Saturday Country Music TV: KOMO’s Evergreen Jubilee
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My friend Susan Falconer (aka: Sooz) had a long career as a deejay at KMPS AM/FM in the 1980’s. Briefly in 1982 she left “Compass” to pursue a music career in Nashville … even appearing, a few times, on the old Ralph Emery – Nashville Network TV Show – “Nashville Now”. In the end she chose to return to Seattle and re-establish a career in radio at KMPS, but also continued to perform with her husband (at the time) BD Bassett and their band. During the 80s, both Susan Falconer & another KMPS deejay, Lee Rogers, had Country Music bands that played Country Music clubs around Seattle. Lee’s band was Stampede Pass.
Susan is originally from Portland and does have a sister who was a professional ice skater in Ice Follies type shows, but I don’t recall if her name was Cathy.
The last time I spoke to Susan was a number of years ago when she called me from her home in Las Vegas to touch base and reminisce about Seattle radio.
Susan and BD released a couple of 45s in the ’80s featuring songs written by Susan. One titled “I Love My Love” and another “I Can Tell”.
Here’s a link to the latter:
https://youtu.be/_LojcOa4-Ss
I remember Susan on KZOK. Does anyone know if she is related to Cathy? Did not know Susan was a musician.
In the 70s Jack Roberts focused on promoting Country Music concerts in the NW and passed the Evergreen Drifters on to his nephew Pat Roberts … who eventually signed with Dot Records and had a few national Country Music hits, the biggest being in 1972 (#34 Billboard Country) with a cover of The Cascades (’63 pop hit) “Rhythm of The Rain”:
https://youtu.be/uRXXXp97FCQ
While I was at KMPS I met Pat, who’d taken over Jack’s Concert Promotion Firm. I’d emceed many of those concerts for Pat at the Seattle Opera House & Key Arena. BD Bassett, a musician friend of mine I’d met while PD at KBFW- Bellingham, became Pat’s steel guitar player in the new version of The Evergreen Drifters. Beginning (I believe) in 1977 that band had a Staurday night show (at 7:30) “Country Northwest” on KSTW-TV … airing for about 3 yrs. BD Bassett married KMPS deejay Susan Falconer, who also had a Country band. He played steel in her band and they released a couple of 45s together, with songs written by Susan.
A strange little coincidence story involving Susan, BD and me. I had met BD while at a KBFW. Then I went to KPOK-Portland where I met Susan who’d gotten her 1st radio gig with the station. Then Susan and I both ended up, many years later, at KMPS. I had met and been friends with both of them before they knew each other … and I had nothing to do with them eventually meeting one another. Small world!
My family watched all the country music shows on Saturday. Channel 11 carried most of them.
Jack Roberts Productions booked all of Kountry KAYO’s live concerts to the Seattle Opera House or Seattle Center Arena or maybe The Spanish Castle out on Pacific Highway. Decca put out an LP in 1965 of Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadors at The Spanish Castle. Jack Roberts is on that record.
Jack never stopped trying to get country music played on Seattle radio. In 1959 or 1960, he got up early and did a daily one-hour show on KTW at 3:30 A. M.
When Jack had his afternoon program on KNBX, he had his guitar with him and would open by singing, “My front door is open for someone like you, won’t you come in for a while . . .” About half the show was records and half was Jack singing with his guitar.
I had just gotten on as a full time deejay in 1973 and was hosting a KAYO show for the first time. I met Jack backstage at the Opera House that night and he looked at me and said something like, “Huh. I didn’t know KAYO ever hired anybody who was actually fit to come out in public.” A compliment? That’s how I took it.