University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Biographical/Historical Sketch …………………………………………………… 2
Scope And Content …………………………………………………………………… 3
Series Notes …………………………………………………………………………… 3
Container List …………………………………………………………………… 4
MS274-Richard & Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection 1 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION
BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL SKETCH
Mentor, pioneer and raconteur of local radio, Richard J. Miller moved to St. Louis from Atlanta in 1958 and purchased his first station, the gospel/R&B-formatted KXLW-AM. In 1969 he added KADI-FM, a progressive rock station, to his local operations and subsequently bought stations in two other cities: WMAS-AM and WHVY-FM in Springfield, Massachusetts, and KWKI-FM Kansas City.
KWKI was initially established in 1958 as KCMK, first as a classical music station, then later primarily as a country station in the 1960s. In 1971 Miller, as president of Communication Funds Inc., purchased the station, and changed its call letters and programming. From 1971-1973 KWKI operated as a soul music station catering to the African-American market, before adopting a mainstream rock format in 1974. The frequency, 93.3 FM, endured – surviving a competitive local market and numerous format changes since the late 1970s, including religious, soft adult contemporary (KLSI “Classy 93”) and hot adult contemporary/Top 40 (KMXV “Mix 93”) programming.
Miller helped launch broadcast careers for numerous personalities and established the concept of weekly oldies shows on Sunday nights. He was one of the first to promote his stations using posters. Miller sold all his radio properties by the mid-1990s when he founded and became chairman of Truman Bank. He passed away December 28, 2012, at age 81.
Sources:
“Richard J. Miller.” St. Louis Media History Foundation. Frank Absher, 2012. Web. 23 Jun. 2015.
“KMXV.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia, 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2015.
MS274-Richard & Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection 2 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Richard and Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection was transferred in May 2015 to the UMKC Miller Nichols Library from Frank Absher, executive director of the St. Louis Media History Foundation. The bulk of the collection consists of company memos related to KWKI 93.3 FM Kansas City during its stint as a soul music radio station from 1971-73. Most of the memos originate from Richard J. Miller, president of the St. Louis-based parent company Communications Fund Inc. (CFI), which at the time owned four other radio stations: KXLW- AM and KADI-FM in St. Louis, and WMAS-AM and WHVY-FM in Springfield, Massachusetts. The memos provide a glimpse into the management style of Miller and CFI, as well as into the general operations of radio stations during the early 1970s. Rounding out the collection are miscellaneous promotional items including stickers, artwork, advertisements, surveys, mockups, t-shirts, hats, and a pin-back button – related to KWKI as well as KPRS Kansas City and WHVY.
SERIES NOTES
Series I: Company Memos This series consists of business correspondence between St. Louis-based parent company Communications Fund Inc. (CFI) and radio station staff at KWKI Kansas City. Most of the memos originate from CFI president Richard J. Miller and include handwritten (and occasionally typed) drafts stapled to the final memo. Material is arranged chronologically from 1971-1973, and is located in Box 1, Folders 1-16, and Box 2, Folders 1-6.
Series II: Miscellaneous This series consists of miscellaneous promotional items including stickers, artwork, advertisements, surveys, mockups, t-shirts, hats, and a pin-back button – related to KWKI as well as KPRS Kansas City and WHVY Springfield, Massachusetts. Material is located in Box 2, Folders 7 and 8, and Oversized Drawer #46.
MS274-Richard & Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection 3 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION Box Folder Description CONTAINER LIST
SERIES I: COMPANY MEMOS
Box Folder Description 1 1 1971 (FCC approval and station acquisition notices) 2 January-February 1972 3 March 1972 4 April 1972 5 May 1972 6 June 1972 7 July 1972 8 August 1972 9 September-October 1972 10 November 1972 11 December 1972 12 January 1973 13 February 1973 14 March 1-10, 1973 15 March 11-20, 1973 16 March 21-31, 1973 2 1 April-May 1973 2 June-July 1973 3 August-October 1973 4 November 1973 5 December 1973 6 No date
SERIES II: MISCELLANEOUS
Box Folder Description 2 7 KWKI Promotional Material Brochure: station-sponsored bus caravan to Bob Dylan concert in St. Louis, 1974 [copy 2 is cut up and matted to oversized foamcore – located in Oversized Drawer #46] Logo art, cardstock: “Naked Soul / KWKI / stereo 93.3” [copies 1-2: 8x4”] [copy 3: 42x21” – located in Oversized Drawer #46] Logo art, bumper sticker: “My radio listening enjoyment is insured by KWKI” Logo art, two bumper stickers adhered to paperboard display (top sticker: yellow lettering, black background; bottom sticker: black lettering, yellow background): “KWKI / Do The Rock 93” Ad, record survey cropped and adhered to paperboard display: KWKI’s 30 album picks of the week, as reported in Outasight Record Report, December 1, 1971
MS274-Richard & Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection 4 University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. Kenneth J. LaBudde Department of Special Collections NOT TO BE USED FOR PUBLICATION Box Folder Description Ad, full-page: “120 Minutes of Non-Stop Rock / 7 to 9pm Mon thru Sat / That’s not hard to beat. That’s impossible to beat! / KWKI The Top of the Rock in Kansas City / 70,000 Watts – 93 point 3 fm” Ad, full-page: “Answer this ad, and a salesman will call!” KWKI sales pitch for advertising targeted for the African-American market Ad, concert (1): Isaac Hayes, Municipal Auditorium, November 7, 1971 Ad, concert (2): Isaac Hayes, Municipal Auditorium, November 7, 1971 Ad, benefit event: KWKI Radio Station presents the Second Annual 24- hour Radio Marathon for Heart of America Boys’ Club, December 18-19, 1971 Promo sheet: statistical report of the city’s African-American community as it relates to KWKI’s targeted listening audience Promo sheet: coverage map for KWKI’s radio signal Pocket folder (empty): “The KWKI Story”
[Posterboard display featuring profiles of six station personnel: Bill Chapel, Tony Johnson, Moby Dick, Vaughn McCormack, Herb Anderson, Freddie Bell] located in Oversized Drawer #46
[Hats & pin-back button] located in Box 3
[T-shirts] located in Box 4
2 8 Other Ephemera Logo art, color-separated proofs: “The WHVY Experience 94.7 FM” Business cards: David Williams, General Manager, WHVY Press release: “The New KPRS, People Radio,” announcing the hiring of James E. Edwards as Executive Vice President / General Manager Interview/questionnaire: programming preferences of targeted listening audience Record survey, photocopy: Scenes, a radio and recording industry newsletter; includes record picks from Dell Rice, KPRS Kansas City, November 29, 1972
MS274-Richard & Mary Jane Miller (KWKI Radio) Collection 5