KXRX

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title: "KXRX" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["radio-stations-in-washington-(state)", "walla-walla,-washington", "townsquare-media-radio-stations"] topic_path: "general/radio-stations-in-washington-state" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KXRX" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

Field	Value
name	KXRX
city	Walla Walla, Washington
area	Tri-Cities, Washington
branding	97 Rock
frequency	97.1 MHz
airdate	July 4, 1984 (as KAFR-FM)
format	Mainstream rock
erp	100,000 watts
haat	405 meters
class	C0
facility_id	16727
coordinates
former_callsigns	KAFR-FM (07/04/84-08/03/89)
KNSN (08/03/89-11/18/94)
affiliations	Compass Media Networks
Westwood One
owner	Townsquare Media
licensee	Townsquare License, LLC
sister_stations	KEYW, KFLD, KONA, KONA-FM, KORD-FM, KZHR
webcast	Listen Live
website	97rockonline.com
licensing_authority	FCC
::

KXRX (97.1 FM) is the call sign of the radio station 97 Rock based in Pasco, Washington. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. The call letters are based on the former KXRX/Seattle—a major rock radio station active in Seattle from 1987-1994 on 96.5 FM and now known as The X KXRX, an internet only active rock station.

KXRX's relatively short tenure in the Seattle market was a momentous one, with "The X" establishing itself as one of the first major radio stations to play "grunge," a wave of popular music originating in the Pacific Northwest and soon spanning the globe. The station helped launch the careers of groups such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, and featured a high-profile corps of deejays that included Mike West, Robin Erickson, John Maynard, and British-born Norman B. (Batley), who introduced listeners to "Seattle Blues," a Sunday night show that drew a large and devoted following.

Bart Becker of Seattle Weekly wrote that Norman B. was "stirring up the Sunday night radio waves" and "breaking the sound barrier." Prompted by the success of "Seattle Blues," KXRX unveiled a new weekly new music show hosted by Norman B. called, "The Xtra Hour."

After seven years of "feisty, personality-oriented album rock," KXRX was sold by Shamrock Broadcasting to Alliance Broadcasting.

The call letters KXRX were at one time assigned to an AM station in San Jose, California, during the 1940s, 1950s and very early 1960s. It played music which would be considered MOR today, artists at the time like Frank Sinatra, Patti Page, etc. When rock music really took off in the late 1950s, KXRX later changed its format to all news, before finally going off the air.

The station runs syndicated shows The Bob & Tom Show and Loudwire.

References

"Seattle Blues," Jim Kelton, Everett Herald, November 18, 1988
"Stirring Up Sunday Night Radio Waves: "Radio Rebel, Opinionated FM Deejay Norman B Breaks the Sound Barrier," Bart Becker, April 5, 1989
"X-tra, X-tra, Read All About It," Seattle Weekly, February 22, 1989
"KXRX Begins a Slow Fade As Top DJs Bid Farewell," Chuck Taylor, Seattle Times, May 27, 1994
"KXRX San Jose On Air At 1550 kc, Fulltime".
"97 Rock: The Columbia Basin's Rock Station".

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