Amanda Wilde
AnnouncerYear started with KUOW: 2003
Amanda Wilde is a seasoned announcer who has been heard regularly on Seattle airwaves for over two decades.
Amanda originally came to KUOW to host and produce Seattle radio's longest-running program, The Swing Years and Beyond, presenting American popular music from the 1920s through the 1950s. Meanwhile she produced documentaries, in–depth historical interviews and interviews with artists and cultural figures. She created a series, Sounds Familiar, focusing on the little–known history behind the icons of popular music.
In 2017, after 14 years of hosting and producing The Swing Years, Amanda requested a change. She is now a full-time announcer and weekend midday host on KUOW.
Amanda's keen interest in working with sound and showcasing musical connections led her to public radio. A key figure in the development of Seattle music station KEXP, she hosted their afternoon drive for 12 years.Thus Amanda came to KUOW in 2003, already well–known to listeners around the world for her eclectic knowledge of music and her in–depth interviews. Her unique perspective draws on a combination of geographical and personal influences with the happy result of reaching a steadily increasing global audience.
Amanda continues her studies in musicology and presents innovative lectures and classes on that subject around the state. A featured DJ in "The Rough Guide to Internet Radio," Amanda has been showcased in The Seattle Times, MSNBC, and "Best Places Seattle." In 2007, she was recognized for her interview work with a national award from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated. In 2014, Seattle Women In Jazz presented Amanda with the first annual "Amanda Wilde Inspire Award" for outstanding contributions to the jazz community.
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Amanda Wilde speaks with historian Feliks Banel, a self-described huge fan of live local radio, about The Swing Years' place in Seattle radio history. -
Born May 13, 1933, jazz bassist Buddy Catlett was raised in Seattle where he came up through the Jackson Street scene.Nicknamed Bumblebee, he played… -
Pop music has always borrowed liberally from classical themes: think Al Jolson’s 1920 hit “Avalon” lifting Puccini’s opera “Tosca,” 1970s disco sensation… -
Washington state is on the edge – the geographical edge of the continental United States and the cutting edge of music.Throughout its history,… -
It probably comes as little surprise that Seattle gets an A for recycling.Seventy percent of all our trash ends up in compost or recycling; just 30… -
Moms have been canonized in song long before Taylor Swift’s “The Best Day,” The Backstreet Boys’ “The Perfect Fan” and Tupac Shakur’s “Dear Mama.”During… -
In 1932, a new singing style was emerging: crooning. What we might consider easy listening now wasn't necessarily received cordially by its… -
Almost every partner dance is a descendant of the waltz.The oldest of ballroom dances, the waltz has roots as far back as the 13th century. As it evolved… -
In anticipation for the Oscars this weekend, Steve Scher sat down with Swing Years host Amanda Wilde to discuss the history of the Best Original Song…
