This Christmas Eve on Radio Free Phoenix, join us for the 25th Anniversary edition of “A Rock ‘N’ Roll Christmas”. From 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve through Christmas day at midnight. (MST). We will be playing an incredible deep and outrageous mix of Rock N Roll Christmas Tunes. Hosted by Andy Olson, this is the only show in the country that gathers together such a smorgasbord of absolutely cool Christmas Rock & Roll — Featuring top flight Christmas Rock mixed with a generous helping of parody & novelty holiday tunes along with great background information on the artists and songs. Since 1988 this show has been gracing the Phoenix Airwaves, first on KSLX, then KDKB, KZON and then back to KSLX and now on Radio Free Phoenix!
Jackson Browne – U2 – Adam Sandler – Greg Lake – Eagles – Pretenders – Dan Hicks – Sting – Jimi Hendrix – Smithereens – Blues Traveler – George Thorogood – Cheech & Chong – John Mellencamp – Old 97’s – Fountains of Wayne – Big Star – Ramones – George Harrison – Dave Edmunds – Billy Squire – Band Aid – Graham Parker – Heart – Payolas – Cheap Trick – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – XTC – John Lennon – Waitresses – Jethro Tull – REM – Ringo Starr – Kinks – DB’s – Paul McCartney – Bruce Springsteen – NRBQ – T Rex – Adrian Belew – Weird Al Yankovic – Squirrel Nut Zippers – Ramones – Bob Rivers – Shawn Phillips – Crash Test Dummies – Slade – Elton Duck – Leon Redbone – Tom Waits – Peter Murphy – Alice Cooper – Bobby Lloyd & The Skeletons – Mojo Nixon – Doug & The Slugs – Bruce Cockburn – Smoking Popes – Talking Meds – Andrew Gold – Keb’ Mo – Riders In The Sky – The Band – Aimee Mann & Michael Penn – Loudon Wainwright III – Smithereens – Andrew Gold – Band Aid – Fab Four – Brian Wilson – Blondie – Joan Jett – Brian Setzer – Chuck Berry – She & Him – Sex Pistols – Donovan – Shins – John Prine – Keith Richards – Billy Squire – Guster – Slade – Yello – Payolas – Roy Wood & Wizzard – Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Graham Parker – Dave Matthews – Flaming Lips – Jorma Kaukonen – and many more!
You will not hear a show like this on any AM/FM station nor anywhere else on the internet. This is a truly unique Christmas experience that has stood the test of time!
The New “Rediscovering the Past Series” will be featuring interviews from RFP artists from the past. To kick off, we are featuring a vintage interview from 1986 with Jerry Riopelle. This was live on-air on KSTM, The Storm with Andy Olson on December 30th, 1986. The New Year’s Eve show at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix that year was his 12th. Last year on December 31st, he returned to the Celebrity Theater. This show marked his 38th Anniversary of ringing in the New Year!.
Procrastination has always been a bad habit of mine, as it is with many people these days. We become so caught up in our own daily dramas that we sometimes put off the very things that should be a priority. In my case, that overlooked item was a simple ‘Thank You’ to a special person. That special person was, Bennie Barresi.
Bennie & Me
It was 1973 when we first met. Having been a tom-boy during my childhood in Colorado, when I arrived at Washington H.S. freshman year, I had a bit of difficulty finding my place with the schoolgirls. Bennie noticed me wondering around aimlessly at Sam’s—Coke in one hand and cigarette in the other—and he offered to show me around WHS. He was the first classmate who took the time to introduce himself and make me feel welcomed at my new school. He was truly my first real friend in Arizona.
My family loved Bennie and his family was quite fond of me, and we spent almost every day together.
I remember that Ms. Barresi made the most delicious spaghetti sauce in the world. And I’ll never forget the time when Bennie stashed a piece of lemon pie in his room and took a huge bite of it, but had to spit it out because his cat had urinated on it. Ah, those were the days.
With Guitar
Our common bond was music. Bennie played the guitar— I sang. We were indeed the next: Sonny and Cher, Ike and Tina, Carpenters (okay, maybe not the Carpenters). J Our signature songs were: Bobby McGee (Joplin), Something (Beatles), Country Roads (John Denver), Stairway to Heaven (Zeppelin), and Leaving on a Jet Plane (Peter, Paul & Mary). As well as a few original pieces: Sunrise and Throwbacks. I’ve included the lyrics to the chorus of each song at the end of this story.
Even though Bennie left school in 1975 we maintained our contact and friendship. It was difficult enough to juggle my job at the Indian Drive-In Theater, WHS musical’s rehearsal, WHS choir practice and a college-boyfriend during Junior/Senior years, but somehow there was always time to hang out with Bennie and make music. We would jam at least twice per week, and as the world of technology advanced, so did our recordings.
Bennie was an absolute genius when it came to improvising. After the release of one of Queen’s most famous albums, Bennie was so impressed with Freddy Mercury harmonizing with himself that Bennie rigged up a way for us to dub, over-dub and over-over-dub our voices. I remember that Bennie once made a reel-to-reel recording of himself singing all of the parts of ‘Happiness is a Warm Gun’ (Beatles).
working on a tune…
On the subject of Bennie’s musical genius, the thought comes to mind of a portable amplifier he made out of some old stereo parts and an empty cracker box. It was a sight to behold, but, it worked! He would plug his electric guitar and my microphone into that thing and we were wired for sound!
We made a recording in his bedroom studio one time of ‘Dreamboat Annie’ (Heart). It was the first time I had ever sung harmony, but the results were amazing! And that was all because of Bennie’s coaching and editing of the tape. We had such dreams back then of becoming famous singers.
I realized near the end of my senior year, that although I had a decent enough voice, I didn’t have ‘star’ quality. I sang with a few bar-bands until 1983 and then with the exception of singing at spiritual gatherings or church choirs and coaching youth step-dance groups, my performing days were over. From what I now have learned from his good friend Andy Olson, Bennie continued with music until the end.
Bennie was a major part of my life until 1979 when I moved back to Colorado. He had always been my, “Johnny Come Lately” and was without doubt my best friend throughout my high school years. When I returned to Phoenix in 1981, unfortunately, I was involved in an abusive relationship. I felt trapped and doomed and confided my situation in Bennie. Naturally, he rescued me. He took me to his home, his mom fed me, we went into hiding for a few weeks — then I got myself back on track.
My buddies…
We both got busy with our lives and unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy to make music a priority any more. I had to work, pay bills, go to night school and think about my future. Somewhere along the way, Bennie and I lost touch. We never officially said good-bye, we just lost touch.
I’ve been living in Europe for the past decade. I work as an ELL-teacher at our local high school and one day with colleagues, we were sitting around talking about our own high-school days. Our discussion was focused on the importance of friendships when you are a teenager. I told stories about my talented friend, Bennie. I told them how Bennie was such an important part of my life when I was in high-school and how I truly believe that without his intervention I might have become a domestic violence statistic.
I realized that night that the life I’ve created for myself is partly due to the help I received from Bennie. If he had not helped me out of that relationship nightmare, who knows where or how things would have turned out. I told my fellow teachers, that one of the first things I would do when I went to America for a visit in 2008 would be to call Bennie and say a seventeen-year belated, Thank You!
When I was contacted by Andy Olson in response to my search for Bennie, I was shocked and deeply saddened to have heard that Bennie had been killed in a car accident on Halloween night, 2005.
Needless to say, I’ve learned a powerful lesson—never hesitate to let people know how much you care.
To the family and friends of Bennie, I extend my belated condolences.
To the heavens, I say—Bennie, thank you for everything and for always being a dependable friend; I only wish I could have told you in person. Thinking back on a conversation we once had with each other, I can imagine you are having a great jam session right now with Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix! J So I end this with a quote from Jimi: “You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven.” So, B-B-B-Bennie, I’ll go on being the crazy jet and you go on enjoying your gigs in Heaven. Until we meet again…
Rest in Peace.
Love, Kathy
Bye, Bye Bennie, May the sun always shine on you..
Listen to the some of Bennie’s music below and you will hear why he touched so many people in his lifetime..
I’ll Have-To-Say-Goodbye
When The River Runs Dry
Prayer For The World
Misguided
Editors Note: Bennie Barresi was my best friend and died tragically on Halloween night, 2005 when he was hit by an SUV near 43th Avenue & Northern in Phoenix. The last song he played was an acoustic version of “Leaving On A Jet Plane” for a couple girls he met, before he jumped on his bike (with guitar on his back for the ride home).
Bennie Barresi was an explosion of musical ideas from the day he picked up his first guitar. In the early days, I watched him struggle to get through a song without messing it up, but then, he took a giant step forward and became a master at his craft. His sound was a mixture of Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull and so many other influences.
In my home studio, we recorded a lot of material over the years. Some of those songs are featured above. The track “Prayer for the World” was recorded live in my parent’s back yard at Arizona Country Club in Phoenix. That’s where I had my wedding to Cheryl and Bennie was the photographer for the event. He also brought his guitar and various tape machines (with his backing tracks for songs that he was going to sing) and I had it set up for audio. Around 1 am, as the wedding reception was getting smaller, Bennie grapped his guitar, cranked up the PA and out came “Prayer For the World” (echoing throughout the golf course). We were ready to settle in and listen to this one man show for as long as it lasted, but after a couple of songs, we woke my mom up and she yelled “Andy, turn it down!”
This Saturday at 11am on Deep Oldies and Sunday at 1pm on Radio Free Phoenix, join Miss Holly King for 2 brand new hours of Rockabilly & Beyond. Here’s Holly with more…….
Howdy RFP and Deep Oldies.com listeners…
It’s been a while since I have done a show and I wanted the first ones to be about dear friends and fond memories. The first two in the series are about my favorite records stores. Hour 1 is for brothers Dennis and Don Chiesa of “Tracks In Wax.” Hour 2 is about Brad Singer “The Sun God” and Zia Records.
Dennis was the owner and operator of Trax In Wax and passed away in May 2011. His brother, Don, passed away several years prior to this. Dennis was a big fan of Radio Free Phoenix and Deep Oldies.
Dennis Chiesa
RFP could be heard playing on a regular basis in the store. Trax In Wax on Central Avenue in Phoenix is still open and operating with the same vision that Dennis left us with.
Hour 2 will be in tribute to Brad Singer, the founder of Zia Records. Brad died on May 3rd 1998 and himself left quite a legacy…..
This page is dedicated to William Edward Compton. Bill was the father of Free Form Underground Rock in the Phoenix area in the early 70’s with KCAC and KDKB-FM. For 5 years (1971-1976), Bill was the the program director of KDKB. The DJ’s picked their own music and the station had a full fledged news department. Along with boyhood friend, Hank Cookenboo, the air staff included Toad Hall, Marty Manning, Scott Nicolson, Nina Joy, Lee Powell, Dennis McBroom and many others, KDKB in those early years, created memories that still live on through the listeners that were touched by station and miss it. Radio Free Phoenix continues this legacy of Free Form Rock and has been for the last 9 years.
Several years ago I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Compton’s best friend in high school, Walt Chatham. Walt discovered Radio Free Phoenix while in search for information about the whereabouts of Bill Compton. He wanted to invite Bill to the 1964 class reunion of John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas. Walt had no idea that Bill died in a car accident in 1977. He was shocked to say the least. I explained what a difference Bill made in the lives of the people he touched through the radio, the music he played and what he stood for.
Walt Chatham
Walt sent me some great pictures and articles about him and Bill Compton and I wanted to share these on this page, so here’s Walt…….
In 1963/65 while students at John Tyler High, a close friend of mine, Bill Compton, was a DJ at Tyler’s KDOK. I was also a DJ at Tyler’s KTBB. Just kids I guess, but we were given a chance. The school paper, ” Lions Tale” did an article on both of us. My station was adult contemporary and Bill’s, the evil Rock and Roll! We were on the weekends because of school. I had adult vinyl and the WCFL Chicago White Sox Network. All I did most of the time was wait until the end of an inning and play a spot. Oh yes, and the news. On the dreaded yellow paper. I remember announcing, “The Pope is dead”.
– Walt Chatham
The above article is from John Tyler High School in Texas and their school newspaper, “The Lions Tale” – published October 10, 1963, featuring a new DJ named Bill Compton and his high school friend, Walt Chatham!
Walt Chatham at KTTB, Tyler, Texas
“Sweet and swinging sounds for a Sunday afternoon” that was my Sunday show. Bill called me on the phone gagging. (two) 17 year olds, what did we know? He played that Kinks, Stones, Beatles stuff, while I played Montavani and Strauss! That was when we had to “back time” the vinyl. Put the needles down, spin the turntable backwards so it would time with the news, brought to you by……….me! (four) dings on the TT and it was a bulletin. Ran back to the TT room and pulled it off. “Gov. Wallace shot” Oh well………………..loss?
– Walt Chatham
Bill Compton in Shades
Good day!
I really miss Bill.
Andy, you just made my day.
It was at a school dance when the sun glasses subject came up. I asked Bill why he wore his sunglasses all the time, even at night. Bill simply said,
“When you are cool, the sun shines all the time”.
Some guys just ended up with all the cute girls. How did he do it? The legacy lives on.
In art class I threw a piece of clay at the clock on the wall and missed Mrs. DeBorde. Bill shook his head. I threw it again and hit it! Off to the Vice Principal’s office again. Win the battle, lose the war!
The “Mike” mentioned in the yearbook signing was our friend. We were at “George’s Chili Rice” in Tyler (open campus) when President Kennedy was shot, 80 miles from us. Bill did NOT like that, Mike and I didn’t either.
– Walt
The pictures that have the name underlined are from 1963 yearbook. The other one is from 1964. Such a clean cut young man. Nothing like Jerry Garcia! God bless Jerry.
1963 John Tyler High School Yearbook
1964 John Tyler High School Yearbook
Hope these emails keep Bill’s legacy going. Maybe they will help a little. Not too many people know, but Bill was an athlete. We all wanted him to play football. He knocked me on my arse many times. For little guys, like both Bill and I, Bill hit like a freight train! He always picked me up off the ground! I tried so hard to knock those sun glasses off, never succeeded!
In a final note…..
Thank God there were no videos or cellphones. Bill and I went to a vacant (haunted) home outside of Tyler. We had to pay $10 for a quart of beer in 1963 from bootleggers. We looked for ghosts. Tyler was in Smith County, dry county. Yea right. Oh, 5 cents for Doublement gum to cover the odor when we got home. My Dad said you smell like Doublemint ……..and beer. You been with Bill? Nope!
Should have said yes………so?
Bill went on to become a respected DJ, and I just went to war with the rest of my friends.
God Bless Bill Compton and God Bless Rock and Roll!.
Walt Chatham
Listen to rare audio with Bill Compton from Tyler, Texas:
Bill Compton & Hank (Cook) Cookenboo – At the Drive-in
Bill Compton – KTBB Signoff
For more on Bill Compton, click on the following links:
Listen to Join Radio Free Phoenix for Mark O’Connor (vocals & lead guitarist) of the The Fast Camels in a music & interview special with Andy Olson. The Fast Camels are from Glasgow, Scotland, and have been a favorite of RFP for years. Mark came all the way from Glascow to talk with RFP and to play songs from their forthcoming CD, Dead Rooms & Butterfly Dreams plus plenty of tunes from their first one, The Magic Optician. Join us his Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 3pm AZ/Pacific time on RFP!
Listen to an archived version of this great Special below:
Fast Camels Music & Interview Special
Also read about the release of the new Fast Camels CD HERE
RFP presents this Saturday, October 5th & 6th, Higher – a 2 hour Sly & The Family Stone Radio Special. This is an intensive radio documentary about Sly & the Family Stone, their music, their turbulent history, and the indelible marks they left behind.
Sly Stone used his music to speak about peace, unity and love, and with the Family Stone, he backed up his words. As the first major rock band to be multi-racial and mixed gender, Sly and the Family Stone made a Statement even before they hit their first funky notes. They crossed musical genres. They crossed racial and gender lines. They were socially conscious but not political. These are a few things that Sly and the Family Stone brought to the table during their years as a band, and what they did continues to influence artists today.
In the first hour, we’ll hear the story of Sly & The Family Stone from many of the musicians who played in the band.
In the second hour, we’ll hear about the impact of Sly & The Family Stone from Chuck D, Bernie Worrell, the late Isaac Hayes, Robert Randolph, warren Haynes and many more!
RFP presents The Harry Nilsson Radio Special this Saturday, October 5th & 6th. This is a one-hour radio special profiling Harry Nilsson. Some of Nilsson’s classic songs included in this special are Jump Into The Fire, Everybody’s Talkin’, Me & My Arrow, Without You, Don’t Forget Me, and Coconut. You’ll hear a lot of Harry’s work and talk with family and friends about the man and the artist. Harry passed away in 1994 and RCA has just released a complete Box Set featuring his complete recording output for the label – 14 albums plus 3 bonus discs.
A Man Called Bruce – F-Coming CD Resonator (Originally from Scottsdale and currently living in Cleveland, Tennessee – Bruce is returning with a upcoming CD — this is the advanced track from it. Check out his story about RFP Here
Make Love To Me
Belle & Sebastian – The Third Eye Centre (Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. The name Belle and Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965 children’s book by French writer Cécile Aubry. This is a compilation album which chronicles the B-Sides and rarities from 2005 – 2013)
Suicide Girl
Last Trip
Heaven in the Afternoon
Kristen Commodore – F- Coming CD (This is an advanced track from LA Singer-Songwriter, Kristen Commodore’s upcoming CD. This is an anthem in which she played the dulcimer on the song, plus wrote, produced and composed it. It was recorded on Ray Charles Analog equipment. The engineer and producer is Gregg Buchwalter, who worked with Ray Charles for years and also Guns N Roses.
Phoenix Rising Up
Daniel Wylie – Fake Your Own Death (He is a singer-songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland. He got his start in a Glasgow alternative rock band called Cosmic Rough Riders. He was inspired by bands he grew up with like Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys and Big Star. He has been recording solo since 2004 and this is his 6th solo CD)
Fake Your Own Death
I Don’t Feel The Same Now
Love Hurts (Sometimes)
Rivers Flow
Under The Stars
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (This is an American indie folk band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. Led by lead vocalist Alex Ebert, the group features a revolving lineup of up to 12 people. This is their 3rd album)
Life Is Hard
Two
Holes In Blackburn – Single (This is a solo project from a guy named Wreck)
Ride It Out (Fade Away
Jimmy Buffet – Songs From St. Somewhere (This is Jimmy’s 29th studio album, He is now 66 years old!)
Tides
Soulfully
Serpentine
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Made Up Mind (This is the 2nd studio album for this blues rock group based in Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 2010, the band is led by husband-and-wife musicians Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi (pronounced: ta-desk-key) Derek is the son of Butch Trucks of the Allman Brothers. He bought his first guitar at a yard sale for $5 at age nine and became a child prodigy who played his first paid performance at age 11. He became official member of The Allman Brothers Band in 1999)
It’s So Heavy
Do I Look Worried
Made Up Mind
Part Of Me
It is time again for our Radio Free Phoenix Pledge Drive. We need to ask for donations via the Radiothon so we can continue our mission of preserving this great music and sharing it with the world (while remaining commercial-free).
* Help preserve one of the last GREAT underground rock radio stations in the country.
* Help us stay commercial-free. We will never sell-out by bombarding our listeners with 5-8 minute blocks of obnoxious commercials.
* We are an all-volunteer organization. We our doing our part, we need the listeners to do theirs.
* Please help us to stay on the air. As an all-volunteer, private entity, we receive no public funding. Our only source of income is through CD sales on site and listener donations.
* Because our entire staff works on a volunteer basis, we have a very low overhead. However, listeners must donate to cover the essentials such as server fees, music fees, electric bill, office rent, etc.
* Listeners can donate on a one time basis or chose a 6 month subscription plan (such as $20, $40, $60, $80 or $100 per month for six months)
* Go to RadioFreePhoenix.com and click on the donation button to donate.
* Listeners can also send donations to Radio Free Phoenix 591 S. Fourth St Globe, AZ 85501
We will be running our Radiothon from Wednesday, August 14th through Monday, August 19th. Thanks for your donations!
