Sounding suspiciously like it was recorded in 1976 or 77, KATY is genuinely FUN! Contributor Ron Kay fills us in:
The whole idea was building a station that was very pleasant and fun to listen to…….each of us….had lattitude to mix the music on the fly from a controlled library…as long as the records fit the categories on the rotation hot clock.
It was never a case of “let’s be funny”…..it was always….”let’s have a fun”.
Note; Our news guy…Dennis Michael (aka Cosmo) went on to produce the popular syndicated “Hollywood Minute” among other things.
Our other news guy; Rick DeBruhle went onto do color commentary on the cable Mecum auto auction show, among other accomplishments.
Kenny West (Ken McDavid) did 6 to midnight, I did afternoon drive, Larry did mid days and Steve was morning drive.
Today, the station airs a Soft AC format under the call letters KYNS, branded as “B93.7”. It was a former All-News station, and liberal “Progressive Talk” from the now defunct Air America radio network before that.
It seems this ‘check was made in March ’77, at the earliest, as KATY played 10cc’s “The Things we do for love” and one other song that I can’t remember that was popular around that time. I saw that KATY’s frequency was 1340. What’s significant about that is that it one time (maybe no longer) it was one of the most common AM frequencies in the country. In fact, I told a DJ friend of mine that at one time one could tune one’s car radio to AM 1340 and there would be something on it no matter where they went (at least in the USA).
Kenny West? No shit! I never heard this aircheck, but I was PD there shortly after this period in 1977. Kenny & I worked together with Joey Griffin for a period before the “new ownership” showed up with their Country format and crazy shit.
A small correction: I’m pretty sure KYNS was KATY-FM. The KATY whence this air check emanates is KATY-AM (1340). KATY-FM was sold to Homer Odom, the owner of then-KSLY-AM (1400) and its call letters were changed to KUNA. It was programmed as an automated “beautiful music” station. I’m a bit hazy on the chronology but I believe it was around 1971 or maybe 1972.
I was operations manager (aka chief tape changer) at KUNA for around six or eight months and helped put it on the air.
BTW, I named the automation system “Robot W Morgan.”
I’m also the “Alan Stone” on this air check. Please don’t hold it against me.
I was a DJ at KATY in the early 80s, and forgot the name of the gent that owned it.
i was the owner of KATY in SLO from 1981 till 1983 I also was the morning jock I went by the COUNTRY KING we enjoyed tremendous popularity but i went thru a divorce and lost the station. I can be reached e mail fherdtjr@yahoo.com.
Listening to some old tapes I made of my husband when he was a DJ there in the early 80’s. I hear you, “Country King” on some of them – I think you brought the “Country Sunshine” slogan! I was so into Country Music at the time (still am!) and met my husband there in 1980! I was a constant caller to all you DJs, always requesting my favorite songs 🙂 Ahh…memories!
My father was Homer Odom. He and my mother settled in SLO in the early 70’s and had KSLY and KUNA for a time. Getting to be a young kid in SLO in the late 70’s and early 80’s was a gem. I visit there often, still one of my favorite places on earth. I’ve been in places across town to this day I hear his name brought up without even saying a word. I miss me some Scrubby ‘n’ Lloyds….but Frank’s is still going strong!
Steve: Your dad was a great guy. And I’m not surprised people talk about him even now in SLO. Only man I know who could put a talk show “What’s On Your Mind With Homer Odom” in middays on a Top 40 station and not hurt the ratings. Everybody listened, everybody knew him and everybody liked him.