Chester Leo Helms
August 2,1942
June 25,2005click here for more info

OBITUARY for Bill Compton

Hi all. This is a simple cut/paste from my book, in memory of Bill Compton who died on this day - the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year, 1977.

Tomorrow belongs to his sister Carole-Compton-Glenn who interestingly, is a Gemini. It's her birthday. I'll use the nickname Bill gave her. Happy Birthday, "Toot".

Ron

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Across town and for reasons that will never be clear to me, KDKB fired Bill Compton, right after the time I started at KBBC. I felt as though KBBC and Bill might be negotiating. I found out later that they were, indeed. Myself and another former KDKB announcer and mutual friend there Dennis McBroom, would have stepped aside to make room for him, if needed. That was not to be. William Edward Compton III, probably the most influential friend in my adult life, died on the day of the Summer Solstice, June 21st, 1977. "Little Willie Sunshine" was killed in a car wreck, on the longest day of the year.

I couldn't help but think about the time at the Scottsdale house when he had told me that if he had a choice, he would go in a fast car. He and his lady Kathy Radina had tried to dodge a bicyclist in their BMW and wound up head first at the bottom of a 30-foot drop in a dry irrigation canal. Kathy was badly banged up and unconscious for a considerable time.

Dennis and I both played commemorative music for our friend and breaking format, spoke openly of our friendships with Bill on the air. Flatly, the wind was taken out of the sails of our work on KBBC. I knew I would have to leave. I would never sound the same there again. The boss verified my feelings a week later. I interrupted his prepared and awkward "We're going to have to let you go" comments with a wave of my hand. I was unenthusiastic and blunt. `I know', I said.

I was simply stunned. I stayed that way for a couple of weeks. The event had been so unexpected that it removed itself from the concept of being inevitable. My own death is inevitable. So is yours. Bill was a great friend and truly, an icon. Icons are not supposed to die unexpectedly. Without dwelling morosely on Bill's and my own mutual interest in occult sciences, I will mention that I meditated at length at the dining table in my house on South Central. In one session on a flat sheet of paper in a script that was not my own - but from a pen that was held in my right hand, were written the words; "Greater Love". I folded the paper and sent it to The Lady, Jean Compton, Bill's mother.

William Edward Compton III

Song for Lissa

The new Song of the Week is but a spry 19 years old, and technically isn't old enough to have been played on KCAC or the early KDKB. Nevertheless, Mariah Fleming says it's one of Lissa Wales' favorites, and it seems especially appropriate now as we all send out our prayers and good wishes to her.

Lissa Wales ("DrumLissa") Web Page

Dear KCAC/KDKB Friends,
Many of you probably know Lissa Wales (pictured above), well known for her gig as a leading photographer for the percussion industry. She is well loved in the music world. Lissa's musical path crossed with Bill Compton's. They were dear friends and she told me that Bill's effect on her life was profound. He had an unselfish and helping heart. And I'm sure Bill would want us to know that Lissa is battling for her life.
Lissa was diagnosed with Leukemia in early 2004 and has undergone extensive chemotherapy, radiation and a bone marrow transplant. From September 2004 through March 2005 she was cancer free, busy, involved with her photo career nationally and internationally, looking and feeling great!! But routine tests in March '05 showed her cancer had returned and invaded 30% of her bone marrow.
Lissa had already offered to donate her services to shoot the April 17th AZ Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Induction Awards. Positive 'superwoman' that she is, she went ahead and photographed the event even though her blood count was very seriously abnormal. Medically there was no way she should have even been able to walk. But she did it (and did a beautiful job.)
Hospitalization and a more radical form of chemo began days after the April 17th event. Then a June 7th bone marrow biopsy revealed the cancer had now invaded 60% of her bone marrow. Currently Lissa's having more chemo. On June 30th she'll undergo another bone marrow transplant and be hospitalized for ten weeks. After the transplant her doctor said she will not be allowed to work for up to a year. Lissa is counting on our positive, healing thoughts and prayers to help her do so well with the transplant she'll be able to get back to her work (and the friends she misses) much more quickly and leave cancer behind for good!
I told Lissa about a website called Caring Bridge where I wanted to create a web page for her. She said 'go for it!' Lissa's Caring Bridge site is available anytime so you can stay in touch and informed; it's free and easy to use. Lissa's web site is here. There you can read updates about her treatment progress and send your wishes, healing thoughts and prayers.
Lissa wears a brave face and has a great sense of humor but she needs us. Lissa often says she doesn't want to "be a burden to anyone." The Caring Bridge site was created so we can let her know that we're thinking of her, we care and are here for her...so she doesn't have to ask. (o: Her Caring Bridge page will provide a place for the many people here and abroad who love her to learn what's going on in her treatment, to communicate with her and her family, and most of all, to tell her we love her and know she WILL make it through this struggle.
Mariah Fleming
Radio Free Phoenix (mariah@radiofreephoenix.com)

Déja Vu, anyone?

My brother just rented the movie "Woodstock," and we're watching it again (for the umpteenth time). I'm reminded again what an incredible experience the whole '60s thing was, and the love and hope that motivated us. Max Yazgur's comment from the stage to the half a million people who attended the concert, that they had shown the whole world something new, was right on the mark. I highly recommend re-renting the movie, if you haven't watched it lately... it might bring tears to your eyes, as it did to mine.

:~)aniel

KDIL, anyone?

Anyone remember this station? In a comment posted elsewhere on this blog, Azmtbear writes, "KDIL was a freeform, smart, and very wacky Phoenix pirate in the 1970's, with a rich history. A couple broadcast legends were involved, one of whom is apparently behind the www.kdil.com website. Good thing the statute of limitations expired. 8o)."
It's a seriously wacky web site, to say the least, and makes me wonder how much of the "rich history" mentioned on the pages is made up. Does anyone out there remember this station from the 70's?

Cowboys on Mars? UFO's / lights in Cave Creek?

----- Original Message -----
From: Carole
To: Ron Wortham
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: Recommended
Cool! I haven't heard anything about this - so news media is not covering it as they did the previous "lights". Thank you for sending!
Carole
----- Original Message ----- I think you might find this of interest! http://www.rense.com/general65/vcave.htm
Since 1999 especially I have been appalled at the deception of the population and the dumbing-down of the people. INCREDIBLE manged news/programmed ignorance. In my opinion, the lights may be connected either to a sort of spiritual/dimensional entity. BUT they may be a totally geological manifestation of huge stresses within the earth - "St. Elmo's Fire". This has been observed prior to earthquakes, usually within weeks.

_-=Plant Your Seeds=-_ (autobiography) is now online!
http://plantyourseeds.blogspot.com/

Song o the Day...Hey Space Cowboys ...

Hey Jimmy..I jumped up out of my seat and started shaking my booty to this favorite Little Stevie Miller classic that was my earliest inspiration for Cowboys on Mars ?

 

...Now, does anybody remember The Steve Miller Band opening at Aquarius SW at 28th Street and Thomas in 1969 ? There was a kid working for us that gave Steve a 2500mike tab of purple owlsey before the second show...As I recall it, Steve went on and did about 45 minutes of "Livin in the USA" with some lyrics that we're not on the album. As Wavy Gravy said, "If you remember the sixties, you wasn't there". If anyone does remember that show please share as the fog of time has blurred my memory.

 

Thanks again, Jimmy for the Blast !

 

Bob Gately 

What a treat...

What a treat it is to be connected to y'all who have indeed shared the evolution of our common cultural evolution in this Valley. Kudos, to us all.

 

Kick my ass for the past ,but assure me that we are still on the path to some kind of enlightenment. We all get the Willies when wondering what's next and why we even care. Must be something in the waters of wonder that keep us connected and concerned, or just a matter of Mind.

 

KC the AC/DC of our past must poist a energetic question that demands an answer. Who are we...where we coming from, whats our next destination ? I am not so presumptious as to assume the total awareness of this important question, I would ask all of our community to contribute to the solution of our universal condition. Come on, speak up, tell us of your concerns, fears, desires for tomorrow...Let me know where your coming from and where it is ya want ta go.,..I will respect your opinion and put it in our Play on Words, as it were.

 

All of you have participated over the years in our ,Way Up-West , future, writing of this play ,and I wish your Words to be heard. Speak to me now of your vision for the Next World we would like to be presented, on the world stage.

 

Thanks for the forum to present our ideas...We will look foward to your response.

 

Always,

 

Bob Gately

New Song of the Day

OK, so maybe this is turning more into a Song of the Week (or month), but there's a new one in the left column in honor of Ron and Bob's recent "Cowboys On Mars" post. If you can guess it before it loads, well, I'm sure you know where it's at . . .