KSAN (AM)
Encyclopedia
One of the first "rhythm and blues
" radio stations in the United States
, KSAN (AM), known later as KSOL (AM), was located in San Francisco, California
. One star to come out of the station was DJ Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone
of Sly and the Family Stone recording fame.
, which later became KDIA
. Until the mid-1950s, the relative handful of stations on the air locally devoted little time to "ethnic" programming of any kind, with the exception of KSAN and KWBR, which also broadcast programs intended for the Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, German and Japanese communities.
The original KSAN, (not KSAN (FM), KYLD or KSOL) , was born in June 1925 as KGTT. In 1929, it became KGGC and, in 1938, it became the first local station to use the KSAN call letters — again, (not KSAN (FM), KYLD or KSOL) . In 1958, KSAN switched to a full-time rhythm and blues
music format, targeting black listeners in the Bay Area, the first station on the local dial to broadcast R&B around the clock. KSAN's transmitter was on top of the Merchandise Mart building on Market Street, where the studios were located.
On July 3, 1964, KSAN was sold to John F. (Les) Malloy and Delmor A. (Del) Courtney, two well-known San Francisco radio and television personalities; Les Malloy was for many years a star on local radio and had hosted a popular TV talk show on KGO in the 1950s, while Del Courtney found fame as a bandleader and personality on KSFO. With Malloy as president and general manager, KSAN became KSOL on its first day under new ownership, hoping to better emphasize its "Soul Radio" format, which it continued until September 1970. The station is currently known as KEST
.
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
" radio stations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, KSAN (AM), known later as KSOL (AM), was located in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. One star to come out of the station was DJ Sylvester Stewart, later known as Sly Stone
Sly Stone
Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...
of Sly and the Family Stone recording fame.
History
KSAN was a pioneer in broadcasting to the black audience in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with Oakland's KWBRKWBR
KWBR-LP is a radio station broadcasting a Smooth Jazz music format. Licensed to St. George, Utah, USA, the station is currently owned by Association of Community Resources And News ....
, which later became KDIA
KDIA
KDIA is a radio station in Vallejo, California. It is a separate entity from the station at 1310 AM that held the KDIA call letters for many years. The 1640 AM frequency was licensed as part of an extension of the AM band in 1998, and adopted the abandoned KDIA call letters then.-KDIA 1310...
. Until the mid-1950s, the relative handful of stations on the air locally devoted little time to "ethnic" programming of any kind, with the exception of KSAN and KWBR, which also broadcast programs intended for the Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, German and Japanese communities.
The original KSAN, (not KSAN (FM), KYLD or KSOL) , was born in June 1925 as KGTT. In 1929, it became KGGC and, in 1938, it became the first local station to use the KSAN call letters — again, (not KSAN (FM), KYLD or KSOL) . In 1958, KSAN switched to a full-time rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
music format, targeting black listeners in the Bay Area, the first station on the local dial to broadcast R&B around the clock. KSAN's transmitter was on top of the Merchandise Mart building on Market Street, where the studios were located.
On July 3, 1964, KSAN was sold to John F. (Les) Malloy and Delmor A. (Del) Courtney, two well-known San Francisco radio and television personalities; Les Malloy was for many years a star on local radio and had hosted a popular TV talk show on KGO in the 1950s, while Del Courtney found fame as a bandleader and personality on KSFO. With Malloy as president and general manager, KSAN became KSOL on its first day under new ownership, hoping to better emphasize its "Soul Radio" format, which it continued until September 1970. The station is currently known as KEST
KEST
KEST is a radio station in San Francisco, California. Most of the station's programming is foreign, such as Indian, Chinese, and other Asian languages. KEST does English-language programming during the week, usually from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., which consists of New Age Talk.KEST is owned by...
.
External links
- Jumpin' George Oxford on KSAN 1450 (1955; 30 minutes)
- KSAN 1450 "Most In Rhythm & Blues" Jingle (Circa 1958; 30 seconds)
- The Burner (Bill Mercer) on KSAN 1450 (December 15, 1960; 2 minutes)
- John Hardy/Rockin' Lucky Show Transition on KSAN (Dec. 16, 1960; 1 minute)
- Mike Dix as Jumpin' George on KSAN (June/July 1963; 34 minutes)
- Doctor Soul on KSOL 1450 (Circa 1966; 30 minutes)
- KSOL 1450 "Swingin' Soul Brothers" Jingle (Circa 1966; 15 seconds)
- Charlie Brown on KSOL (July 12, 1966; 11 minutes)
- Sly Stone and Ronnie Dark on KSOL Soul 145 (March 29, 1967; 1 hour)