February 28, 2023
Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen
Dear 70s Family,
40 years ago, today we watched the end of an era as the TV show M*A*S*H signed off after 11 years of laughter amidst a heartbreaking backdrop. It was almost surreal. Today holds that same surreal feeling for me, Shawn DeAngelo, the Program Director of San Francisco's 70s Hits, as I say farewell after 15 years online. I can't begin to thank you for the support. smiles, laughter, and memories we've shared together! I couldn't have asked for more.
As a youngster growing up in the 1970s in a single-parent household, life was rough at times. I had learning disabilities and difficulties making friends - so, much of that time was spent with just the radio. KFRC was the hit music station that everyone listened to back in the day around the SF Bay Area. The music was larger than life, the DJs were witty, charming, and loveable, and the station itself seemed to be a living entity. It was easy to enjoy! In particular, KFRC's morning personality, Dr. Don Rose, whose cornball humor and expertly timed sound effects, were my saving grace. He didn't care that had a funny walk, goofy laugh, or inability to understand. It seemed as if he spoke directly to me. He made sure I felt good about myself and made me smile enough to face the incredibly scary world around me. He even said, "I Love You'" and I believed he did.
Right around 3rd grade, I began to realize that if this wacky, talented man could touch me so deeply, perhaps when I grew up, I could do the same for others. So, I gave it my best shot. As a 15-year-old, desperate to have a purpose, I managed to convince the Program Director of the San Jose, CA, radio station KHTT, Dave Ware, to bring me in as an intern, That's where it all started around 1982. In the years that followed, I enjoyed the highs (and lows) of broadcasting as an announcer for a number of radio stations in San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. Those years were as rewarding as they were difficult. Looking back, I wouldn't have traded them for the world.
SF7Os started out after I was fired from a Christian station. I was told my career was over and I'd never work in the industry again. That wasn't what I wanted to hear, I knew I hadn't accomplished what I set out to do. Thus, San Francisco's 70s HITS was born within the same month I was let go. Telling me not to fulfill my dream was the catalyst that pushed me to succeed.
Here we are, 15 years later, and it's now time to say farewell. It's bittersweet, to say the least. With absolutely no budget and little knowledge of how this all worked, I propelled a little home computer to become the top-rated 70s music station on the world's largest streaming platform, TuneIn. Don't get me started on how tough it is to literally cram your heart and soul into a serial port on a computer, yeesh.
Through the years I’ve been beyond blessed to have met some of the finest, most amazing people I’ve ever known. There have been so many, I can't begin to thank you all. Your patience, understanding, and belief in my mission have made me eternally grateful.
So, if everything was so wonderful, why is it time to go?
The reasons behind my departure are numerable, and yes, money does come into the equation. This isn't the time or place to grovel about it, rather, the time to show my appreciation. The odds of someone with my limited financial ability being able to pull this off were 1 in a million, so honestly, I look at it as being incredibly successful.
As each of life's chapters closes, new ones begin! I’m so grateful that my new chapters will include family close to me. The years have separated us on our journeys. This week, that will change for me, and I'm so thankful. I pray that each of you has someone close, biologically or not, that you can call family. We all deserve the opportunity to love and be loved. No matter who we are, no matter what our goals and dreams are, and no matter what the rest of the world tells us we can and/or cannot do or accomplish. Just to share a little secret; you can do whatever you set out to do if your heart is in the right place!
So, until we meet again, thank you so very, very much for being you! For giving this weird little kid an opportunity to fulfill his dream. To let me play the greatest music ever, act like a huge dork, and remind you to do the same. Always believe in yourself… you taught me that it works!
In the words of Dr. Don Rose on KFRC; I Love You
Shawn
PS: The station will remain online until 3/31/23