The Bay Area has been home to some innovative, historically significant and just plain fun radio. In the early '60s, that meant broadcasters like Al Collins, spinning jazz and surreal raps from inside the imaginary Purple Grotto, and Don Sherwood, inventing an insane repertory of characters and bits every weekday morning – both of these shows on KSFO. It also meant Top-40 KYA, 1260 AM, "the Boss of the Bay."KYA San Francisco, which became the region's second rock 'n' roll station in 1960 - following KOBY - always seemed to be in battle with Oakland's KEWB. Most younger folks listened to the latter, if only because its signal penetrated further into the North Bay. But, really, there was no contest.
While many since have come to deeply respect Chuck Blore's programming of Color Radio 91 and the talent of jocks like Gary Owens and Casey Kasem, KEWB was not cool. It was high on silly, with cute ID's (a station mascot, Little Diane, squeaking "My mommy listens to KEWB!"), sound effects, jocks reading canned jokes and — worst of all — conveying little empathy with the sides they were spinning. It was almost as if the delicious seven-inchers that comprised their Fabulous 40 Survey were interruptions, necessary digressions from their endless patter and shtick. By contrast, KYA sold the music first. Under program director Les Crane, who arrived in 1961, it jettisoned the jingles, reduced the number of contests (DJ Norman Davis recalled when it had a dozen or so running at once) and expanded its playlist from the standard 40 to a Swingin' 60 Survey.
This plus a nightly Battle of the New Sounds - listeners voted for one of five contenders, 25 debut records a week - a Radio KYAce of the Week and assorted Coming Attraction singles. The station broke or re-started records - notably the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," but also the second go-rounds of the Isley Brothers' "Shout" and the Shirelles' "Dedicated to the One I Love".
When KYA announced a record hop at the American Legion Hall in Redwood City or Spanish Hall in Hayward, it didn't matter that the bill was stacked with non-hit local acts or that the "free 45" promised to the first 100 people in the door was likely a stiff. You wanted to be there.
There were other jocks too, though Donahue and Mitchell, who'd of course leave KYA to found Autumn Records, discover Sly Stone and have hits with Bobby Freeman and the Beau Brummels, were the best.
Young Norman Davis did the enormously popular dedication-and-request show (a phone-company audit logged 30,000 calls to the station one night), affable ex-Atlantan Johnny Hayes handled midnight to six, and Les Crane (as "Johnny Raven") and later KHJ/KFRC wunder-programmer Bill Drake did mornings. Tony Tremayne counted down the fresh Swingin' 60 on weekends.
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Norman Davis a/k/a Lucky Logan on May 23, 1960.
[ LISTEN ], and here's Jim Stagg on April 14, 1961, including news with Mark Adams. [ LISTEN ] and almost a full hour of Bobby Mitchell on April 14, 1961, including news headlines with Tony Tremayne. [ LISTEN ] (59:01) And here is Tom Donahue playing records on December 15, 1961. [ LISTEN ] (57:41)
If the jocks were the gate-keepers and conduit to all these great sounds, the Swingin' 60 Survey, an 8x12 sheet (with "Official" emblazoned across the top) available weekly at record stores, was hard-copy proof of the magic and movement taking place. Records on labels like Atco, End, Legrand, Valiant and Caprice rose, fell, stalled, burned and disappeared, only to be replaced by a new galaxy of discs as weeks passed.
And, again largely due to the influence of Donahue and Mitchell but also because KYA presumably commanded a healthy share of black listeners (KDIA and KSOL were the Top 40 R&B outlets), a lot of black music got heavy rotation. Not just the Ike & Tina Turner and Jackie Wilson hits, but Slim Harpo, Freddie King and Little Willie John and cuts like McKinley Mitchell's proto-soul "The Town I Live In" (a Donahue favorite) and Charles McCullough's "My Girl". [ LISTEN ], and here's Jim Stagg on April 14, 1961, including news with Mark Adams. [ LISTEN ] and almost a full hour of Bobby Mitchell on April 14, 1961, including news headlines with Tony Tremayne. [ LISTEN ] (59:01) And here is Tom Donahue playing records on December 15, 1961. [ LISTEN ] (57:41)
From 1961 to 1964 KYA seemed to have it all: music, a finger on the pulse of the tastes of the Bay Area's teen population, and a modern, non-kiddie way of doing Top 40. Times, of course, changed, as did the music and the audience.
Sean O'Callaghan 1967
 November 27, 1965 |
 February 4, 1966 |
It's September 22, 1967 and Sean O'Callaghan is in the studio wrapping up the Top 30...and much more.
Selections include The Letter, The Box Tops (#2), Groovin', Booker T. & The M.G.'s (#1), Get On Up, The Esquires, Mother's Little Helper, The Rolling Stones, Rock and Roll Woman, Buffalo Springfield (#30), Heart Full of Soul, The Yardbirds, Sometimes She's a Little Girl, Boyce & Hart, Glad All Over, The Dave Clark Five...
Here is Sean O'Callaghan behind the mic again...fully recovered from the Summer of Love on November 5, 1967. [ LISTEN ] (48:40)
The big stars of the day shone brightest Sam Cooke, the Drifters, Brenda Lee, Dick & Dee Dee but so did only-in-Frisco hits like "Candy Apple Red Impala" by Little "E" & the Mellotone Three and Eddie Quinteros' Valens-ized "Come Dance with Me."
Here's a three part aircheck of The Johnny Holliday Show on December 9, 1967.
[ PART ONE ] (54:51) [ PART TWO ] (54:31) [ PART THREE ] (40:22)
[ PART ONE ] (54:51) [ PART TWO ] (54:31) [ PART THREE ] (40:22)
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It's a cool summer day in San Francisco and Chris Edwards is playing records on August 11, 1968. [ PART ONE ] (1:03:56) More of Chris's show continues here on [ PART TWO ] (1:04:09)
It's just after 10:00 AM and Bill Holley is playing the hits on August 25, 1968. [ LISTEN ] (57:42)
The first 30 minutes of this aircheck contains the following: "Sunny," Bobby Hebb, It's Hi/Lo Time!, "Milk Makes It" Milk commercial, "Hey, Jude," The Beatles (long version), "Hello, Hello," Sopwith Camel, "Super Discounts!" Tower Records commercial featuring Glen Campbell/The Small Faces, and much more.
Chris Edwards "in for Tom Campbell" on September 10, 1968. [ PART ONE ] (1:10:55)
Listeners are voting on whether Tom Campbell should continue at KYA. If not, he's gone! It's Tom Campbell vs. "Mrs. Anderson" who doesn't believe Tom should remain at KYA.
This hour it's Bill Holley "in for Tom Campbell". [ PART TWO ] (1:10:44) Chris Edwards takes over as the vote is in...and listeners voted for Tom Campbell to continue at KYA! [ PART THREE ] (1:10:19) Tom Campbell takes over behind the mic. [ PART FOUR ] (27:14)
It's April 18, 1969 and your listening to Tom Campbell. [ LISTEN ] (1:01:27)
Commercials included are: Youngblood's Elephant Mountain LP for only $2.57 and singles are 69¢ at all area White Front stores, "You've got to say it louder / ice-breaker" Coca Cola, "Flying Bear Medicine Show" at Tower Records, The Jimi Hendrix Experience returns to Bay Area, NHRA at Sears Point International Raceway, Cover Girl make-up, "I'm an acne pimple" Therablend, and Nutrament.
August 29, 1969
Tom Campbell hosts a Beatles' special program marking the 3rd Anniversary of the Fab Four's final public concert appearance in San Francisco on August 29, 1966. Part [ 1 ] and [ 2 ] (1:47:07)
Selections include Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Back in the U.S.S.R., Girl, A Hard Day's Night, Run for Your Life, Birthday, Slow Down, Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown), Revolution, She's Leaving Home, and more.
Tom Campbell is back on the air playing Top 40 hits on February 22, 1969. [ LISTEN ] (40:20)
It's September 1, 1970 and Dave Stone is sitting in for the vacationing Bwana Johnny. Also Larry Brownell. [ LISTEN ] (1:10:28) It's still the 1st of September 1970 with Chris Edwards, and John Ferris. [ LISTEN ] (1:10:35)
Gary Schaffer is the featured DJ on this unscoped aircheck dated January 26, 1970. Artists heard include The Mamas & The Papas, Four Tops, Simon & Garfunkel and Jackie Wilson. Newscast includes a story on the infamous Rolling Stones Altamont concert.
December 25, 1970 (Part 1, 2, 3, and 4) - Bill Holley and Dave Stone review the KYA Top 100 of 1970. Listen to Part [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]
GETTING STONED ON JUNE 14, 1971
DJ Dave Stone plays selections by the Five Man Electrical Band, The Partridge Family, Helen Reddy, The Doobie Brothers, Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose, Brook Benton, Jean Knight, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, Rolling Stones, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Carole King, Dave and Ansell Collins, The Grass Roots, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Chase, and Eddie Floyd.
3:30 News with Larry Brownell includes "Alcatraz indians" occupy Nike Missile site, Defense secretary asks FBI to investigate Pentagon leak, Frank Sinatra officially retires, and Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys) is injured in an accident.
Commercials included: Coke, Laguna Seca Raceway, Career Training Center, Stridex, Tower Records, Clairol, Hot Pants cologne, and Right Guard.
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It's January, 1974 and Steve Jordan is behind the mic.
[ LISTEN ]. (46:55), and later in the year here is Steve as "Michael Spears" and he's playing the hits on October 1, 1974. [ LISTEN ]. (1:02:55)
In August of 1966, KYA was sold to the Avco Broadcasting Corporation for $4.4 million. Lewis Avery became the vice president and general manager, succeeded by Howard Kester the following year. He was followed in 1974 by Clifford M. Hunter, and KYA adopted a “Pop Adult” music format in 1976.
In 1977, KYA AM and FM, along with WRTH in Wood River, Illinois, were sold to the King Broadcasting Company, operators of KING AM/FM/TV in Seattle, and James Kime became the general manager. In March of 1980 a new KYA broadcast center was dedicated at 300 Broadway. Fred Schumacher became the manager the same year, and the station adopted an adult contemporary format called “Easy Rock 1260”, which was switched to an oldies music format the next year.
In early 1983, King Broadcasting acquired San Francisco’s KSFO (560 AM) from Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasters, and made the decision to spin KYA-AM off to Bonneville Broadcasting Co., a division of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in a $3.5 million deal approved by the FCC on October 19 of that year.
On December 13, 1983, venerable 1260 KYA ceased to exist. Its Oldies programming and much of its personnel moved over to KYA-FM, which King Broadcasting retained, while new sister station KSFO took on a personality-oriented music format.
In 1985, the 1260 AM call letters were changed to KXLR with the debut of a short-lived news and information format, but they changed back to KOIT(AM) in 1986 when the station returned to simulcasting KOIT(FM), this time with an updated light rock music format.
[ LISTEN ]. (46:55), and later in the year here is Steve as "Michael Spears" and he's playing the hits on October 1, 1974. [ LISTEN ]. (1:02:55)
WHO WORKED AT KYA? Here is the list: Bob Boogalu, Gary Bryan, 'Citizen' Bill Carpenter, Bob Castle aka The Blue Whizz, Candi Chamberlain, Howard Clark, Beaver Cleaver, Jym Dingler, Tom Donahue, Bill Drake, Chris Edwards, John Evans, Erin Garrett, Bob Hamilton, William R. Hatch, Jim Hawthorne, Jack Hayes, Johnny Hayes, Johnny Holliday, William A. Hopkins, Michael Jackson, Greg Jarrett, and Bwana Johnny.
Casey Kasem, Bill Keffury, Alan Mason, Melissa McConnell, Terry McGovern, Brad Messer, Gary Miles, Bill Minckler, Steve Mitchell, Steve Moore, Gary Mora, Roger W. Morgan, 'Natural' Neil, Gene Nelson, Sean O'Callaghan, Ron O'Quinn, Bill Parker, Celeste Perry, Clark Reid, Mike Reily, Tom Richard, Mike Rivers, Brian Roberts, Steve Rubin, Don Sainte-Johnn, Jeff Serr, Don Sherwood, Lee 'Baby' Simms, Jay Stone, Russ 'The Moose' Syracuse, Mike Taylor, Tony Tremayne, Peter Tripp, and Bob Whitney.
Casey Kasem, Bill Keffury, Alan Mason, Melissa McConnell, Terry McGovern, Brad Messer, Gary Miles, Bill Minckler, Steve Mitchell, Steve Moore, Gary Mora, Roger W. Morgan, 'Natural' Neil, Gene Nelson, Sean O'Callaghan, Ron O'Quinn, Bill Parker, Celeste Perry, Clark Reid, Mike Reily, Tom Richard, Mike Rivers, Brian Roberts, Steve Rubin, Don Sainte-Johnn, Jeff Serr, Don Sherwood, Lee 'Baby' Simms, Jay Stone, Russ 'The Moose' Syracuse, Mike Taylor, Tony Tremayne, Peter Tripp, and Bob Whitney.
Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Bay Area Radio Museum, Internet Archive, Radio Historian.
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