KCOE (AM)
| City | Bend, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Bend, Oregon |
| Frequency | 940 kHz |
| First air date | February 4, 1960 (as KGRL) |
| Format | Silent |
| Power | 10,000 watts (day) 60 watts (night) |
| Class | D |
| Facility ID | 49914 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 44°04′47″N 121°16′59″W / 44.07972°N 121.28306°W |
| Former callsigns | KGRL (1960-1994) KXUX (1994-2000) KMGX (2000) KICE (2000-2017) |
| Owner | Gross Communications |
KCOE (940 AM) is a commercial radio station in Bend, Oregon, broadcasting on 940 AM.
KICE radio was originally (on 100.7 FM, now KMGX) a beautiful music station located in Bend, Oregon. Around 1980, in the height of the Urban Cowboy craze, KICE changed formats to 'Outlaw Country' playing such artists as: The Outlaws, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Willie and Waylon and Jerry Jeff Walker. KICE also included many traditional artists such as Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard and the Sons of the Pioneers at a time when most more commercial stations were playing more mainstream country acts.
Along with the unique country format, KICE touted an 'I'd rather be in Central Oregon' theme and concentrated on Central Oregon news and music events. KICE announcers were known as the 'Radio Rangers' who sponsored many country music events. Some best known KICE DJs were 'Rowdy Roy' Larson, 'Maverick Mark' Robbins, "Lightning Lady" Linda Evans, 'Magnum' Mike Slater, Matt James, along with newsman R.L. Garrigus. KICE radio remained popular in the Central Oregon radio ratings until the station was sold in the late 1990s.
On March 23, 2017, the KICE call letters moved to 94.9 FM Terrebonne, formerly KCOE.
940 AM signed on the air in 1960 as KGRL and aired a top 40 format in the 1970s. In 1994, the station changed its call letters to KXUX and aired an adult standards format. In 2000, it changed its call letters to KICE and began airing its current sports format. On March 23, 2017, KICE changed their call letters to KCOE.
It was announced that the 940 AM frequency, after 58 years of broadcasting, will be going dark on March 31, 2017 following the sale of its tower site; the sports format will continue on KICE 94.9 FM Terrebonne.
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