AM Radio Today: “Lonesome Willcox”

Those of you who read my last “AM Radio Today” & read the suggested article from “The Guardian” newspaper learned about the small Arizona town of Willcox, it’s struggling AM station –  1250 KHIL (& 98.1 FM) & the lives of dedicated volunteers Mark & Tristan Lucke, who operate this, 2 other FMs & a couple of translators in a dilapidated studio/transmitter building with failed air conditioning that also serves as their residence.  This short video is an elaboration & follow-up to that article & was filmed by Ryan Maxey & Zack Wright.  It features narration by Rex Allen Jr.  This video is both nostalgic & sad & will make many of us yearn for a long ago time when small town radio was an essential, local & viable means of communication, information & entertainment.  It is both a stark look at today’s struggling AM broadcasters & the fading out of many a small community in America. The video has been shown at a number of film festivals & brought world-wide attention to the radio station, Mark & his town.  If you’ve ever pondered the definition of ‘Americana’, this is it, folks!  To learn more about this video, 1250 KHIL, WIllcox & Mark Lucke, he has a very entertaining website that will provide you with plenty to read & view:  Willcox Radio

Mike Cherry

retired broadcaster: on-air, MD, PD, asst PD, Prod Mgr, IT, station technician/engineer, pioneer Internet webcaster, station installation/maintenance; 12 years in commercial radio, 17 years volunteer in campus/community radio in B.C., Alberta & Wash. Amateur radio operator & “DXer” specializing in AM night-time DX, short-wave DX/listening & remote SDR DXing/listening