In researching the format change of KNX-FM to KKHR, I ran across a fact I wasn’t aware of. After the ‘HitRadio 93 era, KKHR returned to the KNX-FM call letters as an Adult Rock station, before flipping to Oldies as KCBS-FM. Wow, I didn’t know that till today. And, wouldn’t we love to have THOSE format changes!
Loading ...
This aircheck documents the demise of the single best programmed music radio station in history. Music segues within the same key, the classic jingle series, and the best 70’s-era music and news personalities ever assembled combined to make KNX/FM the quintessential liefestyle radio station.
I was a personality at an Orange County adult contemporary station at the time KNX/FM went off the air. LA area radio was never the same and has been a music radio wasteland ever since.
I miss the music, the sound, and the people. I appreciate getting a chance to go back in time with your posting this aircheck. Many, many thanks.
I’m so glad to see a group of people who understood what a great station that was. I have never found anything better.
Thanks for all the posts.
I remember KNX-FM. They had a great music format during the 1970s and was just simply a part of my life.
KNX-FM focused mainly on the contemporary, more obscure artists that weren’t necessarily the big names in music. But the quality of music, at least to me was top notch. It had an atmosphere all its own. Then they went off the air and reemerged a few years later under new management, but the quality of music was never the same again until finally they faded away again. This time for good.
Apparently, those in management didn’t have a clue on what the original format was like. I don’t know what they were trying to accomplish but it became abundantly clear that they didn’t know what they were doing.
It just wasn’t the same.
Pat is right. I have the same aircheck on tape, dubbed from Dave Hall’s collection, one of the DJ’s of KNX-FM. I have worked through the years to restore and amass a collection of airchecks/samplers of the original KNX-FM, various formats, between 1974 and 1983.
My dad was the VP of the CBS FM division in the 1970s and was instrumental in both founding and supporting the creation and evolution of KNX-FM, working together with general manager Bob Nelson. Bob would send my dad aircheck tapes which allowed me to discover the unique sound of KNX (as I lived on the east coast I’d never heard anything like it) and I still have those old tapes which I have been working to restore and archive on CD. I am always looking for others with KNX tapes. It was a truly original station and a format that will never be copied.
James,
I am at my wit’s end, and I need your help. I grew up in L.A. and KNX-FM was my favorite. Do you know where i could download the famous jingles from say, 1979 thru 1983 ( or all of them ) I would gladly pay for a cd of these jingles. Could you e-mail me and let me know?
Thanks for your time.
Scott Kegley
I am a SoCal native who grew up in a house where KNX-FM the “mellow sound” was on almost 24-7 thanks to my father. As a child this was all I heard as he only left the dial on 93-1 FM. I remember him griping that the station was losing it’s way in early ‘83. He went beserk when it flipped to “Hit Radio”.
To this day when I hear any artist connected to that format I think my childhood, soaking in what was the in my opinion the best station ever to grace the L.A. airwaves.
I never knew what moment the station actually flipped unitl landing on to thissite. The jingles are priceless and I remember them.This aircheck, I now have closure. My father passed in 1985, my junior year in high school.Would do anything for more airchecks or tapes of this FM legendary soft rock giant.
Thanks to whoever made it possible to have this available over the internet. I miss this station forever. I have satellite radio but nothing will compare to KNX-FM the “mellow sound.” I am seeking any other tapes that anybody can offer, sell of this most unique station.
Emil Derdowski
Boulder City, Nevada
EMIL,
ANY LUCK ON FINDING THE JINGLES? I WOULD LOVE TO BUY COPIES. COULD YOU E-MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY SOURCES? sld0902@cox.net
THANK YOU,
SCOTT K
Wow! After listening to that aircheck, I just can’t help but wonder, what happened to the passion and creativity that used to make Radio great. Great points well taken Pat! Where are you these days? I began listening to KNX FM in the late 70’s while in High School. I loved the Mellow sounds. KNX FM was a station that took chances and played quality new music by the hotest studio musicians. Much of the music they played is timeless and still sounds fresh even 25 plus years later! Aja by Steely Dan, Europa by Gato Barbierri, etc.
Brad Goldman, Valencia, CA
Oh, the memories! I first came across KNX-FM in the early 70’s when a swimming pool that I frequented played that station daily. Of course, it didn’t hurt that, as a 12 year old male, I was deeply in love with the 21 year old beauty who was one of the lifeguards…but I digress… I loved the music, the DJ’s, the jingles, the Odessey Files, etc. Emil, I can relate to your father’s seeing changes in early 1983. I remember distinctly coming home from college for Christmas break in ‘82 -’83, driving over the Cajon Pass into range of my favorite station and finding…it just didn’t sound the same. I couldn’t believe it when the format change came about and I was unaware that it ever returned. I had long gone over to the dark side of KOST and..some San Diego station that I can’t remember now.
Is there a playlist available somewhere? Are any stations anywhere playing the same music?
I worked with pat at that o.c. radio station in the early eighties as an engineer and knx was the best in
the biz.
KNX/FM was my best friend in the late 70’s and early 80’s – It was the best station to me – and even though KSCA fm101.9 became my favorite of all time (I have the last hour on tape) I always look back to ‘The Mellow Sound’ for my musical upbringing. Peace – Joe The Bear
KNX/FM was my best friend in the late 70’s and early 80’s – what a great companion to have – while my friends were listening to Def Leppard on KMET 94.7 – I perferred Jackson Browne on 93.1 – I miss this station VERY much. I have satellite radio – and it’s okay, but you miss the magic done locally by someone like “The Mellow Sound” – Peace. Joe ‘Bear’ Goria
I wanted revenge…. Those bufoons at CBS had comitted the unforgivable. Called the new management
at KKHR- got a guy on speed answering the phones – asked if they wanted feedback on the ” new sound”.
” you bet “, well, it stinks, was my unwelcomed reply. I promised that my dial would NEVER venture left of 94.7 again! Broke my promise in 86 and happened upon KNX’s return – life was going to be o.k. once again. Ahhh, but it was not to last, even after my multiple calls praising them for pulling their head out. ” Like a warm mellow friend, KNX FM”
the best jingle ever. Miss it greatly
Randy Bishop
KNX-FM was my introduction as a teenager to Bonnie Raitt, Joan Armatrading, the folk undertakings of Led Zeppelin, and all the more interesting album cuts by Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull and other artists that were downplayed by other stations that played their singles in heavy rotation. Some of what was played was pablum, but most of it was not, and I truly miss this station, so much that years ago I created my own taped compilation of what I did have on hand of their playlist. One wonders what they would play if still extant: Shawn Colvin? The Continental Drifters? Tori Amos?
The Voice kinda sounds familiar
The closest thing to KNX-FM these days is channel 50, The Loft on XM Radio
Actually, Sirius/XM radio currently has a channel called “The Bridge” which is almost identical to the legacy KNX-FM (although Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond aren’t played on “The Bridge”).
Between KNX-FM (the second incarnation) and KCBS-FM, there was “Goodtime Oldies” KODJ, which was the format on 93.1 from March 2, 1989 (just shy of three years from the KKHR/KNX-FM flipback, which was May 30, 1986) until July 12, 1991.
I know of at least one person with a copy of the KNX-FM/KODJ flip, but the KKHR/KNX-FM flip in 1986 appears to be lost in the ether forever. (I was in the car when that happened, with no way to record it. *sigh*)
I was introduced to this station by my wife Fayaway, who grew up in Southern California, but who joined me on the east coast in 1979. She really missed the mellow blend that was KNX-FM. Whenever we drove out to visit her folks, we knew that we were in So. Cal. again when we could pick up the signal from this station–we were shocked and dismayed when, as we came to the point where we ought to have become enveloped in the smooth sounds of KNX, we drove headlong into a cacophonous wall composed of synthesizers, drum machines, and the screeching & wailing of the self-obsessed.
Fay & I have tried to pull out of our collective memories the playlists from the station and gather those tunes into a playlist at http://www.youtube.com . We have had some success in remembering the tunes and just a little less in finding videos that use them. The playlist is linked to my name, above, and here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C80B0CAD2402DC8A
Anyone who can remember other songs from the playlist and wants to remind us of them can email me at hermester AT gmail DOT com . It’s so refreshing to touch base with others who recall this station, and I hope to hear from many of you soon!
Curiously,
Hermester
KNX FM was the station of my youth and it filled my heart with joy. I remember awaking to the
“new sound” of KKHR and deemed it forever as
“the day the music died”. My warm, mellow friend was gone and I felt so lost without it.
I loved the format, the jingles, the briliant segues, the intelligent radio personalities. I actually went to broadcasting school and became an on-air personality for a while because of this station.
Hermester, thank you for the YouTube link of songs! I loved the “B” side record and album cuts they’d play. I fell in love with Elton John for all the songs you never heard on the mainstream stations, such as “Come Down in Time”, “Goodbye” and “All the Nasties”.
I agree with an earlier comment here that the closest thing to KNX FM we have today is The Loft on XM satellite radio. Still, nothing will replace that timeless, classic station. I am glad to have lived in Southern California during those years and enjoyed the greatest programming of that era and perhaps of all time. Thank you to all of those at KNX FM both on air and behind the scenes for making that time of my life the best listening experience ever!
Rebecca
I just came across this site and was so pleased to realize that others felt as passionate about KNX FM, “The Mellow Sound of LA”, as I did. It was the backdrop to my life from the early 70’s to the end of the station. My children, who are in their 30’s,still love the groups they always heard on this station….our radio dials were always set to 93.1…..it was always a pleasure to drive anywhere because I could listen to this great station. I agree radio has been a vast wasteland since 93.1 except for 101.9, KSCA and I was heartbroken as well when that station went off the air…..I hear there is another station on 100.3 that is done in the style of the Mellow Sound of LA….so far it doesn’t disapoint…..
Becky
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! It was sublime to hear those late seventies KNX Fm jingles! Every now and then I check to see if there is any info I can find about my beloved station!
As a teenager I would fall asleep with my headphones on and periodicaly wake to those jingles and the mellow music that would follow! I was lost wihout the soundtrack to my life that the station gave me. I have remained faithful with my love for that station, there is no substitute! I have not given my love to another station since!I have never found a station in any genre (on either coast) that even came close.
I remember Richie Havens, Quarterflash, Steve Windwood, James Taylor, Ambrosia, Dave Loggins and so many others.
I love that they were not commercial pop songs and maybe even a bit obscure! I have collected as many of the songs that I can remeber, but I loved the whole atmosphere that was created at KNX Fm.
I am so happy to be able to hear the “jingles” (to me they were much more)- my memory didn’t do them justice. Upon hearing them, they were instantly remembered word for word. I will always miss you KNX Fm.
I live in NY now and nothing will ever replace that station in my heart- it was perfection!I still resided in S0 Cal, when it changed and I was really saddened by the loss!
I am happy to know that I am not alone in my allegience. I will hope that there are master tapes of the broadcasts that I can purchase on a CD collection, someday soon!
Love to all………………..Corinne
CORINNE,
YOU SAID YOU ARE SO HAPPY TO HEAR THE JINGLES , WHICH SOUNDS PRESENT TENSE TO ME. DO YOU HAVE A SOURCE ? I WOULD GO CRAZY TO HAVE THOSE JINGLES ON MY HARD DRIVE. COULD YOU E-MAIL ME AT sld0902@cox.net IF YOU HAVE ANY SOURCES ?
THANKS
SCOTT K
I miss KNX-FM. I watched the beginning of the John Mayer DVD last night, “Where the light is”, and during the second song, “Stop this train”, memories of KNX-FM flooded back to me. That song would be just like the kind of songs that I could only hear on KNX-FM. I listened to that station originally because my father listened to it and I ended up loving the format too. The thing that truely saddens me when I think about it now after reading all these posts is that there are so many artists that KNX-Fm introduced me to that I would not have been exposed to otherwise. Rickie Lee Jones, Michael Franks, Bonnie Raitt, and so many more. And so many songs from artists that I knew, songs that were burried in albums that I hadn’t heard yet. After they changed in ‘83, I was in constant search for stations that played the “gems” from the artists and their albums that the other stations overlooked. I listened to 101.9 when it came around but didn’t know until I read these posts that 101.9 was related to KNX-FM.
I cannot listen to broadcast radio anymore. If a station like KNX-FM were to come back on the air, I would leave it on 24/7.
I was Dave Hall’s intern at the time of the format change. I remember having almost full access to the record library; snatching up LPs played on the station.
I just saw Dave today at a SAG media conference. He was, and still is, a great and prolific voice.
I think I first ran across KNX-FM back around April 1981. I was in high school then, and after school I used to hang around a Radio Shack, playing on their TRS-80’s. The store almost always had KNX-FM playing in the background.
This was not like anything I had heard before. I mostly listened to KFI and most of my classmates were into KMET or KLOS. I started listening to KNX-FM at home as well.
I could spend some time naming the bands/songs unique (in the LA market, anyway) to KNX-FM. I think, though, I’ll go through some of my old tapes of the station and compile a list to post here later; that might be more satisfying.
KNX became KKHR (another me-too Top 40) sometime in Fall 1983, about the time I was about to go away to UC Santa Barbara….I don’t recall if that station ever came in particularly well so far away, but it didn’t seem to matter.
The old format came back for a short time in 1986, I was home for the summer then and was glad to have it back…..if only for a while.
I’m not sure if anything more recent (e.g. KSCA, or “The Sound”) really compares to the old KNX-FM. Those stations had/have a vibe of their own….
Back in 1983 I transferred from WCBS-FM, New York for a gig at KNX-FM. I was with the station from the time they went live in January 83 until the switch to KKHR. Unfortunately my airchecks were lost when I moved back to New York. I was hoping someone might have some tapes of my shows out there. I was originally supposed to do middays but there was a last minute change in the line up and I ended up doing weekends. It was indeed the most unique station I have ever worked for. I’m proud to have been a part of this legendary station if only for a short time. CBS later launched a similar format in Boston…Quality Rock Q103, WMRQ…and I was there for the launch of that station as well, and continued when it switched to Oldies 103, WODS a couple of years later.
I already had my say as I did an earlier comment. I even wrote an email to KNX 1070 expressing my disappointment. There hasn’t been a radio station that could take its place, as I call it “a gem”.
If anyone out there knows of a website featuring old broadcasts of KNX-FM 93.1 in Los Angeles please let me know.
This WAS the GREATEST radio station because they played ALL the music from the artists, not just the hits. Nicolette Larson, Gordon Lightfoot, Kim Carnes, Bonnie Tyler, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Gino Vinelli, Chicago, America, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, and on, and on, and on. I would go to sleep at night listening to the music on this station. The jingles were great. These were my high school and college years and also the years I met and dated my husband. We only listened to this station and were so sad when it went off the air! We will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary in two weeks and finding this website brings back so many wonderful memories of our life “way back then”.
Thank you for taking us back to those wonderful times!
Ladies & Gentlemen, I have read your posts repeatedly over the last few months. Honestly, I could have never imagined that my “search” for KNX would have turned up this web site (thank you Airchexx)with people like yourselves, so articulately & accurately remembering the best station I’ve ever known. Each e-mail post, correctly captured the unique essence I so loved about KNX.
I’m just an average guy/fan with no real experience in radio. But because I also have been looking for a replacement since then (I shudder at how many years we are talking about), you have inspired me to give an internet station a go. Is anyone still interested in this? This will be a great but worthwhile challenge for me. You folks are my greatest motivation, and I beleive that I can capture that unique mood/sound that KNX would have, even here in 2009. Any comments, suggestions or encouragement would be appreciated.
Thank you all for sharing and for keeping the sentiment alive. I’m with you in this interest. I DO hope to be hearing from you, and you from me, in the future.
Sincerely yours,
Tim Tyler
P.S. By the way, even in the prepatory phase, you can get me at:
contacttim@themellowsound.com (Web Site to soon follow)
The Mellow Sound.com ?? Oh yeah
like many of you KNX was THE soundtrack to my life as a young boy growing up in the suburban sprawl of the San Fernando valley in the seventies. my dad was a dental supply salesman, and audiophile. he repaired dental equipment as well, and always had a project going in the garage/workshop attached to the house. he ran speaker wire out there and hooked up a set of RSL 3300 series monitors, which streamed ‘The Mellow Sound’ all day on the weekends. i’d be out there practicing on my GT skateboard in the driveway with a soundtrack that included Steely Dan, Bob Welch, Joni Mitchell, Little Feat, Warren Zevon, Chris Rea, ad infinitum. it all seemed so cooly removed, and yet emotionally acute. and presented in the most kick ass smoothness. just the best. in addition, it seemed that all the destists and orthodontists my dad worked with had it piped into there offices. somehow getting my braces tightened while meditating on what the hell ‘This is the day of the expanding man, that shape is my shade there where I used to stand..’ took my mind off the pain. thanks dad..and KNX FM. you informed my life with some REALLY good sh*t.
aiglet73766@mypacks.net
I remember an instrumental that I always thought was the KNX theme song.
Was there such a theme song? Can anybody tell me the name/artist?
aiglet73766@mypacks.net
KNX-FM was the radio station I listened to all through school. I then moved out of state, and when I would drive home for holidays, I knew I was home when I could get 93.1 on the car radio. A friend of mine once taped 3 hours of the station as a present for me! Most of the records I have are “one-hit wonders” that I first heard on that station. I wish there was another like it.
“It’s late at night…the coffee’s on the brew. The little things we talk about, the simple things we do. The music is low, my heart is so high. It’s time that you know that I just can’t keep inside. So there’s one more song, keep it moving on….play one that never ends. One more song, play a love song…KNX-FM.”
(One of several great jingles. Totally by recollection. Probably about 90% accurate.)
Almost worked there! Back in 1979 I was doing midday’s at AOR KZAP in Sacramento and got a message from our receptionist to “call Michael”. Michael was Michael Sheehy who had just become KNX-FM’s Program Director. He wanted to know if I would like to audition for the job that opened when his predecessor Steve Marshall left. I figured I didn’t have a prayer, but thought it would be a cool learning experience and made the flight down to LA on a Friday. What a great 2 days I had! Micheal Sheehy was simply the best, coolest guy ever. And I did learn. Back then the station was automated but sounded better than most of the best “live” operations. The songs flowed from one to the next, always in the same key. I learned how to prep music this way and a lot of other aspects as well. My two days at Columbia Square were like a few years somewhere else. I didn’t get the job of course. I figured someone who wasn’t even old enough to drink was a bit young to score the music director/daytime voice gig at a CBS station in what was then market 3, but Michael told me I came close. I auditioned with the man who did get the job. A wonderful fellow named David Hall who has been playing the coroner on CSI since it’s start. He deserved the job, but I’m so glad that I had the experience. Dave Hall and I would later work together after he left KNX-FM for a short time at KOST. KNX-FM never got the credit it deserved for being one of the best programmed and executed stations on the planet. One of the classiest too.