Knoxville radio history

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Lessee, catchup time.

WHIG went AC with CP and Walker to compete with U-102 on AM 850. It lasted a couple of weeks until the phone calls from WIVK listeners who only had AM radios in their old trucks forced them to change back to country. CP lasted a good while. Walker went back to Blount County and his dad and Delmar Haynes bought 1470 and Walker ran that. He actually simulcasted the CP and Walker Show on 1470 for a while after that show resurfaced on U-102.

WSKT was religious into the late 80's with Harry J Morgan. Studios were in the lobby of the Hyatt. He then got the 1180 frequency (WJHM) and put on ABC's satellite oldies format which later appeared on 105.3 for years.

The old 1580 was leased to a couple of local radio groupies who went screaming Top 40 with it for a few weeks until it disappeared. Then sold to a succession of black out of town preachers. Now owned by some folks in Atlanta who made a lot of money getting an 80-90 FM and leasing it to Radio One.

W149 went to 15Q with a lot of high priced out of town talent and might have lasted year. (15Q is gonna make me rich). It changed to a quasi=automated easy listening format and then went religious as WITA.

103.5 was an automated MOR format called hit parade into the mid to late 70's. Went MusicCountry 103.5 while still co-owned with Channel 10. Preacher Mull was on late at night. The existing staff changed the format to AOR about the time Stoner bought them hoping to save their jobs with the new regime. Few survived.

1240 had Doc Johnson on the morning playing piano (and simulcasting on 103.5) well into the 70's. They tried the ill-fated NBC 24 hour news service for a while and then become standards WHEL when Stoner bought them.

104.9 was the Clinton FM with automated Top 40. It had to change frequencies to 95.3 to make room for the LaFollette FM. Ironically, the current owner of the LaFollette FM, Clifford Jennings was a DJ/salesman on 104.9 WCFA. 95.3's plunge from Mac Sanders country into bankruptcy and Top 40 is previously documented.

I was wanting to find out about WHIG's format on AM 850.

On WBIR-AM's all news format from NBC, they went by "All News 124" because I did have an advertisement off a TV Guide from 1976 someone sent me 2 or 3 years ago in an email. It also advertised WBIR's "Action 10 News" and the CBS Evening News seen on WBIR after the 6pm news.

I didn't even know 1580 aired a screaming top 40 format.

I didn't know WBIR-FM 103.5 carried Drake-Chenault's Hit Parade format in the mid to late 1970s.

Thanks for posting this information. Do you know when WCFA-FM moved to 95.3 as WYSH-FM?

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

I have some NOX tape from fall of 81 that I'll ahve to check out.

Here's the playlist from that WNOX tape - early September 1981:

Gallery "Nice To Be With You"
* 1 pm News
Bob Seger "Against the Wind"
Diana Ross / Lionel Richie "Endless Love"
Bread "Everything I Own"
Journey "Who's Crying Now"
Carpenters "Touch Me When We're Dancing"
Jimmy Buffet "Margaritaville"
Little River Band "Lady"
Dan Fogelberg "Hard to Say"
James Taylor "Your Smiling Face"
Ray Parker Jr. "That Old Song"
Smokey Robinson "Cruisin'"
Don McLean "It's Just the Sun"
Orleans "Love Takes Time"
* 2 pm News
Chuck Mangione "Feels So Good"

Certainly a lot less gold than I remembered. Not as AC as I remembered. Nothing overtly top 40 about it either. Mostly a safe adult in office lean to it. The McLean song was a stiff. Peaked at 83.

That's a great playlist from WNOX. They even played a Chuck Mangione song on that station? Did they play any more songs from Chuck Mangione?

The playlist was probably like a soft rock-type feel. Do you know who were the news anchors on WNOX-AM on the 1pm and 2pm news? Was it local or was it national?

 

[knoxbob]

I remember the screamin top 40 on 1580. Ray Edwards was in on that deal when they did an LMA fron Harry Morgan. That was about the same time WKGN dropped news/talk and changed calls to WLIQ ,yes 13Q, they had an AC/Oldies through the week and All Gold on the weekends, Ashley Adams was doing afternoons, and when that ended Marty Shane tried buying and running it with an oldies format and brought the WKGN calls back. It didn't last long and the format went back to Urban. All this went on in the time frame from 1986 to 1988.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

knoxbob, do you know what the name of 1580's top 40 station was called?

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

More things of Knoxville radio history I want to mention:

- When AM 1040 was to sign on in 1984, the call letters were originally going to be WKXT-AM but they changed them to WBZW-AM when they signed on later that year. Ironically, the WKXT calls that were to be on AM 1040 would end up on channel 8 in the late 1980s as a CBS affiliate. They are now WVLT-TV 8 and still CBS-affiliated.

- There was an AM 1200 back in 1924. It was WFBC-AM 1200. The station was owned by the First Baptist Church of Knoxville but in 1934, the frequency and call letters were moved to Columbia, SC.

- For five months, 1240 had the WZEZ calls because I think they simulcasted WEZK's easy listening format heard on 97.5.

- In October 1949, WUOT-FM 91.9, the station of the University of Tennessee, signed on the air. I will post a short history of the station very soon on the Knoxville radio history blog site.

- In 1988, the WYNQ calls on 95.7 in Maryville (now WQJK) were once on a Chattanooga, TN radio station at 106.5 (now WSKZ). The call letters were changed to WGAP-FM 95.7 on January 11, 1990 and they simulcasted the AM sister station, WGAP-AM 1400 as they played country music.

and finally...

- In 1990, a couple of years after WTNN-AM 670 (now WMTY-AM 670) signed on the air, they were airing "The Breeze" satellite smooth jazz format. WTNN-AM 670 would end up with a talk format a few years later. I think the branding for their talk station was "All-American Talk 670".

More station histories like these will be posted in the blog site I have about Knoxville radio history.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Lots more things to mention about Knoxville radio:

- WRJZ-AM 620 signed on in February 12, 1927 as WNBJ-AM which was on AM 1450, the frequency is currently heard as WLAF-AM, a southern gospel station. The station moved to 620 in March 1984.

- When 104.5 signed on in November 29, 1991 with an adult standards format that WQBB-AM 1040 current airs, the calls were WEMQ-FM. They went by "Q-104" because WEMQ-FM 104.5 was being simulcasted on WQBB-AM 1040. The calls were changed on May 26, 1993 to WQBB-FM.

- 105.5 in Sevierville, TN once had the call letters WVTN-FM which was Dolly's station in the late 1970s to early 1980s. Information about him can be read at http://www.radioyears.com/other/details.cfm?id=711

- WIMZ-AM 1240 (now WIFA-AM 1240) once simulcasted WIMZ-FM 103.5 back in the 1980s to early 1990s.

 

[tk]

Lots more things to mention about Knoxville radio:

105.5 in Sevierville, TN once had the call letters WVTN-FM which was Dolly's station in the late 1970s to early 1980s. Information about him can be read at http://www.radioyears.com/other/details.cfm?id=711

105.5 Was changed to WSEV-FM when it purchased by Chuck Ketron in the mid 80's. The calls changed to WDLY when Dolly bought in the late 80's. Might have been 1990...happened at the same time when WEZK switched from Easy Listening to AC.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Does anyone know about WBZW's format when they signed on in 1984?

 

[jwk1979]

Lots more things to mention about Knoxville radio:

- WRJZ-AM 620 signed on in February 12, 1927 as WNBJ-AM which was on AM 1450, the frequency is currently heard as WLAF-AM, a southern gospel station. The station moved to 620 in March 1984.

- WIMZ-AM 1240 (now WIFA-AM 1240) once simulcasted WIMZ-FM 103.5 back in the 1980s to early 1990s.

Actually, WRJZ-AM has been at 620 a lot longer than March 1984. The call letter at 620 became WRJZ in the fall 1976, when they became a Top 40 station. Prior to that, the were known as WETE at 620 AM, with an AC format and were WATE-AM for several years earlier when they were owned by the same company that owned WATE-TV 6. And before that, it is my understanding that they were known as WROL-AM.

WIMZ-AM 1240 started simulcasting the morning and afternoon drives in August 1982 and ran an automated AOR format during mid-days and evenings. There were a lot of songs that WIMZ-AM played during they automated portions of their programming that were never played on WIMZ-FM. It was until the mid eighties that WIMZ-FM was simulcasted entirely on WIMZ-AM.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Actually, WRJZ-AM has been at 620 a lot longer than March 1984. The call letter at 620 became WRJZ in the fall 1976, when they became a Top 40 station. Prior to that, the were known as WETE at 620 AM, with an AC format and were WATE-AM for several years earlier when they were owned by the same company that owned WATE-TV 6. And before that, it is my understanding that they were known as WROL-AM.

WIMZ-AM 1240 started simulcasting the morning and afternoon drives in August 1982 and ran an automated AOR format during mid-days and evenings. There were a lot of songs that WIMZ-AM played during they automated portions of their programming that were never played on WIMZ-FM. It was until the mid eighties that WIMZ-FM was simulcasted entirely on WIMZ-AM.

Oops. I made a mistake on that. They moved to 620 in March 1941, not 1981. You're right about the WROL-AM calls on 620. They got the calls in 1931.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Here is list of Knoxville radio stations that existed back in 1976.

This was gathered up from some of the posts I have read on this topic:

Knoxville Radio Dial - 1976

FM Dial
WUOT-FM 91.9 Knoxville (Public Radio)
WUUU-FM 94.3 Oak Ridge (Easy Listening)
WEZK-FM 97.5 Knoxville (Beautiful Music)
WOKI-FM 100.3 Oak Ridge (Automated Top 40)
WSEV-FM 102.1 Sevierville (Variety)
WBIR-FM 103.5 Knoxville (Automated MOR)
WYSH-FM 104.9 Clinton (Unknown Format)
WIVK-FM 107.7 Knoxville (Country)

AM Dial
WRJZ-AM 620 Knoxville (Top 40)
WIVK-AM 850 Knoxville (Country)
WKXV-AM 900 Knoxville (Gospel)
WSEV-AM 930 Sevierville (Country)
WNOX-AM 990 Knoxville (Top 40)
WBIR-AM 1240 Knoxville (All News)
WATO-AM 1290 Oak Ridge (AC)
WKGN-AM 1340 Knoxville (Top 40)
WYSH-AM 1380 Clinton (Country)
WKVQ-AM 1490 Knoxville (Top 40)
WSKT-AM 1580 Knoxville (Religious)

Here is some information:

* - WKVQ-AM 1490 had previously been WROL-AM 1490 with a progressive rock format known as "W149" which has been mentioned before.

* - WBIR-AM 1240, along with WBIR-FM 103.5, aired Doc Johnston's morning show where he played the piano. Does anyone know what format WBIR-AM carried previously? Was it a top 40 format?

* - WRJZ-AM 620 was previously WETE-AM 620 where it carried an AC format.

* - WOKI-FM 100.3 had been about two years old when they signed on in 1974.

* - WYSH-FM was probably still on 104.9 at the time. I am not sure what format it carried.

* - WBIR-FM 103.5 was carrying an automated MOR format from Drake-Chenault called "Hit Parade".

* - WSEV-FM 102.1 would carry block music programming 24 hours a day including a country music program, a top 40 program, a rock program, and various others.

and finally...

* - WUOT-FM 91.9 was still an NPR affiliate and they are still NPR-affiliated to this day.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Here is list of Knoxville radio stations that existed back in 1991.

Some of the FM ones are from the Knoxville FM composite that RMarino, a member of Radio-Info, uploaded just recently.

I have included some of the other stations that were heard in Maryville, Oak Ridge, Seymour, Oliver Springs, Loudon, Sevierville, and Karns.

Knoxville Radio Dial - 1991

FM Dial
WUOT-FM 91.9 Knoxville (Public Radio)
WWZZ-FM 93.1 Karns (Active Rock; “Z-93”)
WKNF-FM 94.3 Oak Ridge (Oldies; “Magic 94”)
WYFC-FM 95.3 Clinton (Satellite Religious)
WGAP-FM 95.7 Maryville (Country)
WJBZ-FM 96.3 Seymour (Southern Gospel)
WEZK-FM 97.5 Knoxville (AC; “The New 97.5 WEZK”)
WXVO-FM 98.7 Oliver Springs (Country)
WOKI-FM 100.3 Oak Ridge (Top 40; “I-100”)
WMYU-FM 102.1 Sevierville (AC; “U-102”)
WIMZ-FM 103.5 Knoxville (Rock; “Rock 103.5 WIMZ”)
WEMQ-FM 104.5 Knoxville (Adult Standards)
WXST-FM 105.3 Loudon (Oldies; “West 105.3”)
WDLY-FM 105.5 Sevierville (Country)
WIVK-FM 107.7 Knoxville (Country)

AM Dial
WRJZ-AM 620 Knoxville (Religious; “Joy 62”)
WUTK-AM 850 Knoxville (News/Talk; “NewsTalk 850 WUTK”)
WKXV-AM 900 Knoxville (Gospel)
WSEV-AM 930 Sevierville (Country)
WIVK-AM 990 Knoxville (Country//WIVK-FM 107.7)
WQBB-AM 1040 Knoxville (Adult Standards//WEMQ-FM 104.5)
WATO-AM 1290 Oak Ridge (AC)
WKGN-AM 1340 Knoxville (Urban)
WYSH-AM 1380 Clinton (Country)
WGAP-AM 1400 Maryville (Country//WGAP-FM 95.7)
WITA-AM 1490 Knoxville (Religious)
WDMF-AM 1580 Knoxville (Religious)

 

[tenacea73]

Respectfully, I have to differ. The writing was on the wall. They knew that the younger audience was moving to FM. And we're talking about top 40 in 1979. That year belonged to disco. NOX and RJZ may have been the closest to top 40 on AM - they may have even still described themselves as top 40 to the trades. Yet, I certainly don't remember either playing much of the disco hit music of the era. Post Eddy Roy era WNOX had taken a turn to more adult friendly titles - more gold and a much softer texture. Granted, there was always a good amount of dayparting musically at NOX. But by the time John E. Douglas arrived to program NOX, the presentation was almost too adult and too laid back for my taste. After Bob Kaghan's departure, 62 RJZ moved in much of the same direction. By the way, I'd forgotten that RJZ had gone country prior to the NOX flip. Thanks for the reminder. And for the refresher on WBIR-AM to WHEL too.

As for WOKI? They were the FM side to WORI. Didn't Pirkle sign OKI on in '73? Or was it '75? Quickly, some memories. Automated top 40. Jingles from TM's Pacific and Southern package. Didn't Mike Beverly move to OKI from WFLI in Chatta-boogie? Gary Adkins brought "The Brothers" over from W-149. Early reel to reel automated voicetracked station that matched the music reels up with a prerecorded voice reel. Misfire one cut and your backsells were playing too early or too late. By the early 80s, they'd gone live with the likes of Brother John St. John and Fast Eddie Ashton.

Fun stuff Derrick. Thanks for starting the thread.

Eddy Roy would go on to be a DJ at WQBB and WEZK (now WJXB). I heard him on the radio before and he is such a great DJ.

I am glad that we are talking about Knoxville radio history and I am glad I started this thread. WORI-AM was on 1550 and located in Oak Ridge. I am not sure what format they carried at the time.

A few missing pieces of the puzzle about WOKI AM 1550 and WORI. WOKI AM 1550 was a 1KW daytime-only station that had a short tower (still there as of 2004) behind the famous pink building on Tulsa Rd. When I joined WOKI in Jan 77 it was simulcasting the FM all the time, hence it was WOKI and WOKI-FM. In May '77, two changes happened; WOKI-FM signed an agreement with Mutual Radio Network for (taped-delayed, of course) newscasts, and the decision was made to separate AM from FM programming from M-F 9AM to 3PM as a test to see if any more local money could be squeezed out. Pirkle even hired a new AM salesman and a "news director" for the AM & FM. Two FM automation operators were given their own 3-hr AM shows, myself and a guy named Keith Brunson. Keith left after a few months and went to WKGN and also worked at Uncle Sams across the street. I switched from mornings to afternoons and a guy named Randal Davidson did the morning show. The music was strictly adult contemporary with no rock. Played a lot of Helen Reddy, James Taylor, Rita Coolidge and Kenny Loggins. Gradually, the separate programming was extended to Mon thru Fri sign-on to sign-off with FM simulcasting on weekends. Before the Spring '78 book, the station became 1550 WORI and WOKI-FM dropped the -FM and began the dual city Oak Ridge/Knoxville ID. I left the AM and went back to FM operation/ newscasting in the late summer of '78 and a guy named Nick Matthews took my old AM show. I left the station in Aug '79 right before all the big changes. When I returned in the next spring for a visit, the new FM studio was finished, and live FM shows had begun. Meanwhile, the old IGM system had been put on the WORI 1550 full time and was still playing AC.

/

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

A few missing pieces of the puzzle about WOKI AM 1550 and WORI. WOKI AM 1550 was a 1KW daytime-only station that had a short tower (still there as of 2004) behind the famous pink building on Tulsa Rd. When I joined WOKI in Jan 77 it was simulcasting the FM all the time, hence it was WOKI and WOKI-FM. In May '77, two changes happened; WOKI-FM signed an agreement with Mutual Radio Network for (taped-delayed, of course) newscasts, and the decision was made to separate AM from FM programming from M-F 9AM to 3PM as a test to see if any more local money could be squeezed out. Pirkle even hired a new AM salesman and a "news director" for the AM & FM. Two FM automation operators were given their own 3-hr AM shows, myself and a guy named Keith Brunson. Keith left after a few months and went to WKGN and also worked at Uncle Sams across the street. I switched from mornings to afternoons and a guy named Randal Davidson did the morning show. The music was strictly adult contemporary with no rock. Played a lot of Helen Reddy, James Taylor, Rita Coolidge and Kenny Loggins. Gradually, the separate programming was extended to Mon thru Fri sign-on to sign-off with FM simulcasting on weekends. Before the Spring '78 book, the station became 1550 WORI and WOKI-FM dropped the -FM and began the dual city Oak Ridge/Knoxville ID. I left the AM and went back to FM operation/ newscasting in the late summer of '78 and a guy named Nick Matthews took my old AM show. I left the station in Aug '79 right before all the big changes. When I returned in the next spring for a visit, the new FM studio was finished, and live FM shows had begun. Meanwhile, the old IGM system had been put on the WORI 1550 full time and was still playing AC.

Thanks for talking about WOKI-AM/WORI. I was wanting to find out about WORI and what format they carried. By March 25, 1985, they changed the calls to WKNF-AM. I think they were simulcasting WKNF-FM 94.3 at the time. I think the format was oldies as "Magic 94".

By 12/18/1987, they went back to the WORI calls. Not sure what format they carried before leaving the air permanently.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Here is list of Knoxville radio stations that existed back in 1977.

These come from personal memory based on the posts seen on this topic.

Knoxville Radio Dial - 1977

FM Dial
WUOT-FM 91.9 Knoxville (Public Radio)
WUUU-FM 94.3 Oak Ridge (Easy Listening)
WYSH-FM 95.3 Clinton
WEZK-FM 97.5 Knoxville (Easy Listening)
WOKI-FM 100.3 Oak Ridge (Top 40)*
WSEV-FM 102.1 Sevierville (Variety)
WBIR-FM 103.5 Knoxville (Country; “MusicCountry 103.5”)**
WIVK-FM 107.7 Knoxville (Country)

AM Dial
WRJZ-AM 620 Knoxville (Top 40; “62 WRJZ”)
WIVK-AM 850 Knoxville (Country//WIVK-FM 107.7)
WKXV-AM 900 Knoxville (Gospel)
WSEV-AM 930 Sevierville (Country)
WNOX-AM 990 Knoxville (Top 40)
WATO-AM 1290 Oak Ridge (AC)
WKGN-AM 1340 Knoxville (Top 40/Disco)***
WYSH-AM 1380 Clinton (Country)
WGAP-AM 1400 Maryville (Country)
WJBE-AM 1430 Knoxville (R&B)
WKVQ-AM 1490 Knoxville (Top 40)
WOKI-AM 1550 Oak Ridge (AC)****
WSKT-AM 1580 Knoxville (Religious)

More information about Knoxville radio in 1977:

* - WOKI-FM 100.3 was going on three years since WOKI-FM 100.3 signed on the air. They were still aired some automated top 40 programming with some live jocks.

** - WBIR-FM 100.3 had switched formats from Drake-Chenault’s “Hit Parade” automated MOR to country as “MusicCountry 103.5” while still co-owned with WBIR-TV 10.

*** - WKGN-AM 1340 aired a top 40 format with disco music mixed in. The station later became “Disco 13” and in 1980, “Love 13” was the new name for WKGN-AM.

**** - WOKI-AM 1550 was a 1-KW daytime-only adult contemporary station that simulcasted WOKI-FM 100.3 on Saturdays and Sundays. The AC format aired during the week. By the Spring 1978 ratings book, WOKI-AM changed calls to WORI.

 

[carson]

Great stuff in this thread. I remember the automated WOKI in the mid-late 70s and that really wild overnight guy who, as I recall, met an untimely demise (can't recall the story exactly.) I worked a WATO/WUUU from about '75 or '76 until landing a gig at MusicCountry 103 -- and later Rock 104. Back in the WATO days we had a news director who had come over from W149 (WROL?) named Leslie Self. Anyone know her? I've always wondered what happened to her. I believe she left WATO to work for Tennessee Radio Network in Nashville.

Carson

 

[knoxbob]

A few you left out:

91.1FM Fulton High School
93.5FM WLIL (now WKZX spanish) Country, Lenoir City
99.3FM WSBM Jefferson City , Country

580 AM WOFE Rockwood, Country
730 AM WLIL Lenoir City, Country
1470 AM WEAG (now WBCR, talk)
1480 AM WJFC, Jefferson City

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

A few you left out:

91.1FM Fulton High School
93.5FM WLIL (now WKZX spanish) Country, Lenoir City
99.3FM WSBM Jefferson City , Country

580 AM WOFE Rockwood, Country
730 AM WLIL Lenoir City, Country
1470 AM WEAG (now WBCR, talk)
1480 AM WJFC, Jefferson City

I forgot about those. I do believe WOFE-AM 580 was a top 40 station in the early 1970s. AM 580 is now a classic country station and they still have the WOFE calls.

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

99.3FM WSBM Jefferson City , Country

I do believe it aired a gospel format in the late 1970s. In the early to mid 1980s, they became WKJQ-FM, a Hot AC format, known as "Q-99".

 

[KnoxvilleTVFan]

Knoxville Radio Dial - 1991

FM Dial
WUOT-FM 91.9 Knoxville (Public Radio)
WWZZ-FM 93.1 Karns (Active Rock; “Z-93”)
WKNF-FM 94.3 Oak Ridge (Oldies; “Magic 94”)
WYFC-FM 95.3 Clinton (Satellite Religious)
WGAP-FM 95.7 Maryville (Country)
WJBZ-FM 96.3 Seymour (Southern Gospel)
WEZK-FM 97.5 Knoxville (AC; “The New 97.5 WEZK”)
WXVO-FM 98.7 Oliver Springs (Country)
WOKI-FM 100.3 Oak Ridge (Top 40; “I-100”)
WMYU-FM 102.1 Sevierville (AC; “U-102”)
WIMZ-FM 103.5 Knoxville (Rock; “Rock 103.5 WIMZ”)
WEMQ-FM 104.5 Knoxville (Adult Standards)
WXST-FM 105.3 Loudon (Oldies; “West 105.3”)
WDLY-FM 105.5 Sevierville (Country)
WIVK-FM 107.7 Knoxville (Country)

AM Dial
WRJZ-AM 620 Knoxville (Religious; “Joy 62”)
WUTK-AM 850 Knoxville (News/Talk; “NewsTalk 850 WUTK”)
WKXV-AM 900 Knoxville (Gospel)
WSEV-AM 930 Sevierville (Country)
WIVK-AM 990 Knoxville (Country//WIVK-FM 107.7)
WQBB-AM 1040 Knoxville (Adult Standards//WEMQ-FM 104.5)
WATO-AM 1290 Oak Ridge (AC)
WKGN-AM 1340 Knoxville (Urban)
WYSH-AM 1380 Clinton (Country)
WGAP-AM 1400 Maryville (Country//WGAP-FM 95.7)
WITA-AM 1490 Knoxville (Religious)
WDMF-AM 1580 Knoxville (Religious)

Forgot to add one:

WIMZ-AM 1240 Knoxville (Rock//WIMZ-FM 103.5)