Happy Friday! This week’s Radio Ink Blast From The Past comes from Kelly Orchard at her family’s station, KVVQ, in Victorville, CA, in 1981.
This is Kelly at age 17 when she was still a senior in high school. Kelly’s father Ken built the radio station and the family operated it. KVVQ was the first stereo FM in Victor Valley and the first to operate around the clock. She stayed on-air at the station for more than a decade.
Kelly and her dad would go on to found Orchard Media Services.
Thanks, Kelly! We love sharing your broadcast memories at the end of every week – we even share the best in our print edition every month – and we want to see more! Carts, Reel-to-Reel Machines, and Turntables in your pictures are highly encouraged.
Send your Blast From The Past story and photo to our Online Editor Cameron Coats for your chance to be featured in Radio Ink.
Thanks Radio Ink for publishing this pic and blast from the past. What an honor!
Brings back memories of some very cool people! Kelly’s brother Brad was pals with an old Jr. High School friend of mine, and my ex & I stopped by one day that same year to visit while on our way to Vegas. Brad, Kelly & Ken all welcomed us with open arms, and we went into Production with them, where we got to “star” in a couple of local retail spots that aired for months on KVVQ. At the same time, KVVQ/103.1 was a totally professional operation, formatted just as well as any L.A. station. Papa Ken spent many years prior working as an engineer for L.A.’s “Boss Radio”, the legendary 93/KHJ. Later Kelly went on to have her own eponymous station, co-owned KLLY/92.1 in Bakersfield.
Wow Greg- thanks for the kind words and sharing this memory.