KNUS 99 – 98.7 to be exact, was McLendon’s FM powerhouse. Originally slated to be an all-news station, and almost never to be because Gordon McLendon almost sold it in the 60s, KNUS turned out to be the SECOND successful Top 40 station, right behind (and later surpassing) sister KLIF 1190.
Here’s two great jocks doing Top 40 in a style imitated by much of the RKO chain (NOT the other way around) throughout the 70s. It’s GREAT radio – no reverb, plenty of personality and some big contests for the time period.
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Kevin Stone. Early summer, 1972. Good memory.
Thanks Steve
My goodness, I didn’t even know this existed. Audio of early KNUS is rare, since none of us ever taped anything. To Steve Green, thank you for your kind words.
Although I can see how we might sound now like we were trying a little too hard to be sort of “mysterious” and clever and hip, it’s difficult for people not of that time period to grasp how different we sounded from the typical pukey, glib, veneer of the Top 40 jocks of that era.
The things I think do still stand out are the economy of words, and how we just seamlessly slipped into the spaces the music provided us. That’s what gave the station its relentless, chugging, forward momentum. I won’t bore you with all the accomplishments of the KNUS staff, but suffice it to say that I was honored to work with all those guys. Over 30 years later, we’re all still good friends, and that’s pretty rare in itself.
Before KVIL, there was KNUS, the first station in this part of the country to prove that FM was here, wasn’t just a bunch of stoners playing 18-minute bongo solos anymore, and that AM music radio was a dinosaur. We eventually had huge ratings, and we all went on to fairly significant careers. (Besides owner Gordon MacLendon, 5 jocks from that airstaff–Ken Dowe, Michael Spears, Beau Weaver, Kevin McCarthy, and I–have been elected to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame).
The rules are still the same, guys. Say the name of the station, then say something interesting, then shut up. It’s just that simple, and I still teach it every day as a Talent Coach.
Thanks for a great (if somewhat humbling) trip down memory lane.
Tommy Kramer
Dallas, Texas
8/22/06
I am looking for some early pictures of KNUS or KLIX studios.
My wife and I acquired the orignal KNUS radio board along with some theatre equipment from Gordon Maclendon’s son years ago. Still have it! Fun stuff!
Do you know where I can find any of those Blue KNUS stickers???..Thanks, Kev
I was working small market radio near Dallas and listening to KNUS. I talked with Michael Spears, aka: Hal Martin a couple of times, and was told that even veteran major market dj’s didn’t really get the new format. He was right, it took me several years to figure out the differences that made KNUS stand out. That being said, I learned a whole lot just listening to Tommy Kramer, Jim White, Beau Weaver and others. What I learned helped me to have my own nice career, and some of it even applies today with my mobile dj business. Thanks to all the KNUS guys for helping to show me the right way to dj, even if you didn’t know you were doing it. One last thought…I love the jingles KNUS used back then…what package was it, and who produced it?
IF 98.7KLUVS JIM ZIPPO HAS AN EMAIL ADDRESS
WHAT IS IT ROBERT IN FORT WORTH
THATS ALL I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS 98.7 KLUVS
JIM ZIPPOS EMAIL SEND IT TO ME ROBERT GOMEZ
IN FORT WORTH
Zippo In The Morning was heard regularly here in my backyard, N’Awlins, on KHOM-FM Oldies 104.1, every Monday-Friday from 5 to 9. I was still in high school!
I’m proud to have preserved a handful of your hilarious shows from KHOM on cassette, Jim; you were great!
Well, I’m one of those late 60s *heads* that fell in love with the FM underground format of the original KNUS 98.7 Dallas… when KNUS was a *Heavy Sister*. Indeed she was.
I was in my early teens, but my radio stayed on at all times from late 1968 to 1970… no one in the house ever turned it off.
If anyone has anything from that tiny window of opportunity that was the early KNUS, airchecks (probably don’t exist?) stickers, photos, ANYthing… it would mean so much to me to see or hear them again…
Love.
Çχ♡
pre top 40 knus was the greatest station i had ever listened to and nothing has come close since. the new knus was pretty much the old klif which was horrible compared to the old knus. very few commercials very little talk.