Worm Now Beautiful Radio Butterfly
• OK, so we were sworn to secrecy, but The Worm… err… cat is now out of the proverbial bag in Tucson — at 6am local time today, after a weekend of stunting as 101.7 The Worm, playing “The Greatest Novelty Hits of All Time,” former Contemporary Christian KFLT-AM and its companion translator K269FV will officially relaunch as KDRI (101.7 The Drive) under new owner Radio Tucson, LLC — headed by Hall of Fame personality Bobby Rich, longtime TV and radio GM Jim Arnold and Tucson downtown champion Fletcher McCusker. “Bobby has full creative control,” said McCusker, now Chairman of the new Radio Tucson board. Rich is President and Arnold is Partner and General Manager.
“I am now officially ‘un-retired,'” said Rich (pictured), a 25-year Tucson radio icon who had famously anchored the top-rated morning show on KMXZ (94.9 MIXfm) since 1993. “This is a dream-come-true for all of us: a chance to select our own music and manage content that matters to Tucson and have incredible fun while making great radio.” As Rich relates to RAMP, The Drive has been designed to appeal to baby boomers whose radio options have become overlooked and underserved by local radio. While Rich has so far resisted applying a specific industry format label on the station, which is carrying a library of over 2,000 songs, he did tell us, “It’s mid-tempo hits and deep cuts targeted to people who identify as 45-64 and who listen in their cars.”
The Drive is populated with live and local jocks that all share a lengthy Tucson history: Joining Bobby Rich in mornings is Hill Bailey, a Tucsonan since 1987. She got her first radio break at the campus radio station at the University of Arizona. After a decade on the air in Colorado and California, she returned to Tucson and joined Cumulus Classic Hits KHYT. Middays: Ken Carr, a Tucson resident since 2001 (ex-KRQQ and KGMG, Executive Producer at KGUN 9-TV). Since 2009, has run @WhatsUpTucson, with over 94,000 followers.
Afternoons: Mikey Esparza, a 30-year radio pro who started his career at the former KFOX/Tucson and has family in town. The Mikey Show has stopped in Dallas, San Francisco and most recently, KFMB-FM/San Diego. Nights: Tyler Russell, founder and manager of KRXN-LP (KX 93.5)/Laguna Beach, CA. Born and raised in Tucson, Russell started as an intern for Bobby Rich and later worked at K-Earth 101 and KIIS-FM/Los Angeles and KCLB/Palm Springs. Rich remarked, “It’s crazy to start a new radio station, but we are just crazy enough — and have the passion — to make it work.” Bobby Rich can be reached at Bobby@TheDriveTucson.com; contact Jim Arnold at JArnold@TheDriveTucson.com.
