2026 Obit: Bill Wagman-folk DJ in Davis California

Subject: Obit: Bill Wagman, folk DJ in Davis California
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jan 26 - 06:40 PM

I just heard of the death of my friend Bill Wagman, house concert host extraordinaire and longtime folk radio host on KDRT and KDVS in Davis, California.
Bill worked as a computer programmer at the University of California at Davis until his retirement in 2009 at the age of 63. He also taught SCUBA diving to researchers who needed to dive in their research. He knew everyone in folk music, and hosted many in his monthly house concerts that went on for years.
Bill and I went with several Northern Californians on a Jim Malcolm tour of Orkney and Skye in Scotland in June of 2016. I danced a memorable polka with him at a cèilidh dance in Plockton - our traveling companions were amused, to say the least. After our tour, Bill went back to Orkney and dive the waters of Scapa Flow to explore the scuttled sunken German fleet.

The obituary from KDRT, dated January 23, 2026:

We here at KDRT – along with the entire music-loving community – lost an excellent friend and colleague this week in Bill Wagman. In addition to hosting our own Sometimes Folk and Folk Brothers programs, Bill could be heard for years on KDVS, presenting a fine array of music, from traditional folk to the latest sounds, including American roots and its offshoots. Bill also brought many touring artists to his wonderful house concerts over the decades. We will miss his knowledge and love of music, his ongoing positivity and support, and his smile. Please do enjoy some of his past shows, on the air and in our archives at KDRT.org. RIP, Bill.

And an article from the Davis Enterprise, dated June 8, 2009:

Wagman brings folk music to Davis
By Jeff Hudson Jun 8, 2009

Many people know Bill Wagman through their radio. He's the co-host of a long-running folk music program on KDVS (90.3 FM), which he started doing in 1991. "I'm on alternating Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon," he said.

Others know Wagman for his house concerts, held nine or 10 times a year in his living room at 1350 Monarch Lane. For 16 years or so, Wagman has hosted touring folk musicians, who give intimate performances, typically drawing several dozen friends.

But did you know that Wagman, who retires from his day job at UC Davis on June 29 (2009), arrived in Davis in 1965, fresh from the radical realm of Berkeley?


"I had just gotten thrown out of UC Berkeley," Wagman recalled. "I'd been in college for two reasons: 1) to avoid getting drafted, and 2) to keep peace in the family."

Wagman's stint at Berkeley came "during the year of the Free Speech Movement, which I got a little involved in," perhaps to the detriment of his grades. "I flunked out," he said.

Wagman's father had joined the UC Davis faculty, so Wagman came here.

"So I went to Sacramento City College, and did well enough to get a spot at UC Davis, where I finished with a bachelor's degree in psychology."

Wagman went to New York for a master's degree in psychology, "and then returned to Davis in '73. I didn't have a job. I put all my stuff in my parents' garage. I ended up buying a house on Cypress Lane, for less than I just paid for my last car."

Wagman landed jobs at H&R Block, the tax preparation firm, and the Libby's tomato cannery in Sacramento. He applied for a position at the UC Davis Medical Center — "it was during tomato season, and I was working at Libby's, and had long hair and a long beard. I went straight from the cannery, so I was a mess — tomato juice all over."

But the person who accepted Wagman's application knew Wagman's sister. Wagman soon had a job "doing clerical stuff. This was 1974 or 1975, the early days of computers."

Wagman worked alongside a grad student who was doing contract programming for the university. "I had some free time, so I bought a book on Fortran." It developed that Wagman had a natural aptitude for the field, and he was reclassified as a programmer.


"In those days, that kind of thing was not uncommon," he said. "I have a couple of friends who are programmers with degrees in psychology."

Wagman has been with UC Davis pretty much ever since, though he did switch to a job in Vacaville for a few years.

Now 63, he's retiring.

"It's entirely my choice. Given the budget situation at the university, things have become stressful," he said. "Another part of it is that the technology is changing so quickly, it's more and more difficult to keep up."

Wagman still harbors a soft spot for the old scientific tools. He's got an oversized 6-foot-long slide rule — the kind of that hung in science classrooms in the 1960s — in his living room.

"I'll keep doing the house concerts, and the radio show," he said. He'd like to volunteer with an environmental group. "I'm a scuba diver; one of the things I'd like to do is find a marine conservation organization looking for volunteer divers."

Subject: RE: 2026 Obit: Bill Wagman-folk DJ in Davis California
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jan 26 - 06:44 PM

Another article about Bill:

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/bill-wagman-spinning-folk-music-and-diving-deep

Bill Wagman: Spinning folk music and diving deep
by Clifton B. Parker May 26, 2006

Bill Wagman wonders how radio DJ's can maintain those soft, calm voices on the air.

Wagman, a database administrator on campus who has his own show on KDVS-FM, knows the radio environment is anything but calm.

"You don't get much time to relax," said Wagman, who has worked on campus for 25 years and also teaches scuba diving to students. "You're always trying to figure out what to do next. It can be kind of hectic."

For five years now, Wagman has been the voice behind The Saturday Morning Folk Show, which, Wagman believes, may be the longest running program at KDVS.

He is on the air every other Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, alternating weeks with fellow staffer Robyne Fawx. Wagman said he has a broad definition of folk, playing a variety of traditional American, British and Celtic music for a legion of listeners.

One of them is Andy Jones, a University Writing Program lecturer.

"Bill does a great job of educating the listening public about the music he plays, offering connections, anecdotes and context for all the great songs," said Jones, who is also the host of the KDVS radio show, Dr. Andy's Poetry and Technology Hour, which airs at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Jones attests to Wagman's sense of detail.

"Clearly, he does his homework before broadcasting a particular song," said Jones, adding that Wagman is a "connoisseur of film, music and other arts," and a "wry, skeptical, amusing, erudite, and principled" culture lover.

Wagman, who played the guitar growing up, is involved in the music scene in another unique way — he hosts house concerts. He is one of hundreds of people nationwide who invite musicians to perform in their homes in front of — literally — a packed house full of music lovers.

Wagman has been hosting the shows for a dozen years and has drawn audiences of more than 50 people for some events. Though most artists who perform at his house play folk music, he also attracts blues, Irish and Celtic musicians.

"There are a lot of great musicians out there," he said, "and sometimes they have a hard time finding places to play because of a shortage of venues."

Wagman worked for Graduate Studies when he first came to campus. He later spent time as the campus e-mail postmaster before moving to Information and Educational Technology 10 years ago. He maintains databases and installs software for a number of campus departments.

If he is not at work or in the studio, Wagman is likely in the water. He is an instructor for the campus basic scuba program, leading pool sessions and frequently teaching lectures. He also takes students on weekend diving trips to Monterey Bay.

Wagman, who has been diving for 40 years, plans to dive in Iceland this summer. The trip will be a well-deserved respite for him, who does not get much time off while he is on the air. Most of the time, anyway.

"Sometimes I play a really long song to take a break," he said.

Who are some of your favorite musicians?

One guy I've discovered and have been listening to a lot lately is banjo player Derrol Adams. I've also listened to Tom Russell a lot over the years. But doing a radio show changes the way I listen to music. I like to put things together coherently.

What do your neighbors think about your house concerts?

The neighbors seem to be accepting and upon occasion some of them come to the concerts.

Read any good books lately?

I'm in the middle of one right now. I'm sitting in on Jeff Mount's Geology 35 class, and he suggested Battling the Inland Sea by Robert Kelley. It's about the history and development of the politics of flood control in central California.

If you became president, what would be your first act?

I'd throw George Bush in prison and end the Iraq War. With apologies to Bush lovers, but I don't think there are many.

What do you do to relax?

Movies are always good. A system administrator and I trade these crappy horror movies back and forth. I also like to go for long bike rides, which I don't have enough time to do.

Media Resources
Clifton B. Parker, Dateline, [phone], [e-mail]

Bill Wagman died this month, and so did Ray Frank. Two of my favorite people in Davis. I learned a lot from them, and I felt it was a privilege to know them.

Subject: RE: 2026 Obit: Bill Wagman-folk DJ in Davis California
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 26 Jan 26 - 10:37 AM

Joe has done an excellent job in detailing the life, times and accomplishments of Bill Wagman. He was clearly a very talented man who had a love of folk music close to his heart. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread and, as always, send my condolences to all those who know and love him. RIP Bill.