Art Jones was the morning air personality on KIOA in the late 60s and early 70s. KIOA was King in Des Moines Top-40 radio in that era. Art passed away in February 2015.
Jones came to Des Moines in the middle 1960s from KLWW, Cedar Rapids when Peter McLane installed him as Good Guy morning host on KIOA AM. Thereafter Art Jones dominated mornings well into the 1970s when he left for KCMO, Kansas City.
Many Iowans will remember meeting Art Jones over the years when he hosted sock hops with up and coming rock bands throughout the area or when he played in charity basketball games at high schools with the KIOA High Hoopers team.
A burly, curly-haired guy with an infectious grin, "his radio persona just crackled with energy," according to Phil Thomas, who was on the news staff when Jones arrived at KIOA. His skill in producing commercials and a restless creativity sparked a side business he started called Art Spot. At times Jones would leave the on air radio jobs to pursue this production business.
An independent, free spirited guy, he loved to sail and lived on a lake outside Fort Worth, Texas with his boat. Several times he returned to Iowa over the years when that smiling face would just burst into the room at Good Guy reunions.
Art Jones aircheck Aug 6 1972 (courtesy of Bryan Hall)
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DesMoinesBroadcasting.comRev 3/18/15