Bill Pearce 1946 - 2023
Music Producer and HostWe have sad news to share with you about a long-time music host at KMUW. Bill Pearce passed away. He hosted the jazz program Straight No Chaser for more than 10 years. Bill was always a wealth of knowledge when it came to the jazz world. He thought everyone on a CD cover deserved credit and was known to list the names from artists and musicians to engineers and producers. He was an avid listener to KMUW and was especially proud of the local news reporting and holding anyone in power accountable. We’ll miss Bill, and his Sunday night show Straight No Chaser.
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A Kansas native, Bill graduated with a degree in clarinet performance from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. While in Iowa, he worked at a commercial radio station playing pop-like music records and reading news.
After college, Bill returned to Wichita and began a career in photography. He worked for KTVH, commercial photo studios and Cessna. Bill got back into radio when he found a job at the now-defunct Friends University station. He played classical music during the week and hosted his own jazz show on Saturdays. He was the last person on air at the time of the station’s unfortunate demise. Prior to getting his own show, Bill read magazines like Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly and National Enquirer for eight years for KMUW’s Wichita Radio Reading Service.
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Sunday, December 20Our last show before Christmas brings us Al Grey and Jimmy Smith with Christmas standards, along with recent recordings with Huston…
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Sunday, December 6Straight No Chaser spreads more good cheer tonight with Maynard Ferguson and your only chance to hear his vocal stylings with the band,…
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Sunday, November 29Thanksgiving has passed, and it's time to begin playing holiday music on Straight No Chaser. The tsunami of holiday cheer begins with…
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Sunday, November 22Tonight we hear an even split between new and old. New albums from Lionel Loueke, Joey deFrancesco, Kenny Burrell and others go along…
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Sunday, November 15Tonight on Straight No Chaser we hear from clarinetist Mort Weiss and organist/pianist Radam Schwartz. A prolific recording artist,…
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Sunday, November 8 Tonight we'll hear great historic recordings from Ahmad Jamal, Stan Getz and Chico Hamilton. Up next is Jeff Hamilton (no relation) and…
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Sunday, November 1Tonight we hear more new recordings from jazz vocalist and Grammy nominee, Denise Donatelli, as well as pianist Cesar Orozco. Up next,…
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Sunday, October 25Tonight on Straight No Chaser, we feature new recordings from saxophonist Scott Hamilton and drummer Jeff Hamilton -- no relation!-- Joe…
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Sunday, October 18Tonight on Straight No Chaser we climb back into the time machine where we are given gentle advice from Hank Mobley, playing his…
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Sunday, October 11Tonight, a great recording of a big band fronted by Bud Shank, and a classic from Zoot Sims, with new releases from jazz pianist and…