KDWB's origins started on the AM dial, at 630 kHz. The station began as a collaboration between the three Tedesco brothers who named it WCOW ("WPIG" or "KPIG" was apparently rejected), an odd station with Country and old-time music when it went on the air in 1951.
The KDWB Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen, 1960: Randy Cook, Dick Halverson, Bobby Dale, Sam Sherwood, Bob Friend, Lou Riegert, Hal Murray. WCOW was not very successful, so the station transitioned to being a female-oriented station with the call sign WISK in 1957, and the frequency was changed to 630 kHz the next year. Again, the format was not popular, and the station was soon bought out by Crowell-Collier Broadcasting Company, who owned KFWB and KEWB in California.
The Top 40 format of those stations was brought to Minnesota, and the KDWB call sign came into use in 1959. It quickly became a major competitor to WDGY, which had been playing a pop music format for a few years by that point.
The 12 Noon hour in 1965 with Don DuChene.
With the 630 kHz frequency, KDWB called itself "Channel 63" and the station began its long uninterruted run as a pop music station.
Bill and Becky Ann Stewart were owners of a radio station that simulcast on both 980 AM and 101.3 FM. Both stations were licensed to Richfield, Minnesota, with studios located in Eagan. The two stations programmed a rather Conservative, MOR format as WPBC ("The People's Broadcasting Company"), which started broadcasting on the AM signal in 1949. The owners were very strict, to the point that they rejected advertising from beer and tobacco companies. And of course, no Rock and Roll music. Simulcasting the AM station as WPBC-FM began in the 1960s.
It's "Monkees Day" August 4, 1967 and Jim O'Neill is working the turntable.
[ LISTEN ] (6:10)
Only 14 hours and 27 minutes away from the Monkees show at the St. Paul Auditorium Arena. A roaring movie promo for Born Losers. You're just a whistle away from Grain Belt Beer (commercial). Some music, news and sports. Later that year, Tac Hammer on October 11, 1967. [ LISTEN ] (20:24)
In 1972, the Stewarts sold the two stations to Fairchild Industries, which then dismissed the entire staff and overhauled both stations. [ LISTEN ] (6:10)
Only 14 hours and 27 minutes away from the Monkees show at the St. Paul Auditorium Arena. A roaring movie promo for Born Losers. You're just a whistle away from Grain Belt Beer (commercial). Some music, news and sports. Later that year, Tac Hammer on October 11, 1967. [ LISTEN ] (20:24)
The recordings feature candid, silly and serious moments from The Monkees - a wonderful collection of recordings during the two days The Monkees took over the radio station.
August 3, 1967 to 4 am on August 4, 1967: Starting with coverage of the Monkees' airplane arrival at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport followed by Michael, Peter, Micky and Davy broadcasting from "Secret City" playing records, performing a skit, and some candid comments by Micky about criticism concerning the group not playing all instruments in their songs, thoughts about The Beatles, and more. Includes KDWB personalities Charlie Brown, Earl Trout, Tac Hammer, Bobby Davis and newscast by Robert Davis.Part 1 (32:56) | Part 2 (25:23)
August 4, 1967 (3:00-6:00 pm): Mostly featuring Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork spinning records with Michael having fun insulting KDWB advertisers including Dayton's and J A Gerber Jewelers and Peter playing the banjo. Includes newscast by Don Miller.Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (1:20:19)
The FM was rechristened WRAH and programmed automated album oriented rock. The AM station changed to WYOO, picking up an Oldies format. When the AM station's oldies format started to slide in the ratings, more MOR music was added, but ratings slid even further. The owners contemplated selling the station, so the general manager and program director, both hired from established station KDWB, decided a major change needed to be made.
A decision was made to pick up a Top 40/Hard Rock format, in contrast to what they saw as the rigid, bland presentation of other similar stations in town. A decision was made to keep the WYOO call letters (as changing call letters with the FCC at the time was a long, difficult task). But they wanted to call the station something else on the air. Originally, it was to be Y-100, but a station in Florida calling itself that threatened to sue.
DJ Rob Sherwood rockin' in the studio.After going through the alphabet, station management finally stopped at "U". The new station would be called "U-100." Later, they realized the coincidence of the "WYOO" call letters and the new branding of "U-100." And another oddity was the placement on the dial.
The AM broadcast at 980, and the FM at 101.3. Management reasoned that back then, all radios were analog, and it seemed like the only number shown on that part of the dial was a big "100", so it was close enough to 980 and 101.3. It seemed to make sense.
BleuTrue Don Bleu in October, 1968. Includes commercials for 5th Avenue Candy Bar's "Uptight on 5th Avenue" album, The Prison Bar in Burnsville, Lancer, Dayton's Record Shop, Pepsi and Furniture Barn. [ LISTEN ] (8:53)
On August 26, 1974, WYOO was broadcasting live from the Minnesota State Fair, garnering little attention from fairgoers with their adult pop music. The program director, Rob Sherwood, used this opportunity to abruptly change the format of both stations, debuting the AM and FM simulcast of "Super U-100" with a Joe Cocker song and a two minute montage of the new stations' new jingles. The new U-100 quickly became the topic of conversation throughout the area with its rowdy, outrageous mix of Top 40 and hard rock.
Summer of 1965
With a constant bombardment of loud jingles the jocks would scream "YEEEEWWWW ONE HUNDRED!" and "BOOGIE!" when they weren't giving the time, temperature ("it's seventy-two degrees in Frriiidleeeeey!") or bad jokes. "Right on Super U" became a catch phrase on the station and amongst its fans. The presentation was tight, fast-paced and very foreground.
During the next two years, U-100 quickly became the most talked-about radio station in town. Competition was fierce in rock 40 radio at the time, and compared to U-100, WDGY, KDWB, and KSTP-AM seemed a bit tame. As an added advantage, U-100 was the first Twin Cities top 40 station to broadcast on the FM dial in stereo (in addition to 980 AM).
KDWB-AM and WDGY-AM 1960s/1970s Radio Rivalry Report - aired on KARE-TV
Doubleday Broadcasting, then the owner of KDWB, desperately wanted their own FM signal. And Fairchild was looking to sell their two stations. In February 1976, Doubleday announced it would be buying WYOO-FM with the intention of simulcasting KDWB on the FM signal. Since one company could not own two AM or FM stations in the same market at the time, the AM station had to be sold separately. The owner of WAYL (93.7 FM), an Easy Listening station, agreed to purchase 980 AM. WYOO-FM signed off for the last time at midnight on September 15, 1976, and KDWB morning personality True Don Bleu launched the new "KDWB and KDWB-FM" the following morning at 6 AM. The next week, 980 AM came back on the air with a simulcast of WAYL.
Helped by the stereo simulcast on 101.3 FM, KDWB quickly regained its position as the dominant Top 40 station in the Twin Cities. Their fierce young rival, U-100, was now gone. WDGY switched to a Country Music music format in 1977. And KSTP-AM hung around until 1979, as they slowly transformed into Talk.
By the end of the decade, KDWB was the only Top 40 station in town. With the competition gone, KDWB-FM split apart from the AM station's Top 40 simulcast and became "Stereo 101", an Album Oriented Rock station designed to go up against KQRS, which had recently dumped their Free-Form Rock presentation and adopted a stricter playlist. "Stereo 101" would be mildly successful, but never became a serious longterm competitor to KQRS.
The Jocks 1977A composite aired in 1979 with this lineup: Ed O'Brien 6-9 AM, Bob Lange 9-12, Michael Christian 12-3 PM, Chuck Evans 3-6 PM, "Smokin" Joe Hager 6-9 PM, Marc Elliott 9-12 Midnight, Ron Richards 12-6 AM, Tim Kelly Weekends/Swing, and Dave Thomson PD/Swing. [ LISTEN ] (16:12)
In 1981, a serious new Top 40 competitor arrived in the Twin Cities. WLOL dropped their Soft Rock format and turned itself into a high-profile hit music station, immediately getting strong ratings. WCCO-FM also briefly switched to Top 40. Meanwhile, 63 KDWB languished, as AM music stations were slowly becoming a thing of the past. To protect its heritage and to finally make the move of its legendary station to the FM dial, KDWB-FM dropped the AOR format and reverted back to the Top 40 simulcast of the AM station. In a role reversal, the FM signal was now deemed the primary station, as 630 AM attained secondary status. The AM station continued to simulcast until 1985, when it flipped to a separate Oldies format.
The new "101 KDWB" struggled for years against upstart market leader WLOL, which featured a fresher music selection, more popular DJs, and a highly-rated morning show. KDWB was viewed by many as stuffy, stale and boring, and they went through several unsuccessful morning shows.
Finally, in 1988, newly-hired program director Brian Phillips cleaned house, as he dismissed many of the air personalities, overhauled the music, and brought in Steve Cochran to host the station's new morning show. He also hired a new air staff, introduced 12-song commercial-free music sweeps, changed the overall on-air presentation, and created a new logo, which is still in use today. The rechristened "101.3 KDWB" had finally arrived, and virtually overnight, their fortunes changed. KDWB quickly became the top CHR station in the market, starting a dominance that continues to this day. Now WLOL was playing catch-up, as they tried various minor overhauls and tweaks before moving in a Dance Music oriented direction in 1990. The next year, WLOL came to a sudden and premature end, as owner Emmis Broadcasting experienced financial problems and began to divest of many of their properties. Minnesota Public Radio purchased WLOL and turned it into the flagship for their Classical Music service. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, KDWB had virtually no CHR competition.
Some of the materials used on this page were originally published by the following: Twin Cities Airchecks, Radio Tapes, Twin City Music Highlights.
