Greg Mitchell, KNDE 1470 Sacramento | 1977

1470 KNDE Sacramento
Old bumper sticker scan of 1470 KNDE Sacramento - defunct

Date of Recording: 1977 (Exact Date Unknown)
Station: 1470 KNDE Sacramento, California, USA (KNDE/KXOA/KQPT/KOME/KRAK/KIID)
Format: Top 40
Featured Air Personality: Greg Mitchell

Comments:

KNDE is at the end of its reign as a top 40 station, the calls soon to be reverted back to KXOA featuring an AOR format on AM. Here’s Greg Mitchell who certainly has the voice, but the sameness used in every break gets old after a while. By all accounts, however, this station is a good representation of the state of AM top 40 just before FM made its impact known. KNDE had a 5kw directional signal (which only covered about 2/3rds of the city) as opposed to KROY’s tiny 1,000 watts by day, and a mere 250 watts that was barely heard at night.

KNDE is very TIGHT here. A format that reeks of RKO flavor (it was not owned by the tire & rubber co.) only without the jingles. West coast radio had its unique sound, distinctly different from what was heard in, say, New York or Philly and this is definitely it.

While KNDE had its day in the sun, its Sacramento’s other top 40, KROY, that is best remembered.


1977