The KATT went live in 1976. KXXY, 96-X, went live in 1978.
You are correct: You are mistaken. =)
However: I know that the Fred Hendricksen reference, cited, above, is close to right. (re: "the voice/music picks")
(closest thing to old tyme requestradio these days is "Hardluck Jim" down there at the mike at that Semi-Commie Public Radio Station in Norman . . . The Blues Show (sat and sun)
One of the best songs, frequently played on KATT, to which i paid attention . . .
Is 1978 when KXXY went country? I know that it was around well before KATT, when I first heard it it was virtually commercial free, played a block of three songs then a disc jockey would come on and tell the name of the song and artists that they had just played.
A quick look at wiki says that KXXY went live in 1973, which coincides a little better with my fading memory.
A neighbor was the one who wore the suit for both of them, he left 96X a few months before the format change and went to the KATT. He told us they were changing formats because of the urban cowboy craze.
96X went country in spring of 1982, I was a senior in high school and school was still in session when it happened.
I actually remember getting a short tour of KXXY about '74 by a friend who was a station engineer. At the time they were adult contemporary and for some reason I recall discovering Booker T and the Mg's. . . But the real surprise came in discovering the station was total automation. Nothing but 10" reel to reel and cart machines. Of course that was about the same time I was discovering KWHP and the National lampoon radio hour.
My how terrestrial radio, and F.M. in particular have gone downhill since.
Corporate owned radio and their demands have killed FM as a good format. There was a station in Austin (KGSR) that was a very "local" radio station until a few years before I moved. They had sold out to one of the corporate radio companies and fiddled with the format. I really haven't listened to FM much in 15 years. When I was commuting from Austin to Dallas I got Sirius. As long as you have to listen to corporate radio you might as well listen to it with fewer commercials. I switch between Sirius and a 128GB SD card full of music in the car now.
I remember KATT when it first started, they played Year Of The Cat by Al Stewart all the time.
My company did the promotions for Katt for a number of years in late 70s - early 80s. Had a great owner and staff. Was a fun client to have. We were able to do all sorts of “out of the box” things. Every time I see an old WKRP re-run I have great memories...Less Nessman loved a KATT Calendar we did and had it hanging in his “office” on the show.
Back in my senior year of H.S...1981.........I had a yellow -Tony Newcomb(maker of the shirt)-T shirt.
Just like this but yellow.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/16...g?v=1479565168
My Senior year I was a "stage hand" in theatre class and the actors were pretty good. We went to competition in Mustang and Tulsa. While we were in Tulsa I wore my KATT T-shirt and let me tell you some of the kids/students up there loved that T-shirt. They asked me where I got it and when they were in OKC they would listen to the KATT.
I had an "official" KATT-FM, yellow, Tony Newcomb T-shirt.
Just like this but yellow T-shirt:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/16...g?v=1479565168
sorry......double post
We produced a KATT comic book ... errr ... graphic novel. I still have one somewhere.
Did you know that on WKRP in Cincinnati, Les Nessman always had the current KATT poster behind him and in one episode one of the characters was wearing a KATT pin? I always wondered what the relationship to the show was.
Not sure if he visited the station or not.... I’ve slept a few nights since then. 80 would have been about right. We had the promotions account for KATT from about 1978 til around 1982 I think. I believe we ended shortly before Penn Sq Bank collapse. We didn’t design the original KATT character... I think it was done by Trey of Fantasy Factory. I think those are the names. We did posters, calendars, stickers, animations, tv ads, promotional activities, etc. Was an immensely fun account. Owner was John Tyler, a great guy and a visionary. Did some advanced development in satellite delivered news programming too. John created Satellite Music Network which he later sold to ABC for more than $50 million (a huge amount way back then). We did the original promotional work for them too.
I have a Katt & Oklahoma city 89ers beach towel from the early 80's. My guess its the early 80's by the logo of the 89ers mascot
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