KJEE (92.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Montecito, California, United States, andserves the Santa Barbara area. The station is owned by James Evans under the name of licensee Montecito FM, Inc. and airs a modern rock format.

History

KJEE signed on in March 1994 with a modern rock format. Initially, owner James Evans stunted with a variety of formats by playing a different artist each day, eventually choosing to satisfy the unmet demand for alternative rock in the Santa Barbara radio market. During its first few months in operation, KJEE aired with few commercials and did no formal marketing, instead building its audience by appearing at selected local events and through word of mouth. In the Spring 1994 Arbitron ratings report, the first one in which the station appears, KJEE earned a share of 5.6 in the 12+ group in the market and ranked number one among adults 18–34.

Evans hired only three employees to launch KJEE. Original general manager Eddie Gutierrez sold advertising and planned promotions. Programming director/marketing director Heather Luke made all on-air announcements; assistant PD/assistant MD Deanne Saffran reported on local traffic, answered the station's phones, and voiced commercials. All four staff members also worked regular on-air shifts, pre-recording their material at first. Luke departed in June 1995, and Gutierrez and Saffran assumed her PD and MD duties, respectively. In September 1995, KHTY morning personality Ricky Suave joined KJEE as its new APD, hosting the same time slot.

Concerts

Since 2004, KJEE has sponsored an annual series of concerts in the Santa Barbara and Ventura areas featuring alternative rock artists, some of whom originate from the station's listening area.

Bands listed in reverse order of night's performance. Headlining act in bold.

DateEventVenueCityLineup
Tuesday, June 18, 200410th Anniversary BashSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, California311, The Ataris, Lit, MxPx
Saturday, June 11, 2005Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaJimmy Eat World, Hot Hot Heat, Rise Against, The Bravery, Pinback, Pepper, Tegan and Sara, Mad Caddies
Sunday, June 11, 2006Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaThe Strokes, Franz Ferdinand, Yellowcard, Panic! At The Disco, She Wants Revenge, Hard-Fi
Monday, December 11, 2006Winter Round-UpArlington TheaterSanta Barbara, CaliforniaJet, Angels & Airwaves, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Timmy Curran (Local Favorite)
Friday, June 8, 2007Seaside Beach BallVentura County FairgroundsVentura, CaliforniaChris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age, Sum 41, The Bravery, Silversun Pickups, Shiny Toy Guns, Cold War Kids, Plain White T's
Sunday, May 18, 2008The Return Of The Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaThe Offspring, Pennywise, Everlast, Flobots, The Whigs, Rebelution
Sunday, May 17, 2009Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaKings of Leon, The Airborne Toxic Event, Far, Iration, White Lies
Saturday, June 12, 2010Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaSublime with Rome, Iration, The Dirty Heads, Cage The Elephant, Dead Country, PSUPERBRAIN
Friday, June 3, 2011Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaCage the Elephant, Lykke Li, Manchester Orchestra, Peter Bjorn and John, Foster the People, Sleeper Agent
Friday, June 1, 2012Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaSilversun Pickups, Garbage, The Naked and Famous, Grouplove
Monday, December 10, 2012Winter Round-UpArlington TheaterSanta Barbara, CaliforniaMetric, Tegan and Sara, Youngblood Hawke, Beware of Darkness
Wednesday, September 18, 2013Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaBlink-182, New Beat Fund, New Politics, Atlas Genius
Thursday, May 15, 2014Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, California311, Young the Giant, Birds of Tokyo, Big Data
Sunday, May 17, 2015Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaOf Monsters and Men, Walk the Moon, Banks, Family of the Year, The Blues and Greys
Friday, June 3, 2016Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaIration, Fitz and the Tantrums, The Strumbellas, Wolfmother, Fmlybnd
Saturday, June 10, 2017Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaEmpire of the Sun, Bishop Biggs, Judah & the Lion, Soul Majestic
Friday, May 11, 2018Summer Round-UpSanta Barbara BowlSanta Barbara, CaliforniaDirty Heads, Cold War Kids, Awolnation, Law, Dante Elephante

External links

  • in the FCC Licensing and Management System
  • in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

34°27′58″N 119°40′41″W/34.466°N 119.678°W/ 34.466; -119.678