KMPS History Question

[Mac Daddy]

Would anyone happen to know the exact date 94.1 KEUT flipped to country as KMPS. I know it was April 1978, but not sure on the date.

 

[qzvx]

February 1, 1978 actually

 

[Lonely Summer]

I thought KMPS had previously been KOL, and that the flip occurred in 1975. ??? ???

 

[Wonderfulwino]

The flip stations were AM. KOL 1300 went to KMPS and opened with Charlie Brown on the board (I think ?) The 1978 date sounds right.

 

[searadiofreak]

The flip stations were AM. KOL 1300 went to KMPS and opened with Charlie Brown on the board (I think ?) The 1978 date sounds right.

KOL-AM 1300 switched to KMPS-AM in the summer of '75. KOL-FM switched to KEUT-FM 94.1 at the same time.

Charlie Brown was still at KJR in '75. (I think Charlie briefly left KJR around this time to go to Dallas for a short stint, but returned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Charlie Brown ever had anything to do with KMPS. However, KJR alum Ichabod Caine, of course did for many years.)

 

[qzvx]

1300 KMPS began the Country format on Labor Day 1975...KEUT FM Beautiful Music format started earlier [August 31 1975]

1300 KMPS

6am-9am Rick Stewart
9am-3pm Art Lind
3pm-7pm Lee Rogers
7pm-Midnight Mike O'Connor
Midnight-6am Roger Dale

KJR & KING ran commercials on KOL prior to the switch - reminding listeners to switch to those stations for Top 40 music.

 

[sirstevie]

if memory serves....charlie brown was with KUBE in the 80's

Charlie Brown was still at KJR in '75. (I think Charlie briefly left KJR around this time to go to Dallas for a short stint, but returned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Charlie Brown ever had anything to do with KMPS. However, KJR alum Ichabod Caine, of course did for many years.)
[/quote]

 

[Wonderfulwino]

Ichabod..Right! He was the rollout jock on day one if I remember. I get him and C. Brown mixed up. I dont know why..

 

[dunno]

Too early for Ichabod...Phil Harper would be my guess.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I would guess Brady Wright was on in 75.
Harper would stilll have been @ KING.

 

[searadiofreak]

As someone mentioned, Rick Stuart was the first KMPS-AM morning man. I believe he blew in via Sacramento.

 

[bossbill]

Nope. Not Brady Wright. Harper came over to KMPS but don't remember the exact time. I'm somehow remembering a period that Harper did an AM-FM simulcast, but could very well be wrong after all these years.

 

[qzvx]

UPDATE! Seattle Times reported Phil Harper show would simulcast AM & FM when KEUT switched to KMPS

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

My recollection is KMPS-FM was added after '78/'79 ish. I would do some fill-ins @ KAYO (while also @ KNBQ -- they weren't happy!!) and don't remember KMPS having FM competitor, but do remember the handwriting on the wall that KAYO was losing its country heritage position to KMPS-AM at the time. That would dovetail with Harper being there by then ... he left KING early 1976, as I recall and was beached for a short while before landing mornings at KMPS. I believe it was during that window that he kicked the voice-business into high gear and became one of the first real "go to" people during that window (nationally ... not just around here). He even did some stuff that never aired...like he'd do tracks for Weyerhauser (or maybe it was AT&T) so Cliff Robertson could listen to them and repeat the inflection with his voice for the versions that went to air.

 

[bossbill]

I can't remember if Phil did the show from the FM room, or from the AM room, but I think it was from the AM studio, because I had a stereo synthesizer in the FM studio.