Spotify Link: KAFM 92.5 FM DALLAS
The KAFM 92.5 FM playlist on Spotify contains only a little over 200 songs featured on KAFM, and on KAMC 95 FM
Arlington. I can’t find a bumper sticker image for KAFM during its progressive country era. For that matter, I can’t find much else to prove that it ever even existed. I can only find these images for KAMC.
This is the smallest of my radio station playlists. Unfortunately, many of the regional progressive country hits of the mid 70s are lost to time. This playlist is only part documented history. I’ve taken quite a few liberties, like including Lyle Lovett’s version of “Texas Trilogy,” since Steve Fromholz’s original version isn’t on Spotify.
The album that kicked off the progressive country era was Jerry Jeff Walker’s 1973 landmark album Viva Terlingua. Michael Martin Murphy’s Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir came out that same year, and his Geronimo’s Cadillac was released a year earlier. Willis Alan Ramsey’s first and only self-titled record came out in 1972. Asleep At The Wheel’s first album was also released in 1973, and got a lot of play on KAFM.
For all of its omissions, the KAFM playlist gives listeners the true flavor of an alternative country FM radio format that existed for about three years, and left us with some truly memorable music. It’s just sad that so much has been lost to time.