KBPI: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:26, 3 May 2024

Revision as of 02:19, 16 June 2024

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KBPI started at 105.9&nbsp;MHz in Denver on June 21, 1965.<ref>[http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1966/B-Section-Radio-A-M-BC-YB-1966.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1966 page B-24]</ref> It had studios on the 20th floor of the [[Daniels & Fisher Tower]] in downtown Denver. The owner and general manager of the station was Bill Pierson, who named KBPI for "Bill Pierson Incorporated". The station featured a [[progressive rock]] format. Pierson sold the station in 1974.<ref>{{Citation|last=BPCColorado|title=Bill Pierson|date=October 25, 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnYluMWGrnI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/XnYluMWGrnI |archive-date=December 22, 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=March 28, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The station continued its rock format under the new owner, Progressive Broadcasters, Incorporated.<ref>[http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1975/C%201%201975%20Radio.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1975 page C-28]</ref>

During the 1970s and 1980s, the station moved to an [[album-oriented rock]] (AOR) sound. Its television commercials featured a blonde woman [[lip sync]]hing with bits of popular [[Rock music|Rockrock]] songs and DJ's voices, and the tagline ''KBPI Rocks the Rockies!'' (elongated with [[Dental, alveolar and postalveolar trills|rolling R sounds]]). This catchphrase is still used in advertising and for a while the campaign was used at other rock radio stations in the United States and Canada. The "blonde woman" AKA "KBPI's Remarkable Mouth" was Kelly Harmon, sister of actor [[Mark Harmon]].

During the 1970s, KBPI gained press for inviting people to bring their [[disco]] records to the station office for destruction, and this was frequently broadcast live over the air to the tune of [[Black Sabbath]] songs. This was commonplace among AOR stations who were riding the anti-Disco theme at the time. For four years, Steven B. and the Hawk ruled the Denver morning FM ratings, mixing rock music with their witty comments and routines. As they put it, "It really didn't matter what kind of music they played. Listeners tuned in to hear them."