KIMN-AM

The 950 AM lineage in Denver began in 1923 as KFEL, founded by Gene O’Fallon and broadcasting from the Albany Hotel. KFEL became Denver’s second radio station and developed into a prominent locally owned outlet. By the early 1950s it operated on 950 AM with 5,000 watts daytime and was affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System.

In 1954 O’Fallon sold KFEL to Standard Examiner Publishing of Ogden, Utah. The new owners changed the call letters to KIMN. KIMN became one of Denver’s defining Top 40 stations, dominating youth-oriented radio for much of the next three decades and building a deep roster of local personalities, promotions and news features.

KIMN sponsored the Beatles’ August 26, 1964 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and became closely associated with Denver’s rock-and-roll era. The station also pioneered airborne traffic reporting in Denver with Don Martin’s Air Alert.

By the late 1980s KIMN evolved toward oldies. The historic 950 AM facility later passed through additional identities; the original KFEL/KIMN lineage survives today on 950 AM.

Lineage: KFEL → KIMN → later 950 AM identities.

Key early figure: Gene O’Fallon.

Sources and further reading

• Colorado Broadcasters Association, Gene O’Fallon biography — identifies KFEL’s 1923 founding, Albany Hotel operation, and eventual place at 950 AM.
• Broadcast Pioneers of Colorado, “Denver Radio” chronology — records the 1954 sale of KFEL, the KIMN call-sign change, and dated personnel and format history.
• Colorado Music Hall of Fame, “KIMN Radio” — documents KIMN’s Denver Top 40 era, personalities, Red Rocks/Beatles connection, traffic reporting, and the 1988 change to KYGO.

Catalog note: KFEL and KIMN are successive identities of the 950 AM facility; the page distinguishes that lineage from later use of KIMN on FM.