AM 540 The Zoo

[RadioFanBoy]

It happened over the weekend. The simulcast with KKGO-FM in L.A. came to and end and Classic Country took its place. It's a jukebox for now with live on-air talent to come later (so the story goes). And sounds of wild animals in-between Patsy Cline and Marty Robbins. Yeah......I can see this working :

 

[sdwulfdawg]

It happened over the weekend. The simulcast with KKGO-FM in L.A. came to and end and Classic Country took its place. It's a jukebox for now with live on-air talent to come later (so the story goes). And sounds of wild animals in-between Patsy Cline and Marty Robbins. Yeah......I can see this working :

I know Saul Levine, despite being a part of a 12-step problem on Formatochangophobia would fall off the wagon eventually.

 

[jackandcoke]

Thing's got a signal, don't it? At least during the day. The format isn't bad, though it might go a little too far back. The oldtimers at KSON might not agree, but Country didn't have much of a following prior to the mid-seventies, so playing anything from before say, 1975, is probably risky. Playing any kind of music on AM is a tough row to hoe, but it does give SD Country fans another button to push.

Sorry, but I don't get the whole "Zoo" thing. Dumb.

 

[Garrett]

Thing's got a signal, don't it? At least during the day. The format isn't bad, though it might go a little too far back. The oldtimers at KSON might not agree, but Country didn't have much of a following prior to the mid-seventies, so playing anything from before say, 1975, is probably risky. Playing any kind of music on AM is a tough row to hoe, but it does give SD Country fans another button to push.

Sorry, but I don't get the whole "Zoo" thing. Dumb.

I think that depends on what kind of "country" you are talking about. Elvis was country, as was much of the roots of Rock and Roll. Oh yeah, Ray Charles? "I can't helping you?" That was a country song too.

So I am not sure I agree with that statment at all.

 

[jackandcoke]

Yeah, the other day I heard them play "Suspicious Minds"--which I think was the only Elvis tune ever played on Country radio while he was still alive. And, yeah, I understand that today's Country establishment acknowledges Ray Charles--though his version of "I Can't Stop Loving You" was never played by the handful of Country stations on-air in 1962 when it was a hit. There's been some rewriting of history. But, hey, if the audience likes the song, play it. Right?

The marketable chronology for Country Oldies, though is '75-'95 with an eighties 10-year core. The audience for music from 1962 is 65+. If they're shooting for 45-54's, they're aiming a little high.

But, then, maybe this isn't about the advertising business. Maybe it's all about a love for the music. Kind of like an Audio Museum--right there on the radio! If that's the case, God Bless The Big 54. It's a nice gesture, albeit an expensive one!

 

[jonbruce]

KFOX 1280/102.3 Long Beach/Los Angeles played that Ray Charles song and others from the album at night in 1962. Also, the Elvis mid 50's Sun stuff all was played on country radio, and some of the the early RCA stuff from the late 1950's. Country KXLA 1110 Pasadena/L.A. even had an Elvis hour. It was hosted by Art Laboe !

 

[davideduardo]

Yeah, the other day I heard them play "Suspicious Minds"--which I think was the only Elvis tune ever played on Country radio while he was still alive. And, yeah, I understand that today's Country establishment acknowledges Ray Charles--though his version of "I Can't Stop Loving You" was never played by the handful of Country stations on-air in 1962 when it was a hit.

While many major markets did not have country stations back in the 60's, country was the staple of smaller market stations in the South and many parts of the Midwest and Southwest... considering there were something like 2,200 AMs in 1960, hundreds of them were country at the time... and many of the larger southern markets had country stations, although sometimes they were not the "big signal" that the format demands today.

 

[redneckriviera]

While many major markets did not have country stations back in the 60's, country was the staple of smaller market stations in the South and many parts of the Midwest and Southwest... considering there were something like 2,200 AMs in 1960, hundreds of them were country at the time... and many of the larger southern markets had country stations, although sometimes they were not the "big signal" that the format demands today.

Growing up in the midwest, the first all-country station I ever heard was 1160/WJJD, Chicago--a 50-kw daytimer. The only small-town country station I recall throughout Illinois, Indiana & Ohio was 540/KWMT, Fort Dodge, Iowa--a 5-kw daytimer, although I think that 960/KMA, Shenandoah, Iowa played country in certain segments. As late as the early seventies, block programming was the norm for most smaller markets, and country often got a few hours--usually 5 to 7 AM as "The Farm & Home Show." You know, for milking cows & slopping pigs. Even the hallowed 650/WSM relegated country to night hours back then, running a pretty good full-service AC during the daytime. After all, Nashville was "The Athens of the South," and went out of its way to avoid being associated with "Hillbilly Music."

But I generally agree with jackandcoke on one thing: most 50-year olds don't relate to songs from 1962. They were in kindergarten. Unless "The Zoo" is targeting retirees, anything prior to Don Williams & Crystal Gayle is too old.