- WAMZ
Infobox Radio station
name = WAMZ
city =Louisville, Kentucky
area = Louisville
branding = "97.5 WAMZ"
airdate = 1966
frequency = 97.5 FM
format = Country
power =
erp = 100,000watt s
haat = 205 meters (673 feet)
class = C1
facility_id = 11921
coordinates = 38° 03' 49" N, 85° 43' 52" W
callsign_meaning = We're America's MuZic (Music)
former_callsigns = WHAS-FM (1966-1975), WNNS (1975-1977)
owner =Clear Channel Communications
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = http://www.wamz.com
affiliations =
WAMZ is a Countryradio station located inLouisville, Kentucky . The station broadcast on 97.5 FM with a ERP of 100 kW.tation history
Experimental W9XEK signed on July 22, 1944 at 45.5 MHz. (on the original FM band). A second FM was established on April 20, 1947 when WCJT signed on at 99.7 FM (call-sign meaning "C"ourier "J"ournal "T"imes, Louisville's newspaper and the owner of AM 840 WHAS). By the following year, W9XEK was taken off the air and WCJT became WHAS-FM. However, FM was a then-new technology and little audience reception had forced the license for WHAS-FM to be turned back into the FCC on December 31st, 1950. The 99.7 frequency later became the home for WKLO-FM (now
WDJX ).On September 7, 1966, the second WHAS-FM signed on at 97.5 FM with a 100 kW. physical plant and an automated
Classical music format. This format lasted until September 3, 1975 when WHAS-FM became WNNS and adoptedNBC 's "News and Information Service" (NIS) format.At midnight on January 28, 1977, on the heels of the announcement that NBC's NIS format would be discontinued, the format was changed to automated Country, using Drake-Chenault's "Great American Country" format under the WAMZ call-letters. Although automated, the station became the first Country FM in Louisville. The first song played on WAMZ was "She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory" by
Charley Pride .In 1979, radio personality Coyote Calhoun (best know at the time for his previous air work at Top 40 powerhouse WAKY) was hired as the Program Director/Morning Man. Under his leadership, WAMZ became one of the most-successful Country radio stations in the country.
WAMZ is broadcasting in
HD Radio WAMZ is owned by Clear Channel Communications, which acquired it and sister WHAS in 1985.
External links
* [http://www.wamz.com WAMZ's official website]
* [http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=11921 FCC entry for WAMZ]
* [http://www.lkyradio.com/WAMZ.htm WAMZ page at LKYRadio.com]
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