WEZB

Infobox Radio Station
name = WEZB


city = New Orleans, Louisiana
area = New Orleans
branding = "B-97FM"
slogan = "All The Hits"
airdate = 1960s
frequency = 97.1 (MHz) HD Radio
97.1 HD-2 for Rhythmic Contemporary
format = Top 40 (CHR)
erp = 99,000 watts
haat = 300 meters
class = C0
facility_id = 20346
owner = Entercom
webcast = [http://wmc1.liquidviewer.net/WEZB Listen Live]
website = http://www.b97.com
callsign_meaning = W (East side of the Mississippi River), EZ (EZ Communications; former owner), B (for their former format, Beautiful music)

WEZB, aka B-97 today, is a mainstream Top 40 (CHR) outlet based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The station is owned by Entercom and they broadcast their format at 97.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW.

History

Originally in the late 1950s when 97.1 signed on, this was WRCM, the FM simulcast of WJMR AM 990, owned by George Mayoral. Later it became WEZB, part of a chain of Beautiful Music stations (WEZC Charlotte, WEZR Washington, et al). It was never very successful against formidable competition in that format. When the disco craze hit, it became Disco 97 on Thursday, February 8, 1979. The format failed shortly after the switch and went on to become known as B-97FM. Over the years, the name went through minor changes (i.e. "B-97FM," "B-97," "97.1 The New B-97," etc). Today, many New Orleanians know B-97 as a well-known and established radio station playing the hits.

WEZB has been a prominent Top 40 radio broadcast station in the New Orleans, LA metropolitan area since June 1980, except for a brief, failed experiment with News/Talk (1994 to 1996) and Adult Top 40/Hot AC (1996 to 1998) formats. The station became arguably more Rhythmic in its musical format before making the shift in 2005 to its current true Top 40 approach.

A Rhythmic Contemporary sub-station is coming soon to 97.1 HD-2 (HD Radio needed).

Hurricane Katrina

WEZB was also a member of the United Radio Broadcasters of New Orleans, an alliance of broadcast stations formed by the joint ventures of WEZB's parent company, Entercom Communications with Clear Channel Communications, during Hurricane Katrina in September of 2005.

Programming & Personalities

*Syndicated Kidd Kraddick (morning show)
*Jammer (PD and middays)
*Tierza "T-Pot" (early afternoons)
*The Afternoon Swirl "T-Pot" & "Stevie G." (late afternoons)
*Stevie G. (evenings)
*Speedy (nights)
*Weekend personalities coming soon!!

Past Air Personalities

*"Cajun" Ken Cooper
*Scoot in the Morning (Scott Redmond)
*John Walton & Steve Johnson "'Walton and Johnson'" in the Morning
*"Fast" Eddie Coyle
*"Skinny" Tommy Cheney (worked at WTIX-AM 690 for many years before going to FM on B-97FM. Now doing country artist promotion with the George Strait group in Nashville, TN.)
*Shadow Stevens (previously from Z100 in New York and Pirate Radio LA)
*Nick Bazoo (also worked as PD at Magic 101.9 and 92-3 The Point)
*Boomer (used to host "Top 5 at 8", later became "Top 8 at 8", and "Boomer's Rumors")
*Brother J.J. Malone
*Elvis Duran
*Don Banks "The Fatman"
*Brian Pierce Afternoons as "Pierceshow" Later to WZOU Boston and KLUV Dallas. Now at KFDI Wichita.
*Allen Beebe (The Legend and maybe one of the longest running jocks on B, now at Magic 93.7, WMJY-FM in Biloxi, MS)
*Bo Walker (prime time DJ & host for the "Top 9 at 9" in the early 90s, now on The New 99-5FM.COM, WRNO New Orleans)
*"Bubba" Carson (real name Paul Donovan, now at country station KYGO, Denver)
*Kim Carson (Worked on country station 101.1 WNOE New Orleans for years. Later went to B-97. Married to Bubba for a while and has her own country music band)
*The Monkey Boy (prime time host)
*Ron Carter
*Jeff St. John (part-time)
*Eddie Munster
*Eddie "The Hurricane" Monson
*Cadillac Jack (one of many)
*Brian Thomas (PD)
*Rob Halloway ("Rob & Robb In The Morning") (left B-97 to do mornings on MIX 104.1 KUMX)
*Scott Robb (was working with Kidd Kraddick) ("Rob & Robb In The Morning") (left B-97 to do mornings on MIX 104.1 KUMX)
*Adam Smasher (not the "ATOM" SMASHER of KUMX Mix 104.1)
*Charlie Matkin
*Rob Waggman (PD & DJ, now PD at 96.1 The Beat in Charlotte)
*Regular Joe (PD & DJ)
*Ted Kelly (now runs a website for Christian radio HisAir.Net [1]
*Cheryl Robichaux (was at 94.5 KSMB-FM, Lafayette, LA, now retired)
*Patty Steel (now middays at GO-FM in Biloxi. Not to be confused with Patty Steele the hack at WPLJ in NYC)
*Catfish (again, one of many.)
*Jake "The Snake" (part-time)
*Charese Frugé
*Hollywood Harrison
*Stacey Brady (former Mornings APD/MD and now hosting the morning show with Mike Thiess on Mix 92.3, WDVW-FM, New Orleans)
*John Marty (now on 97.5 WABB-FM, Mobile, AL hosting the morning show "John, Mena, & Q-Tip In The Morning")
*Danny Cruz
*Janet Gross (news/traffic director & part-time jock. Later went to WVUE-TV to anchor their Sat. morning news)
*Maxwell
*Matt Cain
*Will The Thrill (serving time in Iraq with our nations military)
*Carson (in Cinncinati, OH)
*John Shomby
*Jason Reed (part-time; also worked for other Entercom New Orleans stations) (Now doing weekends part-time on KKND-FM 106-7 The Wolf New Orleans)
*Celest Matthews
*Dave Nichols
*Billy Brown (was in Florida)
*Michael Bryan
*Mike Shaft
*Robert Elfman
*Kris O'Kelly
*Ted Striker (worked there very briefly, now at Kiss 106.1 Seattle, WA)
*Jenna Jordan (part-time, also worked on 105.3 THE ZONE, now at Mix 92.3)
*Booker (Mornings with Booker and Brady. Now hosting mornings on Hot 96 in Evansville, IN)
*Charlie Scott (retired)
*J. Love
*Barry Foxx
*Anthony "Gangi" (Also worked for other Entercom New Orleans stations)
*Wankus
*Tom Mitchell
*Bam-Bam
*Travis Torrence (part-time. Now a practicing law in Texas)
*Terry "Motormouth" Young (currently a host on XM Radio's "60s at 6" Channel)
*Rick Friedman
*"The Gator" aka Larry Knight (currently nights/WWXM/Myrtle Beach, SC)
*Kim Diamond (after leaving Lite 105, WLTS-FM New Orleans. Now in the Biloxi/Gulfport area of Mississippi)
*David Marxx a.k.a. "Skid" Marxx (left KHOM MIX 104.1 to come to B-97; now D.K. Pierce, Doing Afternoons and the PD at 92.9 Bass Country in Springfield, Missouri)
*Jason Peavy (part-time) (Left B-97 then to KUMX MIX 104.1 then to WCAC-FM Baton Rouge, LA) (Now doing Sunday nights part-time on 106-7 The Wolf New Orleans)
*Tyler (did midddays on B-97; left in the summer of '07)

External links

* [http://www.b97.com B97's website]
*FMQ|WEZB
*FML|WEZB
*FMARB|WEZB