I remember this station from 1995 when I used to drive from Berkeley to Belmont late at night. Wikipedia showed it originally at 1190 AM. When I listened to the station it had moved to 1630 AM, and then on 1640 AM. It was based out of Vallejo and played classic soul. At one point they had a DJ names LaBaron Brown. Sometime later, they dropped the format, and call letters and became KDIA AM.
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Remembering KXBX AM Classic soul
- Thread starter mikecroaro
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Jeez! You really pulled me back in time with this one. That was in 1994 I believe when they switched to Soul/ RnB Oldies I remember one day they were KNBA playing Country, the next they were playing James Brown and Barry White. I lived in Sacramento at the time, and remember how well their signal came in. It was much better than KSMJ 1380 which had "The Touch" satellite delivered format of RnB / Soul. Thanks for bringing that memory back!
There was a KXBT-AM on 1640 AM. I remember their studios was on Sonoma Blvd. In Vallejo, CA when the station came out and shared an office with 1190AM.
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KDIA used to be on 1310 in Berkeley, and in terms of overall sound was a carbon copy the great KGFJ 1230 in Los Angeles!
| KDIA used to be on 1310 in Berkeley, and in terms of overall sound was a carbon copy the great KGFJ 1230 in Los Angeles!
KDIA was never in Berkeley. It began in downtown Oakland as KLS in 1922, then became KWBR ("Warner Brothers Radio") under the same ownership in 1945, playing mostly brokered "foreign-language" programming in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian.
By the early 1950s, it had pivoted to what we know now as "Rhythm & Blues" music. It dueled with San Francisco's KSAN (1450 AM) for supremacy among Black listeners in the Bay Area through the 1950s and into the 1960s – KSAN even changed its call letters to KSOL (K-Soul) in 1964; it's been KEST since 1970.
KWBR was sold to Sonderling Broadcasting in 1959, when it became KDIA and began programming in the style of its co-owned sister station, WDIA in Memphis.
KDIA moved its transmitter site from downtown Oakland in June 1965 to a new site right next to the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza, where it remains today (although the station is now owned by Radio Punjab as KMKY).
I don't think – from the many years that I listened to KDIA – that it was a carbon copy of LA's KGFJ. Stylistically, KSAN/KSOL in the 1960s was closer to KGFJ, while KDIA was often closer in style (but not playlist) to KYA, KEWB or KFRC – that is, more tightly-formatted "Top 40 Soul" than the looser KSAN/KSOL.
DJ
KDIA was never in Berkeley. It began in downtown Oakland as KLS in 1922, then became KWBR ("Warner Brothers Radio") under the same ownership in 1945, playing mostly brokered "foreign-language" programming in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian.
By the early 1950s, it had pivoted to what we know now as "Rhythm & Blues" music. It dueled with San Francisco's KSAN (1450 AM) for supremacy among Black listeners in the Bay Area through the 1950s and into the 1960s – KSAN even changed its call letters to KSOL (K-Soul) in 1964; it's been KEST since 1970.
KWBR was sold to Sonderling Broadcasting in 1959, when it became KDIA and began programming in the style of its co-owned sister station, WDIA in Memphis.
KDIA moved its transmitter site from downtown Oakland in June 1965 to a new site right next to the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza, where it remains today (although the station is now owned by Radio Punjab as KMKY).
I don't think – from the many years that I listened to KDIA – that it was a carbon copy of LA's KGFJ. Stylistically, KSAN/KSOL in the 1960s was closer to KGFJ, while KDIA was often closer in style (but not playlist) to KYA, KEWB or KFRC – that is, more tightly-formatted "Top 40 Soul" than the looser KSAN/KSOL.
DJ
Thank you for the correction, I actually meant Oakland! (Sometimes I think I have Berkeley on the brain-since it was always my favorite part of the Bay Area when I lived in NorCal) !
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maybe you thought of KRE?
Or maybe KPAT.
Note: The original post should read KXBT AM, and NOT KXBX AM. Mike
That's KLX
Here is the location of the old KXBT Studios in Vallejo, CA back when they were on Sonoma Blvd. Note the former studios later became an Autobody shop when subsequent owners moved the station to Fremont, CA
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Stop bumping this
I don't think people are falsely bumping the thread. They are only contributing.
I know what you mean but at the same time I remember KXBT's old location until it was demolished to make way the current business that took its spot.
It's not your call to make. You are not a moderator.
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