Jolene left KIWS on Friday, May 29.
Jolene left KISW on Friday, May 29. https://www.facebook.com/SavoiaPhotographyLive

KISW’s Jolene has been on the Seattle airwaves for 11 years, but this past Friday she signed off for the last time. Best known for her Loud & Local show, we sat down for a chat on the eve of her final broadcast.

So 11 years and this is it. Why now?

I’ve accomplished everything I’ve wanted to do, and it’s time for something else. If I’d this five years ago, I would have slapped myself silly. This business and this radio station has been my absolute everything for all these years and everything else in my life has taken a backseat, so it’s time to try something else and not be defined by one specific thing. Because nothing will compare to this.

It’s funny, because the junior high students of today can’t even remember when you weren’t on the radio.

I am really blown away and humbled by everyone’s kindness. It’s not that I didn’t think people would give a shit, but I just did not have a clue. So many messages, like “I started listening when I was 10. I’m 20 now.” I got to, in a small way, be a part of somebody’s life, even if it was just in the background while they were learning to drive, or breaking up with somebody, or getting it on.

When’s the last time you screwed up on the air?

Oh, Jesus. My last Loud & Local show! I screw up all the time. Not in massive ways everybody can pick up, but I’m pretty critical of myself. I say people’s names wrong all the time, for Loud & Local especially. The more I like you, the more likely I am to screw up the name of the song, or the name of your album, or get the date wrong for an upcoming show because I’m excited. That’s how I show my affection.

What local bands were you most excited to break?

I can’t take any credit for breaking anything. It’s just using a platform to hopefully expose them a little bit more. I have a hard time picking one, but off the top of my head—Sandrider. I could not pound that drum loud enough when that first Sandrider album came out. Those guys are just brilliant and they have a sound a lot of people that listen to this radio station can connect with. But there’s a lot. Ayron Jones & The Way [and] Amanda Hardy, who is a young up-and-coming gal. There’s plenty, it’s tough to pick one or two.

What won’t you miss about the radio business?

People being shitty on Facebook. To be a woman in this business, you have to have a thick skin. It can be a little bit of a soul suck. I’m the social media captain for the radio station, or I have been, and there are times when it really forces you to look at your convictions and the way you wanna treat people. In the ‘90s, you just had people that called up and yelled horrible things. You also had plenty of other people who had wonderful things to say, or called you because they were lonely, or they were going through something, or needed some advice.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done in the name of radio?

When I lived in the Midwest, I used to host amateur nights at strip clubs. Different era. I mean, I dressed like how I normally do now and if anybody ever gave me any lip, I had a microphone. I had the power.