HISTORY OF THE BIG ISLAND'S KIPA 620 Ivan Badget The history of the Big Island's KIPA AM 620 Wed May 9 20:45:03 2001 Now that Original Hits KUMU AM 1500 is featuring their own adult standards, I'd like to talk about the history of the Big Island's KIPA AM 620, which is the station that used to feature their own adult standards. When I first moved to Hawaii in 1990, KIPA AM 620 was featuring adult standards from the ABC Stardust satellite network. Around 1995, KIPA AM 620 dropped the satellite-fed adult standards format and started featuring their own live and local adult standards. In late 1999, KIPA AM 620 shifted to a rock 'n' roll oldies format. In early 2000, KIPA AM 620 switched to the ABC Memories (ex-Lite 2000) soft AC format. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- mel Re: The history of the Big Island's KIPA AM 620 Thu May 10 00:38:53 2001 A long time ago when I used to live on the Big island in the 1960s and 1970s, KIPA was for the longest time a "beautiful music" station. This was when they were at 1110 on the AM dial in Hilo and competed with only KHLO (which used to have another set of call letters, but I can't remember now) 850 and KPUA at 970 on the AM dial. In those days there were no FM stations on the Big island. Around 1972 or so, KIPA changed frequencies to its present 620 spot on the AM dial and made a slight change in their format... playing mostly beautiful music during the weekdays and weekends. However on weeknights, they had a progressive rock radio show (read AOR or whatever they used to call it back then) from 7 to midnight with a guy named "Thor". Anyone from Hilo remember him? Anyway, that show ROCKED for several years, but I think by the early or mid 1980s it disappeared. It was also during the 1980s that Mel Medeiros aka "Mynah Bird," Hilo's longtime answer to Aku moved from KPUA to KIPA. He has pretty much owned the morning slot at that station for years.. and possibly owns the timeslot in Hilo from 6 to 10 am. I know a lot of people in Hilo and elsewhere on the Big Island listen to Mynah Bird.... Anyway this takes it up to Ivan's arrival in 1990, from where he has a fairly accurate history of the station since. Oh yeah, I forget the lady's name, but KIPA also features one of the longest running Japanese radio programs in Hawaii early in the weekday mornings... I don't know if it is still on.. Charles.. help!!!! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Erika Engle KIPA Hilo Thu May 10 11:26:36 2001 If I remember correctly, the Japanese lady's name is Lillian Okano. KPUA also had a lady that did a Japanese language show. As a former employee of KIPA (and KPUA), I remember some other stuff, circa 1978 or 79. Thor rocked! They also had a jazz show by Brad Freeman (B-Free, we used to call him); Lehua Pekelo hosted the Hawaiian music show, which even then was voice-tracked as she and Nalani McCabe also did the news on the station under the guidance of Ops Director Bill Carnett - one of the nicest men in broadcasting. Lehua later went on to work at KITV, then at Bank of Hawaii, I think. Nalani McCabe-Manning did news at KAIM for awhile in the early 80s. Hugh Gordon Sr. was the GM, his wife (I forget her name) was the receptionist and traffic director; and their son Buddy did sales. Buddy's GM now and runs a few stations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Anonymous Lehua Pekelo Thu May 10 14:53:23 2001 Lehua also did a news stint at KKUA and I think KIKI. What's she doing now? .