I have lived in Phoenix at three different times in my adult life. Twice in the 1990's and then again from 2002 to '04. Each time I was able to enjoy my favorite Country Music from several different stations. KNIX is the oldest Country station in that market. It is also ranked #6 among all radio stations in metro Phoenix. The station has enjoyed higher ratings in the past, but increased competition within the Country radio format, the growth of other stations, and of course the changes in Country Music itself have all contributed to the slight fall. All this being said, KNIX is still a Country station, through thick and thin.
The on-air personalities at KNIX are a welcome breath of fresh air after listening to the juvenile stylings of the dj's at The Wolf. From their morning show with Ben and Matt throughout the entire day, KNIX's programming features great personalities that love country music. And the music? Real, pure, true COUNTRY MUSIC. Sure, they play plenty of the pop-ish "faux Country" songs that I have grown to hate, listening to "The Wolf". The difference here is that it's not forced, and the same songs are not played every hour. KNIX has a huge library of music and they play songs that go back some thirty years, all throughout the day. The Wolf plays a few classic songs during the 5am hour only.
The last time I was in Phoenix, KNIX was known as the "10 In A Row" station. Today the motto is "Your 20 In A Row Station". It's nice to hear such long sets of Country Music. New for 2011, the station is playing three straight hours of commercial free Country Music starting at 10:30am (9:30 Pacific Time). Another thing the station is doing (at press time) is giving away $1,000 every hour as part of a nationwide telephone contest with Clear Channel Communications.
So here's the deal. If you are not fortunate enough to live in the Phoenix area with a radio, there are a couple ways you can enjoy KNIX, anytime. On your computer you can listen to the station live via streaming audio at their website, http://www.knixcountry.com/main.html And if you have a smartphone, you can enjoy the station via the iheartradio application. This will give you the chance to listen to the station at home, work or anywhere you like.
KNIX has been on the scene for over 40 years. Most of that time has been as a Country Music station. The station was purchased by Country legend Buck Owens in 1968, and changed to the Country format shortly after. For several decades, the station's logo was a red, white and blue guitar, depicting the guitar that Buck Owens was famous for playing throughout his career. The guitar logo is no longer used, perhaps because Owens sold the stations to Clear Channel in the late 1990's.
KNIX has been widely recognized as one of the best Country Music stations in the United States. The station and it's on-air staff have received numerous awards from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music and other industry organizations since 1988. Thankfully, in an age where corporate interests force the constant changing of radio formats around the country, Clear Channel has kept KNIX a true Country Music station. It is my hope that the company will one day bring the KNIX format to the San Francisco market to bring REAL Country Music back to this area and force The Wolf to say goodbye to its ever-shrinking audience.
So if you want your Country Music without all of the gimmicks, hip-hop bumpers, and uninteresting, unappealing dj's who don't know about or care about Country Music, look no further than KNIX in Phoenix. Thanks to the internet and iheartradio, KNIX is once again my favorite radio station. I hope you will soon discover this station and enjoy it as much as I do.
Today's current KNIX logo
Original "Guitar Logo" for KNIX and it's former AM counterpart.
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