I learned yesterday that Dan McKinnon once owner of KSON AM& FM is in critical condition with cancer and in the hospital in his final days. Dan was instrumental in bringing country music to San Diego and close friends with a number of the stars like Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins,etc. I worked for Dan and credit him to really started my career and mentoring me as well.He was not only a good businessman but a true gentleman and one of the really good guys in radio who treated his employees with respect. Pray for Dan and his family!
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DAN MCKINNON
- Thread starter iused2bsomebody
- Start date
T
Thomps2525
Guest
Dan McKinnon bought KSON and KSEA in late 1963. KSEA had a "beautiful music" format and would later become San Diego's first FM top-40 station. It became KSON-FM in 1980.
Here is a 1971 music chart from KSEA: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stoneymeat/ksea.htm
Here is a 1971 music chart from KSEA: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stoneymeat/ksea.htm
KSON's 250 watts on it's 130' tower meant it was a DX catch in Grossmont at night. Dan trucked in a new(to KSON) 440' tower around 1964;
the tallest self-supporting tower in SoCal.The format was Pop music, and network shows including Myron J. Bennet. With Country music hours
reduced or eliminated at XERB and XEGM, 1240 went Country, with Chuck Owen,Johnny Horton,"Two Gun Noel Kelly", and "Boots" Rabell among others.
Dan wrote more checks in '70 & '71, as KSON went from 250 to 1,000 watts & KSEA boosted to 50kw from 27kw, and then to"Stereo".
With intense competition from KCBQ, KGB, KDEO, XHIS(91X) and others, "Rock" at KSEA was abruptly booted out, and Christian music
format debuted. Lack of ad revenue and ratings put an end to that, and 97.3 later went Country.
the tallest self-supporting tower in SoCal.The format was Pop music, and network shows including Myron J. Bennet. With Country music hours
reduced or eliminated at XERB and XEGM, 1240 went Country, with Chuck Owen,Johnny Horton,"Two Gun Noel Kelly", and "Boots" Rabell among others.
Dan wrote more checks in '70 & '71, as KSON went from 250 to 1,000 watts & KSEA boosted to 50kw from 27kw, and then to"Stereo".
With intense competition from KCBQ, KGB, KDEO, XHIS(91X) and others, "Rock" at KSEA was abruptly booted out, and Christian music
format debuted. Lack of ad revenue and ratings put an end to that, and 97.3 later went Country.
Yep, that tower was shipped down from Denver by railroad. The reason it was taken dismantled in the Mile High, was due to its inability to withstand the winds up there. It did pretty good in SD until it didn't. If you bend a wire coat hanger too many times, that's what you get.600kogo said:The KSON tower that you talk about (the one that fell over) McKinnon bought it used!! It was the top section of a Diamond Shaped Blaw Knox! It was well known that it was a used old 1930s tower that he got a deal on
Dan passed away on Thanksgiving day. RIP my friend.
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