As a young man growing up in the St.Louis area I was fortunate enough to be around for the birth of One of the first underground stations in the U.S. It is common knowledge that the underground radio format was born in San Francisco at KMPX by Tom Donahue and his group. Later it became even more prominent through KSAN. But an underground station In the Mid West? This station rivaled it's east and west coast sisters in every aspect. Amazingly while the others passed on KSHE continued on adapting and becoming even more prominent. They started as a true underground station and in late 69 early 70 began to move to the progressive rockers eventually playing heavier rock and roll. They still are on the air today over 45 years later. I do not care for their harder rock format but alas that is just the older hippie in me.
The picture posted is of Ruth Hutchinson, promoted as the worlds oldest rock and roll DJ She hosted a show called the KSHE Klassics and played music that the St Louis area deemed as classic songs .Ruth was 80 at that time The KSHE klassic show still airs on the radio station. I have put together some tunes from that time frame.
KSHE originally played lighter, female-oriented rock when it first started operating in 1961 as KSHE (Hence, the reason for the SHE in KSHE). In 1967 KSHE changed their music forever. They didn't use top 40 hits and upbeat DJs; they played the type of music that is now known as AOR(album orientated rock). Many bought their first FM radios because of this station. Now, the station is so powerful, some can get reception as far north as Springfield, IL, mainly in truck radios. This is a two-hour drive and approximately 120 miles away. Sweet Meat, the pot smoking Pig is their slogan to this day (though he has kicked his marijuana habit), along with KSHE95 REAL ROCK RADIO. The first song played on KSHE95 was White Rabbit. During the 1970s and early 1980s, KSHE was influential in the growth of many midwestern bands (such as Styx, REO Speedwagon and Head East) as well as playing the album and progressive rock of that era. KSHE had a wide and varied play list, which popularized such rock artists as Lake from Germany and Stingray from South Africa as well as playing the classics from the more well-known rock legends.
KSHE also played free form and would sometimes play up to four hours nonstop until they got into trouble with the FCC.
Because FM radio during these years provided flexibility that the AM stations usually didn't allow, KSHE would frequently play concept albums in their entirety, as well as entire album sides from favorites such as Rush - "2112". Sunday evenings are dedicated to playing seven albums from seven different artists on a show called the "Seventh Day". The albums usually were played from 7:00 PM until somewhat after midnight. The "Seventh Day" concept was later used by other stations around the country.
KSHE, one of the oldest continually operating rock stations in the United States, celebrated its 47th birthday as a rock station in November, 2014
Touch My Soul - Micheal Finnely
KSHE klassics volume 1
01 one fine morning - lighthouse
1a aircheck
02 go back - crabby appleton
03 how long (has this been goin'on) - ace
04 scorchingbeauty - iron butterfly
05 who's behind the door - zebra
5a aircheck -ruth hutchinson
06 as i look into the fire - heartsfield
07 sufficently breathless - captain beyond
08 round and round - strawbs
09 from a dry camel - dust
10 i'm the light - blue cheer
11 neverbeen any reason - head east
12 two hangmen - mason profit
12a aircheck -ruth
13 the last illusion - jf murphy & salt
14 oh well - fleetwood mac
15 touch my soul - micheal finnely
16 the city - mark-almond
17 in the court of the crimson king
18 i'm not in love - 10cc
18a - aircheck - ruth
19 be with me - butts band
20 hocus pocus - focus
21 nostradamas - al stewart
22 while you were out - pavlov's dog
23 the ultimate prophecy - jd blackfoot
24 as far as you can see(as much as you can feel) - gypsy
