Sam Van Zandt was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2014. In his post-broadcasting years, he’s written extensively about the life and times of the people whose on-air work created radio memories.
Today’s music listeners have many options – Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, and more. But one of these listening options has a distinctly Bay Area flavor, springing from a dream that began forty-five years ago.
In the late 1970’s, K-101 was among the top stations in the San Francisco Bay Area, broadcasting from legendary studios at 700 Montgomery Street (photo above). Its reputation was that of a creative radio station with an appreciation for the sound of music. Two people chose the music – one of them was Jim Gabbert, the station’s owner – and they insisted upon the highest sound quality – played directly from vinyl records (remember records?).
With features like the quirky “Anything Goes” show, hosted by Gabbert, and a format that differed from all other Bay Area stations, K-101 captured the imaginations of listeners who loved radio and music. It also captured the imaginations of disc jockeys who wanted to be part of something unique and successful. The station would be remembered as a Legendary Station by the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2020, while Gabbert became a member of the first Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame class in 2006.
Along with Jack Friday, Liz Bentley, Hoyt Smith and a few others, I was privileged to be a part of it in the late 70’s. That’s where I met Paul Patterson, who was the General Manager and an air personality at San Jose State University’s KSJS. Paul was studying engineering and business, while also working part-time as a board operator at K-101.
Paul says while running the K-101 board he was tempted many times to crack the mic and say the hourly station ID, but he somehow managed to resist. When Paul was still in high school, Jim Gabbert ran a contest on “Anything Goes” asking listeners to send in sound effects. The reward was AMPEX cassette tapes and Paul won twice!
That piqued his interest in radio, an interest which grew in college. He enjoyed a measure of success at that level. Paul was an affable and eager radio fan who loved K-101 and dreamed of one day being a DJ on that station. But dreams don’t always come true – at least not right away. His life path led to a career as an engineer working in tech sales and marketing in Silicon Valley. Still, he kept his dream of being on the air alive, knowing in his heart that someday he’d do it.
After two years of announcing for KLOK in San Jose on the weekends, Paul made the decision to leave
radio so he could work full time in Silicon Valley. Fast forward: after working in the tech field for over 35 years, he got the bug again to be on the air. But radio had changed and getting hired at a radio station was not as simple as it once was (if it ever was). What to do? Simple: build your own radio station and hire yourself to do afternoons! Paul Patterson, creator of K101 Live 365
These days, Paul very happily helms the afternoon drive show daily on K101 Live365. Since Paul grew up listening to K101 and Jim Gabbert’s adventurous “Anything Goes” show, he had hopes to one day reprise the format. Paul even acquired K-101’s jingles and a fascinating vault of Gabbert’s “Anything Goes” shows. He’s built a “Time Machine” of his own.
A few years ago, Paul became inspired by internet radio products, like Gary Mora’s “Classic 1260 KYA”. Over the next few years, Paul recruited retired DJs like yours truly, Don Bleu, Dennis Terry, and from the Southland, the legendary Boss Jock “Shotgun Tom” Kelly.
Before Paul took over the afternoon spot, I personally held it down via voice tracks for two years, before realizing the meaning of the word “retired”.
Most of the terrific talents heard on K101 Live 365 recognize that we are helping out a fellow radio lover. We also appreciate that Paul is keeping the spirit of K101 alive. Don Bleu, the strongest link to terrestrial K101, hosts “80’s at 8”. Jeff Serr, SherryBrown, Jim Bryan and Celeste Perry entertain us with special shows. Steve Garland does “Top 10 at 10” (like the KFOG show created by Dave Morey), and K101 Live 365 also offers the iconic “Time Machine”, made famous by the late great Chris Edwards, featuring songs from the 50’s and 60’s.
Jona Denz-Hamilton, Dennis Terry, Clark Reid, Shawn King, and Steve Jordan make weekends sparkle, and Paul Patterson can be heard every weekday afternoon from 3 PM to 6 PM. It’s a dream come true for Paul, and for those of us with fond memories of our best years, when K-101 provided the soundtrack, it’s a way to reminisce while dreaming our own dreams.
