The 1990s are a turbulent time for KINK. New owners and a new program director take over. KINK Live begins along with the birth of the KINK Live Performance Lounge.
1990 Lacy Turner joins the KINK team in 1990 as mid-day host.
In 1990 KINK artists Curtis Salgado and Robert Cray contribute to a couple of TV commericals for KINK. View them in the player to the right and check out Curtis' hair!
1991 In 1991 Mike Rich starts as Morning Show co-host along side Les Sarnoff. Mike Rich will go on to write movie scripts such as Finding Forester and The Nativity Story.
That same year KINK releases Lights Out III on CD and cassette. Lights Out III raises $176,000 for Oregon Food Bank - the largest single corporate donation ever received by Oregon Food Bank.
“It’s phenomenal how fast Lights Out III has moved. Our goal was too raise $150,000 for Oregon Food Bank from this one recording, and we’re thrilled we met and surpassed our goal in just 4 months.” - Carl Widing (Program Director). The $176,000 donation translated into a 3-5 day supply of emergency food for 60,000 families.
In 1991 KINK artist David Sanborne stars in a KINK TV commercial. View it in the player to the right.
1992 In 1992 KING Broadcasting sells KINK fm 102 to Embarcadero Media for 11 Million Dollars.
Also in 1992 KINK releases three commercials starring Bruce Cockburn, Grover Washington and Kenny Logins. View them in the player to the right.
1993
On December 25, 1993 Lights Out IV is released on CD and cassette to celebrate KINK’s 25th year of being “True to the Music.” Lights Out IV raises over $300,000 for the Oregon Food Bank.
In 1994 KINK creates a couple of television ads starring robots made from radio parts. View them in the player to the right.
1995 Lights Out V debuts on November 6, 1995 at 8pm on KINK’s Album Review Program and is played in its entirety.
1995 KINK produces three more TV commercials using the music from different KINK artists. View them in the player at the top of the page.
1996
On October 1, 1996 KINK is sold by Embarcadero Media to EXCL Communications a California based Spanish language broadcasting company.
That same year KINK becomes the first radio station in Portland to go “On-Line” as www.kinkfm102.com with David Schult as KINK’s first webmaster. Click here to see what our first webpage looked like. We have come a long way since those days. Sean Marten remembers discussing this new thing called “the internet” with David Schult. Listen as Sean remembers back.
Also in 1996 Cindy Hanson comes back to KINK to replace Lacy Turner, as Lacy travels the globe.
1997 EXCL Communications sells KINK to American Radio Systems. Then, on Friday, September 19, 1997 American Radio Systems sells KINK to Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Westinghouse Electric also owns CBS Radio. This sale is a direct result of the F.C.C. deregulation of the broadcast industry, which makes it possible for one company to own up to eight radio stations in Portland.
Dennis Constantine joins KINK in 1997 replacing Carl Widing as Program Director. Dennis comes from KBCO in Denver. Dennis is pictured right with KINK on-air staff circa 1997.
Dennis hires B.A. (Bob Ancheta) in 1997 and starts KINK’s Sunday Night Blues Show replacing the long running Sunday Night Jazz Show.
In 1997 the KINK Live Performance Lounge is born. Originally bands played in KINK’s Studio A, a small room with no audience. Soon after, the KINK LPL was formed with musicians performing in front of a live audience in KGW’s atrium down the hall from KINK. In 2000 the LPL, with Volkswagen as the original sponsor, is moved to its current location at KINK. The space is previously occupied by KTOK 620 AM.
Admist all the craziness of 1997 KINK releases Lights Out VI.
1998 KINK turns 30! To celebrate KINK releases KINK Live 1 on CD. This CD is put together with live recordings from artists that played at KINK. All proceeds from KINK Live benefit the Portland Public Schools Foundation, a non-profit independent advocate for public schools. Money raised from KINK Live was targeted specifically to fund music programs, enabling local schools as a means of offering quality music education to more students. KINK holds a concert at Pioneer Courthouse Square to celebrate the release of KINK Live 1.
In 1998 KINK also launches its first Holiday Benefit Concert to benefit the Oregon Food Bank featuring Willie Nelson, Keb’ Mo’, John Hiatt and Susan Tedeschi.
Candace Gonzales takes over as Marketing Director and Lacy Turner returns from her journeys as Public Relations and Webmaster.
Also in 1998, KINK produces the "Don’t Wanna Grow Up" campaign starring KINK artists Bruce Hornsby, Craig Corothers, Jann Arden, Jonatha Brooke and McKinley. View them in the player at the top of the page.
1999 Denny Dent comes to Portland in 1999 for the Portland Art Fair. While here he paints a picture for KINK that, to this day, still hangs in the KINK Live Performance Lounge (pictured right).
*If you don’t know who Denny Dent is watch his story in the player at the top of the page. He was a brilliant artist who left us too soon.
Kink also hosts the second Holiday Benefit Concert featuring William Topley, Karla Bonoff, Randy Newman and Catie Curtis.
In 1999 KINK Live 2 is released. The success of KINK Live I made it clear that there was a demand for KINK to share the unique musical events that occur on our airwaves. All proceeds were donated to the Portland Public Schools Foundation/First Octave. First Octave used the funds raised to finance critically needed music programs that were cut from school budgets. KINK holds a concert at Pioneer Courthouse Square to celebrate the release of KINK Live 2.
Also in 1999 KINK hosts a 30th Anniversary Concert featuring Chris Isaak, Sonia Dada, Jonatha Brooke, Neil Finn and Shawn Mullins.
With the end of 1999 comes the end of a millenium. 9/11 is only a couple years away, Global Warming becomes a hot topic and war will rage in the Middle East. America will soon find itself in the midst of a recession and gas will reach $4 or more. What is in store for KINK? Let's find out
1999
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