KOMA Radio Broadcast Oklahoma January 5, 1964

[@jeffglazer5418]

I LIVED IN TULSA FOR MOST OF MY HIGH SCHOOL YEARS (1963-1966), ABLE TO LISTEN FROM TULSA..100 MILES AWAY WITH KOMA POWERFUL SIGNAL AND LISTENED TO KOMA DURING MY COLLEGE YEARS AT OU (1967-1971).

[@katz5285]

I am 12 and i have a love for 50s things so i listen to this all the time Listening to this in 2020

[@bradentheman1373]

hey bud, it’s been 4 years, how are you today in 2024? hopefully well

[@joelk8228]

I lived in Buhl, Idaho, in the early to mid sixties. We were fortunate enough to get KOMA, we also got the Wolfman Jack from XERB, and when it was fairly late we could bring in several big watt stations! Thanks for the memories. It was a fabulous time to be alive!

[@derekmyers3258]

I like the way it's fading in and out, atmospherically, people don't get that, man. They say "bad sound quality". No, Junior, that's called authenticity, and if you were listening to a distant AM station in 1964, that's what you heard. And if you're a guy who likes things as real as they can be in 2022, that's what you want. I'm 46 years old. I wasn't around in 1964. But I know this much, because I pay attention to life and live the passion of my interests.

[@derekmyers3258]

Bonus: Need I say that being viscerally aware of the fluctuations of Earth's atmosphere whether wide awake, falling asleep, or dreaming, was very important to the consciousness of people at the time. I could easily write a book of what was robbed from us by switching to digital.

[@SiriusXAim]

It gives it that classic Sorta far AM reception. Maybe even recorded at night from hundred of miles away when the signals bounced off the ionosphere.

[@StuartSchweigert-lc6uf]

Grew up in Pierre SD.Listened to this every night from 1965 to 1976.Got my DL when I was 14.Bought a 48 Willys jeep 1969.My dad put a 6volt battery in it from a 50s pickup.My buddies and I drove around listening to KOMA while drinking Schlitz beer.

[@billwood7062]

Many thanks for sharing this. Means a lot to me. Grew up with that station. Was a good friend. Went to sleep every night tuned into it. Probably listened to this clip live back in the day.

[@miguelcastaneda7131]

P6y

[@SteveAZMO]

Wow, just by accident I ran across this. I was reminiscing my days back in the mid-60's listening to KOMA Oklahoma City in my basement bedroom with a little transistor radio in a small farming town Fairbury, Nebraska. It really took me back as I listened to that station every night before and when I was going to bed. Thanks so much for sharing the memory with us all. I especially liked that it was recorded just like I heard it wavering in and out. I love it.

[@cruisebumify]

I was living in Hastings, Kenesaw, Nebraska in my bedroom in the basement of the house. I was in my early teens till 1965 when we (family) moved to Southern California but I will never forget listening to KOMA every night. I went to Minneapolis, Mnn. for vacation and there I listened to WDGY...top 40 but little did I knew that this station was owned by the same guy...Todd Storz. He owned couple more stations in Midwest and also in Miami, Fl. The station jingles sounded the same like at KOMA. He invented Top 40 radio format and it caught on like wide fire across the country.

[@nevetsgnil1962]

It's sounds crazy but I think I was born in the wrong era, I love listening to these old American radio reels and reading folks stories from back in the day I try try paint the picture in my mind of what it may have been like back then, I love the American advertising clips also, I nice to watch TV, but radio is KING.

[@LClark-ry9to]

I listened to KOMA with my little transistor radio in Ranger , Texas , I was a little boy then lol . I been blessed I’m still here

[@sofiawhitmire8369]

I went to college at Ranger Jr college in the early 1970's it was the most corrupt operation , but would later learn that most higher educational systems were...loved the town and people of Ranger though

[@vandywilliam]

There's a decent chance that I listened to this broadcast, because I listened to KOMA a lot while living in Casper, Wyo., from 1963 to 1966. The station came in clearly from dusk to dawn, and it was the station that hooked me on Top 40 radio and pop music. I started listening while in high school (in Boulder City, Nev.) in the late '50s, and the station came in all night a lot stronger than the nearby Las Vegas stations. Great memories. Thanks for posting.

[@positivecynik]

I grew up a mile away from this station in Moore. This is awesome. Thanks for posting.

[@justfellicitya]

I did too! In the 80s and 90s. Lived off of Santa Fe and 4th. We would hear it over our phone lines, it was so strong.

[@positivecynik]

@justfellicitya 12th & City Ave here. We're probably the same age.

[@cruisebumify]

I was living in Hastings, Kenesaw, Nebraska in my bedroom in the basement of the house. I was in my early teens till 1965 when we (family) moved to Southern California but I will never forget listening to KOMA every night. I went to Minneapolis, Minn. for vacation and there I listened to WDGY...top 40 but little did I knew that this station was owned by the same guy...Todd Storz. He owned couple more stations in Midwest and also in Miami, Fl. and New Orleans, La.. The station jingles sounded the same like at KOMA. He invented Top 40 radio format and it caught on like wild fire across the country. One other note about Todd Storz...he was from Nebraska and it was there in Omaha that Top 40 Radio got its start. You may want Google and read more about Todd Storz. Unfortunately, he passed away in April of 1964 and only 39 years old.

[@pixoariz]

I love this aircheck! As a youngster, I listened to KOMA a lot during their automated era, and later went on to program automated stations. One of our local stations used the Gates AutoStation, another very early automation system. The 'singing clock' was part of KOMA's infamous Schafer automation system. The double voicetracks playing at 11:14 make me think that we are, indeed, hearing the Schafer goof things up a bit, which happened.

[@SFunmaker]

I lived in Wisconsin during the 60's and remember listening to KOMA while i was trying to fall asleep...that and WLS Chicago and KAAY...good music and good times...

[@sahirdiesh6386]

Sherman Funmaker damn I didn’t know people that old commented on KZbin videos

[@unixtohack]

@@sahirdiesh6386 I am 61, from Belgium and still alive . Yeah. I don’t know about this radio, but over here is was the same.

[@kellenralph5615]

I realize Im quite off topic but does anyone know a good site to stream newly released tv shows online?

[@conradnehemiah7978]

@Kellen Ralph lately I have been using Flixzone. You can find it on google =)

[@lucasabraham4580]

@Kellen Ralph I watch on flixzone. Just google for it :)

[@robinbanks4990]

I dj all 1960s music on KRCL in Salt Lake City! I love listening through these old broadcasts. Their dj's back then were so quick and witty! Hope to be this good one day.

[@Steve09865]

Thanks for posting this recording. I was 19 and living in western Nebraska when this broadcast took place. I was part of the Drivin' Dynamics, one of the bands, along with the Fabulous Flippers, The Blue Things, the Red Dogs, and Spider and the Crabs, that advertised our dances on this incredible station, 50 k watt KOMA. I was hoping to hear one of our ads in this excerpt, but no luck. The fading in and out of the signal brings back so many great memories of driving around in our cars dragging main..

[@signjoey]

The Red Dogs from the Red Dog Inn?

[@Steve09865]

@@signjoey I remember the name of the Red Dog Inn from those days, but never went there. Had to have been in Kansas. We seldom ran across our "competitors" on the KOMA circuit, including the Red Dogs, but they probably had an association with the Inn. Our band, the Drivin' Dynamics, was inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame as the longest running rock band in the state (over 50 years) and included a young Randy Meisner on bass in the 60s before he went on to fame in CA as a founding member of the Eagles. KOMA was an incredible resource for us rural Midwestern youngsters - probably will never be anything like it again.

[@papashark2345]

koma & woai my fav stations back then in mexico with the greatest rock

[@howardoller443]

Thank you for sharing. I LOVE A.M. RADIO!!!

[@jimw35]

growing up in OKC in the 60's I loved KOMA , in the mid 80's i lived in Glendive MT and would listen to KOMA every night , just to feel like I was at home

[@justinthyme7275]

Glendive, MT? There's a little truck stop there with the best steak I've ever had.

[@richardlorance6934]

KOMA was the go to station in Eastern Colorado from dawn to dusk during the rockin 50s and 60s. Their 50000 Watts had teens listening in from Kansas to Canada. One Deejay broadcast from a coffin full of rattlesnakes. At least he made me believe that. Was I the only one?

[@x-rockfm92hd81]

NO HEARD DALLAS TO VIET NAM POWER 50 OOO watts

[@seek4truth]

What does Watt mean here? 50000 watts power?

[@mensaconservative7887]

I know you meant from dusk till dawn. All the local stations cut their power at sundown and KOMA was all there was. I love this vid, it even fades in and out.

[@bob4analog]

Wish today's so-called oldies stations played this music. Had never heard some of these songs. KOMA was Awesome!

[@gingerelvira6587]

My Favorite song in 64 played=on Koma was Paper Tiger.. I was 9 yrs old

[@montanax2172]

The jingle at 0:10 is pretty cool. This is some good stuff. I appreciate you posting this, i like to listen to it when i sleep. It helps. Good music combined with chat. Again, cool.

[@leoaguilar8684]

Can't believe how different music was right before the Beatles got famous in America

[@tommytruth7595]

They ruined American music.

[@bluebotlivingston6016]

@@tommytruth7595 lol that's like saying that Van Gogh ruined paintings, art changes and evolves regardless of what you like sir

[@maybugz]

@@tommytruth7595 they improved it for most people

[@TheLeonhamm]

Oddly enough, L A, remarkably little changed with the Beatles .. apart from the salesman hype; beat ballads, dancey pop, sing-a-long easy-listening, surf, drag cars, and death discs, etc for rhythm and blues/ soul vied with country and western/ folk, and instrumentals/ novelties dominated just about all music industry outlets and show business venues into the Flower Power revolution. Most teenage record buyers and pop-radio listeners - 1964-66, were too young to recall the last time a major non-US music genre 'invaded' and swept across the USA's national imagination (that of South American rhythms during the Second World War .. when US artists adopted, copied or modified the sounds - and that particular taste lasted a great deal longer than the British Invasion, which was, in reality, just US Pop given a slightly different twang). ;o) P.S. The biggest shift in how popular music sounded, felt, looked, and presented itself in the US was during that Hippy 'Peace' Revolt. Show Business had no lasting place in its Tune-in, Drop-Out, Turn-Off, and Get-High imagery. And it was this novelty that the Music Industry had to deal with, 1966-76, for by then it was very much an industry, geared solely to mass-production, high sales, low-cost, and to hell with the 'noise' actually recorded: Bubble Gum, Disco, Underground, Heavy, Pretentious album-based sales pitches rather than the single tune Payola or Kraft Processed Cheese broadcast-performance type stuff that had dominated the 'scene' from 1936-66.

[@tedecker3792]

Six transistor radio with a single ear piece, listening under the covers at night.

[@robertmuszynski6482]

I would listen to this station when I was stationed at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo in 1963.

[@anthonydepratowa4jqsvp8bzl24]

use to listen to KOMA in Okla . on my AM radio in the late 50's and early 60's when the band went long and WLS and WOWO would fade out in Ky. Then found the Border Blaster of XERB and the Wolfman ..

[@calebballantine3402]

I just saw once upon a time in Hollywood............when I got home this just seemed like the thing to listen to

[@kirstenolson3602]

Oh my GOD that’s exactly why Im here too!

[@TheRexb1]

I would love to have live during this era

[@mensaconservative7887]

It was the greatest time to be a kid. I was almost 10 and the world was about to change by the Beatles. It was awesome.

[@bradentheman1373]

@@mensaconservative7887 I was born in 2009, always wish i could’ve lived in that era, i love this music

[@Jantv81]

@@bradentheman1373I’m an 80s baby and I wish to get a Time Machine to visit 1964 just to see what it was like 🙂

[@martinhudson3964]

I was 15 and had a transistor radio and listened to KOMA all through high school and beyond. We lived on a ranch in NE Wyoming and from Dusk to Dawn it was 50,000 Watt 1520 KOMA, border to border and coast to coast. Today radio is so trashy and loaded with commercials that I have gone to Amazon Cloud for extended listening to oldies from that day.

[@dougo1962]

Commercial FM is mostly unlistenable for anyone 50 or older. Not only too many commercials, but lack of format variety. Also too focused on youth.

[@tommytruth7595]

Today's radio is pure garbage.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

The commercials I hear on radio today are government public service commercials, treating us like children and telling us how to think and act, like Russia. Pick your commercials wisely, and try to enjoy why man prospered, capitalism, (citizen owned).

[@harrybs47]

IN 1970 and 71, I worked at KMND in Mesa, AZ, 1510 on the dial. When the sun set, we were overtaken by KOMA.

[@roberthunnicutt489]

Tucson AZ -- KOMA came in loud and clear over the Santa Catalinas...

[@truefigmandu1810]

This was the station playing in most of the cars ‘dragging main’ in Littlefield, TX during the mid 60s. Everyone was hoping to hear the ‘kissing tone’ right after the Beatles song ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand”.

[@pyrodemic813]

This is what keeps me sane.

[@bradyh9513]

I'm 25 and nowhere near lucky enough to live in pre-65 America. I love playing these old radio broadcasts while I drive and pretending it's the real deal

[@kendie8134]

Brady H it was magical 😊

[@reallybadaim118]

Different set of worries then but still awesome 😎

[@borger99]

Yikes

[@datatwo7405]

Me too. I gather them and let them run for hours, and it's like traveling back in time.

[@nevetsgnil1962]

I'm with you there buddy, I do the same, driving along listening to these reels takes me to another place.

[@shawnmalone9711]

Elephant jokes and Tom Swifties were popular in 1963. I really enjoy hearing radio stations from around the country and believe it or not someone is taping radio programs off of the radio today. 20-30 years from now , they'll post the songs on KZbin.

[@danbyxl]

Listened to KOMA up in Saskatchewan every night,

[@lynnwomack9157]

I listed to KOMA when am radio was true radio I'd give anything to hear the special eco the station . I remember hearing songs on the station how good they sounded. I would go out and buy the 45 but it would never sound as good..My favorite songs on the station were Hurt Spirit in the Sky The Show must go Dark Lady among many others. Every song had a sound like no other station. The greatest ads were the Spring Lake the Luster Cream shampoo with the scamming lady and the the ad about Hays Music and the the concert announcements. I would give anything to hear greatest sounding radio station ever.

[@oldiesradio8819]

yeah i can tell that this was recorded quite some distance from KOMA i just noticed it was recorded from a reel to reel in South Dakota.. That's Amazing.. I live in Kansas City, MO. And i just ordered a WHB 710 from 1966 and when i went to purchase the recording the seller had to remind me that it was recorded at DX which means it most likely sounds like this... This isn't bad at all KOMA had strong power for you to hear it up in South Dakota! Good Air check!

[@dougo1962]

Oldies Radio, what a disappointment "Oldies 95" has become. I don't think that sorry excuse for an "oldies station" even plays any 1960s songs anymore. And the 1970s songs it plays are so limited, it's mostly late 70s-1980s, like KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City. Listening recently, I didn't hear one song on KOMA from before 1975.

[@raceyboy]

+Doug Ohlemeier KOMA is now unlistenable. They play the same 15 songs every day. They were bought out by several corporations (Clear Channel, Tyler Media) over the years and the format suffered greatly. They are given playlists to air by someone who obviously does not care about music.

[@Jantv81]

If I ever win PCH sweepstakes I would buy KOMA and turn it back to what it was... oldies 50s, 60s, 70s.

[@lpjunkie100]

Doug Ohlemeier there is a Facebook fan page called Remembering Oldies 95 on FB. for the Old radio station Oldies 95 it's at facebook.com/bringbackoldies95 on FB.

[@realcosmicwisdom]

@@dougo1962 Indeed, oldies for me are what the term originally meant 50s and 60s. Now people are even calling 90s oldies...I don't think so.

[@samuelli-a-sam]

I love, love, LOVE this ❤️❤️

[@geckoproductions4128]

This is what we listened to in Midland Texas when we were cruisin Love's drive in.

[@terrytrippler2038]

We used to listen to KOMA in Oklahoma in high school and beyond. I remember the KOMA kissing tone. "When you hear the KOMA kissing tone - kiss your sweetheart". I lived in South Dakota and we used to park our cars in a circle in a hay field and have all the radios on KOMA! I think some ever had beer!!!!!! LOL LOL What a great time to be alive. WLS Chicago was also good but only a thunderstorm created too much static for KOMA! Thanks for posting this.

[@raceyboy]

A nice glimpse into pre-Beatles America.

[@MrMenefrego1]

Ah yes, the good ole days... how I miss them!

[@MrKinglizzie]

Complete with skip, (radio term). Takes me back.

[@dougo1962]

Wow. The aircheck ends with FOR YOU, a great Top 10 hit by Ricky Nelson. This would be Rick's last big Top 40 hit for a long time... Until GARDEN PARTY in the early 1970s.

[@timfeleppa3156]

Thanks!

[@joewanger8285]

I love the KOMA jingle...

[@Rocketman88002]

@Steve09865, did you ever run across a band called High Street? I remember the Fabulous Flippers, Spider and The Crabs, The Coachmen (Lincoln) many more Nebraska bands.

[@ra15899550]

"The records you've listening to were furnished thru the courtesy of American record distributors and manufacturer's and certain records were played in consideration and cooperation with recording artist companies and distributors (OH YEAH!!)"

[@lgorrdon]

Night before my birthday, about to turn 17, I’m sure was listening from hays kansas…

[@johnbates4319]

I was a DJ from 1968 to 1992. Small market AM. I got to visit KOMA in 1974. I dreamed of being like "Machine Gun Kelly". I miss being behind the "Mike". 😢

[@geniesmith7319]

I loved that station.

[@olblu8746]

Going tru San Antonio, tx. I came across a radio station that still plays classic oldies. The call letters are KONO , 860 DIAL on AM band. The only bad word l heard while listening was " was a bad mother f- - k - r , " on the song "SHAFT". My kids were with me and l felt bad cause l know they also heard it. Everything seems to be going to pot nowadays. No wonder kids have lost respect when talking.

[@nevetsgnil1962]

It's a disrespectful world we now live in, the 21 St century sucks.

[@judyjones5089]

In the sixties when living in Colorado Springs, we could get KOMA at night, medium reception. I believe it operated at 40,000 wats.

[@mshow81]

"How do you make an elephant FLAT"!?!?!?!?

[@EugeneAxe]

Float.

[@dittotech3878]

My favorite song thats really old is: “I Like Bananas Because They Don’t Have Bones”

[@larryhinze7906]

Loved the elephant joke. Blew that on MANY levels. lol

[@ronaldlittlejohn8572]

I'll take $50 worth please!!!!! LOFLMAO

[@stevenrogers8939]

Wonderful

[@bladegriggs4090]

Who is here for the surfing bird?

[@MrDonnyAir]

With most of these old station's ID tags/music, many must have used the same music production service; same jingle music, same instrumentation, same melodies - and then they'd have studio session singers just sing/insert their individual station ID's and slogans over the same background music... I've heard this same background music on many different AM stations across the country from this time period.. ( '62 - '66 or so).

[@rgjraccoon]

Indeed they did...many of them were produced by PAMS in Dallas. The "Yours Truly" package was also used by WHB Kansas City and KIOA Des Moines just to name a few in the midwest. A big player in the creation of new PAMS jingles in the day was WABC New York. more here: www.musicradio77.com/pams.html and also here: www.musicradio77.com/pams.html

[@MrDonnyAir]

Thanks for sharing those links. :)

[@ResedaMickey]

I wanted soooo bad to be a PAMS singer! They would provide several sets of chord changes for each station ID, I got to hear a whole reel of them.

[@gingerelvira6587]

I Do remember Dale Wehba

[@Fiddlesticks62]

I did the same living in Chicago, LA, & Houston. Wish I had some KAAY from 62 & 63. Radio was great until Drake killed it. Occasionally there was personality, but you had to look for it. The greatest jock I ever heard was Bobby Dale.

[@whocaressuperstar2534]

Those were good days unlike today ...the world is going down the toilet

[@larryhinze4523]

Great job on the elephant fail joke!

[@miguelperez-gb5kr]

i love surfin bird by family guy

[@juanmanuelricodiaz2294]

WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF SOMEONE KNEW OR HEARD A DISK JOCKEY WHO CALLED HIMSELF THE "WOLF"

[@ronaldlittlejohn8572]

Wolfman Jack??? Look it up on line

[@daithiocinnsealach1982]

He sounds like Gil from the Simpsons.

[@ahsokatano504]

Wow this is way to different but it’s cool

[@bladegriggs4090]

20:55

[@primozanton6264]

This is from AM, right?

[@gingerelvira6587]

Yes 1520

[@juanmanuelricodiaz2294]

IN KOMA

[@TheBling-BlingCheese]

Fallout 4

[@mondegreen9709]

Not sure if 'KOMA' is really a good choice for a call sign though.

[@mensaconservative7887]

That was the beauty of it. You don’t get it? We were kids and appreciated irony.

[@mondegreen9709]

@@mensaconservative7887 Irony? In Oklahoma?! Well I guess you guys have come a long way since then.

[@mensaconservative7887]

@@mondegreen9709 who is “you guys” and what have we come a long way from?

[@mondegreen9709]

@@mensaconservative7887 'Oklahomans' I believe is the correct demonym, and it's not so much where you're coming from but what you're coming to.

[@mensaconservative7887]

@@mondegreen9709 I live in Texas. KOMA broadcast to 18 states. Your attempt to insult southerners is pathetic.

[@SingleTree57]

You would have had to Benny listening to truly Appreciate it Okie 66

[@MKMousanz]

Listen to this + LoFi Hip Hop on the background = F E E L S

[@ApartmentKing66]

I notice that the KOMA lineup is sporting a female DJ.

[@rgjraccoon]

KIOA in Des Moines also had a female DJ with the "Kay" air name.

[@Jantv81]

What was Kay's real name? I listened to KOMA from 1988-2001 as an oldie station. I miss their AM station!!

[@tommytruth7595]

It was a real novelty back then.

[@ronaldlittlejohn8572]

Sorry....but you missed the REAL stuff from the 60's....I would give anything to go back and truly experience the 50's and 60's all over again!!!