I love when serendipity happens! This morning while reading, I came across a pointer to an interview of veteran rock music journalist Ben Fong-Torres on our local InMenlo blog (here’s the interview on YouTube). After seeing that article I listened to the discussion and that brought back a flood of memories from my high school and college days listening to AM and FM radio in the Bay Area.
One of the most unexpected memories that surfaced involved the local development of FM radio, particularly the pioneering work of James Gabbert. As I recall, Gabbert, an electrical engineering student at Stanford, secured a license in 1957 for an FM station based in Atherton, CA, with the callsign KPEN (PEN = Peninsula).
According to Wikipedia, “KPEN debuted on October 27, 1957, with a 1,500-watt transmitter on Kings Mountain in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Notably, the station prioritized high audio quality, unlike other FM stations at the time. Its programming featured orchestral pop music during the day, transitioning to lighter “dinner music” in the early evening and classical music after 8 PM. Gabbert and his colleague Gary Gielow later hosted “Excursions in Sound,” a showcase for high-fidelity recordings that leveraged the station’s exceptional broadcast signal.”
KPEN’s transmitter was later relocated to San Bruno Mountain, and its power increased to 125,000 watts, among the highest of any FM transmitter in the US. In 1961, KPEN became the first FM station west of the Mississippi to broadcast in FM multiplex stereo, further solidifying its commitment to high audio quality.
During the evening “Excursions in Sound” program, Gabbert loved to feature recordings that demonstrated the stereo capabilities of FM multiplex, which brings me back to the memory triggered by Ben Fong-Torres’ interview. That memory involves a recording titled “Steam Railroading under Thundering Skies,” which featured the sounds of rain, lightning, and thunder, accompanied by the haunting whistle of a steam locomotive and the rhythmic clickety-clack of its wheels rolling through a forest on a dark night. Before he played it, Gabbert would often caution listeners to be mindful of their audio systems, as the dramatic effects in this recording could potentially damage their speakers if played too loudly!
Curious, I searched for the recording and found it on Apple Music (there appear to be other copies on YouTube). Listening to the first track of this recording transported me back to those early days of FM stereo and the significant role Gabbert and KPEN played in bringing it to life in the San Francisco area. Good memories!
Ben’s interview triggered a flood of other memories about Bay Area radio such that and I’ve been busy making more notes on things that he’s brought to my mind. I’ve started a note on the subject and the more I add to the note, the more memories get triggered in my mind. I look forward to sharing more of those memories once I’ve had a chance to further reflect on them!