Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Origin Story of Kelly 95: How My Name Became KLLY (and Why the Return Matters)
I’m Kelly Orchard, and I share the origin story behind “Kelly 95” as it returns to Bakersfield under new owners Danny and Kate Hill, while clarifying I don’t own the station. I explain how my dad—after building KVVQ in Victorville—secured the construction permit for the Oildale frequency in the early 1980s and, after discovering KELY was already taken, found KLLY available in a broadcast call-letter catalog, which is how “Kelly 95.3” was born from my joking suggestion to name it after me. I talk about the station’s launch, early photos, my limited role (some voice work and training traffic/billing), and that the first song played was “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters, correcting the year to 1984. I also reflect on nostalgia, grief over losing my dad and brother, disappointment when Alpha changed the branding, and the possibility I’ll record new liners for the relaunch.
00:00 Big News About Kelly 95
00:25 New Owners And Call Letters
01:03 How Kelly 95 Got Named
03:11 Finding KLLY In The Catalog
04:18 Relaunch Plans And Liners
06:02 Nostalgia Grief And Mood
08:37 Old Photos And First Song
09:51 Working The Station Back Then
11:11 The Original Kelly 95 Shirt
11:38 Welcome Back Bakersfield
Follow me links
🪑 The Courtyard (Substack – weekly writing):
kellyorchard.substack.com
🎥 All links, books, and projects:
https://linktr.ee/kellyorchard
📘 Flipping the Format on the Fear of Failure:
amazon.com/dp/B0FWYQH3M7
Get the APP!
licensed2bbadass.passion.io
The Origin Story of Kelly 95: How My Name Became KLLY (and Why the Return Matters)
I’m Kelly Orchard, and I share the origin story behind “Kelly 95” as it returns to Bakersfield under new owners Danny and Kate Hill, while clarifying I don’t own the station. I explain how my dad—after building KVVQ in Victorville—secured the construction permit for the Oildale frequency in the early 1980s and, after discovering KELY was already taken, found KLLY available in a broadcast call-letter catalog, which is how “Kelly 95.3” was born from my joking suggestion to name it after me. I talk about the station’s launch, early photos, my limited role (some voice work and training traffic/billing), and that the first song played was “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters, correcting the year to 1984. I also reflect on nostalgia, grief over losing my dad and brother, disappointment when Alpha changed the branding, and the possibility I’ll record new liners for the relaunch.
00:00 Big News About Kelly 95
00:25 New Owners And Call Letters
01:03 How Kelly 95 Got Named
03:11 Finding KLLY In The Catalog
04:18 Relaunch Plans And Liners
06:02 Nostalgia Grief And Mood
08:37 Old Photos And First Song
09:51 Working The Station Back Then
11:11 The Original Kelly 95 Shirt
11:38 Welcome Back Bakersfield
Follow me links
🪑 The Courtyard (Substack – weekly writing):
kellyorchard.substack.com
🎥 All links, books, and projects:
https://linktr.ee/kellyorchard
📘 Flipping the Format on the Fear of Failure:
amazon.com/dp/B0FWYQH3M7
Get the APP!
licensed2bbadass.passion.io
