Hey, folks! 

I just LOVE the music of the early to mid 20th century.  The whole gamut; Country & Western, American Standards, Contemporary Jazz, Jump Blues, Kooky Girls, Pop, and Instrumentals. When I was a kid I would tune in to the local 'oldies radio' station which at that point was playing music of the 50's. I was also a part of a musical tradition in Philadelphia called the Philadelphia Mummers Parade. Growing up as part of a Mummers String Band taught me a lot about American standards, traditional folk songs, comedic showmanship, and vaudevillian performance styles. 

Later on, while people my age were scooping up CD's and new-fangled MP3s one song at a time, I realized most of the music I really liked could be found on entire albums of vinyl for super duper cheap. Then I went on to collecting 45's and forgetaboutit. Over the years I have amassed a pretty huge record collection and played a lot of it multiple nights a week as DJ AM Gold here in Portland.   All of these elements really set a foundation for why I love the music I play each week and why I love being on the air to share the music and the information on Hoot 'N Howl.   

I hope you are reading this because you too love old music and enjoy Hoot 'N Howl!   I am so proud to have been on the air at XRAY.FM since the beginning. In fact, my show was the very first show to go live over the FM airwaves when XRAY flipped the switch and started broadcasting over the air here in Portland.   It's been 6 years and I still absolutely love being on the air and sharing the music and factoids with you.    When XRAY contacted me to join the ranks of the on-air DJ's, I had been playing records in and around Portland for 10 years in any bar, restaurant, art space, gathering, that wanted what I offer -- The real deal oldies. I am as excited now to be on the air as I was back then. 

In the past few years I have been diagnosed with a disease that is taking my vision and have experienced multiple procedures... anyway you slice it, I can't see very well and have had to pull way back on my public DJing and it's just so nice to have an outlet to share the music and hopefully help people have a better day.   It doesn't take sight to love music. 

I know things are really hard right now.  I personally have been on Covid-19 related lay off since March and I know how scary this time is. It’s hard to see how we can get through this. But, I believe that community centered services like LOCAL non-conglomerate media are even more important right now.  Now more than ever before. 

I ask you… please donate any amount that you can.   Any amount is helpful to help XRAY continue to acheive our goals.

Thanks for tuning in to XRAY FM and to Hoot ‘N Howl!  You’re truly the best.   

PEACE - Alicia

The mass consolidation of media has a profound effect on what we see and hear on a local level. It leads to a decline in support for local artists and local venues, promotion of community advocacy, in the ability to engage civically with our government and those who seek to be elected to it. 

XRAY changes that. And this year has made that more important than ever before. 

This year, while the world has been in turmoil, we've been busy

• giving back to local artists who've lost gigs due to COVID-19

• lifting up hundreds of nonprofits and Black-owned businesses with free spots on air

• educating our community about the privileges they have and how to support their neighbors with our Annual Juneteenth & International Women's Day Teach-Ins

• launching Portland's only daily local news podcast to keep our community in-the-know while apart

• supporting the ongoing civic advocacy, education, and functioning of City Club of Portland when no other radio station would

• interviewing 100+ local candidates (more than any other media outlet) to ensure democracy doesn't die in the distance. 

• and bringing joy and connectedness to the people of Portland.

We are proud to be independent and driven by the purpose of amplifying the best and most distinctive of Portland. Our resources are directed toward supporting the people who support us, and that includes you. By becoming a supporting member of XRAY, you are adding to the resources that help amplify Portland, and Portland’s own artists, venues, activists, innovators, educators, and the community members who make this city run. As a listener named John recently said, "I'm really grateful to live in a city with XRAY." And we're really grateful to live in a city with you.