The first voice heard over KTKT was Bob Matteson in 1949.Because all the existing national radio networks were taken, KTKT became an independent, and its programming was mostly music. For a short time they were an affiliate of the short-lived Liberty Broadcasting System formed around the play-by-play sportscasts of "The Old Scotsman", Gordon McLendon.
With the advent of TV a few years later KTKT was positioned to provide the growing music and news service which still characterizes radio. Wallace built his station on Elm, just west of Miracle Mile, in two war surplus military buildings which were moved onto the site. In the early '50s Chuck Blore (spelled Blower then) became one of Tucson's most popular personalities on KTKT, with his six-hour afternoon program called, "Let's Play Records." Blore was a very creative radio personality, and went on to become one of radio's top programmers, starting L.A.s first "Top 40" station, the legendary KFWB in 1958.
The 1958 studio had 6 turntables.By 1956 the Wallace family had moved KTKT to 990 where it was nicknamed "Color Channel 99". KTKT was a family run station at that time. Tom Sr was the boss, Tom Jr. handled all of the engineering challenges, and George did everything else.
Wallace hired young Frank Kalil to do the programming, and a legend was born. The energetic Kalil programmed the new "rock and roll" "Color Radio" "Top 40" style music and news format which quickly moved daytime-only KTKT into Tucson's number one spot where it remained into the early 1980s.
Frank Kalil 1964
After hiring Kalil in 1956, KTKT became by far the number one radio station in Tucson and Southern Arizona. From 1956 to 1966 Frankie Kalil was considered the "voice" of Tucson Radio. In the 1960s and the early 70s KTKT played a Top 40 format.
In 1960 the Wallaces sold KTKT and a new manager, Phil Richardson, took over and led the station to full-time operation with l,000 watts at night, and financially the station began to prosper; KTKT started the decade as Tucson's number one radio station.
This program was Budweiser’s answer to the very popular and similar styled Lucky Lager Dance Time program that aired on may radio stations –mostly west of the Mississippi River -most evenings. The local DJ would play all the current hits from a special top sellers list provided by Bud. These charts could be picked up at most grocery stores in the beer section usually near the Budweiser products.
Survey December 23, 1960.
The KTKT lineup in 1963.
WANTED: Frank Kalil.
The 1963 KTKT lineup started out as it ended in 1962. But during the spring things begin to change once again. Evening DJ Dave Nelson departs KTKT. Ray Lindstrom is selected to take over the 6-9 pm program.
The summer lineup was now Jerry Stowe, Mike Hunter, Gordon Vann, Frank Kalil, Ray Lindstrom, Tim Parker, and Dick Rogers. A short time later, Mike Hunter would leave for KRIZ and Lee Smith ( a former listener favorite), returned.
The first of several 1964 changes occurs during the summer when the two evening DJs trade shifts. Ray Lindstrom just got married, and he wanted a later shift so he could spend more time with his new bride so he moves from the 6 to 9 pm slot to do 9 pm to midnight. Lee Smith who had previously held down the 9 pm shift drops down to do the 6 to 9 pm program. Another change at KTKT is the departure of Tim Parker. Gordon Vann who had previously been doing noon to 3 pm takes over the 9 am spot. Tom Madison who been doing midnights does a turnaround and advances to the noon to 3 pm slot. To fill the overnight position vacated by Tom Madison KTKT adds Dick Nelson to the staff to do the all night show. Dick is the brother of former KTKT DJ Dave Nelson.
Jerry Stoweand
Frank Kalil?
The next DJ change also took place during the spring of 1965. Dave Griffis departed KTKT. His 9 am to noon vacancy was filled by Dan Gates. Dan was also appointed program director at this time. Dan was no stranger to Tucson or radio. He brought lots of experience and working knowledge with him to KTKT having worked in several other southwest markets including stints at KDAY, KRLA and KFWB Los Angeles during 1959. Dan also served as a program director and helped open several stations for owner Dawkins Espy. Dan worked at KENO Las Vegas Nevada during 1960 taking that station to number one in a short time with a new top 40 format. Dan has also worked at KIKK and later on KWAC in Bakersfield California. Dan’s prior Tucson radio experience include having worked at KVOA during 1955, KTUC during 1956, KAIR during 1957 and a short stint as morning DJ for KTKT early 1958 before leaving to join Dawkins Espy in Bakersfield California.
The next big change for both Tucson radio and KTKT occurred early fall of 1965 as Ray Lindstrom left to go to work for sister station KRUX in Phoenix. KRUX was owned at this time by Leland Bisbee - who also owned KTKT. Filling Ray’s vacancy at 9 pm was Marshall Darris. Marshall previously worked in other Arizona markets such as Safford and Flagstaff. In fact Marshall was in Tucson during the fall of 1962 on the staff at KFIF using the name Marty Marshall when that station had tried a short lived top 40 format that failed after only six or seven weeks.
KTKT would experience more change near the end of the year. Marshall Darris leaves KTKT to be replaced by Colin Gramatsky. Colin was previously a country and western in Las Cruces New Mexico using the name “tumbleweed”. Program director Dan Gates persuaded Colin to use his real name at KTKT and gave Colin a lot of on air fanfare and build up when he started on the air in the 9 pm to midnight vacancy. But even more disruption would occur to the DJ line up soon after Colin arrives as Joe Bailey would leave KTKT during November for several months due to military obligations.
The lineup in the spring of 1966 was 6 am – Jerry Stowe, 9 am – Dan Gates, Noon – Tom Madison, 3 pm - Frank Kalil, 6 pm – Joe Bailey. 9 pm – Tom Wright and Midnight to 6 am – Dick Nelson.
Frank Kalil November 1967. For a decade in Tucson, at the 3 p.m. hour, young disc jockey Frank Kalil took over the airwaves on KTKT radio. From 1956 to 1966, Kalil was the voice of the afternoon, a young, rock’n’rolling, doo-woppin’ character on “Color Radio - Channel 99.” Ron Knight December 21, 1967. Ron is sitting in for Bob Holiday today. After spending 1967 with KTKT doing mostly evenings Ron went on to great success doing PM drive at WKNR Detroit, MI as Sean Conrad. Even later Ron did well on FM while at KSLX in San Francisco. |
1967 started out quietly enough for KTKT. The big news at the start of 1967 for KTKT was the building of new offices and studios off of Grant Road near the transmitter site. Construction would be complete towards the middle of the year.
Over next few months – the remainder of 1967 – there would be some major changes and challenges facing KTKT. The major challenge was the June 1967 sign on of KIKX. For the first time since May of 1960 KTKT will face serious full time competition for the top 40 crown in Tucson.
The second half of 1967 was also full of staff changes for KTKT. One of the first on the air DJ changes for the second half of 1967 was once again on overnights as Mike Kelly left KTKT August 1 1967 – after only a two month stay. He was replaced by Jim Arnold. Jim had previously worked with John Wasley at KOLD AM 1450 doing top 40 evenings and weekends. Arnold would leave KTKT after only a few months and join KIKX doing overnights. At first Arnold was temporarily replaced in the overnight slot at KTKT by Tucson newcomer Bob Townsend. Bob - who was hired to do evenings – would only be overnights for a short time. Ron Knight also left KTKT late in 1967. He was replaced – at least for now - by Lee Poole who had developed a credible and convincing Wolfman Jack imitation. Lee adapted the name Johnny Rabbit for this persona. More night time changes included long time and very popular evening DJ Joe Bailey leaving KTKT near the end of 1967 to fulfill a military reserve obligation. Joe was initially replaced by Eric Michael who ironically enough had just completed a military obligation and returned to civilian life. Prior to his military service Eric was heard in Tucson during 1965 on AM 1550 KFIF as Eric Mitchell.
Even bigger changes occur near the end of 1967 as KTKT program director Dan Gates leaves his 9 am shift at KTKT to do the same shift at competitor KIKX. Noon to 3 pm DJ Bob Holiday takes over Dan’s PD duties at KTKT. With the opening of the 9 am to noon slot vacated by Dan Gates morning man Jerry Stowe - who has been doing early mornings since 1963 takes the opportunity to sleep in a little and moves over to do 9 am to noon. While many Tucsonans were jarred at Jerry’s move (Jerry had a large legion of early morning fans and listeners) they were soon treated to KTKT new comer Don Hinson with his own unique brand of humor and gags. In later years Don Hinson would enjoy a long run as the morning man at KLAC the country music king in Los Angeles. Don held that post for nearly 18 years.
The blockbuster on the air change for KTKT late 1967 was the departure of after noon drive DJ Frank Kalil. Easily the most recognized voice (and face) of KTKT for the last ten years it was Frank Kalil who took over as PD of KTKT spring of 1957 putting in place an exciting new “Color Radio” top 40 format. Kalil - who learned the concept of top 40 radio programming while he worked in Texas with radio legends Chuck Blore and Gordon McLendon – with only a couple brief absences - has held down the afternoon shift for more than ten years. By far the most popular personality at KTKT Frank was seen all over Tucson during the late fifties and early sixties doing hundreds of live remote broadcasts for many different sponsors. In addition Frank – during the sixties often with Jerry Stowe – hosted and emceed many concerts and record hops and other promotions for KTKT.
Frank Kalil was also seen often on Tucson TV - having his own noontime talk / variety program broadcast from the top of the Tucson Land and Title Building’s very tony Sky Room Restaurant. It should be noted that KTKT’s studios were located in the basement of this same building from the fall of 1957 to the spring of 1967. Frank was also the television and radio advertising face and voice for Ted Flash’s TV and Appliance Store for many years. Kalil also enjoyed success doing stand up comedy with Tucson advertising executive Jay Taylor. The duo appeared on national TV, toured nationally with other leading entertainers and recorded a comedy LP for Capitol Records. Frank’s reluctance to leave Tucson for long periods of time after being offered an opportunity to host a summer replacement show on NBC TV ended the run of Kalil and Taylor. During 1967 Kalil along with Tucson television executive Ed Richter formed a partnership to purchase AM 1490 KAIR. With the late 1967 departure of Frank Kalil KTKT lost not only an afternoon DJ but also a great programming talent. Kalil - who held the post of program manager - had the final say and was responsible for everything that went over the air at KTKT. Frank’s attention to detail and his constant strive for perfection played a big part in KTKT’s success over the previous 10 years. Replacing Kalil in the afternoon slot at KTKT was one Mike Nardone.
By the end of 1967 six out of seven of the full time KTKT DJ shifts had changed from what they had been earlier in the year. While the changes in the day time DJ line up (6am to 6 pm) were considered long term – somewhat permanent – the changes for the over night hours (6 pm to 6 am) were only temporary fixes. PD Bob Holiday and GM Phil Richardson were working full time towards the end of 1967 and at start of 1968 in an effort to refresh KTKT’s programming and strengthen the night time DJ line ups to prevent more audience erosion to KIKX. To read more about KTKT’s efforts to battle KIKX be sure to read the1968 KTKT DJ Hall Of Fame.
From the cover of the February 21 1967 KTKT chart. With the KTKT mobile news unit second from the left is Lloyd Couch. Third from left is Bob Wagner.The KTKT newsroom also underwent change during 1967. Longtime news director (since 1960) Lloyd Couch left KTKT during the spring of 1967. Jerry Chambers took over the news director duties. Other new members of the 1967 KTKT news staff included Bob Wagner who had been a long time voice at KCUB and John C Scott from KAFY in Bakersfield California.
Towards the end of 1967 and at the start of 1968 KTKT GM Phil Richardson and PD Bob Holiday knew they had to take steps to counter the erosion of the younger portion of KTKT’s audience to their new top 40 competitor KIKX. In an effort to refresh and update the KTKT format nothing was held sacred. For starters the entire KTKT DJ line up at the end of 1967 was very different from the past as six of the seven regular air shifts were now manned by new voices. Long time morning man Jerry Stowe was now doing 9 am to Noon. The only hold over from the Color Radio era that did not leave KTKT or change air shifts was PD Director Bob Holiday in the noon to 3 pm slot. But by early 1968 Bob would take himself off the air to devote his full time attention to programming.
Here's an aircheck of Don Hinson on the air April 17, 1968. [ LISTEN ] (9:49)
It's the Don Hinson Show on a Wednesday morning...Elvis kicks things off, and then some weather. A white Levi's commercial is followed by Jimi Hendrix. Donovan sings Jennifer, a KTKT news break and a Chevy commercial. Do you know the way to San Jose? And more.
And later that month another small slice of KTKT with jock Eric Michaels on April 25, 1968. [ LISTEN ] (11:51)
It's the Don Hinson Show on a Wednesday morning...Elvis kicks things off, and then some weather. A white Levi's commercial is followed by Jimi Hendrix. Donovan sings Jennifer, a KTKT news break and a Chevy commercial. Do you know the way to San Jose? And more.
And later that month another small slice of KTKT with jock Eric Michaels on April 25, 1968. [ LISTEN ] (11:51)
More shifting in the evening and overnight hours would soon occur to counter the inroads KIKX was making with the mostly younger night time radio audience. PD Bob Holiday felt that the Johnny Rabbit - Wolfman Jack presentation was best suited to the overnight audience moving him to the midnight shift. Bob Townsend – temporarily on midnights since starting at KTKT a few months earlier then took over the 6 to 9 pm shift. Frank Casanova – who had a loyal and faithful night time following from his nights at KOLD - he also enjoyed immediate success connecting with the younger audience while at KFIF and KIKX - an audience that KTKT was battling to win back from KIKX was then given the important 9 pm to midnight duties. With the new DJ staff in place Bob was able to concentrate on his PD duties.
On the programming side Bob developed a new faster paced and less cluttered on the air sound using a new PAMS jingle package known as Series 33- Fun Vibrations. For the last several years KTKT had been using parts of several other bits and pieces from several PAMS packages that included Series 18 Sonosational from 1961 and Sono- Magic from 1962. With these new PAMS jingles as the centerpiece of the refreshed format other on the air changes were made including shifting the top of the hour news report to 35 past the hour- this placed the newscast five minutes before the KIKX 20/20 news report at 40 past the hour – a replay of the old Todd Storz five minutes sooner approach when he moved the hourly news to 55 during the fifties. News head lines at 30 past the hour were shortened and tightened up and heard near the top of the hour. The sounder used between news stories was given a newer updated sound - as was the familiar KTKT electronic time chime used during all between the music time checks. Another big on air change took place after Bob rearranged the KTKT hourly clock changing a few of the stop sets and placement of spots to allow a couple of back to back to music segments. Bob even added a couple of Drake style liners touting this much more music face of KTKT. The familiar top 40 show on Saturday morning was dropped after Joe Bailey left for his active military duty in 1967.
The new KTKT top 40 chart was still published weekly but would now debut on the air without fanfare on Saturday. Along with all of these changes put in place by Bob was the total dropping all of the on air references to Color Radio and Color Channel 99. The station would now be known as 99 - KTKT. The only remnants of Color Radio left at KTKT after the start of 1968 was found near the bottom of the weekly printed chart - the Color Channel 99 slogan remained in the lower left corner next to the best selling album list. When the weekly printed chart was redesigned during August of 1968 this logo was then dropped. All references to Color Radio at KTKT would then be gone – signaling an end to an era that began May of 1957.
Here's how the lineup looked in the Spring of 1968. 6am – Don Hinson, 9am – Jerry Stowe, Noon – Eric Michael, 3pm – Mike Nardone, 6pm – Bob Townsend, 9pm – Frank Casanova and Midnight – Johnny Rabbit.
During the summer of 1968 Lee Poole left KTKT for a stint at KLIF Dallas, Texas taking Johnny Rabbit with him. Rick Biocca – previously at KIKX doing overnights takes over the midnight shift at KTKT. Bob Holiday leaves KTKT next during the late summer of 1968. Bob is replaced as KTKT PD by Dan Gates - who returns from KIKX. It should be noted at this point that KIKX had a management shake up during the very late summer of 1968. General Manager Mark Parr left KIKX and radio entirely at this time to purchase and operate Herb Smiley’s Ember Club on East Speedway. Parr changed the name of this venerable Tucson night spot to “The Here And Now Club. KIKX owner John Walton puts new management in charge of KIKX along with a vastly reduced operating budget. Walton who had been subsidizing the many contests, concerts and other high profile promotions at KIKX with money from other many of his other business efforts – including his Texas oil interests – decreed KIKX would now stand on its own ad revenues. With the fear of dwindling or disappearing paychecks many employees of KIKX scattered fast. Following in Dan Gates footsteps were Roger Galloway and Bob Lee who had been doing news at KIKX joined the KTKT news department at this time.
The biggest change for KTKT during 1969 may have been a change that took place at another Tucson station. Growing impatient with the rate of success KIKX is having battling KTKT owner John Walton made another general manager change at that station during the early spring of 1969. Soon after the management change KIKX abruptly drops top 40 and goes to an easy listening format that includes a lot of beautiful music. This move shocked the staff of KIKX and jarred the KIKX audience. KTKT is now once again unchallenged for the ratings crown – for now at least – as Tucson’s leading top 40 music station. KTKT continues their top 40 format during 1969 but tones down the sound and delivery. The Fun Radio format put in place late 1967 and early 1968 is updated by a more relaxed presentation. The PAMS Fun Radio jingle package is replaced by a new PAMS jingle package called Series 36 - The New Generation. These changes result in KTKT carrying on as a top 40 station but with a new more gentle and mature approach. On the technical side KTKT adds newer and more modern processing equipment to the transmitting chain during 1969 – even adding a mild reverb – all of which improve the over all on sound the station.
As the 1970s started, Richard Nixon was President, then came the Watergate Scandal. The Vietnam War finally ended. Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion. Mood rings, lava lamps, Sea Monkeys, smiley face stickers, and pet rocks were all the rage.
Jocks Don Beetcher, I.W. Harper, Jim Bednarek, Kirk Russell, Kacie Sommers, Bill Murry, Ed Alexander and the KTKT van. Summer 1979, Youth Awareness Press.
Back: Marshall Brown, John Mack Flanagan, Ron Wiley, Ed Alexander, and Roger Collins (Paul Lancaster). Front: Ricky Morales and Ed O'brien.
KTKT still was the leader of the pack in the 70's. But, slowly there became another type of radio gaining ground...FM radio. FM had two things AM didn't: Better quality and stereo. New cars came with FM radios as standard equipment and new stations were popping up ready to challenge the AM giants. Clouds were gathering on the horizon, but in the 70's, KTKT just kept rocking on. It had one more decade under its belt as Tucson's number one station.
In the 1980s FM radio started getting huge audiences. AM radio stations were converting to news/talk formats where sound quality was not important. Vinyl records were gone. In their place were CDs. Tape would soon be obsolete and the computer hard drives would take over. The legendary KTKT held on for as long as it could, but after a great run of more than a quarter of a century, the station of Color Radio fame would be nothing more than a fond memory.
After more than thirty years of presenting popular music to Tucson and Southern Arizona KTKT moved to all news – no music format on Monday April 10 1989...and so the legendary music station changed formats, not with a bang, but with a whimper. No mention of the illustrious past. No mention of the legendary status of one of the nation's great top forty stations. Just another station changing formats. Then came the '90's and the KTKT as millions knew it was just a memory.
Some of the materials used on this page were originally published by the following: Arizona Survivors, KTKT Tribute Site, The Broadcast Archive, Motor City Radio Flashbacks, AM990Charlie.
