Globe’s best-kept secret broadcasts to the world

Anyone who works in music will tell you it’s in their blood — it’s a passion, a calling, and not just a job. This can certainly be said for longtime radio DJ Andy Olson. Olson’s career began in the early 1980s, and, more than four decades and millions of songs later, he is bringing music to the world from his studio in downtown Globe.

Located upstairs in The Suites at 656, Olson has been broadcasting Radio Free Phoenix online locally for the past 19 years.

“We’re the best kept secret of Globe,” said Olson’s wife, Cheryl Sweet.

RFP has a wide audience all over the world, with large listenership in Germany and the U.K. Olson said in Germany, especially, they love old rock music. The station reaches approximately 1,500 listeners per day.

The first three years were broadcasted from Phoenix.

Eventually, Olson said his wife couldn’t take the heat anymore, and “I didn’t want to work for the stations anymore,” he said.

Plus, their son had lung disease, and they wanted to get him away from the city air.

They originally bought a house in Hayden, and Sweet said they would take trips with the kids and sleeping bags, and go to the river. One day they had to come to Globe and liked what they saw. They found a house and ended up selling their Phoenix home.

Since coming to Globe in 2007, bands have traveled to record in the studio and musicians have visited for broadcasts. One visitor was Pat McMahon of The Wallace and Ladmo Show. He came to Globe in 2021 to do an interview about his radio career. Olson said McMahon was on the radio station that he listened to growing up.

“We used to run home from school to listen,” Olson said.

Along with Olson, the station features a variety of DJs, including Sweet, Mike McCoy, son of famed sportscaster Al McCoy, and Arizona Republic sports columnist Howard Schlossberg.

“Liz Boyle has been with me since day one,” Olson added.

Boyle has more than 20 years on-air, including 14 years with 94.5 KOOL-FM and being the voice of hundreds of commercials. She is the RFP evening host from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.

The station features shows such as Rockabilly, Flower Power Hour, and an ‘80s Kickback show on Tuesdays that includes all the songs that were played on MTV. Olson said the station plays old songs and new songs, with a track list of more than 15,000. At FM stations, he said a track list is about 500 songs.

Olson said they are the number two most listened to station online and were named Best Internet Radio Station by Phoenix New Times from 2006 to 2008. RFP also has a sister station at DeepOldies.com

Olson said they have no commercials and virtually no ads, plus DJs that talk, which a lot of stations have moved away from. He said most radio stations struggle because they stuck to the “safe stuff” and didn’t start branching out until MTV came along. Sweet said that they play music that people grew up with and their parents listened to.

With streaming apps like Spotify, “There’s no element of surprise,” Olson said.

Radio playlists offer that element of surprise and bring back memories and songs people may have forgotten.

Something that Olson is known for is his Christmas program. He said it’s 10 hours of rock ‘n’ roll Christmas songs and it plays on repeat. He said he’s done it at multiple stations, including KZON and KSLX, nearly every year since 1988.

“We get a lot of emails about it. People love him and love the show,” Sweet said.

Because they don’t run ads, the station is sustained through donations, and selling shirts, mugs, CDs and posters on their website.

“The public is really big about supporting us,” Sweet said.

While the income is not predictable, they had more expenses when they started. Olson said they do what they need to do to keep the broadcast going and are considering becoming a nonprofit so they will be able to apply for other income sources.

Sweet took a hiatus from the broadcast, but is coming back to the 4 to 8 p.m. slot. She said things are jibing and falling into place with getting back on the air. She’s not just a part-time radio DJ; she worked as a cardiac nurse for more than 30 years and is currently managing the High Desert Humane Society furniture store.

“It’s for the animals and for the community,” Sweet said.

She’s been at the furniture store for four months, but had volunteered at the thrift store for eight months prior to that.

She said she was recruited for the position.

“I love being there. Rearranging and decorating — I get to be creative,” she said.

The furniture store relies on volunteers and donations. She said Facebook posts have helped with getting furniture donations, but they can always use more.

Sweet also said they will do what they can for the community.

“If you see stuff you really love, let us know and we’ll work with you,” she said.

Between the radio station and the furniture store, the couple plans to keep active as long as they can.

“We could be sitting around, not doing anything,” Olson said. “It’s important to be doing something.”

Sweet added that Olson would be doing radio “as long as he draws a breath. It’s his passion.”