Truthfully, KATT didn't play anything I liked unless, by a miracle, it made the top
40. C'mon, I was an arena rocker. Yes, Jethro Tull and the like were my idea
of musical taste. Now it's Beethoven and Bottesini. UNLESS I'm getting paid
to play!

It's definitely not Zoo that I'm thinking about. They guy I'm thinking of had a totally different voice than him.
Fred Hendrickson?

The only time I listened to KATT was no-repeat Thursdays when stuff I liked made it on the air.

RM, there's a chance I'm mistaken but I think KATT didn't get here till at least, at least 1977 or 78.

No nostalgia whatsoever for the KATT, short of the one year I listened to it in seventh grade. AOR as a format was dead to me by the time I was a frosh in high school. Couldn't stand it. There's a time and place for everything, but the time for listening to Eddie Money, Foriegner, Bad Company, Pat Benatar, has come and gone.

The only time I listened to KATT was no-repeat Thursdays when stuff I liked made it on the air.

RM, there's a chance I'm mistaken but I think KATT didn't get here till at least, at least 1977 or 78.

I wondered about that too, I know that the Blue Walrus from 96X preceded the KATT by a couple of years.

I wondered about that too, I know that the Blue Walrus from 96X preceded the KATT by a couple of years.

I went to a concert at Prairie Lady in 1977 and signed one of several petitions calling for a "decent" radio station in OKC, which ended up as the KATT.

The KATT went live in 1976. KXXY, 96-X, went live in 1978.

The only time I listened to KATT was no-repeat Thursdays when stuff I liked made it on the air.

RM, there's a chance I'm mistaken but I think KATT didn't get here till at least, at least 1977 or 78.

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 . . .
rfUYuIVbFg0

The KATT went live in 1976. KXXY, 96-X, went live in 1978.

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.

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 . . .
rfUYuIVbFg0

I remember "Freddie Son of Hendrix" from 1969-70 but he wasn't on the KATT as there was no such creature at the time.

I wondered about that too, I know that the Blue Walrus from 96X preceded the KATT by a couple of years.
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.


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.
96X went country in spring of 1982, I was a senior in high school and school was still in session when it happened.

Fred Hendrickson?

Possible. I looked him up on the web and the timeline of him being at the KATT seems about right. I couldn't find any audio of him so I don't know for sure.

Other stations that existed much longer ago in addition to 104
KZUE - now KJ103, a DJ on there was Cracker Jack Walker

Old thread, new interest. I am somehow related to Cracker Jack Walker @ KZUE — I’m just not sure how nor do I know his real name. I remember gettting a black T-Shirt that had yellow print of footprints, KZUE, and Crackerjack Walker in text. Anyone know more about him?

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.

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/1/1605/8587/products/VintageHead_720x@2x.png?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/1/1605/8587/products/VintageHead_720x@2x.png?v=1479565168

sorry......double post

We produced a KATT comic book ... errr ... graphic novel. I still have one somewhere.

They sponsored a 10K run around Lake Overholser one year, maybe 1980 or so.
Shirt is a bit worn by by now.

14744

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.

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.
My guys did that poster. Richard Sanders (aka, Les Nessman) happened to see the poster, liked it, and requested it for his "office". It actually was the KATT calendar.

My guys did that poster. Richard Sanders (aka, Les Nessman) happened to see the poster, liked it, and requested it for his "office". It actually was the KATT calendar.

It was the 1980 calendar right? Which would have been designed by the contest winner (long before Adobe).

I think I remember one of the jocks telling the story once. Didn't someone (maybe Richard Sanders) visit the KATT studio for a promo or something?

It was the 1980 calendar right? Which would have been designed by the contest winner (long before Adobe).

I think I remember one of the jocks telling the story once. Didn't someone (maybe Richard Sanders) visit the KATT studio for a promo or something?

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

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.

Interesting. Was John Tyler any relation to Ralph Tyler?

By the end of the 80's, the KATT was one of the best small market stations in the entire US.

It was around that time I believe they did a public offering of over the counter stock.

Interesting. Was John Tyler any relation to Ralph Tyler?

By the end of the 80's, the KATT was one of the best small market stations in the entire US.

It was around that time I believe they did a public offering of over the counter stock.

I never met a Ralph Tyler, so I can't say. John was a Texan who was kind of a legend in the radio business. And a very nice guy.

My guys did that poster. Richard Sanders (aka, Les Nessman) happened to see the poster, liked it, and requested it for his "office". It actually was the KATT calendar.

OMG thanks for telling us this! I was showing WKRP to my son the other day and there was a scene in Les Nesmond's office and I thought to myself I could swear I saw a KATT poster on his wall - then decided I was just seeing things.

I never met a Ralph Tyler, so I can't say. John was a Texan who was kind of a legend in the radio business. And a very nice guy.

Ralph started KEBC (down on S. Shields) and Tyler outdoor (which he sold to Lamar), he died about a year ago.

I wonder if former KATT jock Condy Schull is active anywhere. She had a great radio voice.

I wonder if former KATT jock Condy Schull is active anywhere. She had a great radio voice.

You mean Cindy Scull?

She's a legend. She has worked at rock stations all over the US, and even made a return to this market a few years ago on The Brew. She is currently the host of the Scully Show which is the morning show on 97.1 The Eagle, DFW's long-time rock station.

^ Thanks. That is the legend of which I meant. I appreciate the update.