Jack FM turns five!

[the golden boy]

I know I'm a couple of weeks late, but the first Jack FM east of the Mississippi turned five years old earlier this month. While I didn't catch the moment Jack signed on, but the first song I heard was from the Cranberries and I wondered why Arrow 94.7 would play the Cranberries. Of course, I didn't know that Arrow had flipped to Jack.

I pretty much became hooked on Jack. While I don't like every song they play, it was at least something different. I'm not really surprised that Jack has managed to last as long. In my own mind, if they were around after two or three years, they'd be in it for the long haul. The music speaks for itself, but having the Jack jackpot is also another reason why I think people are listening. I'm still waiting on Jack to give me a call!

I can also say that I've listened to other Jacks in Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas and I like our Jack a lot better. Granted, I haven't listened to every Jack, so I can't say for sure that ours is the very best. But for him to be around this long, he must be doing something right.

 

[prt]

I was out in Houston TX earlier this summer and while driving in I tuned in a station that had just flipped to Jack that week. The same dude here was doing all the voice overs and so on. Later this summer, was out there again and tuned the station in, and they were still Jack, but had very few of the voice overs we have here and none of the humor. But, their play list was outstanding. I remember thinking at the time, if they had more of what we have and we played more off their play list, what a wonderful world it would be. I do like the music our Jack plays but it sure would be nice if they borrowed a few from that Jack. And that Jack badly needed the humor and promos from our Jack.

Let me add that I hated when they switched to Jack from Arrow. I generally don't listen to stations that do not have live announcers, hosts, deejays, or whatever they are called now, but Jack is the exception.

 

[Sam The Record Man]

Having been all over the place and then some, I can say I enjoy the mix on Jackson's Jack more than just about another station. My only gripe with them is processing. There's something about the midrange that just bugs my ears. It's way to harsh.

Personally, I prefer a lighter touch to the sound of Jack stations. My mp3 player doesn't compress the heck out of audio so why should the radio station? The "Bob" that I heard shortly before it flipped in Greenwood was a good example: it was downright quiet compared to the loudness wars that rage in big cities. Up in Saint Louis I'd much rather hear KLOU than The Arch, for example. The Arch has a harsh edgy sound like Jack in Jackson does and it's fatiguing.

Just my 2¢.