KOKE-FM (99.3
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
) is a
commercial
Commercial may refer to:
* a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television)
** Radio advertisement
** Television advertisement
* (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...
FM radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
broadcasting a
progressive country
Progressive country is a subgenre of country music developed in the early 1970s.''Cosmic Cowboys and New Hicks: The Countercultural Sounds of Austin's Progressive Country Music Scene'', Stimeling, Travis David.
History
In the late 1960s and earl ...
radio format
A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...
.
Licensed
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
to
Thorndale, Texas
Thorndale is a city in Milam County, Texas, with a small part in Williamson County. The population was 1,263 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1878 about 3 miles west of its present site, and moved to its current site in 1880.
History
Ant ...
, KOKE-FM serves the
Greater Austin
The Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos metropolitan statistical area (or Greater Austin) is a five-county metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Texas, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. The metropolitan area is situated in Ce ...
radio market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television station, television and radio broadcasting, ra ...
. The station is owned by Genuine Austin Radio, LP. The
transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...
site is located on County Road 470 in
Coupland, Texas. The studios and offices are along
Loop 360 in Southwest Austin.
KOKE-FM is also heard on an 80-
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
translator station
A broadcast relay station, also known as a satellite station, relay transmitter, broadcast translator (U.S.), re-broadcaster (Canada), repeater (two-way radio) or complementary station (Mexico), is a broadcast transmitter which repeats (or tran ...
, K253AN at 98.5 MHz in
Sunset Valley, Texas
Sunset Valley is a city in Travis County, Texas. The population was 749 at the time of the 2010 census. An enclave, it is surrounded on all sides by the city of Austin.
Geography
Sunset Valley is located at (30.225631, –97.816133), 5 mile ...
.
History
The Original 95.5 KOKE-FM
From a
Texas Monthly
''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. ''Texas Monthly'' was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy and has been published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. since 1998 and is ...
cover story (April 2012):
"In the summer of 1972,
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...
moved into Austin, just 6 months after KOKE-FM switched to its new format called Country Rock or the more politically correct term at the time "
progressive country
Progressive country is a subgenre of country music developed in the early 1970s.''Cosmic Cowboys and New Hicks: The Countercultural Sounds of Austin's Progressive Country Music Scene'', Stimeling, Travis David.
History
In the late 1960s and earl ...
." Country Radio would never be the same. From the Carter Family to the Rolling Stones, to Waylon and Willie, you could hear the music that Austinites were listening to on I-35 and on South Congress. In 1974 Billboard named KOKE-FM the most innovative station in the country."
KOKE-FM played a role in the careers of all the "outlaws"..Waylon, Willie and the boys lead the way with KOKE-FM to help promote some of the most iconic singer/songwriters of the time thanks to program director Joe Gracey. When Jerry Jeff Walker needed an audience to record "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother," he called KOKE-FM to get the crowd he needed.
One of the characteristics of a regional music business was that the players, operating out of the glare of the big media centers, often made their own rules. "Redneck Rock" was created by KOKE-FM where the "outlaws" played by their own rules. No one realized that what had started in that little studio on North Lamar would have such a profound effect on country music all across the world.
Joe Garcia has been the vanguard and proprietor of the KOKE call letters at its home in Giddings, Texas at AM 1600. Joe’s Hall Of Fame broadcasting lineage includes his father, Jose (Jaime) Garcia, who blazed the trail and set the standard for Hispanic and Tejano broadcasting in Texas.
"Austin's on Track, 'Cause KOKE-FM is Back"
On June 28, 2012, KLGO moved "The Word" to
KFON 1490 AM. Subsequently, 99.3 changed call letters to KOKE-FM and began
stunting with a live recording of
Dale Watson's "Country My Ass" played in a continuous loop, calculated on-air as being played 1,694 times, the most times a radio station has looped a song as a stunt since 1995. This example of stunting is notable for the station-specific nature of the song's lyrics. Watson re-recorded the song for the occasion, adding a new coda in which he sings, "Now Austin's on track, 'cause KOKE-FM's back."
On July 8, 2012, the
progressive country
Progressive country is a subgenre of country music developed in the early 1970s.''Cosmic Cowboys and New Hicks: The Countercultural Sounds of Austin's Progressive Country Music Scene'', Stimeling, Travis David.
History
In the late 1960s and earl ...
format pioneered in 1972 by the original KOKE-FM (now
KKMJ-FM
KKMJ-FM (95.5 MHz "Majic 95.5") is a commercial radio station in Austin, Texas. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an adult contemporary radio format. The station has studios and offices on Westbank Drive, off Loop 360, near Westlake High S ...
95.5) was resurrected on 99.3 FM and K253AN (98.5 FM).
Austin American-Statesman: "New, locally owned radio station with iconic call letters - KOKE-FM - to debut Sunday", July 3, 2012.
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On April 19, 2014, translator K287FG (105.3 FM) dropped its simulcast of KOKE-FM and became "105.3 The Fringe", a freeform Triple-A station.
References
External links
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{{coord, 30.490, N, 97.299, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title
OKE-FM
Radio stations established in 2002
2002 establishments in Texas