In July 1965, the father-son team of Loren and Terry W. Denbrook, doing business as Denbrook Enterprises, was granted a Federal Communications Commissionconstruction permit to build an FM station in Spokane on 105.7 MHz using the call sign KTWD. KTWD signed on the air on February 23, 1966. The station's transmitter and studio were located on 610 West Garland Avenue in Spokane and the station played popular music. KTWD was Spokane's first FM-only commercial station, not co-owned with an AM station. It was also Spokane's first FM stereo station. Terry Denbrook served as the station's chief engineer and station manager. The call letters were Terry W. Denbrook's initials.
KEZE-FM
In 1970, Denbrook Enterprises sold the station to Bellevue Broadcasters, which changed the format to easy listening and the call letters to KEZE-FM. The station used the identification "KEZE, E-Z listening." It was paired with KEZE, which adopted a simulcast of the FM station's beautiful music sound. In 1979, Great American Broadcasting acquired KEZE, switching it to KCKO, airing a middle of the road format. KEZE-FM was acquired by Kaye-Smith Enterprises. Kaye-Smith already owned Top 40AM 790KJRB, so the FM station flipped to a format that would also bring in young listeners, album-oriented rock. KEZE called itself "Rock 106 - Spokane's Best Rock." In 1989, KJRB and KEZE were acquired by Apollo Broadcasting. Under Apollo, KEZE leaned more toward active rock, with plenty of harder-edged rock acts on its playlist.
On October 20, 1995, the station flipped to Adult Album Alternative as KAEP "105.7 The Peak." The former album rock format and KEZE call letters returned to the FM dial at 96.9 on March 4, 1996. In 2003, 105.7 shifted to active rock, becoming "105.7 The Buzzard" KZBD. In 2008, the station switched back to "105.7 The Peak", but with an alternative rock format instead of AAA. It was also the Spokane home of two syndicated shows, "The Bob & Tom Show" in AM drive time and "Loveline" at night.
Now 105.7 FM
On May 19, 2010, KZBD flipped to a Top 40/CHR format, branded as "Now 105.7 FM." This marked the first time since 2005 that Spokane had a full-powered Top 40/CHR format since 92.9 KZZU flipped to Adult Top 40. The station added Elvis Duran's syndicated morning show to its lineup on May 24, 2010. Middays featured On Air with Ryan Seacrest, which was added the day of the switch. DJ Kowax hosted afternoons and B-Mega was heard in nights, both local and live. When 96.1 KIXZ flipped to Top 40/CHR in March 2012, it picked up the Elvis Duran and Ryan Seacrest's shows. Both programs were owned by Clear Channel Communications, which also owned KIXZ. On May 8, 2014, KZBD once again became Spokane's only Top 40/CHR when KIXZ returned to country music and has since switched to alternativeKFOO-FM. Elvis Duran returned to KZBD mornings when it no longer was airing on 96.1. In October 2019, the station was sold to Stephens Media Group after it acquired most of the properties of former owner Mapleton Communications.
