When my family moved to Dallas in 1969 I had a new radio dial to learn and quickly memorized where each station was on the dial, call letters, format and if applicable, when they were on the air. Living in Mesquite at the time my favorites were KFAD in Arlington, KVIL AM and KXOL AM. For some reason I liked KXOL better than KFJZ and KLIF. I think Danny Moffat was at KXOL then. My parents preferred KXXK, Music for Groovy Grownups for in home listening and WRR AM was king in the car because of Library of Laffs at 45 past each hour. My Dad especially liked "Slow Jim Lowe" in the morning.
At 102.9 was KEIR. These call letters went elsewhere, to 91.7, but at that time, the Elkins Institute had the DJs on 102.9. The station was on the air 9am to 11pm except Sunday, playing a rather youthful MOR hybrid that centered more on the more youthful artists as some MOR stations had chosen to do. I found it an interesting listen. It wasn't quite Chicken Rock
It wasn't long before KEIR made the move to 91.7 and a new company had 102.9 choosing KDTX as the call letters. KDTX was an oddball station. It was on the air 6am to Midnight. Mornings were preaching and teaching with music to fill unsold times, if any. Afternoons were Beautiful music. Then at 6 on the evening they went Top 40.
Like many 'religious' stations, ratings didn't allow much success selling commercials and it was much easier to sell a 15 or 30 minute block to a church or ministry. So, KDTX was sort of a non-commercial top 40 dream although the jocks were not as experienced. I recall hearing some PSAs for ministry organizations that center on the youth of the way, maybe one each half hour or so, but otherwise the latest hits. Randy Coffey who moved down the dial to KFWD was at KDTX at the time KFWT went under and was reborn as KFWD. KFWD was, if you recall, the top 40 station that played 3 songs back to back and only back announced the songs.
KDTX was great because you got the hits without the clutter. You could call in and make a request and they'd play it. I got tossed on the air once, live. The jocks sounded like they were enjoying themselves and I suspect the format lent itself lots of room for jock to develop their shift.
I cannot say I ever heard a commercial for a business on KDTX. I recall hearing a couple of commercials for Christian groups (Southern Gospel if I recall) coming to town but it seems that was either between programs or in the beautiful music block. Yes, I heard some of that programming. I worked at a mall food court restaurant and my boss had recently been 'saved' and insisted on listening all day.
At one point the station went to a Contemporary Christian format and played some Christian Rock. By this time they were on 24/7 and I recall they made their money from some early morning paid ministry programs, I think 4 to 7 or 8 in the morning. Again, it was pretty much commercial free with 15 to 20 minute sets of music. It was fairly rare to hear a commercial, typically a concert spot, and aside from reading the news, it was wall to wall music delivered in a style more akin to KAFM or KZEW at the time.
KDTX wasn't around too many years before it became 'Mellow Rock'. I cannot recall if they changed the call letters with that switch but I want to associate the word 'Magic' with the frequency. I do not recall when the Mellow Rock thing happened, but I do know KDTX was still pumping out the top 40 hits 6 to midnight as late as September 1973. I was in the hospital with a couple of crushed discs at that time and did a bit more than the average amount of radio listening.
At 102.9 was KEIR. These call letters went elsewhere, to 91.7, but at that time, the Elkins Institute had the DJs on 102.9. The station was on the air 9am to 11pm except Sunday, playing a rather youthful MOR hybrid that centered more on the more youthful artists as some MOR stations had chosen to do. I found it an interesting listen. It wasn't quite Chicken Rock
It wasn't long before KEIR made the move to 91.7 and a new company had 102.9 choosing KDTX as the call letters. KDTX was an oddball station. It was on the air 6am to Midnight. Mornings were preaching and teaching with music to fill unsold times, if any. Afternoons were Beautiful music. Then at 6 on the evening they went Top 40.
Like many 'religious' stations, ratings didn't allow much success selling commercials and it was much easier to sell a 15 or 30 minute block to a church or ministry. So, KDTX was sort of a non-commercial top 40 dream although the jocks were not as experienced. I recall hearing some PSAs for ministry organizations that center on the youth of the way, maybe one each half hour or so, but otherwise the latest hits. Randy Coffey who moved down the dial to KFWD was at KDTX at the time KFWT went under and was reborn as KFWD. KFWD was, if you recall, the top 40 station that played 3 songs back to back and only back announced the songs.
KDTX was great because you got the hits without the clutter. You could call in and make a request and they'd play it. I got tossed on the air once, live. The jocks sounded like they were enjoying themselves and I suspect the format lent itself lots of room for jock to develop their shift.
I cannot say I ever heard a commercial for a business on KDTX. I recall hearing a couple of commercials for Christian groups (Southern Gospel if I recall) coming to town but it seems that was either between programs or in the beautiful music block. Yes, I heard some of that programming. I worked at a mall food court restaurant and my boss had recently been 'saved' and insisted on listening all day.
At one point the station went to a Contemporary Christian format and played some Christian Rock. By this time they were on 24/7 and I recall they made their money from some early morning paid ministry programs, I think 4 to 7 or 8 in the morning. Again, it was pretty much commercial free with 15 to 20 minute sets of music. It was fairly rare to hear a commercial, typically a concert spot, and aside from reading the news, it was wall to wall music delivered in a style more akin to KAFM or KZEW at the time.
KDTX wasn't around too many years before it became 'Mellow Rock'. I cannot recall if they changed the call letters with that switch but I want to associate the word 'Magic' with the frequency. I do not recall when the Mellow Rock thing happened, but I do know KDTX was still pumping out the top 40 hits 6 to midnight as late as September 1973. I was in the hospital with a couple of crushed discs at that time and did a bit more than the average amount of radio listening.