Gary Wagner (disc jockey)

Gary Wagner

Gary "The Wagman" Wagner
Background information
Also known as The Wagman
Born (1950-07-08) July 8, 1950
Occupation(s) DJ
Years active 1965–present

Gary "The Wagman" Wagner (born July 8, 1950) is an American disc jockey, radio personality and host of radio show, Nothin’ But The Blues on radio station KKJZ 88.1 in Long Beach, California.[1][2] The show is broadcast every Saturday from 2:00 PM until 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM PST. KKJZ (88.1 MHz FM, KJAZZ) is a non-commercial public radio station in Southern California broadcasting from the campus of California State University, Long Beach.

Career

Wagner entered radio broadcasting in 1965 at the age of 15 by volunteering at station KASK in Ontario, California. While still in school he also worked at local stations KSPC, KACE, and KREL. After graduating from high school at Chaffey High School in Ontario, he got a job doing the all-night shift for KYMS in Santa Ana, California. 18 months later he was working at Los Angeles radio station KNAC in 1969 when he was called into the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, Wagner worked at a 50,000 watt radio facility used by the army for tactical purposes.

Upon returning from Vietnam, Wagner moved to Illinois and worked at several radio stations there including WTAO, WJKL, WROC, and WYFE. In 1979, while working at the progressive rock radio station WJKL, in Elgin, Illinois, he interviewed musician Muddy Waters[2] and became a fan of the musical genre of American blues.

In 1992, Wagner was brought to Long Beach radio station KLON, now KKJZ to host Nothin’ But the Blues. In 2001 Wagner resigned as the host of Nothin’ But the Blues over a dispute with KLON station management over fundraising practices.[3] He returned as host of the show in 2009 when management of the radio station was taken over by Global Jazz.[4]

From 2006 until 2011, Wagner was an instructor in Radio Broadcasting and faculty adviser for Long Beach City College radio station KCTY. Wagner was thanked in 2011 by the college for his role in building the student radio station.[5]

In 2012, the station's management Global Jazz, cut a full day from the blues program.[6] During his 2012 summer pledge drive, Wagner successfully led an on the air revolt to bring back the Saturday show. Listeners overwhelmingly stepped up to demonstrate their commitment to the blues and the additional day of blues programming was reinstated.

He is a member of the Blues Foundation.

Radio show style

Wagner personally selects each song played on each show, and does not use a pre-programmed computerized playlist.[2] The show follows a free-form radio style that highlights his knowledge of early blues, contemporary blues, blues rock, and independent blues artists. In addition to being broadcast from Long Beach, California, Nothin' But The Blues is streamed online.[2]

Long Beach Blues Festival

Wagner served as the host and emcee for the Long Beach Blues Festival from 1994 through 2000. The Long Beach Blues Festival was created by Bernie Pearl as a fundraiser for KLON. The festival attracted tens of thousands of attendees over Labor Day weekend on the campus of California State University in Long Beach. As the festival emcee Wagner worked with most of the prominent American blues artists of those years including Buddy Guy, Etta James, and John Lee Hooker, amongst others.

Recognition

Wagner is a successful fundraiser for non-profit radio.[6] He is listed in Who’s Who in Los Angeles Radio.[7] He is also included in a State of the Blues a photographic essay of blues artists by Jeff Dunas.[8][9] In 2011 Wagner was honored by Long Beach City College for his role in building the student radio station KCTYFM.ORG. On November 4, 2014, the Blues Foundation announced Wagner as the winner of the 'Keeping the Blues Alive Award' in the category of public radio.[10][11] The KBAs are awarded by a select panel of blues professionals to those working actively to promote and document the music.

References

  1. ↑ "KJazz 88.1 FM | Gary Wagner". Jazzandblues.org. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Zamná Ávila (2013-07-10). "Independent And Free". Random Lengths News. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  3. ↑ Bluesploitation, OC Weekly, May 17, 2001
  4. ↑ Steve Carney (2001-10-16). "Saul Levine cements KKJZ deal". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  5. ↑ "KCTYfm Radio Assoc. "THANKS WAGMAN"". Kctyfm.Org. 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  6. 1 2 "Independent And Free". Random Lengths News. 2013-07-10. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  7. ↑ "~Los Angeles Radio People, Where Are They Now, W". Laradio.com. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  8. ↑ "Jeff Dunas Photographe: BLUES LEGENDS". Dunas.com. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  9. ↑ State of the Blues, Jeff Dunas, published by Aperture (June 15, 2005); ISBN 0893817996
  10. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20141123141359/https://www.blues.org/2014/11/2015-keeping-the-blues-alive-award-recipients-announced/. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ "KJazz "Nothin' But the Blues" Host to Receive 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Award". Lbpost.com. 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
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