Former KILO 94.3 FM Colorado Springs PD Rich Hawk Dies

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:



Former BAHAKEL Active Rock KILO/COLORADO SPRINGS PD RICH HAWK passed away peacefully at PENROSE MAIN HOSPITAL in COLORADO SPRINGS at around 9p last night according to HAWK's daughter CHELSEA. She told ALL ACCESS, "He went into a coma on FEBRUARY 19th. We don't know what caused the coma, but he never came out of it."
HAWK started at KPIK/COLORADO SPRINGS in 1976, which later became KILO in 1978. HAWK programmed the station until his retirement in 2006.
HAWK is widely regarded as the architect of KILO's success as a pioneer of the Active Rock format. The WIKIPEDIA listing of KILO notes, "The station is known for playing new bands well before many other stations will add them to their playlist and is usually one of the higher rated stations in COLORADO SPRINGS. Always in the top five, RICH HAWK, who programmed the station for 27 years is widely considered one of the 'fathers of Active Rock'."
HAWK was 59 and details on a funeral and memorial are not available at this time.

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[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Online:

Active Rock pioneer and former KILO-FM/Colorado Springs OM/PD Rich Hawk has died. He was 59. He passed away peacefully at Penrose Main Hospital in Colorado Springs on Thursday evening after falling into a coma for unknown reasons on February 19. Hawk spent 30 years with KILO-FM and also programmed co-owned Classic Rock KYZY-FM in Colorado Springs. He began his radio career at KPIK-FM in 1976, which later became KILO. He retired from KILO and radio in July, 2006.

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[Rob]

Wow, surprising and sad news. Growing up in the Springs, I got to meet Rich at the old KPIK 1580 AM/93.9 FM studios (before they moved to 94.3 FM) in the 70's as a kid who wanted to be in radio and then later when it was KILO 94.3 FM. I was lucky enough to do some airshifts there in the 90s. He had a great spirit and spent time with anyone who wanted to be a great on-air personality. He is a person a lot of us looked up to. He could have gone to bigger markets and become THE top rock radio programmer in the country, but his passion was KILO. RIP Rich.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:

Funeral Services have been set for the legendary RICH HAWK. It will be held WEDNESDAY, 3/13 at 11a at EVERGREEN CHAPEL, 1005 S Hancock, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80903. A RICH HAWK video tribute, featuring on-air recordings of his days at KILO/COLORADO SPRINGS and images from HAWK's career and life can be seen here.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the attention of TESSA, 435 Gold Pass Heights, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80906. TESSA is dedicated to the issues of domestic violence.

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