SUNNY 99.1 will mark its 30th ... or 60th ... or 75th anniversary in 2021, depending on how you look at things. In any case, the station is celebrating many decades as one of Houston's top music stations.
KODA history can be traced back some 75 years, when it first hit the airwaves on Christmas Eve 1946 as KPRC-FM. At the time, there were only about 30 FM stations in the entire U.S. and just four in Texas. Many FMs of the time were experimental. At first, KPRC-FM was only on the air 6-11 p.m., mostly carrying the same programs as its sister station, KPRC-AM. Both stations were owned by the daily newspaper, The Houston Post.
The station first broadcast at 99.7 FM but soon moved to 102.9. Then, in 1958, the station was sold to Taft Broadcasting, was renamed KHGM-FM and quickly moved to its now-familiar 99.1 dial position.
The station became known as KODA-FM around 60 years ago, on July 1, 1961.
Since the station played what the broadcast industry called "beautiful music," the call letters KODA were chosen as a reference to the musical term "coda," the bit at the end of a piece of music that brings it to a close. Here's a famous example that's about four minutes long:
Shortly after KODA-FM was established, KODA-AM went on the air at 1010, broadcasting only during daylight hours. KODA-FM simulcast KODA-AM during the day, and when the AM station ended broadcasts at sunset, KODA-FM continued its own programs until sunrise. Their easy listening sound - mostly instrumentals - was very popular, and both stations enjoyed high ratings through the 1960s and '70s.
Here's a 45-minute sample of various KODA broadcasts from the fall of 1964, including coverage by other Houston stations of the crash of the KODABIRD traffic helicopter.
In 1978, KODA-AM and FM were sold to Westinghouse Broadcasting, which quickly sold the AM station to another company. In 1989, KODA-FM was purchased by SFX Broadcasting which morphed into a company named AM/FM Inc. Then, 10 years later, Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) purchased KODA and began adding more vocals, reducing the instrumentals, and shifting the sound to soft adult contemporary.
Finally, "The All-New SUNNY 99.1" was born in February 1991 - 30 years ago.
Today, SUNNY's powerful 100,000 watts pump out an over-the-air signal that reaches as far as Beaumont, College Station and La Grange. But, of course these days, SUNNY can be heard around the world on the iHeartRadio app.
Fittingly, the station which first debuted on Christmas Eve 75 years ago is known today for being Houston's Official Christmas Music Station, offering non-stop holiday music for more than a month each year.
Some images: https://houstonradiohistory.blogspot.com/