2004
6/7/04- The KOOL 94-cast is being brought by CBS 5 Chief Meteorolgist Mike Harvey.
6/23/04- KOOLRADIO.com website goes from boring to appealing and informative, with a layout, banner, and navigation buttons.
7/21/04- Legendary sportscaster and broadcaster Al McCoy joins KOOL as Morning Sports Reporter and Commentator. He will have two-minute reports on the Bill Gardner Morning Show at 7:06 am and 8:06 am.
10/2/04- Listeners and staff celebrate Tom Peake’s 25th anniversary at Barcelona Restaraunt. Mayor Phil Gordon proclaimed the day as “Tom Peake Day” for Phoenix, and Governor Janet Napolitano proclaimed it as “Tom Peake Day” for the entire state of Arizona.
10/24/04- Unlike years past, KOOL is making The History of Rock & Roll more easy to listen to, with 5 1/2 hour chunks of it played every Sunday, 2 to 7:30 pm.
11/17/04- W. Steven Martin joined KOOL, doing the Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm shift.
12/10/04- ADOT’s Doug Nintzel joins the Bill Gardner Morning Show every Friday.
2005
3/20/05- Maria Knight joins Bill Gardner and John Michaels in the mornings.
5/21/05- KOOL commercials are being aired on TV.
6/2/05- KOOL is being voicetracked overnights, by Drew Bland.
6/3/05- Scott Sutherland, Jose, Nat Galvin, Todd Wallace leave Infinity Phoenix. Bonneville traded Infinity for some stations in another market. People are wondering how much longer Infinity Phoenix will be around.
Disco now on Saturday nights instead of Dick Bartley.
7/22/05- Charley Lake becomes new KOOL PD. Lake comes over from a PD job at Infinity Adult Hits sister WJMK (104.3 Jack-FM)/Chicago. Tom Peake has been handling programming duties since the departure of Todd Wallace.
7/25/05- KOOL’s latest Arbitron ratings are spectacular, including placing third in 25-54. Over 2/3rds of the book was with Todd Wallace programming the station.
10/6/05- W. Steven Martin leaves KOOL. Christopher Lance replaces him in Saturday 6-10 am slot. Maria Knight does Saturday Night Dance Party.
11/11/05- NY radio legend Freddy Colon will host the Saturday Night Dance Party.
2006
7/1/06- Sammy Sherwood’s final show on KOOL, Saturday, 10 am-2 pm. He was also the morning show producer.
7/9/06- Tony McGraw is back on KOOL (not as Skippy).
9/4/06- Unlike several Labor Day weekends of the KOOL A-Z, they are playing the History of Rock ‘n’ Roll instead.
9/28/06- Radio Free Phoenix’s Liz Boyle is the winner of Phoenix New Times Readers’ Choice “Best Radio Personality Award”.
10/06- Updated look to the layout of koolradio.com
10/21/06- 1st annual KOOL Classic Car Show and Cruise is hosted at the Cardinal Stadium (now known as University of Phoenix Stadium).
10/23/06- Summer 12+: (1) KOOL (2) KFYI (3) KHOT (4) KNIX (5) KTAR-AM (6) KKFR (7) KMLE (8) KESZ (9) KYOT (10) KUPD
2007
1/9/07- Effective Feb. 1, KOOL PD Charley Lake leaves for Philadelphia classic rocker, WMGK.
2/1/07- Charley Lake is out.
2/28/07- In search for the new KOOL PD job… Roger Allan from KONO San Antonio wanted the job. CBS Radio passes and hires Keith Abrams‘ brother, Kris Abrams.
3/13/07- 12+: (1) KESZ (2) KFYI (3) KOOL (4) KHOT/KHOV (5) KZZP
4/16/07- “KOOL 94-point-five” changed to “94-point-five, KOOL-FM”. New image voice as the “Nameless Faceless Voice Guy” by Jeff Laurence. New jingles, no jock shouts, weekday airshifts moved an hour earlier. Still using old weather bed. The change occurred right at midnight, Sunday night into Monday morning after the Sunday night syndicated shows.
5/7/07- KOOL and KFYI tie for #1.
6/1/07- KOOL spots airing on TV. Cox Cable and KTVK are running them upside-down, while KPHO are running them the correct way.
6/5/07- 12+: (1) KOOL – 5.4.
25-54: (1) KHOT (2) KOOL and KNIX
6/9/07- Sunday evening syndication moved to Saturday mornings. Liz Boyle is not on this weekend– announced that last weekend of the month will be her last.
6/17/07- “Seventies Sunday” begins.
7/3/07- Joe Corrao, “Mojo”, formerly of KTAR and KZON joins KOOL doing afternoon traffic reports for Camelback Jack.
9/25/07- CBS and Mitsubishi Motors “So You Think You’re a Star” contest
9/28/07- Camelback Jack mentions they are moving. 4745 N. 7th St. to 840 N. Central Ave. NFVG: “Movin’/Lost Oldies Weekend”.
12/3/07- Mike Patrick joins KOOL.
12/26/07- KOOL ends Christmas music with a Carpenters song at midnight. NFVG voicetracked entire day. All staff out for the week.
2008
1/1/08- Start hearing KOOL HD-2 promos, “Playing 70s favorites”.
1/15/08- NFVG new legal ID starts, “K-O-O-L FM, K-O-O-L HD-1, Phoenix”.
2/1/08- Bill Gardner celebrates 9 years at KOOL.
2/7/08- CBS Radio “Black Thursday”– Bill Gardner, Dave Shannon, and Allie Torres are fired from KOOL. Jay McCarthy, PD of KMLE, also falls victim to the firings. Kris Abrams takes over duties. People are falling victim all over the country in the name of “budget cuts”. Camelback Jack and Joe Corrao, “Mojo”, talk about “visiting” the morning show tomorrow (Friday). Thursday evening is jockless.
2/8/08- Camelback Jack and Joe Corrao, “Mojo”, “visit” morning show. John Michaels is there. Maria Knight shows up for last half hour and announces the KOOL Double Deal. Lee Bortel does midday, Liz Boyle does PMD, and Mike Patrick does evening shift.
2/10/08- It’s official. Monday morning: new KOOL morning show consists of middays’ Tom Peake, Maria Knight, John Michaels, and Joe Corrao as the new morning show producer (instead of afternoon traffic reporter).
2/25/08- At a quarter to 9 pm, Mike Patrick announces Scott Letourneau coming up.
3/4/08- Michael Gifford, “Giff”, from Denver is on this evening.
3/14/08- KOOL playlist changes with the addition of disco. Running “That 70s Channel” HD-2 promos, at least once an hour.
3/17/08- Liz Boyle gone from middays (2+ weeks).
3/19/08- KOOL overnight guy Drew Bland named APD of KOOL and KMLE.
4/7/08- 12+, KOOL down .6, tied at #8 with KZZP.
4/21/08- First 80s song played on KOOL– Beach Boys “Kokomo” at 12:56 am. Lee Bortel is doing middays this week and next.
4/26/08- No Saturday Night Dance Party
4/27/08- After midnight, heard “Stay”, “I Shot the Sheriff”, “Show Me the Way”. Sounds like too much 70s, but other 60s also included: “Expressway to Your Heart”, “Double Shot (of my Baby’s Love)”, “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)”, and the Rascals’ “A Girl Like You”.
5/9/08- Lee Bortel middays except today in PMD, Drew Bland in midday (VT), Mike Patrick evenings. KOOL $5,000 Paddy’O Furniture “First 100 degree day” contest.
5/10/08- Drew Bland does Saturday Night Dance Party after several jockless shows.
6/2/08- Steve Goddard promos begin, infrequently.
6/5/08- 12+: (6) KOOL
25-54: (16) KOOL
6/6/08- Tom Peake stays an extra hour, live and solo. Maria Knight goes on, 10 am to 1 pm, solo but voicetracked.
6/13/08- Koolradio.com is “pimped out”– changed look and busy/crowded home page. Has the “Clear Channel” look to it.
6/15/08- No sign of Tony McGraw lately (later learned, he left), or Mike Patrick (later learned, had surgery). Katfish Kris Kelly (”Spell them with K’s”) is on for the first time.
6/16/08- Steve Goddard’s first day on KOOL.
7/30/08- Tweaked playlist. No “70s overload”. Addition of 60s too.
8/5/08- Joe Corrao, “Mojo”, the morning show producer is fired. Lee Bortel, which previously was morning show producer with Bill, takes over again. Evenings voicetracked by James Rivas. Dena Fox also fired (was at KMLE for 8 years and newest addition to KOOL for afternoon traffic).
8/25/08- Bill Gardner begins mornings, 5:30-10 am, on AM 670 “The Q” KMZQ Las Vegas, and 99.3 FM Payson-Phoenix. Broadcasts from the Las Vegas Strip, across the street from Mandalay Bay.
9/3/08- Tom Kent syndicated show starts at 8 pm to 1 am. Supposed to be 7 days a week.
9/6/08- Last 70’s Saturday Night Splashdown show with Greg “3rd Degree” Burns. Supposed to be back next summer.
9/18/08- Two Christmas songs in a row are heard on KOOL, as a part of the “Kiss my Saturn Astra” contest.
10/24/08- Joe Corrao’s first day back on the air since being a victim of the CBS ax. He’s filling in for traffic reporters on Valley Clear Channel stations. On KEZ and KOY on day one.
10/31/08- All-Christmas begins on KOOL with Camelback Jack at 5 pm.
11/3/08- All-Christmas goes well beyond the weekend and into Monday morning. Finally ends sometime in the 8 am hour. Back to “The Greatest Hits of All-Time”.
11/7/08- All-Christmas returns to KOOL once again at 5 pm Friday with Camelback Jack. This time, they’re in it for the long-run.
11/17/08- Fall P1, 12+: (1) KFYI (2) KOOL (3) KTAR-FM (4) KHOT, KESZ, KMXP (5) KMLE (6) KQMR (7) KUPD (8) KSLX, KNIX, KZZP (9) KKFR (10) KPKX.
25-54: KHOT, KMXP, KOOL, KQMR, KESZ, KFYI, KMLE, KSLX, KUPD, KTAR-FM, KPKX, KYOT, KDKB, KZZP, KNIX, KLNZ, KTAR-AM, KKFR
11/13/08- Half of KOOL Morning Crew gets ax. Morning show producer Lee Bortel, and News Director/Traffic Reporter/Co-host John Michaels are fired this morning. Lee will stay on in the weekends. This weekend, he was also heard doing a remote.
12/12/08- CBS Radio fires PMD Camelback Jack on Friday. Same story for PMD Stu Evans at KMLE. CBS Radio cuts occurring in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, too. Jack mentioned on-air that he was going to be on vacation. Katfish Kris Kelly fills in for Jack.
12/18/08- Dave Pratt and entire morning crew at KMLE cut
12/28/08- End of All-Christmas for KOOL at midnight, into 12/29 morning. New legal ID, new programming, playlist, etc.
2009
1/5/09- On-air staff returns. Tom Peake does morning show solo. Maria Knight returns tomorrow and recuperating from jet-lag from a flight back from a KOOL World Tour. Tom also does middays, 9 am to only Noon. Steve Goddard did afternoons as Noon to 6 pm. Temporary?
1/7/09- Sandusky firings: Steve Trella out at KSLX, Dock Ellis out at KDKB
1/8/09- Tim and Willy’s first day back on Phoenix radio. They return “home” at KMLE, Camel Country 108.
1/10/09- “The ’70s with Steve Goddard” syndicated show airs for its first Saturday morning on KOOL.
1/14/09- Fall, 12+: (1) KFYI (2) KESZ (3) KHOT/KHOV (4) KTAR-FM (5) KOOL (6) KNIX (7) KZZP (8) KYOT (9) KMXP (10) KSLX (11) KZON (12) KKFR (13) KUPD (14) KTAR-AM (15) KPKX (16) KMLE (17) KLNZ (18) KQMR/KOMR (19) KDKB (20) KVVA/KDVA (21) KVIB (22) KNUV (23) KAJM (24) KOY (25) KMVA (26) KEDJ (27) KKNT (28) KGME
25-54: (1) KHOT/KHOV (2) KESZ (3) KFYI (4) KMXP (5) KTAR-FM (6) KPKX (7)(t) KSLX (7)(t) KUPD (9) KNIX (10)(t) KTAR-FM (10)(t) KVVA (12)(t) KDKB (12)(t) KLNZ (12)(t) KZZP (15) KMLE (16)(t) KOOL (16)(t) KQMR/KOMR (16)(t) KYOT (19) KKFR (20) KZON (21)(t) KAJM (21)(t) KMVA (23) KNUV (24) KVIB (25) KEDJ (26) KKNT (27) KGME (28) KOY (29) KAHM
1/19/09- Former KFYI PD Laurie Cantillo lands PD gig at WABC-AM New York
1/20/09- Xtra Sports KGME hardest hit Valley station of nationwide Clear Channel cuts
2/4/09- Former KDKB, KSLX jock Carol Springer joins Radio Free Phoenix
2/6/09- KOOL establishes new “KOOL At Work Rewards” program
2/19/09- KMLE adds The Lia Show
2/21/09- Radio Free Phoenix present at the Parada Del Sol and hosts get- together in Scottsdale with airstaff and friends
3/6/09- KPKX names Chuck Powell as new morning host
3/6/09- Mary Reilly exits at KPKX
3/30/09- Kid Stevens fills in for Gaydos on KTAR with Mac
3/31/09- KNUV to be auctioned
4/8/09- KAJM 99.3 The Beat brings in Raul “Rockdahouse” to do nights
4/9/09- Riviera Broadcasting Phoenix KEDJ, KKFR, Marketing Director Charlie Huero exits
4/9/09- KZZP’s Johnjay & Rich morning show receive murder confession call on Confession Wednesday segment
4/10/09- KAZG picks up “Culinary Confessions” from troubled KXAM
4/14/09- KAZG gets “The Bandwagon” sports show from KXAM
4/15/09- KXAM goes dark at midnight
4/17/09- Laura Ingraham moves from KXAM to KFNX
4/21/09- KEDJ picks up Kevin and Bean in the mornings
4/24/09- Arnie Spanier is joining KDUS, The Fan AM 1060, for mornings
4/28/09- KZON already ceases saying “The Valley’s #1 Hit Music Station” on-air. Both KZON and KKFR began the slogan almost at the same time.
5/3/09- A few weeks ago, KTAR’s Darrell Ankarlo got a concussion from a car wreck
5/4/09- KFNN adds weekday syndicated “Financial Lifeline” show hosted by John March and Dave Harbison
5/4/09- Sierra H Broadcasting KNRJ 92.7/99.3 The Beat adds “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” for mornings
5/4/09- Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and his daughter Meghan McCain visit KTAR-FM’s Mac and Gaydos in-studio
5/6/09- KNIX adds syndicated Broadway to weeknights
5/7/09- Dial Global adds Tim Maranville as Sr. Dir./Programming
5/10/09- Former KTAR chief engineer, Dean Cannes, reportedly missing
5/13/09- KNIX PD Ray Massie exits. KZZP Mark Medina is interim PD
5/13/09- KZZP adds syndicated show “Weekend Throwdown with Jagger”
5/18/09- VSS, Citibank, Goldman Sachs restructuring– financial and managerial– Riviera Broadcast Group KEDJ and KKFR
5/25/09- Big Shoe Stu (former longtime personality of KMLE) and Jim Sharpe fill in for Mac and Gaydos on KTAR
5/27/09- Former KMLE PD Jay McCarthy is leaving for Nashville for a job with Red Light Management
5/29/09- KMLE adds Cody Alan’s CMT Radio Live to evenings
6/1/09- Bruce St. James exits as PD, Riviera Broadcast Group KKFR and KEDJ
6/1/09- Mike Patrick leaves KOOL weekends
6/2/09- Karlie Hustle, APD KKFR, named new PD.
6/2/09- Embee Broadcasting found a buyer for KXAM – Immaculate Heart Radio’s IHR Educational Broadcasting for $1 million
6/6/09- New KDKB jock schedule. Ruby is moved, as well as Alice Cooper to midnight to 5am.
6/9/09- KFYI morning host Bruce Jacobs is fired
6/12/09- KZON adds SupeRadio’s Radio2GoCHR imaging
6/15/09- Bruce St. James has been filling in for Ankarlo on KTAR
6/23/09- Clear Channel SVP/Programming-Southwest Alan Sledge exits
6/26/09- Standard Media Group Adult Standards KPHX will switch back to liberal talk on July 6, reports New Times
10/5/09- KMLE’s Gwen Foster (middays) and Jeff West (afternoons) are fired due to more budget cutting.
12/1/09- Ben and Matt re-sign with KNIX.
12/4/09- Tom & Maria, Steve Goddard broadcast from Disneyland– all in celebration of Tom Peake’s 30 years at KOOL-FM.
12/6/09- Tim & Willy host 18th annual Christmas Breakfast Show at Night.
12/8/09- Temporary brief outage of several Phoenix FM stations. Huge storm last night; thousands without power.
12/9/09- Chris Parker missing from Mix’s website. Chuck Powell missing from Peak’s website. Both out.
12/11/09- KTAR’s last broadcast from the Central Ave. building.
12/14/09- Tim Pohlman is new market manager of CBS Radio Phoenix.
12/17/09- Immaculate Heart Radio debuts on AM 1310 KXAM, now KIHP.
12/17/09- Chuck and Amy, formerly at Mix 96.9, start mornings on 98.7 The Peak.
2010
4/20/10- New legal ID on KOOL?
