Tennessee Top 40 Stations of the 1980s on FM

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Ok everyone. We do know that in Knoxville and Nashville, there were top 40 stations on FM in the 1980s. In Knoxville, those stations were WOKI-FM 100.3 (FM 100; Hits 100) and WTNZ-FM 95.3 (95-3 TNZ; Power 95) while in Nashville, those stations were WWKX-FM 104.5 (KX 104) and WYHY-FM 107.5 (Y-107).

Since I found an interesting discussion on Virginia top 40 stations in the 1960s and 1970s on http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,94097.0.html, I have a question to ask about top 40 stations on FM in the 1980s in the state of Tennessee:

Does anyone know what stations in the state of Tennessee carried a top 40 format on the FM dial in the 1980s?

 

[robgrayson]

In Memphis, FM 100 converted from album rock over to top-40 flavored hot a/c in the late 70's. 102.7 had a flirtation with CHR in the mid 1980's (WZXR, Z-103) in between bouts of being Rock103, and 98.1 did a CHR thing as KPYR, the Pyramid. At the dawn of FM100's transition, AM top 40 was still alive and well locally, as Rick Dees was still the morning man on WHBQ.

 

[Kent]

98.1 did a CHR thing as KPYR, the Pyramid.

Close, but not quite. 98.1 was CHR as KMPZ "Z-98." Somewhere, I still have some Z-98 bumper stickers with the Pyramid behind the station logo. KPYR "The Pyramid" was the oldies format that replaced "Z-98" after Dittman filed Chapter 11 and sold Birmingham and Memphis. While the studios were at 88 Union Ave, they technically weren't Tennessee stations. KMPZ and KPYR were licensed to Osceola, AR until either '91 or '92, when 98.1 moved to Millington. KPYR, by the way, changed calls to WPYR with the move and became WYKL about a year later.

When I was going to school at Memphis State, 98.1 was WYKL, and FM 100 was the only option for anything resembling CHR, unless you listened to KWYN-FM out of Wynne, which sounded like a poor man's FM 100, or KJBR out of Jonesboro. I also have vague memories of WYNU 92.3 as a rock-based CHR, though it really wasn't a viable signal in Memphis.

 

[robgrayson]

You're exactly right... Z-98 was the CHR thing, and the pyramid was totally in the oldies days. To me, one of the most amusing things Z-98 did was the running gag with morning show and the FM100 receptionist. They bought a share of Scripps-Howard stock, and would call FM100 to check and see how their investment was coming along.

I had one amusing moment meeting with Oldies 98's PD when they were located at 88 Union. I came in for an interview, and in my mind made note that his office was directly across the street from what had been the GM's office at what had been WMPS... the office where I got canned when they went country in 1978.

I somehow avoided working at the CHR's... I left 103 and went to WMC-AM as production director and midday jock while Z-103 was happening, then went back after they went back to AOR. I didn't get involved with 98.1 until the Star 98 days. But I remain, at heart, an old AM top 40 throwback.

 

[Meepster]

Ha! Me too!
And I dodn't start in radio until the ripe old age of 16, back in the late 70's!
John Landecker and Rick Dees were my heroes!
Boogie Check! ;D

 

[RobynWattsV2.0]

In Nashville, there was 96-Kiss (WZKS) from 1984 to 1985 when the station went under due to money problems.

In the Tri-Cities, you had WQUT and WZXY.

In Chattanooga, there was WSKZ and for a brief time WDOD-FM (before flipping to Country) and WBDX (the short-lived B103).

Robyn

 

[firepoint525]

Close, but not quite. 98.1 was CHR as KMPZ "Z-98." Somewhere, I still have some Z-98 bumper stickers with the Pyramid behind the station logo. KPYR "The Pyramid" was the oldies format that replaced "Z-98" after Dittman filed Chapter 11 and sold Birmingham and Memphis. While the studios were at 88 Union Ave, they technically weren't Tennessee stations. KMPZ and KPYR were licensed to Osceola, AR until either '91 or '92, when 98.1 moved to Millington. KPYR, by the way, changed calls to WPYR with the move and became WYKL about a year later.

I have you beat there! I still have a bumper sticker from when they were "The Lion, Rock 98." Their call letters were KWLN at the time. Prior to that, they had been "O-98," KHFO. (I believe they became a Memphis "move-in" with the transition to "The Lion." This was about 1986 or 1987. Prior to that, they had been a strictly rural station.)

And "cities of license" don't really mean anything anymore. Just read my signature line! :

When I was going to school at Memphis State, 98.1 was WYKL, and FM 100 was the only option for anything resembling CHR, unless you listened to KWYN-FM out of Wynne, which sounded like a poor man's FM 100, or KJBR out of Jonesboro. I also have vague memories of WYNU 92.3 as a rock-based CHR, though it really wasn't a viable signal in Memphis.

I could pick up Power 92.3 in Jackson from Memphis, but you are right, their signal was not really aimed at Memphis, and I had to manually tune them in.

The station that is now SL-100 in Dyersburg was top 40 as "Dyersburg 100" (anything to distinguish themselves from FM100 in Memphis! :) up until the mid '80s when they made the ill-advised switch to AC and became just "100.1 FM." They came up with "SL-100" in the late '80s, and have used that name through all the format changes they have had since then.

 

[firepoint525]

In Memphis, FM 100 converted from album rock over to top-40 flavored hot a/c in the late 70's. 102.7 had a flirtation with CHR in the mid 1980's (WZXR, Z-103) in between bouts of being Rock103, and 98.1 did a CHR thing as KPYR, the Pyramid. At the dawn of FM100's transition, AM top 40 was still alive and well locally, as Rick Dees was still the morning man on WHBQ.

And I still have the bumper sticker from when they first returned as a rock station, but were still calling themselves "The Eagle" at that time! Hey, you knew those WEGR call letters had to stand for something at one time! ;D But since there is an "R" in it, maybe they should have been "The Eager!" 8)

 

[Kent]

I have you beat there! I still have a bumper sticker from when they were "The Lion, Rock 98." Their call letters were KWLN at the time. Prior to that, they had been "O-98," KHFO. (I believe they became a Memphis "move-in" with the transition to "The Lion." This was about 1986 or 1987. Prior to that, they had been a strictly rural station.)

I would say you do! Your timeline sounds about right. I didn't know about KHFO, but I remember hearing it was KOSE-FM at one time.

And "cities of license" don't really mean anything anymore. Just read my signature line! :

I agree. I wasn't trying to imply they did. It was intended to be more of a jab at those who harp on those kinds of issues. They seem to frequent these places!

I could pick up Power 92.3 in Jackson from Memphis, but you are right, their signal was not really aimed at Memphis, and I had to manually tune them in.

I had no trouble getting them on the stereo in my dorm room. After all, I was on the 9th floor of Richardson Towers. I could pick up something just about anywhere on the dial, except next to the class C's, with a Logik digital stereo and a dipole antenna! I don't remember Logik as being one of the premium brand stereos, but that one served me well. The car radio did okay for what it was, but couldn't match that 9th floor reception on the stereo. I could get the stronger stations from adjacent markets, like Jackson, Jonesboro and Tupelo, but they were subject to picket fencing and longer dropouts in some areas. On a date, it was definitely put it on FM 100, though she probably would have preferred the music on KJBR! Also, like you, I had to manually tune them in the car.

The station that is now SL-100 in Dyersburg was top 40 as "Dyersburg 100" (anything to distinguish themselves from FM100 in Memphis! :) up until the mid '80s when they made the ill-advised switch to AC and became just "100.1 FM." They came up with "SL-100" in the late '80s, and have used that name through all the format changes they have had since then.

I remember hearing SL-100 in the dorm room, but I was unimpressed. I really wasn't impressed with Memphis radio at all in '93. As someone who preferred classic rock to top-40, I really only had one choice. That, of course, was WEGR, and I couldn't stand its morning show. Top-40 fans, though, weren't much better off with just FM 100. I had six presets on that car radio, and I had DX on at least two of them. I set the alarm to 98.1 but usually didn't listen to it for too long. The clock radio, as you can imagine, couldn't even come close to matching the stereo!

 

[robgrayson]

The ill-advised trip to CHR cost 103 a great set of calls, WZXR. The whole Eagle thing came about when Craig Scott took over as manager, and pondered bringing 103 back as a country station, "102.7 The Eagle". I'm sure if they did market research at the time, it came back saying "you were nuts to change format to begin with, you'll be a bigger idiot if you don't go back to album rock", or words to that effect.

 

[firepoint525]

The ill-advised trip to CHR cost 103 a great set of calls, WZXR. The whole Eagle thing came about when Craig Scott took over as manager, and pondered bringing 103 back as a country station, "102.7 The Eagle". I'm sure if they did market research at the time, it came back saying "you were nuts to change format to begin with, you'll be a bigger idiot if you don't go back to album rock", or words to that effect.

Definitely agree that WZXR was a great set of call letters, but didn't they adopt WEGR as their new calls when they returned to rock? This would be about 1986 or so, if memory serves. They didn't keep the "Eagle" name for very long, did they? Why didn't they just keep WZXR since everyone already associated it with rock anyway, and just pretend that that "Z-103" experiment was just a bad dream? Who has those call letters now? And something else they apparently lost with that CHR "bad dream"/"experiment" was the ability to play Keith Sykes! Or maybe that was just a Clear Channel doing! CC ain't gonna play any "local" talent, now are they? :

 

[firepoint525]

Kent, were you listening to SL-100 back during that same early '90s time frame? If you were, you know that SL-100 was a bit of a train wreck back then! They were playing AC and hot AC mixed with what was then current country! I know their AM sister station (WTRO) played country at one time, but I'm not sure what was with the idea to mix it in with their FM playlist! : ???

 

[robgrayson]

Per WEGR... yeah, they didn't go with "The Eagle" until the switch back to rock (up against "The Lion"). And per the lack of local music, part of that would be the result of GIVING AWAY THE WHOLE ALBUM LIBRARY WHEN THEY WENT CHR!!!!! When Art Wander helped bring the station back as a rocker, he had to re-stock from literally scratch. I came back from 79 not far into the transition, and did afternoons. They made me interim PD after Art Wander and prior to Howie Castle. Even under Howie's watch, we were still running over to Poplar Tunes and buying LP's.

Ratings came out while I was in the chair. The station had an 8-something, and I had a 10-something in afternoons. Boy was I disappointed! Prior to the CHR switch, 103 had a couple of books where they actually beat K-97 in 12+, scoring in double digits. Those were the days, weren't they! There was a Birch rating book after Tim Spencer came in and I moved to split middays with Debbie Clark, where 103 had a 50 share in men 18-35 in middays.

Back to the original subject, Top40 FM's, I distinctly remember when FM100 first added jingles. It was a strange sensation at the time.

 

[robgrayson]

Another thing on the local angle, especially back then... 103 was consulted by Burkhart-Abrams, doing the "Superstars" format. I'm pretty sure Tom Owens and especially Redbeard were able to sell the dudes in Atlanta on local product that was happening, but I didn't quite carry their "gravitas". I specifically remember trying to add "Jane" and "Girls In Uniform" by Good Question. It was "out of the question" until FM100 added "Jane". I actually called Conley and thanked him for adding it, so I could!

 

[Kent]

Kent, were you listening to SL-100 back during that same early '90s time frame? If you were, you know that SL-100 was a bit of a train wreck back then! They were playing AC and hot AC mixed with what was then current country! I know their AM sister station (WTRO) played country at one time, but I'm not sure what was with the idea to mix it in with their FM playlist! : ???

I heard it a time or two but never spent much time listening. I don't think I ever heard it mixing Hot AC/Top-40 with country, but it woudn't surprise me if they tried it. Like I said, I wasn't too impressed with what little I heard on SL-100. Top-40 music got a "kill it!" response from me almost immediately. I dated a couple girls who listened to it, and I'd tolerate it around them, but they were firmly in the FM-100 camp.

 

[firepoint525]

Hey, Rob, definitely understand where you're coming from, but wouldn't you have eventually had to update the entire music library onto CD format anyway? I'm sure you would have "lost" some local stuff that was only available to you on LP.

I remember hearing Z-103 playing "Germantown Blues," but I never heard who sang it. Do you know? I didn't live in Memphis (or close enough to Memphis) during the heyday of "Germantown Blues," so my only copy of it is a cassette tape I made right off the air! I later heard it aired in Jackson, and even Union City!

Still have that cassette, by the way!

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Since firepoint525 mentioned that the song "Germantown Blues" aired in Union City, does anyone remember WWKF-FM "KF-99" from the 1980s?

 

[Meepster]

It was KF-99 even in the 70's I believe. I remember when Terry Hailey just WORKED there and didn't own it and others. I had cousins who lived in Union City and I'd hear it then. I applied for a job there in the VERY early 80's, and they said "No one with less than 5 years experience." A couple of years later when I was at Q-102 in Jackson, TN, Hailey tried to hire me away. I went for the interview and had the luxury of turning him down cold. Sometimes even the lowly "DJ" can win one.
But I DID always think it was a pretty good radio station.

 

[firepoint525]

Since firepoint525 mentioned that the song "Germantown Blues" aired in Union City, does anyone remember WWKF-FM "KF-99" from the 1980s?

They are still there, and you can listen to them online at http://www.kf99kq105.com (I think!).

They are licensed to Fulton, KY, and their tower is near South Fulton, Tennessee.

The Paris FM station (KQ105) simulcasts them, and has for several years, I think.

(It was the old WALR-FM (now KYTN) that aired "Germantown Blues." KF-99 would never touch that! I believe it also aired over Q-102 in the Humboldt/Jackson area.)

 

[firepoint525]

It was KF-99 even in the 70's I believe. I remember when Terry Hailey just WORKED there and didn't own it and others. I had cousins who lived in Union City and I'd hear it then. I applied for a job there in the VERY early 80's, and they said "No one with less than 5 years experience." A couple of years later when I was at Q-102 in Jackson, TN, Hailey tried to hire me away. I went for the interview and had the luxury of turning him down cold. Sometimes even the lowly "DJ" can win one.
But I DID always think it was a pretty good radio station.

It was WFUL-FM in the '70s. Hailey bought it around 1982 and converted it into KF-99. He bought the Paris stations and added them in the late '80s.

My mother mentioned hearing an ad from them on the air sometime in the late '90s seeking people to work for them! But I had moved away from that area by then, and had long since lost interest in working for them! :