Originally published KVMR Listeners’ Guide Jun./Jul. 2003
KVMR’s founder, Lee Amundsen, is a dreamer. He’s always coming up with ideas and then takes action to make things happen. Lee’s vision for a radio station started in the mid-70s. His plan to start a radio station was born out of necessity, simply because there was no radio station in Nevada City. His original intent was to start a commercial radio station. A local realtor, Leonard Carey, introduced Amundsen to David Osborne and Charles Woods, founders of the American Victorian Museum in Nevada City. This meeting shifted the focus of the radio station to a non-commercial, community station. Since a non-profit status was needed to hold the FCC license, the American Victorian Museum became the original licensee of KVMR. The first choice for call letters was KAVM, but those call letters were not available, so KVMR was selected (it has a better ring to it).
After KVMR signed on in July, 1978, Amundsen had little to do with the day-to-day operations of the radio station. Although he owned property in Nevada County, he resided in Sacramento throughout KVMR’s formative years. Lee recently left his business, Midtown Photo in downtown Sacramento, to pursue another dream. He’s now in Hawthorne, Nevada where he is starting another community radio station, KQMC at 90.1 FM.
What would life be without all of the idea people?
by Laura Miller
