One of my best friends passed away several weeks ago His name was Ken Sowell, best know to many as Rocky. I met him while still in high school along, with his buddy, Jerry Cohen. All three of us worked for Prescott Valley, pushing property (at the time) to folks in South Dakota & Illinois. They had a roaming team of salesmen who would pressure these people into buying land while enjoying a free meal at their local steakhouse.
One of the best things about these two, is they would write these amazing songs and soon, I was recording them in my home studio from 1975 through the early 80’s. Ken was a great singer & harp player and Jerry, an outstanding guitarist. Ken had cerebral palsy and always walked with a pronounced limp, and it got progressively worse as he got older. I would drop by and/or call him once in while, to see how he was doing (as recently January 23rd). It was when I called him on Thursday, February 15th, that I found he had died the day before.

We had a great get-together in memory of Rocky, this past Saturday at Hotel San Carlos in Phoenix, along with many friends including Jerry Cohen and the members of Contraband, the rock band Rocky sang with since the early 1980’s. Jerry’s brother, Ben Cohen also created a very moving video with one of Ken & Jerry’s deepest and most moving songs, “Time Slips.” Please watch this and experience the kind of synergy Ken & Jerry had and listen to the lyrics. In retrospect, they do mirror Rocky’s life.

Join Radio Free Phoenix this Saturday, March 27th at 3pm & Sunday, March 28th at 12 noon (AZ-Pacific Time) for an encore presentation of Ken Sowell’s “Radio Freedom” show that aired November 26, 2005 on Radio Free Phoenix.

Join Andy Olson on Radio Free Phoenix This Saturday at 3pm (AZ-Mountain Time) and Sunday at 12pm for an in depth interview with longtime Arizona Concert Promoter, Danny Zelisko. Andy will be talking with Danny about his new book, All Excess – Concert Promoter, which is filled with stories, pictures and history about many of the great artists and bands he has brought to the Phoenix area since 1973.

Danny talk about his years in the business with Evening Star Productions, Danny Zelisko Presents and how the Pandemic has altered the concert business, along with select tunes from many of these artists.

Steve Goodman, Bob Seger & Danny Zelisko

The best way to listen to Radio Free Phoenix on-the-go is with the new InternetFm App. Along with Radio Free Phoenix, you can listen to our sister station, Deep Oldies and dozens of other fine Rock N Roll Internet Radio Stations!

You can download the app onto your Apple and/or Android device.

When you download this ad-free app to your device, be sure to enter the Radio Free Phoenix special promo Code: RFP. You can also register for free to unlock Bonus Features!

Check out how the InternetFm App works in the following video.

Returning to RFP, Tuesdays at 7pm, (AZ time), it’s “The Ripsnort Radio Hour.” The show is hosted by Tempe, Arizona based singer/songwriter Jim Bachmann.  Jim describes his show as “Meaty Chunks of Honky Tonk, Blues, Roots, Soul, Stonerbilly, and whatever else grabs us… In the words of the late great Duke Ellington, “If it sounds good, it is good.”

Listen every Tuesday evening at 7pm!      

For the 31st year, it’s A Rock & Roll Christmas with Andy Olson. Join Radio Free Phoenix for a 30 hour slice of the deepest and wildest Christmas Rock & Roll in existence!

An incredible deep eclectic mix of Christmas Rock N Roll from the likes of:

Jackson Browne  – U2 – Adam Sandler – Greg Lake – The Who – Pretenders – Dan Hicks – Sting –The Oh Hellos – Smithereens – They Might Be Giants – George Thorogood – Cheech & Chong – Old 97’s – Fountains of Wayne – Ramones – George Harrison – Dave Edmunds – JD McPherson – All Time Low – Graham Parker – Payolas – Cheap Trick – Crash Test Dummies – XTC – John Lennon – Waitresses –  Jethro Tull – REM – Ringo Starr – Kinks – DB’s – Paul McCartney – Bruce Springsteen – NRBQ – T Rex – Weird Al Yankovic – Max Headroom – Ramones – Bob Rivers – Shawn Phillips – Rufus Wainwright – Slade – Elton Duck –  Leon Redbone – Tom Waits – Peter Murphy – Bobby Lloyd & The Skeletons – Mojo Nixon – Doug & The Slugs – Bruce Cockburn – Smoking Popes – Talking Meds – Andrew Gold – Keb’ Mo – Riders In The Sky – Loudon Wainwright III – Smithereens – Andrew Gold – Oasis – Fab Four – The Killers – Blondie – Max Headroom – Freddy Cannon – New Pornographers – Donovan – Shins – The Kennedys – Keith Richards – The Tacoma Four – Guster – Slade – The Bodeans – Payolas – Roy Wood & Wizzard – Graham Parker – Flaming Lips – Jorma Kaukonen – Blink 182 – Smashing Pumpkins  – Darts – El Vez – Jan & Dean – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – The Rooks – Jigsaw Seen – The Reducers – Cavedogs – Nick Lowe – The Geisels –  and much more!

 Join us at 6pm Christmas Eve through Christmas night at 12 midnight (AZ-Mountain Time) as the Christmas Hits just keep on coming!

Join Radio Free Phoenix for “Looking Back At Arizona’s Top 40” this Saturday at 6pm (Arizona Time) and every Saturday. Hosted by John Hesterman, this show traces the music and history of Arizona’s rock & roll era, from 1957 to 1984. Each one-hour program features original vinyl and master tape recordings from the John’s private collection and interviews from the musicians who made the music.

John was organist, bassist, drummer, songwriter and producer with The Grapes of Wrath (1966-1971) (1998-Current), TRACE (1972-1981) (2009-Current) and The Offbeats (1993-2010), a San Diego, California based British Invasion band that headlined at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. During his music career, John has also been featured as bassist and front man with Just Us, Atlantis, Stumblin’ Buffalo, The Chino Valley Rangers, Deuce Coupe, Zachary Smith and The Legends with Howard Blank of The Outsiders among others.

Join John Hesterman Saturdays at 6pm on Radio Free Phoenix. Also catch the encore presentation on DeepOldies.com, Sundays at 6pm (Arizona Time)

Check out the what’s been played on THE PLAYLIST PAGE

Join Radio Free Phoenix for the Great Phoenix Rock and Roll Reunion this Sunday, September 29th at 4pm at Flicka’s in Scottsdale, as we celebrate 15 years of Radio Free Phoenix – you’re invited! The show starts at 4pm and continues until 10pm with the following bands and artists playing live:

4:30 Tom Tuerff
5:00 Jack Alves
5:30 Mark Bryson
6:00 Floyd Westfall (of Floyd & Jerry)
6:30 The Acme Blues Band
7:00 Street Duo (w/ Murph from Blue Shoes)
7:30 The Angry Arizonan – AKA Ben Tyler in Person!
8:00 Paul Gurvitz & The Acoustic Army
9:00 Captain Trips

Special guest, Pat McMahon (of Wallace & Ladmo fame) will introduce Floyd Westfall!

It’s going to be a great time and we look forward to seeing you there!

(Flicka’s is located at 2003 N Scottsdale Rd in Scottsdale (between Oak & McDowell Rd)

Join Radio Free Phoenix this Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 3pm (AZ-Pacific Time) for a Music & Interview Special with The Harvest, an outstanding Grateful Dead Tribute band. They headlined the Radio Free Phoenix 15th Anniversary Party downtown Globe, Arizona. The band will be playing live in the studio in an acoustic setting. We will also be talking with all band members about their musical inspirations. Join us for this this great special on Radio Free Phoenix!

Listen to The Harvest Music & Interview below

Back on August 18th, 2004, Radio Free Phoenix went on the air for the first time with Andy Olson, Liz Boyle & Dave Cooper in a little out of way studio in Phoenix, Arizona. The years have flown by and we are still running strong. On Saturday, July 27th, join us at Jammerz in Globe, Arizona as we celebrate 15 years of Radio Free Phoenix. Live music provides by the Grateful Dead tribute band, The Harvest. With special guests, The Covers & Arizona Singer-Songwriter, Steve Rush. The music begins at 6pm on Saturday, July 27th at Jammerz – 598 N Broad St in Globe, Arizona celebrating 15 years of Radio Free Phoenix, Free Form Rock – Commercial Free!