It’s Who You Know

Scars

I have a scar on my knee that shows where fork tines pierced the skin. I also have a few other scars on my knees (don’t we all) including some embedded dirt from the Olema Campground from when I fell getting my mail. I think the fork scar is my favorite.

As the oldest of three, I was the biggest for a while, and I wielded my size as only an oldest sibling can. That ended abruptly when I became  the smallest of the three, surpassed by many inches by both my younger brother and sister. We were a pretty physical bunch, playing made up games like “trip or trap,” and launching oak blocks at each other across the living room. 

I don’t recall when I sustained the fork piercing, but I must have been around 11 or 12 years old. That would have put my brother at around 8 years old. I’m absolutely sure that I deserved the retaliation that came in the form of a quick fork jab to the leg. 

Speaking of forks. Here we are just a few years shy of the incident eating hamburgers and noodles.

Well this same brother, Ian Jones, is in town for a visit while he is on tour. He is a musician, a father, a husband, and has his own successful construction company in Seattle. But he has been a musician since he came out of the womb. I remember him sitting in his swing in the kitchen doorway before he could walk, just belting out the tunes. He later taught himself to play the piano, guitar, and harmonica. And he writes some fabulous songs. 

All these years later, we no longer aspire to stab one another, and enjoy each others company quite a bit. You likely have heard Ian Jones’ songs on KWMR since he has been in “rotation” since the early days. In fact, I used an instrumental version of one of his tunes when I did my very first show on KWMR, “Think Local First West Marin.”

We got to spend some time in the studio this week. Ian played some brand new songs on Monday Mix last night, and talked about his process. It was great to have music in Studio A again. Here is the ARCHIVE if you want to give it a listen. He was even recognized on the street in Point Reyes Station today, and hit up for a T-shirt by a loyal KWMR listener.

And here he is, all grown up!  

Thank you for reading our newsletter and for your support of KWMR!

Amanda Eichstaedt
KWMR Station Manager and Executive Director

Check this out!

p.s. Event: Valley Arts & Lectures Series Panel: “Radio Rebels: When Eclectic Music Mattered”
When: Sunday, April 3rd, 2022 at 6 PM.
Where: On Zoom  Sign up: HERE. Price: Free 
Presented by: San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Featuring: Ben Manilla with special guests Ben Fong-Torres, and Bonnie Simmons. (And Larry Rippee, KWMR esteemed Blued DJ)
About: In the 1970’s, a handful of music lovers challenged the norm of Top 40 AM radio by taking over FM stations like KSAN, KMET, WLIR, WNEW, and a few others. These Radio Rebels introduced the masses to the fresh sound of underground, progressive, free-form music. For the first time, listeners heard Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead, and so much more… presented by DJ’s who loved the music. And the rock revolution was born!