society, KFOK Community Radio, its management and staff, or its underwriters. If you have any comment on the content of a program, please write to the broadcaster of the show and/or share your thoughts with the program director.

7 Comments

7 thoughts on “Broadcaster Profiles

  1. Tammy Bragg

    I have been trying to get in touch with Marian Smith for some time now. I facilitate a support group in Georgetown for caregivers. I would love for this message to get forwarded to her.

    Thank-you, Tammy

  2. sandy rovane

    Hey listening to you this am for the first time. Great show. I think you had a little COFFEE this day

  3. Thanks again to KFOK 95.1FM from Past Present Paranormal. Our time in Georgetown was special, but wouldn’t have been nearly the same without Paul and Jillian’s friendship.

  4. Linda Quinteros

    Who is on Fridays 8 to 10 pm?

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