Veteran broadcaster Brandon Young is stepping into a major leadership role in Utah radio, taking over as Director of Operations and Programming for KCYN-FM in Moab and the storied KCPX call letters tied to Salt Lake City’s rich broadcasting history.
The move places Young at the center of two very different, yet deeply connected brands — one rooted in Southern Utah’s present-day country landscape and the other steeped in decades of Top 40 radio legacy that helped shape an entire generation of listeners.
KCYN-FM, broadcasting at 97.1, has become a staple across southeastern Utah since signing on in 1998. Known for its wide regional reach and strong community presence, the station delivers country music programming to Moab and surrounding areas, serving both locals and the steady flow of visitors drawn to the region’s national parks and red rock scenery.
On the other side of the portfolio is KCPX, a name that carries historic weight in Utah broadcasting. Originally one of Salt Lake City’s most influential Top 40 stations, KCPX rose to prominence in the late 1950s and 1960s, helping define the sound of pop radio during its golden era. The station introduced countless listeners to emerging artists and built a reputation on high-energy personalities and tightly curated hit music formats.
Over the years, the KCPX call letters became synonymous with larger-than-life on-air talent. Names like Evan Lake, known as “The Waterman,” along with personalities such as Jack Sunday, Skinny Johnny Mitchell, Bill Kezley “The Kezman,” and Dain Craig helped cement the station’s place in regional radio history, creating a legacy that still resonates with longtime listeners and industry veterans.
As radio evolved and audiences shifted from AM to FM, the original KCPX frequency changed formats and ownership, but the call letters endured — continuing to represent a defining era of broadcasting in Salt Lake City.
For Young, the new role is more than a professional milestone. It’s a return to the very influence that first sparked his passion for radio. As a child, he listened to KCPX and imagined himself behind the microphone, a dream that has now come full circle as he takes the reins of programming tied to that same legacy.
Now leading both KCYN and KCPX, Young steps into a position that blends heritage with opportunity. His role will focus on strengthening KCYN’s established presence in Southern Utah while preserving and potentially reimagining the historic identity associated with KCPX.
The appointment marks a significant moment for both stations — one grounded in tradition, the other driven by forward momentum — as they enter their next chapter under Young’s leadership.
-JPS