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AOR/Progressive Radio in Bako. 1970s

E

EarthradioLives

Guest
When Buck Owens launched 107.9 FM in Bakersfield, he started a Progressive Rock format around late Summer 1968. The call letters were KBBY-FM. The format lasted until the Spring of 1969, when the station flipped to County as KUZZ-FM, because Buck wanted a C & W format 24 hours a day, and KUZZ-AM was at 800 Khz, and signed off at sunset.

In 1977, Buck purchased the 550Khz frequency and took KUZZ-AM full time (I believe). Then, KUZZ-FM became KKXX, and was Mainstream AOR. What stations, if any, ran Progressive Rock in Bakersfield between 1969 and 1977? I understand there was a station that ran AOR (KIFM - 96.5) for about four days in the Summer of 1970. Then the station went dark, and was sold to a religious broadcaster. Do any of you older radio veterans remember any AOR/Progressive Rock stations in the Bakersfield area during this time? Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
 
> When Buck Owens launched 107.9 FM in Bakersfield, he started
> a Progressive Rock format around late Summer 1968. The call
> letters were KBBY-FM. The format lasted until the Spring of
> 1969, when the station flipped to County as KUZZ-FM, because
> Buck wanted a C & W format 24 hours a day, and KUZZ-AM was
> at 800 Khz, and signed off at sunset.
>
> In 1977, Buck purchased the 550Khz frequency and took
> KUZZ-AM full time (I believe). Then, KUZZ-FM became KKXX,
> and was Mainstream AOR. What stations, if any, ran
> Progressive Rock in Bakersfield between 1969 and 1977? I
> understand there was a station that ran AOR (KIFM - 96.5)
> for about four days in the Summer of 1970. Then the station
> went dark, and was sold to a religious broadcaster. Do any
> of you older radio veterans remember any AOR/Progressive
> Rock stations in the Bakersfield area during this time? Any
> information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
>
I can't recall any prog rock stations, but I do remember one of the AMs doing some cool prog jazz in the mid to late 80s.....maybe it was prog rock? Maybe I was just too friggin' high.....
 
The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> I can't recall any prog rock stations, but I do remember one
> of the AMs doing some cool prog jazz in the mid to late
> 80s.....maybe it was prog rock?

> Maybe I was just too friggin' high.....

The Post Police have been notified about your Statement
 
> When Buck Owens launched 107.9 FM in Bakersfield, he started
> a Progressive Rock format around late Summer 1968. The call
> letters were KBBY-FM.


Slightly off-topic, but I hope of interest, is that when Buck dropped the rock format the KBBY call letters moved to KUDU-FM in Ventura, which was about to stop simulcasting their AM and go progressive rock. They were automated in the daytime and live at night.

And the calls are still there, hidden underneath the imaging for Hot AC "B-95.1".<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> > I can't recall any prog rock stations, but I do remember
> one
> > of the AMs doing some cool prog jazz in the mid to late
> > 80s.....maybe it was prog rock?
>
> > Maybe I was just too friggin' high.....
>
> The Post Police have been notified about your Statement
>
Okaaayyyyy......
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> > > I can't recall any prog rock stations, but I do remember
>
> > one
> > > of the AMs doing some cool prog jazz in the mid to late
> > > 80s.....maybe it was prog rock?
> >
> > > Maybe I was just too friggin' high.....
> >
> > The Post Police have been notified about your Statement
> >
> Okaaayyyyy......
>

That cool AM station you mention is probably KBAD (1350). The station ran a locally-produced "Z Rock"-style format. It was around in the late 1980s up until 1990 or so. KBID sits on that frequency now. But, I'm sure Bakersfield HAD to have some sort of AOR or Progressive station between 1970 and 1977.
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> > > > I can't recall any prog rock stations, but I do
> remember
> >
> > > one
> > > > of the AMs doing some cool prog jazz in the mid to
> late
> > > > 80s.....maybe it was prog rock?
> > >
> > > > Maybe I was just too friggin' high.....
> > >
> > > The Post Police have been notified about your Statement
> > >
> > Okaaayyyyy......
> >
>
> That cool AM station you mention is probably KBAD (1350).
> The station ran a locally-produced "Z Rock"-style format. It
> was around in the late 1980s up until 1990 or so. KBID sits
> on that frequency now. But, I'm sure Bakersfield HAD to have
> some sort of AOR or Progressive station between 1970 and
> 1977.
>
Ahhhh sweet! So I wasn't so high after all. But I digress. Before the lady poster in this conversation gets her panties all twisted, was there a station prog rocking in the early 70s? AND....wasn't an AM doing jazz in the evenings too, circa 85 to 89? There was a guy with a great voice hosting it....I think.
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by tramp on 08/13/05 11:26 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

I remember in the late 80's to early 80's Magic 98 was on the air a while. The only reason i remember thats station was because they played Kraftwerks pocket caluclator.. i was like Yeah this is cool. It also played alot more of the heavier stuff that KKXX didnt touch at all. The person that I know can answer this question is Doug Deroo.. Hes the radio almanac for the Valley.. LOL
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> I remember in the late 80's to early 80's Magic 98 was on
> the air a while. The only reason i remember thats station
> was because they played Kraftwerks pocket caluclator.. i was
> like Yeah this is cool. It also played alot more of the
> heavier stuff that KKXX didnt touch at all. The person that
> I know can answer this question is Doug Deroo.. Hes the
> radio almanac for the Valley.. LOL
>
Yeah I remember that station too. I believe the call letters were KMGN at 97.7 from Shafter with 3,000 watts. Their formant was AOR I believe. After that they went to some kind of MOR format as KLYD around 1983. Then around early 1988 they came on as B-Rock 97.7 KKBB.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Bakersfield Bob on 08/16/05 12:27 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> When Buck Owens launched 107.9 FM in Bakersfield, he started
> a Progressive Rock format around late Summer 1968. The call
> letters were KBBY-FM. The format lasted until the Spring of
> 1969, when the station flipped to County as KUZZ-FM, because
> Buck wanted a C & W format 24 hours a day, and KUZZ-AM was
> at 800 Khz, and signed off at sunset.
>
> In 1977, Buck purchased the 550Khz frequency and took
> KUZZ-AM full time (I believe). Then, KUZZ-FM became KKXX,
> and was Mainstream AOR. What stations, if any, ran
> Progressive Rock in Bakersfield between 1969 and 1977? I
> understand there was a station that ran AOR (KIFM - 96.5)
> for about four days in the Summer of 1970. Then the station
> went dark, and was sold to a religious broadcaster. Do any
> of you older radio veterans remember any AOR/Progressive
> Rock stations in the Bakersfield area during this time? Any
> information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.


Sure...I remember KERN as one of the best progressive AORs goin', at the time. Tom Donahue (album rock programming legend) had a hand in it. Not really sure how long it lasted before KERN became "chicken rock" in'71 and eventually Top 40 by '72. Ask Terry Gaiser or Harry Thomas or Jim Nelson at KGET would know.
Terry, btw, was the first PD at KKXX and it was "balls-to-the wall" rock when it went on the air >
 
>
> Sure...I remember KERN as one of the best progressive AORs
> goin', at the time. Tom Donahue (album rock programming
> legend) had a hand in it. Not really sure how long it lasted
> before KERN became "chicken rock" in'71 and eventually Top
> 40 by '72. Ask Terry Gaiser or Harry Thomas or Jim Nelson at
> KGET would know.
> Terry, btw, was the first PD at KKXX and it was
> "balls-to-the wall" rock when it went on the air >

Thanks for the great information, folks! I appreciate it. I'm probably one of the few people who actually LIKED the sound of AOR/Progressive on AM. I'd listen today, in the rare event one came back.

AOR/Progressive AM stations in California,were usually short lived, but not uncommon from the late 1960s through 1980s. Looks like Bakersfield had two attempts (KERN, KBAD). Los Angeles had three attempts(KRLA (69-71),KDAY (71-73),KEZY(78-81)). The Bay area had three attempts (KTIM (74-81), KLIV (79-81) and KSJX (90-91). Sacramento had four attempts (KNDE (71-73), KXOA (78-79), KROY (80-82) and KIOQ (87)). There were other attempts in California, but I don't want to stray too far off topic. Thanks again.




>
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> Yeah I remember that station too. I believe the call
> letters were KMGN at 97.7 from Shafter with 3,000 watts.
> Their formant was AOR I believe. After that they went to
> some kind of MOR format as KLYD around 1983. Then around
> early 1988 they came on as B-Rock 97.7 KKBB.
>
Yes Magic 98 was in Shafter. Actually their studio & transmitter were in Shafter with offices in Bakersfield.

Does anyone remember Cable Channel One?
It started as a pirate station doing free-form progressive and was run by KERN's music director Phil Drake(Steve Ling). On Channel One he was Captain Casserole.

He's doing mornings and programming Oldies 102.1 in Chico now as Steve Michaels...
 
> AOR/Progressive AM stations in California,were usually short
> lived, but not uncommon from the late 1960s through 1980s.
> Looks like Bakersfield had two attempts (KERN, KBAD). Los
> Angeles had three attempts(KRLA (69-71),KDAY
> (71-73),KEZY(78-81)). The Bay area had three attempts (KTIM
> (74-81), KLIV (79-81) and KSJX (90-91). Sacramento had four
> attempts (KNDE (71-73), KXOA (78-79), KROY (80-82) and KIOQ
> (87)). There were other attempts in California, but I don't
> want to stray too far off topic. Thanks again.

Since this is the Central California board, it would not be off-topic to mention that KARM in Fresno was an AM Progressive/AOR for several years in the early 70s, even while KARM-FM was automated beautiful music.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
>
> Since this is the Central California board, it would not be
> off-topic to mention that KARM in Fresno was an AM
> Progressive/AOR for several years in the early 70s, even
> while KARM-FM was automated beautiful music.
>

Also, Stockton (as far north as Central California gets) had an AM Top 40/Progressive Rock Hybrid in the form of KJOY (1280) from 1973-1975. A lot of hits mixed with Album Cuts. It's FM was Beautiful Music KJAX (99.3). I believe they also had a full-time FM Progressive in the market out of Tracy (KSRT-100.9). After KSRT changed formats, Modesto's KHOP (104.1) briefly flipped to an automated AOR format with Top 40 style jingles. I believe the "Rock 104" PD was someone named Casey Hayes, but I'm not certain.
 
Re: The Poster is asking between 1969-1975

> > Yeah I remember that station too. I believe the call
> > letters were KMGN at 97.7 from Shafter with 3,000 watts.
> > Their formant was AOR I believe. After that they went to
> > some kind of MOR format as KLYD around 1983. Then around
> > early 1988 they came on as B-Rock 97.7 KKBB.
> >
> Yes Magic 98 was in Shafter. Actually their studio &
> transmitter were in Shafter with offices in Bakersfield.
>
> Does anyone remember Cable Channel One?
> It started as a pirate station doing free-form progressive
> and was run by KERN's music director Phil Drake(Steve Ling).
> On Channel One he was Captain Casserole.
>
> He's doing mornings and programming Oldies 102.1 in Chico
> now as Steve Michaels...
>

Steve Ling was doing Channel one from his house using a x-miter that was
used at a bootleg FM station in Ontario Calif in 1966-early 67 KHWA 90.3 FM.




I know because I was on it(and the PD). Later some time after 1972 while we both were at KERN, Steve got a hold of it and started Channel One.

I think KERN was Progressive Rock with Lee Duncan in '69/'70. Terry G. would
remember.
 
Brief history of early AOR in Bakersfield:
1966-June 1968: KIFM-96.5. Mainly top 40 with some album rock creeping into the mix, especially in evening 1968. 3-day return to rock on a weekend around Sept. '68, not sure whether test-drive of potential programmer/buyer or what circumstances were.
Aug. 1968-Jan. 31, 1969:
KBBY, began as KUZZ-FM till call change in September.

Late Aug. 1970: KIFM, as noted in a post above, test-driven by a potential purchaser, free-form, from Wednesday through Saturday.
Purchase not made, the station went dark for over a year before being bought by Faith Center and going religious.
Dec. 1969-1971: KERN. A top 40-album rock hybrid after 12-26-69 format change.
Strongly album rock around summer 1970, but AOR out of the mix around early '71, but Lee Duncan rehired briefly for nights with AOR returning.
Later in '71 back to mainly top 40.
01-77: (I believe Jan. 17): After KUZZ moves to 970, 107.9 goes back to album rock as KKXX, morphing into a top 40/album mix a few years later.
1980?1983: 97.7 KQEZ switches from country to AOR as KMGN (Magic 98.) Staff includes Katie Manor (sp?) and Richard Blade, and many other talented folks.

Another notable item: a bootleg station that went legit: Channel One. Originally an over-the-air pirate around late 1972, cable carriage began around 1975. Featured a full staff 24/7.
Sold around '77 or '78, becoming cable-only soul station KGFA.
My guess is that the original poster was thinking of Channel One, which had quite a following for a while. Much of the time it sounded just as good as any on-air AOR.
 
Didn't see some of the other posts, which covered the subject well. My post was unnecessary, but hope it added something to the discussion. Incidentally, I don't remember any Bakersfield AM doing jazz circa 1985. _1965_, but not 1985. My knowledge gets sketchier in late '80s. That's when I left the area, and I haven't been back since '93.
 
At the risk of talking to myself, I forgot to mention two things.
Starting around 1974, KGEE had a late-night show called The Best Of Everything sponsored by Doug Selma's Waterbed Warehouse. I think Neil Scott was its original host. KGEE had previously run top 40 from 10 PM to 4:30 AM, but this sponsored program was more AOR.
Secondly, regarding Channel One, for a while Steve ran a low-power AM on 890 in addition to its FM.
 
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