The Battle of Fresno: 1962

[mofocat]

Excellent blog by Ron Jacobs on the genesis of Boss Radio. Here's the link. I hope it's ok to post it. http://whodaguyhawaiicom.blogspot.com/search/label/SUNNY JIM PRICE
The first meetings of Ron Jacobs, Bob "Robert W) Morgan, Gene Chanault and Bill Drake. How K/MAKe blew KYNO out of the water in '62. That crew went on to conquer the radio industry. Actually, I liked the K/MAKe of 1962-3 better than the "Boss Radio" concept that was to come out of the alliance 2-3 years later. Anyone on the board have recollections of the "sneak preview"? (May '62)

 

[ki6bkj]

Excellent blog by Ron Jacobs on the genesis of Boss Radio. Here's the link. I hope it's ok to post it. http://whodaguyhawaiicom.blogspot.com/search/label/SUNNY JIM PRICE
The first meetings of Ron Jacobs, Bob "Robert W) Morgan, Gene Chanault and Bill Drake. How K/MAKe blew KYNO out of the water in '62. That crew went on to conquer the radio industry. Actually, I liked the K/MAKe of 1962-3 better than the "Boss Radio" concept that was to come out of the alliance 2-3 years later. Anyone on the board have recollections of the "sneak preview"? (May '62)

Excellent!!

 

[ExKynoJox]

Thanks for posting this. I remember well the battle.. I was more of a KMAK person than a KYNO fan during that era. There are more than a few KYNO airchecks from that era around but I've not found any KMAK airchecks (but, I've not also not looked that hard). Anyone know of any websites where we can relive those days?

 

[ExKynoJox]

....I renewed my subscription for Reel Radio and did check out Robert W. Morgan on KMAK in '63. It's worth the $15 for the listen. Listening to some of the other early Boss Radio stations of the day, Fresno radio made the others look a little lame. When KMAK flipped, didn't they go talk and/or beautiful music before settling in with their country version of boss radio some years later.

 

[kenrayc]

I was too young to remember KMAK being a top 40 station, but did see classic photo of The Rolling Stones Concert at Radcliff with the KMAK logo, when did they go Country and why?

 

[ExKynoJox]

They tried something else before going country. Only country in the market at that time was KEAP. KMAK came in and blew 'em out in one book...John Hooker never knew what hit him. Somebody around here should know when the flip happened.

 

[kenrayc]

They tried something else before going country. Only country in the market at that time was KEAP. KMAK came in and blew 'em out in one book...John Hooker never knew what hit him. Somebody around here should know when the flip happened.

When I went to KMAK on the internet Wikipedia only list the current 100.3 Kmak, then there is this site Fresno famous that mentions KMAK, but doesn't mention when KMAK went Country, the Fresno Famous site has a lot of history like the old Lesterburger, Whitefront, the Blackstone big slide, Mars, farrells and many more but not to much on KMAK. somebody must know what happen to KMAK between the Top 40 Format and Country and when that happened.

 

[ExKynoJox]

Was Gary Dee on both the top 40 and country sides of KMAK? Gary was way too much fun to listen to. Basically a shock-jock....I remember him trashing people on air with no mercy.... Hot Mercy Martha! If so, then that 3rd or 4th format came after country and prior to the flip to sports?

 

[kenrayc]

I recall hearing a story about Gary Dee making a racial slur and there were threats to the station that someone was going to burn down the transmitter building, this was around 1970 and KMAK was Country then.
That 3rd and 4th format after Country in the mid to late 80s was News-Talk KKAM and carried the Oakland As and Raiders, then it was a classic R&B syndicated format called "Heart and Soul", i also recall they Simulcasted KBOS for a while and had a Saturday Night New Wave 80s show, Then Finally Sports.

 

[ExKynoJox]

Here's a link to an aircheck of KMAK and Gary Dee....

http://garydee.podOmatic.com/player/web/2009-08-09T13_35_56-07_00

His way with women on the air was something else.

 

[kenrayc]

Here's a link to an aircheck of KMAK and Gary Dee....

http://garydee.podOmatic.com/player/web/2009-08-09T13_35_56-07_00

His way with women on the air was something else.

That was cool, I was only 9 years old ,but do remember Gary Dee very well, my parents always had KMAK on in the car most of the time that was my Dads station, of course the other stations that were KYNO, KFRE and my Mom loved KARM.

 

[ki6bkj]

Here's a link to an aircheck of KMAK and Gary Dee....

http://garydee.podOmatic.com/player/web/2009-08-09T13_35_56-07_00

His way with women on the air was something else.

That was cool, I was only 9 years old ,but do remember Gary Dee very well, my parents always had KMAK on in the car most of the time that was my Dads station, of course the other stations that were KYNO, KFRE and my Mom loved KARM.

If you remember Gary Dee you might Remember "Peanutbutter" Bobby Martin

 

[kenrayc]

Here's a link to an aircheck of KMAK and Gary Dee....

http://garydee.podOmatic.com/player/web/2009-08-09T13_35_56-07_00

His way with women on the air was something else.

That was cool, I was only 9 years old ,but do remember Gary Dee very well, my parents always had KMAK on in the car most of the time that was my Dads station, of course the other stations that were KYNO, KFRE and my Mom loved KARM.

If you remember Gary Dee you might Remember "Peanutbutter" Bobby Martin

Yes I do, and Bobby Martin was a newscaster when 1430 switched from Country to News-Talk KKAM in the late 80s, And he also did newscasts when KEYQ 980(or was it 1220) was a News-Talk format in the early 90s.

 

[mofocat]

Oh ya lol that was KRGO News/Talk 1220

Yes I do, and Bobby Martin was a newscaster when 1430 switched from Country to News-Talk KKAM in the late 80s, And he also did newscasts when KEYQ 980(or was it 1220) was a News-Talk format in the early 90s.