This station signed on the air on April 27, 1979; 45 years ago (April 27, 1979). The original call sign was KFMG and it aired an album oriented rock (AOR) format programmed by Frank Felix. KFMG featured a tight playlist of about 250 titles, the most popular researched songs. Felix wanted to create a more mass appeal rock sound as proven by the success of 106.7 KBPI in Denver.[2]
Rock programmer Carey Curelop later assumed program director duties. The station became the top rated station among its target audience.[3] KFMG, branded as "Rock 108", continued to be one of Albuquerque's top rock stations for much of the 1980s.[4]
In May 1985, KFMG and its AM sister station KAMX 1520 were sold to Coastal Communications for $2,125,000.[5] By the end of the 1980s, KFMG experienced declining ratings falling further behind rival KZRR "94 Rock". In 1990, it faced a new competitor, KRBL 98.5 (now KABG). KRBL edged past KFMG in the Fall 1990 Arbitron ratings.[6]
KAMX-FM
In early March 1991, KFMG flipped to a hot adult contemporary format with most of the rock airstaff let go.[7] With the switch to Hot AC, the station changed its call letters to KAMX-FM, branded as "Mix 107.9".
Mix was not be a strong performer in the market. In June 1994, Coastal Communications sold KAMX-AM-FM to Bengal Communications for $750,000. Bengal also purchased easy listening outlet KKJY 100.3 (now KPEK) for $1.5 million.[8] On October 17, 1994, KAMX-FM began stunting with a gag format made up of sound effects.
KTEG
On October 19 at 5pm, KAMX-FM switched to modern rock.[9] Meanwhile, KAMX 1520 discontinued its simulcast.[10] A month later, the FM station's call letters changed to KTEG and it branded as "107.9 The Edge, Albuquerque's New Rock Alternative." The new format quickly improved ratings for the station, putting in the top 10 while becoming the leading rock station in the market for a while.[11]
In March 1996, Bengal sold KTEG, KDZZ 1520 and KHTZ 100.3 to Trumper Communications for $7.4 million.[12] In June of that year, Trumper also purchased KZRR 94.1 and AM simulcast KZSS 610, along with classic rock outlet KLSK 104.1.[13] While KTEG's modern rock sound was unchanged, KZRR shifted to a mainstream rock format. In addition, Trumper flipped 100.3 to a modern adult contemporary format. That consequentially created fragmentation in the alternative format.
KBQI
In August 1999, Trumper sold its the Albuquerque cluster (which now included 95.1 added earlier in the year). The buyer was San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications and the price tag was $55.5 million.[14]
After entering the Albuquerque radio market, Clear Channel decided to challenge the top-rated station country station, 92.3 KRST. It launched a new country sound on 107.9 FM. In July 2000, KTEG was moved to 104.7 (recently purchased from Continental Communications) to make way for a new station on 107.9 FM, KBQI.[15]
KBQI took its branding, "Big I 107-9", from the I-40 and I-25 interchange near downtown Albuquerque that is locally known as "the Big I". At the time of the station's launch, the "Big I" was at the start of a major reconstruction project which finished in May 2002.
To kick off the country music format, former 92.3 KRST morning personalities Tony Lynn and Myles Copeland began hosting the morning shift on KBQI. This helped to make KBQI competitive with KRST, which had once dominated the country format in the Albuquerque market. Tony and Myles were the wake-up team for 11 years until they were let go in October 2011.[16] They were replaced by the syndicated Bobby Bones Show, which airs on most iHeart country stations.
HD Radio
In February 2006, the station began broadcasting in the HD Radio format. On its HD-2 digital subchannel, it launched a country variety sound.
On June 21, 2013, the HD-2 subchannel started airing a classic country music format. The classic country sound began re-broadcasting on FM translatorK251AU at 98.1 FM.[17][18]
