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Hey, old guys...

R

radiosaur

I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm curious:

Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM? I have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't sold off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't think of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one I can recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.

<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
 
> I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm curious:
>
> Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the
> Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM? I
> have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't sold
> off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't think
> of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one I can
> recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.
>
Didn't 68 go Country about the same time Plough flipped Classical WMPS-FM to Disco K97?
 
> > I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm curious:
> >
> > Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the
> > Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM? I
> > have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't sold
> > off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't think
>
> > of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one I
> can
> > recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.
> >
> Didn't 68 go Country about the same time Plough flipped
> Classical WMPS-FM to Disco K97?
>
I can field that one. K-97 went "disco" before 68 went country. Kenny Bozak or Dan Sears could surely pop a reply and tell us when. Walt Jackson and I did middays at WMPS (both of us moving over from late nights at WHBQ) for about their last 5 months as a "top 40" (actually, more AC-leaning). I also voice-tracked the all night show on K-97 (they were automated then) by recording the whole show, break by break, onto a long cart. By that method, if you screwed up 16 breaks in, you had to erase the cart and start over.
In reference to the AM to FM switchover, probably the only one which comes to mind is 62JDX in Jackson, MS. I think the music part of the format made a segue to FM, while the AM kept the news and went sports. Someone from below the border could probably elaborate more, or shoot the whole thing out of the water.
RG
 
> I can field that one. K-97 went "disco" before 68 went
> country. Kenny Bozak or Dan Sears could surely pop a reply
> and tell us when. Walt Jackson and I did middays at WMPS
> (both of us moving over from late nights at WHBQ) for about
> their last 5 months as a "top 40" (actually, more
> AC-leaning). I also voice-tracked the all night show on
> K-97 (they were automated then) by recording the whole show,
> break by break, onto a long cart. By that method, if you
> screwed up 16 breaks in, you had to erase the cart and start
> over.
> In reference to the AM to FM switchover, probably the only
> one which comes to mind is 62JDX in Jackson, MS. I think
> the music part of the format made a segue to FM, while the
> AM kept the news and went sports. Someone from below the
> border could probably elaborate more, or shoot the whole
> thing out of the water.
> RG
>
Many thanks, I couldn't remember when they flipped 68, WMC79 ran them out pretty quickly....
 
Sorry, this has nothing to do with the topic. Saw Rob Grayson, on the air, from Channel 13 "Elvis Radio" at Graceland this afternoon. I know this is not news. It was really cool seeing Rob there, in the new fishbowl. Makes me wish I went with sirius, before I went XM. Heard a few breaks, while taking the family to the tour buses. It was good seeing Rob again. Sorry, just thought that was cool. keep kicking digital butt Rob! CFKane
 
> > > I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm curious:
> > >
> > > Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the
> > > Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM? I
>
> > > have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't
> sold
> > > off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't
> think
> >
> > > of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one I
>
> > can
> > > recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.
> > >
> > Didn't 68 go Country about the same time Plough flipped
> > Classical WMPS-FM to Disco K97?
> >
> I can field that one. K-97 went "disco" before 68 went
> country. Kenny Bozak or Dan Sears could surely pop a reply
> and tell us when. Walt Jackson and I did middays at WMPS
> (both of us moving over from late nights at WHBQ) for about
> their last 5 months as a "top 40" (actually, more
> AC-leaning). I also voice-tracked the all night show on
> K-97 (they were automated then) by recording the whole show,
> break by break, onto a long cart. By that method, if you
> screwed up 16 breaks in, you had to erase the cart and start
> over.
> In reference to the AM to FM switchover, probably the only
> one which comes to mind is 62JDX in Jackson, MS. I think
> the music part of the format made a segue to FM, while the
> AM kept the news and went sports. Someone from below the
> border could probably elaborate more, or shoot the whole
> thing out of the water.
> RG

WMPS-FM became "Disco Stereo K-97" in 1976. I do not know what month. The call letters WHRK came from the initials of Harold R. Krelstein, a former president of Plough Broadcasting.

"68 WMPS" flipped to "680 WMPS - Country Music Radio" on March 6, 1978.
 
> Sorry, this has nothing to do with the topic. Saw Rob
> Grayson, on the air, from Channel 13 "Elvis Radio" at
> Graceland this afternoon. I know this is not news. It was
> really cool seeing Rob there, in the new fishbowl. Makes me
> wish I went with sirius, before I went XM. Heard a few
> breaks, while taking the family to the tour buses. It was
> good seeing Rob again. Sorry, just thought that was cool.
> keep kicking digital butt Rob! CFKane
>
Thanks for the kind words and thoughts! If y'all ever come out to Graceland, DON'T BE A STRANGER! Stop by and say hello.
RG
 
Yep, and some of us got Stetson cowboy hats from none other than TG Shephard and some record promoter. I still had mine up until a few years ago. I actually ended up doing one of the short shifts on K97. It may have been from 12 to 2. Recorded it each morning and we used that ticker tape type of computer strips for something, but I can't remember what for. The machine was in a production studio at the rear of the main WMPS am studio. I asked Jordan what air name I should use. He said WolfDan naturally.
Dan



> > > > I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm
> curious:
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the
> > > > Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM?
> I
> >
> > > > have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't
> > sold
> > > > off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't
> > think
> > >
> > > > of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one
> I
> >
> > > can
> > > > recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.
> > > >
> > > Didn't 68 go Country about the same time Plough flipped
> > > Classical WMPS-FM to Disco K97?
> > >
> > I can field that one. K-97 went "disco" before 68 went
> > country. Kenny Bozak or Dan Sears could surely pop a
> reply
> > and tell us when. Walt Jackson and I did middays at WMPS
> > (both of us moving over from late nights at WHBQ) for
> about
> > their last 5 months as a "top 40" (actually, more
> > AC-leaning). I also voice-tracked the all night show on
> > K-97 (they were automated then) by recording the whole
> show,
> > break by break, onto a long cart. By that method, if you
> > screwed up 16 breaks in, you had to erase the cart and
> start
> > over.
> > In reference to the AM to FM switchover, probably the only
>
> > one which comes to mind is 62JDX in Jackson, MS. I think
> > the music part of the format made a segue to FM, while the
>
> > AM kept the news and went sports. Someone from below the
> > border could probably elaborate more, or shoot the whole
> > thing out of the water.
> > RG
>
> WMPS-FM became "Disco Stereo K-97" in 1976. I do not know
> what month. The call letters WHRK came from the initials of
> Harold R. Krelstein, a former president of Plough
> Broadcasting.
>
> "68 WMPS" flipped to "680 WMPS - Country Music Radio" on
> March 6, 1978.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
....a broadcast service of Plough Incorporated.</P>
 
>
> Thanks for the kind words and thoughts! If y'all ever come
> out to Graceland, DON'T BE A STRANGER! Stop by and say
> hello.
> RG
>

Well, I came by Brunswick last week, You weren't there! What times are you at the Graceland studios?
<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
 
Walt Jackson...there was a great radio voice.<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
 
> >
> > Thanks for the kind words and thoughts! If y'all ever
> come
> > out to Graceland, DON'T BE A STRANGER! Stop by and say
> > hello.
> > RG
> >
>
> Well, I came by Brunswick last week, You weren't there! What
> times are you at the Graceland studios?
>
Usually, I'm at Graceland 8AM till 1PM "Elvis time" as we say.
 
> > > I stole this thread from the LA board, but I'm curious:
> > >
> > > Does anyone know of a 60 / 70's era Top 40 AM in the
> > > Mid-South that successfully switched the format to FM? I
>
> > > have wondered what would have happened if RKO hadn't
> sold
> > > off 105.9 and moved Q there, or 680 to 97.1. I can't
> think
> >
> > > of any in Little Rock, either. In fact the closest one I
>
> > can
> > > recall is WAPE in Jacksonville FL.
> > >
> > Didn't 68 go Country about the same time Plough flipped
> > Classical WMPS-FM to Disco K97?
> >
> I can field that one. K-97 went "disco" before 68 went
> country. Kenny Bozak or Dan Sears could surely pop a reply
> and tell us when. Walt Jackson and I did middays at WMPS
> (both of us moving over from late nights at WHBQ) for about
> their last 5 months as a "top 40" (actually, more
> AC-leaning). I also voice-tracked the all night show on
> K-97 (they were automated then) by recording the whole show,
> break by break, onto a long cart. By that method, if you
> screwed up 16 breaks in, you had to erase the cart and start
> over.
> In reference to the AM to FM switchover, probably the only
> one which comes to mind is 62JDX in Jackson, MS. I think
> the music part of the format made a segue to FM, while the
> AM kept the news and went sports. Someone from below the
> border could probably elaborate more, or shoot the whole
> thing out of the water.
> RG
>
Probably a late reply and all the water's been squeezed out. JDX-FM was actually the first LMA in the country,keeping the format pretty much intact. Simulcasted the am on 96.3 for sometime,before splitting it into oldies on AM. WJDX-FM was called Mix 96.3. The call letters went WJDS am/ WJDX fm for simulcast, with the AM getting back the WJDX call letters later(1995ish) when the format went sports. Confused?
 
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