I Remember This DJ

Today I read in The Denver Post that Pogo Poge past on at the age of 86. He was my DJ. Reading his obituary brought back many memories for me and Pogo Poge was a part of those memories. I never knew his real name. In fact in never saw his face. Pogo Poge was the voice of KIMN radio. If the radio was on you listened to KIMN and Pogo Poge.

1957 to 1964 was exciting years for me. I got my driver's license in 1958. I graduated from high school in 1960. I turned eighteen in 1960 and you could start drinking legally. At that time one could buy 3.2 beer at eighteen. 1963 was the year when I became a legal adult at twenty-one. Now I can purchase the hard liquor legally. Gasoline was cheap, cigarettes were cheap and alcohol was cheap. You could take out a girl and not break the bank. Those were the days when Llfe was simple and cheap. One did not have to worry about bills, violence, crime or drugs. This all changed in 1964 when I was drafted into the US Army.

During those exciting times I remember cruising 16^th and 17^th street many times during the night. Clark Secrest was correct everyone had their radio tuned to KIMN radio listening to Pogo Poge. This was before strict pollution controls and many of the cars were not in the best of shape and there was always a blue cloud of exhaust hovering over the streets. These were the days of carburetors and many back yard mechanics would adjust their car to run rich and when waiting at a stoplight they could race the engine and the excess fuel would backfire in the super hot muffler. Pop, pop, bang, bang was a common noise during those cruising times. Kids would jump out of cars and hop into other cars. It appeared that you knew everyone and everyone knew you. Those were the days.

I was listening to KIMN radio when Pogo Poge fell off his chair or the chair broke and the poisonous snake struck him. I remember them taking him to the hospital but, I never heard about the antidote given incorrectly. He was our hero and these were hard times for this hero. I remember the flagpole sitting and the Mammoth Gardens "sock hops". Pogo Poge was my DJ and I will always remember him.

What happened to KIMN radio? I don't really know. I was in the Army for two years from 1964 to 1966 and when I returned it just wasn't the same. When I came back Pogo Poge was gone. Was this the beginning of the end for the station or was it that I was growing up and my priorities and outlook on life changed? Whatever the reason I have fond memories of KIMN radio, Pogo Poge and those years of my life.