How An Austin Radio broadcast Assisted sting and The Police On the map

In 2016, Sting was a guest on The Howard Stern Show, where he shared the origin of his stage name and the inspiration behind The Police's hit "Roxanne." Additionally, he spoke about an Austin radio station that played a pivotal role in popularizing the song. 

Sting recounted to Stern how, while in Paris with the band, staying at a budget motel in a questionable neighborhood, he encountered prostitutes for the first time. Fascinated, he imagined one in his room, who he named Roxanne. The song was released as a single in England by A&M Records. According to Sting, KLBJ began airing the song, leading to its viral success. He recalled that the station was owned by Lady Bird Johnson at the time. Sting reminisced about touring America, hearing "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits and "Roxanne" by The Police on the radio. The Instagram post from the Howard Stern Show captures this interview. For context, the Johnson family launched Austin's first TV station, KTBC, in 1952, and its FM station in 1960. KTBC-FM adopted a Freeform Rock format in 1972, changing its call letters to KLBJ-FM. "Roxanne" was released in 1978. After President Johnson's death in 1973, the Johnsons sold KTBC-TV to Times Mirror Company, retaining the KTBC call sign for the TV station, while the radio stations were renamed KLBJ AM-FM. These stations changed ownership twice in the following two decades and are now under Sinclair Telecable Inc., known as Waterloo Media. KTBC is now FOX 7. For more on Austin's entertainment scene, explore further.