Miss Holley King

About me:

Hi my name is Miss Holley King.
I host my very own radio show called
"Rock-a-billy & BEYOND"
Every Satruday on www.deepoldies.com
AND
Sunday at RADIO FREE PHOENIX
(check web sites for time listings)

It all began about 8 years ago while I was living in the small resort town, Wickenburg, Arizona.
I was owner and operator of my very own stained glass studio called
Art-a-facts that catered to clients who were building new homes and or remolding their current digs. I also have a gift division of Art-a-facts that sell my smaller stained glass pieces, jewelry, art and other fun stuff I love to make. I sell these items to shops and other retail outlets around Arizona and the world via the world wide web.


One of my main clients was Zia Record Exchange,
a pioneer in the independent new and used music business.
For over 18 years I made fun, cool stuff for Zia’s nine (plus) stores.

One day I attended a Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce meeting and gave a presentation about holding an Annual Rock-a-billy Music Festival at our rodeo grounds. I let the folks at the meeting know that I really liked the annual Four Corners Bluegrass Festival which was held every year, and that I always made good money selling my art in the local shops and boutiques in Wickenburg during this time.
I was trying to pitch to the Chamber members how fun it would be and how it would be a financial asset bringing the Rock-a-billy sound to the town.

I never heard back from the Chamber people about my proposal but I did get a phone call from Pete Peterson, who worked at KSWG FM. He had just bought the AM part of the station and he wanted me to work for him.

We set up a meeting, and I was thinking "this guy loved my
Rock-a-billy Festival idea" and maybe this is something his radio station was going to get behind to help promote his new station and the town.

Well, to my surprise Pete wanted me to DJ at his station!
I was blown away!
The thought had never even entered my mind. I tried to talk him out of what I thought was a crazy idea and tried to change the conversation to the Festival letting him know that I know how to do it, and that I knew the bands and I promised him I would take care of the whole package.

Instead, Pete insisted on me trying this DJ venture and the next thing I knew he put me in his seat in front of the big microphone.
Pete let me pick my own time slot, so I picked Saturday mornings for my new four hour live radio show. I came up with the name
"Rock-a-billy & BEYOND" because I didn’t want to be limited to other people’s definition of Rock-a-billy.

I decided to start at the top of the morning and go until noon after which Pete would showcase "The Horse Show with Rick Lamb".

One of the friends of the radio station, Maria Langer
(a writer, a Helicopter pilot and computer expert) helped put our new station on the internet via steady streaming.

Before we knew it we were getting e-mails from listeners from all over the world.
Wickenburg Arizona has a vast and diverse group of people who winter there and when they return to wherever they came from, they continued to listen and be a part of the fine community through their computers.
Pete's morning show featured classic country most of it downloaded from his huge collection of vinyl records.
Pete devoted one half-hour to a program called "Around The Town" where Pete would interview all sorts of folks. Governor Janet Napolitano,
Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster), Dave Stevens (director of ESPN) and local folks like the mayor of Wickenburg, the kid who just pitched a no-hitter at the last little league game and things of that nature.

Soon we found that the folks 60 miles away in Phoenix were listening too.
We had Phoenix TV Stations come up to interview us and feature us on their morning news shows, as well as reporters from the
Arizona Republic and
Phoenix New Times writing articles about our little radio gem in the desert.

I really enjoyed working there, it was like WKRP in Cincinnati "cowboy style"!
Pete and his wife Jo Peterson had an "open-door" policy at the radio station, literally!
Our door was always open and people would pop in and out of the radio station all day long to tell us things, to bring us things or to come in and pet Belle (Pete and Jo’s dog)

One person in particular I became close friends with was Darrell Magnuson.
He would bop in most Saturdays to say "hi" and to share music and stories of his Rock-a-billy adventures in Phoenix in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Darrell passed away a few years ago BUT his music still lives on.
Anytime I play the music that he has shared with me I always refer to it as "The Darrell Vaults"
(My friend Darrell, a spirit in the sky.)

I found great enjoyment in hosting live Rock-a-billy shows at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix and other Phoenix clubs and car shows. I would bring my entire music collection in vintage suitcases and allow people to rummage through and pick out stuff they wanted me to play.

Two years ago I was contacted by Andy Olson owner and operator of
RADIO FREE PHOENIX , a listener supported internet radio station.
He read a story about me in The Phoenix New Times and asked me if I would like to do a 1 hour version of my show on the internet for RFP.
I was so blown away!

At RADIO FREE PHOENIX I was able to work with Andy, one of my favorite DJs I used to listen to when he was on KSTM (The Storm)
KSLX and the original KZON (The Zone) .
Along with Andy other great DJs I had been listening to for years like
Liz Boyle, Angela Allen, Dave Cooper, Cheryl Sweet , Pete Michaels were all working at RADIO FREE PHOENIX.
All I could say was "yes!"

Working at two radio stations was a dream, I mean, who knew a gal who went to Art School would one day be hosting her very own radio shows!

I enjoyed my stint at KBSZ 1250 AM with Pete and Jo Peterson, getting to do my own live thing. I was lucky enough to interview amazing people like Wanda Jackson (several times on the air), along with Dick Dale , Janis Martin , The Earps , Big John Bates , Ken Burke , Sanford Clark , Loy Clingman , Jake La Botz , Dave Insley , Tony Balbinot of the Cadillac Angles, Big Nick and the Gila Monsters and Pat Roberts from the Heymakers to name a few.

Today I live in Paw Paw, Michigan. Which is half way between South Haven and Kalamazoo.

Sadly, I had to give up my position at KBSZ when I moved to the Midwest.

I heard through the radio grape vine that Pete and Jo Peterson sold KBSZ and are concentrating on their race horses.

Because of the wonderful technology today I still get to do "Rock-a-billy & BEYOND" every weekend at
RADIO FREE PHOENIX and keep in touch with what is going on in the world of Rock-a-billy.

I hope you can tune in and enjoy some of the finest Rock-a-billy music I can get my hands on!
If you have ant questions or comments feel free to contact me here on my MySpace page.
I will personally get back to you as soon as possible.

Have a good rockin’ day
(and night)
Miss Holley King

"Wickenburg's KBSZ brings real Mayberry radio to the Web"
By Jimmy Magahern, Phoenix New Times


"Pop Guitarist Al Casey Dies" The Arizona Republic


"Rockabilly Heaven Touring Stars Swing Through the Valley"
The Arizona Republic


"BEST INTERNET RADIO STATION(2007)" Radio Free Phoenix
The Phoenix New Times


"BEST LATINA ART COLLECTIVE(2007)" Phoenix Fridas
The Phoenix New Times












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