KZAM (defunct)

KZAM was the call sign of two different radio stations in Seattle, Washington, 1540 AM and 92.5 FM.

The original KZAM, known by its moniker "KAY-zam!," was Seattle's first all-black-format music station. It went on the air in 1961 and lasted until December, 1963. Its broadcast facility was a small, modest building at 2401 East Union Street (24th Avenue & Union), in Seattle's predominantly black Central District. The station featured such notable northwest radio pioneers as jazz aficionado (the late) Bob Summarise, and Fitzgerald Beaver, who went on to found and publish The Facts newspaper. Other original KZAM air personalities included Larry Braxton and "Mr. Century." On Saturday nights in 1962, the station featured 12-year-old blind deejay Gordon DeWitty. An August 1962 article in Ebony shows DeWitty at the controls.

The main control board was manufactured by Gates. (This board was later used by KYAC-AM 1460). Above the board was a combination log and ad copy book. Below the board were two Russco turntables. On the console to the right of the deejay was a "jingle machine" with selectable, pre-recorded jingles, IDs and PSAs. On the console to the left of the deejay was a singles rack with the "Hot 150" 45's. To the deejay's far left at the end of the console was a three-section, 6-foot-tall (1.8 m) power stack that included a tape cartridge player and transmitter switching and metering. Directly behind the deejay, on a pegboard wall, were racks of R&B, Blues and Jazz albums.

On Saturday afternoons the station gave five hours of programming over to local high schools. In 1962-63, students from Franklin High did the programming; in 1964, students from Garfield High got the slot. Franklin High core staff included Jeff Jassen (later known as Jef Jaisun of music and photography fame) as Chairman of the F.H.S. KZAM Committee, Assistant Station Manager and deejay; Mike LaPonte, Station Manager and deejay; Ed Wright, deejay; Rita Pulido; Penny Matthews; Lyla Tsuji. Franklin student Ken Levine, who had done some deejay work at KOL-AM, did at least one air shift at the original KZAM. As part of their broader station responsibilities, all participants were required to sell advertising for their school's time block.

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