Nearly six years ago, before the show that eventually became Sound Effect first aired, the team cycled through a lot of rejected names: Northwest Corner, Public Market, Face for Radio, to name a few.
Now, 214 episodes later, the household name that has brought you hundreds of stories from people and places across the Pacific Northwest signs off for good.
Saturday, KNKX airs a special two-hour finale looking back at the most memorable stories — happy, sad and everything in between — that so many people were brave enough to share with the Sound Effect team.
"I am blown away by the fact that so many people trusted us to tell their personal stories," says producer Jennifer Wing.
Saturday’s farewell will be a bittersweet celebration for the team, and for thousands of listeners who counted on the companionship of an hour of meaningful storytelling every weekend.
"The kind of stories that we would always try to tell are the ones that would make people stop what they're doing," says Gabriel Spitzer, founding host of the show.
The kind of stories that we would always try to tell are the ones that would make people stop what they're doing.
Before we say goodbye, here’s a snapshot of the voices you’ve heard over the years — illustrating the diversity of life experiences Sound Effect has featured leading up to its final episode:
“And how do you ask somebody, ‘hey can I have your kidney?’ It’s kind of an interesting intro to a conversation.”
“Right now we have the platform to show the public an intimate view of what a school shooting looks like from the inside.”
“When you’re online, nobody knows you’re homeless. Nobody knows how you’re dressed, or where you slept last night.”
“People come driving in my driveway in the middle of the night honking their horn, ‘Bob! We wanna go Bigfoot huntin’ with ya!’”
After nearly six years of telling stories inspired by the place we live, Sound Effect signs off for good Saturday. We're bringing you a special two-hour finale looking back at some of the hundreds of incredible stories we’ve been privileged to share with listeners. Don't miss it. pic.twitter.com/dUEy74cUGf
— KNKX Public Radio (@knkxfm) October 26, 2020
“If you ask your friend or you ask a band ‘do you want to come to my house and be on a game show I’m filming?’ the answer’s usually going to be yes.”
“The way that I determined to solve that problem was to start a day care — a day care in a strip tease theater.”
“And then, at the age of 30, I say it at last: ‘I love you, dad.’”
Listen to the full story above, and be sure to tune in tomorrow at 10 a.m. for one last Saturday morning with your Sound Effect team.
