107.5 the Oasis - Dallas' Smoothest Era
Some of you may not be aware, but from 1987 to 2006, Dallas was the sexiest place on Earth—led by the sexiest radio station on Earth. Throughout those decades, many remarkable radio stations and hosts graced ears all around the Metroplex, including The Edge, The Ticket, KNTU, and Kidd Kraddick in the Morning (RIP). While all these stations and their shows were regarded as world-class entertainment, none of them could quite reach that velvety, Barry White-esque aesthetic quite like 107.5 The Oasis.
The Oasis was Dallas’ smooth jazz station that had a 30-ish year run on FM radio. Not only did it run a great catalog during the golden era of smooth jazz, but it embodied the spirit of the genre. Smooth jazz took the country by storm in the '80s and '90s, and while there were some great smooth jazz radio stations around the country, I think a good case can be made for why Dallas' own 107.5 FM is among the pantheon of the best in history. Let's dig in.
The Music of The Oasis
It’s hard to overstate the tragedy of driving down I-35 at night and NOT having the option to turn on a radio station playing Dave Koz on repeat. Jazz superstars like Sade, Luther Vandross, Kenny G, and Gota graced those airwaves. Personally, Everette Harp was one of my favorites because his music reminded me of the Weather Channel.
While it might be easier now to listen to a specific song, artist, or genre on platforms like Spotify, you've got to admit that their recommendations and AI DJs are lacking. But that's why The Oasis’ catalog was great—it was a mix of the hits and relevant recommendations.
Of course, it wouldn't be a smooth jazz radio station without smooth hosts. For years, you could catch Tim Garrison hosting “The Oasis After Hours,” which offered great music options for night owls. Tim's voice was like molasses for your ears, and his intros and outros really made listening to this genre a wonderfully cohesive experience. Here are a couple of clips of some promotions he did for radio shows after The Oasis shut down. You can really get a sense of the vibe he brought to these shows, which is a bittersweet reminder considering how most current radio hosts are mediocre at best.
The Branding
Could there be a more perfect name than “The Oasis”? The name, the product, and the timing came together right before smooth jazz hit its peak. All those elements combined with cursive and vaporwave imagery... chef's kiss. Check out some of the commercials for the station below. The brand is exquisite.
Unfortunately, besides those few commercials, a lot of The Oasis’ branding has been lost to time. It's tough digging up ways to paint an accurate picture of this once-great radio station...which is why I bought this expensive CD to show you. You're welcome.
Found this treasure unopened on Ebay
Back and track list
Inside the CD...what's this?
Score! Nothing says "smooth jazz" like Zingers.
Thar she blows. The actual CD.
The smoothest CD insert on Earth
I popped the CD into my car (turns out that I have no other CD players in the house). I was really hoping for an intro track or even a clip of the iconic "107.5 the Oasis" jingle. Unfortunately, it just went straight to the music. Nevertheless, the album is great, and another testament to the station's catalog picks.
The Shows
Obviously, the station wasn't just streaming music 24/7. There were some great shows mixed in, both created locally and nationally syndicated. As mentioned earlier, ‘The Oasis After Hours’ was wonderfully relaxing for late-night listening—also my personal favorite. Dave Koz had a great talk show. And of course, who could forget Starstreams…
Anyone listening to late-night radio in the '90s may have had the pleasure of stumbling onto one of the most unique syndications in the history of radio. Honestly, I won't do it justice by trying to explain it here, but luckily a couple of nice YouTubers captured a couple of sessions from back in the '90s. You can experience Starstreams for yourself.
Hopefully, I was able to invoke a few good memories about The Oasis through my ramblings. If you'd like to listen to the music of the "107.5 the Oasis Volume 3", I added a link to a Spotify playlist below Also, if anybody out there has a recording of “The Oasis After Hours,” I'd give you a t-shirt to get a copy of that. The hunt is on.