It’s going to be a visit again to the radio days of the Nineteen Seventies and ’80s at Historical past Park subsequent month when KEEN, San Jose’s legendary nation music station is widely known for its choice because the Bay Space Radio Corridor of Fame’s Legendary Station for 2025.
The festivities on June 8 will embody shows of KEEN memorabilia, reminisces by former station personnel, an look by nation music star Lacy J. Dalton and nation music by the Patty Kistner Band. Dalton, who has stated that the station helped make her profession within the Eighties, will be a part of KRTY.com’s Gary Scott Thomas to evaluate the finals of a rustic karaoke contest. The winner will get a $1,000 prize and a type of very memorable brass KEEN belt buckles.
You may get particulars on the karaoke contest — the deadline to enter is Might 30 — and get tickets to the occasion at bayarearadio.org/featured/keen-tickets.
Within the KEEN management room, announcer Tom Duggan works the board, as Basic Supervisor Floyd Farr, left, station president George Mardikian, middle, and Program Director George Snell, proper, look on prematurely of the radio station’s opening June 21, 1947. (Mercury Herald File Picture/Courtesy of Keith B. Farr)
KEEN began its first broadcast on 1370 AM at 8 p.m. June 21, 1947, from the Lodge De Anza in downtown San Jose, and tons of of individuals gathered on Santa Clara Avenue for the inaugural present, which included remarks by the mayors of San Jose and Santa Clara.
And that was nothing in comparison with the the hoopla that happened contained in the resort, the place comic Pink Skelton was the large visitor of honor, a radio drama was carried out on the resort’s most important ground and extra leisure was held within the foyer and different rooms, together with a quiz present. It was fairly a coup for the station’s authentic possession group, George Markadian, Floyd Farr and George Snell, whose sons Equipment Snell and Steve Snell would run the station in later many years.
The station didn’t actually go nation till the mid-Fifties, nevertheless it stayed that approach till shifting viewers tastes and difficult budgets pushed it off the air within the early Nineties. For the previous 20 years, the acquainted 1370 AM spot on the dial has been the house of Spanish language station, “La Kaliente.”
Longtime KBAY host Lissa Kreisler really did double-duty for that station and KEEN within the late ’80s, doing the morning present with co-host John Bettencourt. “They were just so great, and it was the way radio was supposed to be,” Kreisler stated, recalling the household environment the Snells instilled. “You just don’t have stations like that anymore.”
FACE OF THE MUSEUM: There was lots of gratitude expressed on the San Jose Museum of Artwork on Wednesday at a farewell reception for S. Sayre Batton, the downtown establishment’s outgoing government director. Batton was praised for her efforts to create a “borderless museum,” emphasizing the everlasting assortment, connecting SJMA to extra neighborhood organizations and occasions than ever and for partnering with Mezcal restaurant proprietor Adolfo Gomez to remodel its sleepy cafe right into a extra vibrant eatery.
San Jose Museum of Artwork supporters collect beneath Pae White’s kinetic set up “Noisy Blushes” holding up masks with the face of S. Sayre Batton, the museum’s outgoing government director, at a farewell reception on Might 7, 2025. (Frederick Liang/San Jose Museum of Artwork)
“You’ve been a significant leader of this anchor of our downtown and of our community,” stated Kerry Adams Hapner, San Jose’s director of cultural affairs, who introduced Batton with a certificates declaring her an honorary Artistic Ambassador for the town.
To cap the celebration, attendees — together with Batton herself — took a bunch picture holding up masks along with her face on it, standing beneath artist Pae White’s kinetic set up, “Noisy Blushes,” one of many signature items Batton dropped at the museum.
GOOD SPORTS: It was one other inspirational morning on the San Jose Marriott on Friday, as greater than 300 individuals — together with co-chairs Brandi Chastain and Ronnie Lott — gathered for the twenty ninth annual REACH Youth Scholarship breakfast. There have been cheers and tears because the viewers heard the tales of adversity and triumph confronted by 13 younger athletes in Santa Clara County, who have been the finalists amongst 71 nominated highschool seniors.
These finalists obtained scholarships starting from $3,000 to a four-year dedication of $7,500 a yr. However Berliner Cohen’s Daybreak Sweatt, who chairs the choice committee (of which I’m additionally a member), made a shock announcement to the viewers that each different nominated pupil could be getting a $500 scholarship.
San Jose Sports activities Authority Govt Director John Poch stated this system has been capable of ship $500,000 in scholarships since 2017 thanks largely to company sponsors together with Heritage Financial institution of Commerce, Intero Basis, Qualcomm and the San Jose Marriott, which underwrites the breakfast yearly. You’ll find out extra about this system at www.sjsa.org/REACH.
SIDE GIGS: Basic rock band 5150 — which has a present at 6 p.m. Monday at San Pedro Sq. Market in San Jose — shares its title with a Van Halen album and California’s code for a short lived psychiatric maintain. However don’t assume the band, which has been round 35 years, takes psychological sickness flippantly. Three of its 4 members have labored within the psychological well being area, together with Pathway Society CEO Gary Montrezza, who performs drums, and Alum Rock Counseling Heart CEO Steve Eckert, who performs bass. Donations made at Monday’s present might be cut up between these two San Jose nonprofits.
TOUCHING TRIBUTE: For New Ballet San Jose’s performances of “Swan Lake” subsequent weekend on the Hammer Theater, Govt and Creative Director Dalia Rawson determined to rename one of many characters Lord Michael Bena. The change is in tribute to Michael Bena, a longtime supporter of each Ballet San Jose and New Ballet who grew up in Palo Alto and died final yr. Members of his household might be attending a efficiency, and Rawson stated they’ve informed her they’re touched by the way in which New Ballet is honoring his love of dance.
Tickets for Swan Lake, which has three full-length performances Might 17-18 with a dwell orchestra in addition to a shortened “My First Ballet” model Sunday morning, can be found at www.newballet.com/spring.
Initially Printed: Might 10, 2025 at 6:30 AM PDT
