KNIX turns 50

A tip of the fez to the legendary KNIX. 50 years in the same format and continues to kick ass!

Well, I'm not sure when KNIX is tracing its founding. It signed on the air in 1961 as KNIX. So the station's 50th anniversary was in 2011. But in the 1960s, it was beautiful music, as were several other stations in Phoenix, including KMEO-AM-FM 740 and 96.9. But country wasn't a format you'd put on FM in those days, since listeners had to buy a more expensive FM radio, and station owners thought country fans were not FM owners.

Buck Owens bought KNIX in 1968. So that anniversary was last year. But he switched to Country music the following year, which was 1969, so this would be KNIX's 50th anniversary as a country station. Owens already had bought KUZZ-AM-FM in Bakersfield, and that was #1 with country music there. So it was logical that he'd put country music on AM 1580, a daytimer which he also had acquired, along with 102.5 KNIX, making the two stations KNIX-AM-FM.

"KNIX-FM's first license was granted 2-15-1963."

Looks like most of 1969, they were dark.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/p...etimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=73379

Gregg. said:

Well, I'm not sure when KNIX is tracing its founding. It signed on the air in 1961 as KNIX. So the station's 50th anniversary was in 2011. But in the 1960s, it was beautiful music, as were several other stations in Phoenix, including KMEO-AM-FM 740 and 96.9. But country wasn't a format you'd put on FM in those days, since listeners had to buy a more expensive FM radio, and station owners thought country fans were not FM owners.

Buck Owens bought KNIX in 1968. So that anniversary was last year. But he switched to Country music the following year, which was 1969, so this would be KNIX's 50th anniversary as a country station. Owens already had bought KUZZ-AM-FM in Bakersfield, and that was #1 with country music there. So it was logical that he'd put country music on AM 1580, a daytimer which he also had acquired, along with 102.5 KNIX, making the two stations KNIX-AM-FM.

Click to expand...

Per the following article, Owns bought then-KYND/1580 first, in 1965. He then changed the format to country and the call letters to KTUF. IIRC, the stations ID'ed as "KTUF/KNIX" through at least the middle of 1975: https://www.smecc.org/kynd_-_ktuf_-_knix.htm

Another KNIX article, from Phoenix Magazine, December 2018: https://www.phoenixmag.com/2018/12/01/boot-scootin-station/

KTUF became KNIX in late April or very early May 1976 (no exact date given). The change was noted in Broadcasting Magazine on May 3 of that year (Thanks, David!): http://www.americanradiohistory.com...5-03-BC-OCR-Page-0061.pdf#search="ktuf tempe"

KeithE4 said:

KTUF became KNIX in late April or very early May 1976 (no exact date given). The change was noted in Broadcasting Magazine on May 3 of that year (Thanks, David!): http://www.americanradiohistory.com...5-03-BC-OCR-Page-0061.pdf#search="ktuf tempe"

Click to expand...

May 24, 1976. The card record also says Owens bought it in 1967, unless he was Black Diamond too in which case he acquired it a year earlier.

Back in the early 80's KNIX send me a t-shirt (way too small) along with a $1 bill. No explanation on what it was for. Wifey still wears the t-short as a swim suit cover up. I spent the dollar a long, long time ago. Never did have the nerve to call them up and say my go-to Country station was KMLE.

At one point 1580 was country under the KYND call sign and they called it "Country Kind". Also recall a jingle referring to it as the "Shotgun in Tempe".

According to Broadcasting Yearbook 1970, page B-11, KNIX (FM) was acquired by the Aztex Company on 6-68. Buck Owens was president. From David Gleason's website...

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970/B Radio All BC YB 1970 All-3.pdf

And 1580 KTUF Tempe was owned by Buck Owens Broadcasting. So he apparently used two different corporate names in the early days. He bought the 1580 construction permit, apparently in 1967, and put it on the air a couple of months later. 1580 was 50,000 watts but only as a daytimer, with 10,000 watts during critical hours. 1580 is still a Canadian clear channel frequency, although reserved for CBJ Chicoutimi, which moved to FM some years ago. 1580 in Tempe would eventually go to 50,000 watts around the clock when the clear channel rules were relaxed.

But in those days, I suppose Owens could simulcast regardless of FCC regulations, since 1580 was daytimer. Country fans could hear it in the car and on the kitchen AM radio in the daytime, and switch to the FM on their living room stereos at night.

RadioBill said:

At one point 1580 was country under the KYND call sign and they called it "Country Kind". Also recall a jingle referring to it as the "Shotgun in Tempe".

Click to expand...

After the 1580 change to KTUF, the KYND call went to the Houston market where it has bounced around on three different stations.

I do remember the dual calls for the AM and FM simulcast, as the singing jingles included both, as I recall from visits to Arizona in the 70’s.