Richard Schwartz

KZMU Radio

Richard Schwartz, aka Professor Purple, and his Sunday afternoon multi-ethnic hillbilly show Amarillo Highway have been fixtures on KZMU for over six years.  

KZMU is a non-commercial, non-college, non-NPR volunteer community radio station in Moab, Utah that features an amazing array of eclectic music, including a large dollop of roots music. In the finest traditions of free-form radio, each DJ is able to define and explore his or her own musical territory. Amarillo Highway features regional hillbilly music from all over North America. Western Swing, classic country, alternatwang, Cajun, polkas, blues, yodels, bluegrass, old timey, Tex-Mex, corridos, singer/songwriter, jug band and related musics all have a home somewhere along the Amarillo Highway.  

Richard began his involvement with radio as a devoted listener to non-commercial radio in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 60s and 70s. Starting as a guest host for roots music specials on stations in Chico and Santa Cruz, he soon became a substitute DJ and then a regular programmer in Santa Clara. When deciding where to go when leaving California one requirement was that his new home town had to have a community radio station. Given a vibrant station like KZMU, awesome scenery, plenty of wild open space, and a progressive community, Moab was an easy choice.

To visit the KZMU website Click here....

Roots Music Report would like to thank Richard and KZMU Radio for their continued support of roots music and their on time and consistent reporting to our charts.

Robert Bartosh
RMR