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Super-soft AC expands in northern Michigan

C

ChrisInMI

Del Reynolds' "Easy" super-soft AC format has undergone another signal upgrade in northern Michigan, moving from 3,400-watt 97.7 WOEZ (Cheboygan) to 31,000-watt 106.3 WJZJ (formerly WYPV, Onaway). (97.7 picked up the classic rock "Bear" format that was formerly on 94.5 WLJZ, which now has 106.3's former extreme-right-wing talk format.) "Easy 106-3" now plays super-soft AC for the region spanning Gaylord to Sault Ste. Marie.

This is the second expansion for the format in as many months. Last month, 95.5 FM in the Traverse City area replaced its mainstream rock format with "Easy 95-5" WQEZ. Given that the area has in the past few years gone from having three standards outlets to none, this is a welcome change.

They stream here: http://wqez.fm

***EDIT***: Apparently the move to 106.3 has not yet happened but is scheduled for Monday 05/20.
 
These stations have been playing musical chairs now for about a year's time...very bizarre! I found it really odd that new TV commercials were just released a few weeks ago for "Easy 95.5/97.7". With the easy format moving off of 97.7 and landing on 106.3, those commericals will obviously need a "re-do". I suppose the soft AC format is still simulcast on 95.5?

I didn't think the station was streaming yet. I've checked out their webpage a few times, and the "Listen Live" link is never active. Maybe they will begin doing so eventually. I would like to listen to their stream at some point, if possible, as I always enjoy finding new soft AC stations to listen to online...and well...it seems we have something in common, too. ;)
 
According to posters on the Michigan Radio Buzzboard, 97.7 is airing messages promoting the move to 106.3 on May 20th.

And don't worry, 95.5 isn't changing. :)

I've listened to the station several times on my trips to northern Michigan and noted a lot of interesting musical selections. On one occasion they played Art Garfunkel's "Watership Down" movie hit, "Bright Eyes," which was a massive hit in the UK in the late '70s but somehow managed to get only to #27 AC in the States. They also play a lot of Olivia Newton-John's forgotten '70s easy listening hits, including "If Not For You," "Come On Over," and "Don't Stop Believin'."

Some of the other songs I've noticed playing on my trips up there, to give you an idea of what the station sounds like musically, include:
Debby Boone - You Light Up My Life
Elvis - Kentucky Rain
Carpenters - Yesterday Once More
Celine Dion - If You Asked Me To
John Denver - Calypso
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
Bobby Goldsboro - Summer (The First Time)
Dan Fogelberg - Missing You
Mariah Carey - Hero
Fleetwood Mac - Seven Wonders
Janis Ian - At Seventeen
Barbra Streisand - All I Ask Of You
Michael Johnson - Almost Like Being In Love
Neil Diamond - Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Amy Grant - That's What Love Is For
Sade - Smooth Operator
Mamas & Papas - California Dreamin'

Not unlike WDUV, but they go deeper.

They also play a scattering of current/recent AC hits, of which the only one that doesn't really seem to fit is Adele's "Rolling In The Deep." Other than that, it's Colbie Caillat, Band Perry, Lady Antebellum and the like.
 
Thanks for posting some of the station's playlist. Sounds like a really good selection of music! :)

That's good to hear that "Easy" is incorporating some newer material in the mix. Most of the traditional soft AC stations won't air any current material. The only station that I know of which did at one time was "Lite 95.9" in Charleston, which unfortunately is no more.
 
I was feeling sort of positive about most but not all of the songs until the mention of current hits.

Were I to actually like this type of format, I would have little use for currents outside the area of standards.

I know some of you want this type of format to succeed, but I wouldn't want that to happen at the expense of a station that actually bothers with standards both new and old.
 
vchimpanzee said:
I was feeling sort of positive about most but not all of the songs until the mention of current hits.

Were I to actually like this type of format, I would have little use for currents outside the area of standards.

I know some of you want this type of format to succeed, but I wouldn't want that to happen at the expense of a station that actually bothers with standards both new and old.
Click to expand...

Except that the areas served by the "Easy" stations no longer have a standards outlet, so "Easy" is the only option for soft and easy music. Except for the city of Manistee, which gets a signal from 95.5 and actually has its own super-soft AC - 97.7 WMLQ "The Coast."

FWIW, I was in the area again this weekend and wrote down a number of the songs I heard.

She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
What's New - Linda Ronstadt/Nelson Riddle Orch.
Then Came You - Dionne Warwick/Spinners
Still The One - Orleans
Someday We'll Be Together - Supremes
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
The Power Of Love - Celine Dion
There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) - Billy Ocean
These Dreams - Heart
Don't Pull Your Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Three Times A Lady - Commodores
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - Righteous Brothers
The Valley Road - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
Lonely People - America
Kiss And Say Goodbye - Manhattans
You're Still The One - Shania Twain
Forever Young - Rod Stewart
Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson
The Way We Were - Barbra
The Rose - Bette Midler
Deacon Blues - Steely Dan
We've Only Just Begun - Carpenters
An Innocent Man - Billy Joel
Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes
Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - Air Supply
Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson
Close To You - Carpenters
You And I - Eddie Rabbitt/Crystal Gayle
Gold - John Stewart
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
Please Don't Go - KC & The Sunshine Band
What's Love Got To Do With It - Tina Turner
The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia - Vicki Lawrence
Break Away - Art Garfunkel
Please Mr. Please - ONJ
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
Hold On - Wilson Phillips
With Your Love - Jefferson Starship
Fields Of Gold - Sting
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen
Looking Through The Eyes Of Love - Melissa Manchester
 
A lot of these are good, but I would find these unacceptable.

She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
Forever Young - Rod Stewart
Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - Air Supply
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
Hold On - Wilson Phillips
Fields Of Gold - Sting
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen

And it's "Deacon Blue" by the way. I doubt I would want to hear that one either.
 
vchimpanzee said:
A lot of these are good, but I would find these unacceptable.

She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
Forever Young - Rod Stewart
Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - Air Supply
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
Hold On - Wilson Phillips
Fields Of Gold - Sting
Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen

And it's "Deacon Blue" by the way. I doubt I would want to hear that one either.
Click to expand...

I don't see an issue with any of those particular tracks you mentioned being aired on a traditional soft AC (or as it's referred to on this particular thread, "super-soft AC") station. They would all appear to be compatible with that type of format. Same goes for the entire list that was posted by ChrisinMI. I'm not too terribly fond of "Please Don't Go" by KC & The Sunshine Band, although it seems reasonable that song would fit within the format's parameters as well.
 
He's talking about "Deacon Blues" by the group Steely Dan, not the pop band "Deacon Blue" from Scotland.
 
stevensonair said:
He's talking about "Deacon Blues" by the group Steely Dan, not the pop band "Deacon Blue" from Scotland.
Click to expand...
So was I. I didn't realize it was plural.

I'll concede on Air Supply but would dislike it. Also Bryan Adams, although I found his song particularly annoying. I think it was the most played song during my standards station's chimpanzee period (yes, that does mean what you think it means) back in 1997.

The others just don't fit. And I would want some standards too.
 
Vchimp, if you ever find yourself in the Manistee, MI area, 97.7 WMLQ "Coast FM" may be a bit more up your alley. It's been a while since I was able to listen to their normal programming, but I did get them in this past weekend while on the outskirts of their coverage area and they were airing "The Sounds of Sinatra." Unfortunately they do not stream. I do remember tuning them in while in Manistee a few years back and they did sound quite a bit older and softer than what "Easy" sounds like today.

Another thing I find interesting about that station is they describe their format as "Heritage Soft AC." I kind of like that descriptor.
 
ChrisInMI said:
Vchimp, if you ever find yourself in the Manistee, MI area, 97.7 WMLQ "Coast FM" may be a bit more up your alley. It's been a while since I was able to listen to their normal programming, but I did get them in this past weekend while on the outskirts of their coverage area and they were airing "The Sounds of Sinatra." Unfortunately they do not stream. I do remember tuning them in while in Manistee a few years back and they did sound quite a bit older and softer than what "Easy" sounds like today.

Another thing I find interesting about that station is they describe their format as "Heritage Soft AC." I kind of like that descriptor.
Click to expand...
I won't be in Michigan. I just hope I never get stuck with a station like the one this thread is about.

Though next week I go to the mountains and I think I'd settle for it. Classic country, on a lousy daytime-only signal, and part-time classical is all I'll have.
 
Easy 95.5/106.3 is now streaming. I listened for about an hour tonight. Sounds a lot like WDUV, but their format is more broad. Still, not a terribly bad a selection of music/definitely would be classified as "old school" soft AC. It appears that listening online is primarily available via the browser. There are some options for listening via a mobile environment (smart phone and ipad)...if...you want to sign up to access their exclusive mobile app by providing your cell phone #, and in the case of an ipad, divulging your email address. I'm not too crazy about that idea just to be able to listen via a mobile device. Why make it more difficult for your listeners to tune in via a mobile environment by making them "jump through hoops" to do so??

Anyhow, here's the link to the in-browser player for the stream:

http://socialstreamingplayer.crystalmedianetworks.com/radio/wqez
 
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