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The legendary WAKY

R

robgrayson

This past weekend, I was helping my daughter and son-in-law move to Louisville, as they both continue their studies at Southern Seminary. The evening before the move, I had some old radio airchecks on in the background as my daughter and I ran some errands. As we approached Louisville, she called me from her car to tell me she heard one of the news intro sounders from my old airchecks on 103.5. Thinking she must have been mistaken, I popped my radio over, and it stayed there all weekend long.

I don't know the back story, so I don't now how long you've had this available, or if WAKY ever actually went away at all... but to me it was a treasure. As a veteran of AM top 40, RKO, Plough Broadcasting and Heftel, I really dug hearing the old tunes and some of the old guys.

Back home in Memphis, I eat my heart out. The classic calls, WHBQ and WMPS, are still here and owned locally. But they are squandered on a sports-talk station and an automated music-of-your-life station. The closest thing to a rock oldies station is slanted (IHMO) too 80's, has no appreciation for Memphis market history, no room for Memphis heritage jocks. Sun was here, Stax was here, Hi was here, but by and large you can't hear them here.
 
For what its worth, you can listen to WAKY in Memphis over the internet at http://www.waky1035.com/, except for times when UK sports are broadcast over the air. There is a listing of these times on their Listen Live page.

The first time I heard the rebirth of WAKY was on Mother's Day during the first year. I was driving down Dixie Hwy behind a vintage Chevy Chevelle with an actual late 60s license plate. I thought I had gone back in time with that car in front of me, and WAKY on the radio. We both were in the turning lane heading for Frisch's Big Boy. Spooky!

Tune in between 3 and 7pm, and listen to Johnny Randolph DJ just like he did back on the original. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and thousands of stories to tell.

Also check out http://www.79waky.com/ for original airchecks from WAKY. It is an incredible site operated by the talented John Quincy. He's luring round here somewhere I'm sure!
 
Super! I have checked out the 79 WAKY site before, having been hipped to it by one time WAKY guy Tom Prestigiacomo. I had the pleasure of working with him for years (nay, decades) with FM100 here.
 
robgrayson said:
Super! I have checked out the 79 WAKY site before, having been hipped to it by one time WAKY guy Tom Prestigiacomo. I had the pleasure of working with him for years (nay, decades) with FM100 here.
Click to expand...
Are you talking about WMC-FM100? In the early 1970's, after midnight, WKLO-FM Louisville would sign off & several nights each year in Cincinnati I heard WMC-FM. Wasn't it top 40 about 40 years ago? Or was I just basking in the afterglow of the superb WKLO that had just vacated the frequency for the night?
 
Yep, the soft-rocking flamethrower (400,000 watts) WMC-FM. They woke up from elevator music to "progressive" rock in the 60's, then slid into Hot AC in the late 70's when Rock103 came along. Presto came down with Gary Guthrie (and Don Myers) circa 1979.
 
robgrayson said:
They woke up from elevator music to "progressive" rock in the 60's, then slid into Hot AC in the late 70's when Rock103 came along. Presto came down with Gary Guthrie (and Don Myers) circa 1979.
Click to expand...
I thought the calls of that station were WKRP :)
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGEEERRRRRRRR :D
 
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