96.9 FM was brought on the air in 1975 as KMRJ by Jim Harbart. At it's inception it was an adult contemporary station on Quincy Street in Pittsburg.
In 1982, the station was sold to John David and Richard Chegwin who turned KMRJ into a rock formatted station, and changed the call letters to KDBQ.
Owenership changed hands again, one year later, when Tim Menowski took ownership and branded the station "Quick Rock".
Then in 1985, the station was purchased by it's current owner American Media Investments. The studios were moved to Joplin, MO.
The station continued with a Rock format until the studios were moved to their current location outside of Pittsburg.
In 1989, KDBQ changed it's call letters, format and name to "Hot Country" 96.9 KKOW-FM. In 1992, "Hot Country" 96.9 adopted the "Kow" moniker that it still holds to this day.
