 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Lubbock metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 101.1MHz |
| Branding | Rock 101 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | December 1974 (1974-12) (as KTEZ) |
Former call signs | KTEZ (1974–1993) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 26519 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 269 meters (883 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
KONE (101.1MHz), known as "Rock 101", is aclassic rock formattedFM radio station serving theLubbock, Texas, and South Plains Area. Owned byConnoisseur Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC, its studios are located in south Lubbock on Avenue Q west ofI-27, and its transmitter is located south of the city.
This station previously held the call letters KTEZ when it aired aneasy listening format. It was founded in December 1974 by Troy Raymond "Ray" Moran (who would later found Ramar Communications.) It began with studios and transmitter in the former transmitter shack of KKBC-TV/KMXN-TV (predecessor ofKJTV-TV). Moran had worked in Lubbock in the 1950 and 1960s. He was part owner of radio stations inRoswell andAlbuquerque, New Mexico. Moran had engineer Guy D. Smith generate the technical filings for a new station on 101.1 (at the same time 102.5 was available; Moran sent a copy of his engineering to fellow broadcaster Jim Slone inTucson, Arizona, which would lead to the establishment ofKRUX). Studios moved to Suite 276 of the Plains National Bank building (Tower of the Plains) at 50th and University in 1977.
KTEZ was sold in 1983 toLotus Communications for $1,050,000. The proceeds helped Moran continue development of KJAA, now KJTV-TV. Lotus sold the station toNextMedia Group, who in turn sold it to Wilks Broadcasting. Wilks sold its Lubbock stations toAlpha Media for $23 million in 2015.[2]
Previous formats includedMusic of Your Life (ABCStardust),soft AC, andcountry. The call letters were changed to KONE in 1993 when KTEZ (K-LITE 101.1) changed formats to country. The format changed toclassic rock on November 21, 1999, under the Name "Rock 101.1". The "Rock 101.1" moniker changed to "101 The Beard" on the morning of March 12, 2020;[3] the last song played under the old format was "Hey You" byPink Floyd while the first song played under the "101 The Beard" name was "Even Flow" byPearl Jam.[4]
On March 11, 2022, KONE rebranded as "Rock 101".[5]
Alpha Media merged withConnoisseur Media on September 4, 2025.[6]
The Billy Madison Show is Rock 101's syndicated morning show.
Local air talent includesThe Man Made Radio Show (Afternoons 2-7p), and Dave Fernandez (Weekends).
The syndicated evening show isNights with Alice Cooper.
Rock 101.1 teams up withKBTE-FM every year to put together the Freedom Blood Drive which has happened since 2004. Rock 101.1 also partners up with charities around the South Plains to give donations. They have also worked with Parents of Soldiers around the world to give care packages.
33°26′31″N101°52′42″W / 33.4420°N 101.8782°W /33.4420; -101.8782