View source for KBPI

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{short description|Active rock radio station in Fort Collins, Colorado, United States}}
{{for|the airport in Sublette County, Wyoming, assigned the ICAO code KBPI|Miley Memorial Field}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = KBPI
| logo                = KBPI Radio Logo.png
| logo_size           = 150px
| city                = [[Fort Collins, Colorado]]
| area                = {{ubl|[[Northern Colorado]]|[[Cheyenne, Wyoming]]|[[Denver metropolitan area]]}}
| branding            = 107-9 KBPI
| frequency           = 107.9 [[Megahertz|MHz]] {{HD Radio}}
| translator          = {{Radio Relay|107.9|K300CP|[[Denver]], relays KDHT-HD2}}
| repeater            = {{Radio Relay|95.7|[[KDHT (FM)|KDHT-HD2]]|Denver}}
| airdate             = July 27, [[1975 in radio|1975]] (as KCOL-FM)
| format              = [[Active rock]]
| erp                 = 100,000 [[watt]]s
| haat                = {{convert|266|m|ft}}
| class               = C1
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id         = 68976
| coordinates         = {{nowrap|{{coord|40|53|41.6|N|105|11|51.3|W|region:US-CO_type:landmark_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}}}
| callsign_meaning    = Bill Pierson Incorporated (original owner and calls of current-day [[KALC]]; started on 105.9 FM)
| former_callsigns    = {{ubl|KCOL-FM (1979–1988)|KIMN (1988–1995)|[[KPAW]] (1995–2017)}}
| former_frequencies  =
| owner               = [[iHeartMedia]]
| licensee            = iHM Licenses, LLC
| sister_stations     = [[KCOL (AM)|KCOL]], [[KIIX (AM)|KIIX]], [[KOLT-FM]], [[KPAW]], [[KSME]], [[KXBG]], [[K235BT]], [[K246CI]], [[KBCO]], [[KHOW]], [[KDFD]], [[KOA (AM)|KOA]], [[KDHT (FM)|KDHT]], [[KRFX]], [[KTCL]], [[KWBL]]
| webcast             = [https://www.iheart.com/live/kbpi-373/ Listen Live]
| website             = {{URL|https://kbpi.iheart.com/}} 
}}

'''KBPI''' (107.9 [[FM broadcasting|FM]], "107-9 KBPI") is a [[commercial radio|commercial]] [[radio station]] [[city of license|licensed]] to [[Fort Collins, Colorado]]. It is owned by [[iHeartMedia]] and it broadcasts an [[active rock]] radio format.

KBPI's studios are located in [[Denver]] in the [[Denver Tech Center|Tech Center]]. In December 2017, iHeartMedia assembled a [[trimulcast]] of KBPI along the [[Interstate 25 in Colorado|Interstate 25 corridor]] on the 107.9 frequency, by moving KBPI's main signal to 107.9 in Fort Collins, as well as to translator station K300CP in Denver, and switching [[KBPL|KDZA]] in [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]]/[[Colorado Springs]] to a simulcast of KBPI.

==History==
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]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</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]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</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|rock]] 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."

Their comedic style was highlighted by a self-deprecating sense of humor, rather than "shock jock talk". The duo ridiculed the entertainment industry, regularly parodying movie and TV stars. One of their favorite routines was an ongoing spoof of [[soap opera]]s. They created their own ongoing series, whose titles were partially taken from the real shows that aired at the time: ''[[Edge of Night|Edge of]] [[Guiding Light|Guiding]] [[Days of Our Lives|Days of]] [[All My Children|My Children]] [[As the World Turns|Turning]] [[General Hospital|Hospital]]''. They also did commercials featuring "Whamco" products and promotions.

Don Hawkins died unexpectedly in November 1994, following a routine surgery. Steven B. Williams, who had become a nationally prominent voiceover artist for television stations and networks including [[Nick at Nite]] and moved to California, was found dead of a gunshot wound in May 2006 off [[Santa Catalina Island (California)|Catalina Island]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/former-denver-radio-personality-found-shot-to-death/73-344488119|title=Former Denver radio personality found shot to death|author=AP wire story|date=June 2, 2019|publisher=[[KUSA (TV)|KUSA]]|access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref> and a business associate who embezzled the inheritance of Williams's father was convicted of his murder in 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.westword.com/news/harvey-morrow-convicted-of-murdering-legendary-denver-dj-steven-b-williams-5839783|title=Harvey Morrow convicted of murdering legendary Denver DJ Steven B. Williams|last=Roberts|first=Michael|date=November 10, 2011|work=[[Westword]]|access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref>
[[Steve Cooper, who had also worked at KAZY in the late 70's and early 80's, also had a great run at KBPI beginning in 1984. Sadly, Steve passed away in 20.18 just as he was going back to work for 103.5 The Fox]]

On April 20, 1994, Chancellor Media moved KBPI to 106.7 FM, which had been the home of KAZY, its long-time rock competitor and a former sister station to [[KLZ]]-AM-[[KMGH|TV]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mills Moves |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-04-01.pdf |publisher=R&R |access-date=April 17, 2019 |date=April 1, 1994}}</ref> Notable DJs include Willie B., DMac, Marc Stout, Scoop, Missy, Uncle Nasty, Matt Need, Double A Ron, Dan, Tim Bourke, Eddie, Joe the Russian and B Lo.

===Move to 106.7===
106.7 FM signed the air on June 19, 1962, as KLZ-FM.<ref>[http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1963/B%20A-M%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201963.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 page B-29]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  At first it [[simulcast]] its AM counterpart KLZ, but in the early 1970s, it started airing a rock format. In 1977, KLZ-FM changed its [[call sign]] to [[KAZY]] (now at 93.7 [[FM broadcasting|FM]] in [[Cheyenne, Wyoming]]) and continued with a rock format until KBPI moved to the frequency on April 20, 1994 (105.9 would then flip to [[hot AC]] as [[KALC]]).

Dean and Rog hosted the KBPI Morning Show from 1991 to 1996.  They were known for features like "The Birthday Scam" and "Torture Tuesday", as well as other stunts. In 1996, the duo and two other station employees were charged with disorderly conduct for entering a [[mosque]] while playing "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" on a trumpet and trombone. This was in response to [[Denver Nuggets|Nuggets]] player [[Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf]]'s refusal to stand for the anthem before games.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E0D91439F937A15750C0A960958260 | work=The New York Times | title=Charges Are Filed In Mosque Incident | date=March 24, 1996 | access-date=May 7, 2010}}</ref>

After more than twenty years with a mainstream [[album rock]] format, KBPI shifted to [[active rock]] in late 1995, calling its new format "The New Music Revolution".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Vox Jox|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=October 14, 1995|volume=107|issue=41|page=79}}</ref>  At the time, KBPI had an [[alternative rock]] lean.  A few years later, KBPI would bring back the old slogan "Rocks the Rockies".

In 2007, the station was nominated for ''[[Radio & Records]]''{{'}} Industry Achievement Award for best active rock station in a top 25 market.<ref name="randrawards">{{cite news|title=2007 Industry Achievement Awards |date=September 28, 2008 |url=http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/con2007/awards/rockFinal.asp |work=Radio and Records |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517165802/http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/con2007/awards/rockFinal.asp |archive-date=May 17, 2008 }}</ref>

===Move to 107.9===
On July 27, 1975, 107.9 FM first signed on as KCOL-FM.<ref>[http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1980/C-1%20Radio%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201980.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1980 page C-35]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  It was the [[sister station]] to [[KIIX (AM)|KCOL (1410 AM)]].  KCOL-FM aired a [[beautiful music]] format.  In 1988, the station switched to a [[contemporary hit radio|Top 40]] format as KIMN, which were the call letters of a popular Top 40 station in Denver in past years.  The station took the call letters KPAW in 1995, at first keeping its Top 40 format, then moving to [[classic hits]] around 2000, and later to classic rock.

In December 2017, iHeartMedia launched a [[trimulcast]] of KBPI, utilizing the analog 107.9 frequency across several markets in the [[Interstate 25 in Colorado|Interstate 25 corridor]]. On December 5, the programming and call letters of classic rock KPAW, which targets Fort Collins and the [[Northern Front Range]], was moved to KYWY (92.9) in [[Cheyenne, Wyoming]] (which moved its [[adult contemporary]] format to [[KOLT-FM|KOLT-FM HD2]] (100.7-HD2) and translator station [[K246CI]] (97.1) four days prior).

On December 11, KBPI's programming and call letters then moved to the 107.9 frequency vacated by KPAW and co-channel Denver translator K300CP, while sister station [[KBPL|KDZA]] in [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]], which also serves [[Colorado Springs]], flipped to a simulcast of KBPI (and switched their calls to KBPL the following month). The previous 106.7 signal, which warehoused the KYWY call letters, simulcasted KBPI for a week before flipping to [[country music|country]] as [[KWBL]] on December 18, 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121387/iheart-begins-three-market-format-shuffle-cheyenne/|title=KBPI Moves To 107.9 As Three Station Trimulcast In Denver, Fort Collins & Colorado Springs|date=December 11, 2017|work=RadioInsight|access-date=December 11, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121851/iheartmedia-launches-106-7-bull-denver/|title=iHeartMedia Launches 106.7 The Bull Denver|date=December 18, 2017|work=RadioInsight|access-date=December 19, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> KBPL partially broke away from the trimulcast in January 2019, reintroducing local hosts in the afternoon and nighttime dayparts, and carrying a separate playlist.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-29 |title=iHeartMedia launches KBPI South |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174086/iheartmedia-launches-kbpi-south/ |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Radio Insight}}</ref>

===K300CP history===
The K300CP translator launched early as 2015 in as an FM translator of [[KOA (AM)|KOA]] (850) until November 1, 2015, when KOA was switched to the newly-acquired K231BQ (94.1). After a simulcast of [[Christmas music]] from the HD2 subchannel of [[KRFX]] (103.5) through the holidays, it began to translate the [[sports radio]] format of [[KDFD|KDSP]] (760)<ref>{{cite web |title=KOA Adds FM Simulcast; Christmas Debuts On 107.9 Denver |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/95001/iheart-acquires-smokin-94-1-denver/ |website=RadioInsight |date=November 1, 2015}}</ref> until December 11, 2017, when it converted to a simulcast of KDHT-HD2.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121387/iheart-begins-three-market-format-shuffle-cheyenne/|title=KBPI Moves To 107.9 As Three Station Trimulcast in Denver, Fort Collins & Colorado Springs|date=December 11, 2017|work=RadioInsight|access-date=December 11, 2017}}</ref> The translator is not owned by iHeartMedia, but the [[WAY-FM Network]] through their Hope Media Group licensing subsidiary.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://kbpi.iheart.com}}
{{FM station data|68976|KBPI}}
*{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=71407 |title= History Cards for KBPI|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}-->

{{Ft. Collins-Greeley Radio}}
{{Denver Radio}}
{{IHeartMedia}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Colorado|BPI]]
[[Category:Active rock radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1975]]
[[Category:IHeartMedia radio stations]]
[[Category:Mass media in Fort Collins, Colorado]]