A few days ago several of us were discussing legendary radio personalities. Names like Charlie Tuna and Robert W. Morgan from L.A. Then we talked about John Records Landekker at WLS and Don Imus.
During the conversation we got into local voices. People, that while not major market, were considered "gods" in their respective cities. Additionally, the stations that hosted these on-air greats came up. One of those outlets was WFBC and Monty Dupuy.
In 1962, Monty Dupuy became the long running host of the simulcast morning show which was one of the most popular shows in Greenville Radio History garnering more than 50% of the audience for more than 15 years. Dupuy was the morning host on WFBC-FM from 1962 to 1977.
In 1965, WFBC-FM began independent programming of "light music" and "Music with McMasters" only simulcasting during the Dupuy morning show and special events.
WFBC-FM started programming Drake Chenaults (Hit Parade) format in early 1971 becoming one of the most popular radio stations in the upstate.Past on-air staff during the 1960s and 1970s on WFBC-FM include: Norvin Duncan, Johnny Wright, Bob Poole, Bob Shelley, Monty Dupuy, Stowe Hoyle, Ben Greer, Bill Kregar, Verner Tate, Alice Wyman, Claude Freeman, Wilfred Walker, Billy Powell, Lee Kanipe, Max Mace, Jeff Fields, Ray Clune, Johnny Batson, Andy Scott, Ken Rogers, Dan Kelly, Jerry Haynes, Jim Burnside, Eston Johnson, Scott Shannon, Bill Love, Dale Gilbert, Jim Phillips, Rick Driver and Patty Snow.
Announcers in that time frame included; Ken Rogers, Steve Chris, Lee Alexander, Russ Cassell, "Rockin Robin" Keith, Chris Scott, Eric Rogers, Lisa Rollins, Jan Meng, Dan Stevens, "Spanky" Jim Miller, Lee Nolan, "Brother Bill" Prather, Joe Fletcher, Lou Simon and many more. As an Oldies outlet, WFBC featured the popular weeknight Oldies Request show "Into The Night" with Jan Ming. They also played Dick Clark, Mike Harvey and Dick Bartley National Oldies Shows on the weekends. The station also produced and networked several award winning Carolina Beach Music shows with Ken Rogers and Leighton Grantham. The format was 1950's- early 1970's Rock and Roll Oldies and was successful for many years.
During this period, the station was known for doing live remotes and broadcast Memorial Day Weekends live from "Freedom Weekend Aloft". WYFF-TV Weatherman Dale Gilbert did Mid-Mornings on WFBC-FM during part of this period as well as doing the Morning Weather Broadcasts on "Your Friend" 4. WFBC/(WYFF-TV 4) and WFBC AM/FM shared the same building from 1955 till 1977 when a new radio facility was built adjacent to the TV station on Rutherford Street.
[Thanks to Wikipedia for much of the detail therein]
We would love to hear from you on your favorite stations and DJs. All across the country BEFORE the consoldation of brands by Clear Channel, Entercom, Citidal, etc.... there were truly local stations..
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add some information to your blog on the history of WFBC-FM
WFBC-FM was, in the early 80s (around 1982-83), an Adult Top 40 station (or at least what could be considered as Hot AC today) as "FM 94". I remember them avoiding much of the harder Rock and Urban songs at the time, but they played some mainstream Pop acts. They did carry "American Top 40" during those years after longtime AM Top 40 powerhouse WQOK dropped it in 1980 or 81. The only direct competition that WFBC-FM had at the time was WANS-FM/AM, then Top 40 as "All Hit 107", but they were licensed to Anderson and focused heavily on their home turf until Arbitron consolidated Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg into one market (#58). This move killed off much of the AM stations in the ratings since many of them could not cover all three cities at once unless you had a 100kW FM stick (Urban WHYZ was one of the few exceptions since they were 50 kW, but they were a daytimer only). Also, in the fall of 82, longtime Album Rocker, WAIM-FM switched to Top 40 (with a heavy Rock lean) as WCKN, but kept the "Rock 101" name that they were using when they were Album Rock.
With both WANS and WCKN in the market, WFBC-FM decided to switched over to AC, keeping the "FM 94" handle. WFBC-FM had the AC format all to themselves until WMYI signed on as AC "My 102.5" in 1987 and began to dominate them in the ratings. This eventually lead WFBC-FM to gradually switch over to AC/Oldies hybrid in 1988 before going all Oldies in 1989. In late 1990 or early 1991, WFBC-FM dropped their longtime "FM 94" handle for "B93.7" (Yes Virginia, before WFBC-FM went Top 40 a few years later, they used the "B93.7" name first as an Oldies outlet!). WFBC-FM was sold sometime in 1992 to (I think) Keymarket out of Pennsylvania, which kept the Oldies format, but dropped the "B93.7" name for "Oldies 93.7".
As far as when WFBC-FM flipped to Top 40 as "B93.7", that took place on April 1st, 1995, rather than 1994 as stated. The reason why for the flip was due to a format hole for Top 40. WCKN (by then known as "Power 101") dropped Top 40 in November, 1987 for Classic Rock, reclaiming the "Rock 101" name. This move left WANS as the only in-market Top 40 outlet. Unfortunately, WANS went bankrupt in 1989 and eventually sold to a group that dropped Top 40 for AC as "Magic 107.3" under the WWMM call latters in February, 1991.
The format hole for Top 40 was filled a few weeks later when 93.3 WBBO-FM, a move-in from Forest City, NC, dropped Beautiful/Easy Music for Top 40 as "Power 93". Although ratings were very good in the first book, WBBO-FM eventually sunk to being in the middle pack where thy stayed, despite a few re-imaging and format tweeks, eventually dropping the "Power 93" name for "93.3 WBBO". In the Spring of 1994, WBBO dropped the "93.3 WBBO" handle for "Q93", but retaining the WBBO call letters and Top 40 format. Ratings didn't improve at first, but gradually Modern Rock hits was added to the format. Suddenly, Q93" finally showed growth in the ratings after several years of being Top 40. Unfortunately, WBBO was in the process of being sold to Benchmark, which flipped it to Young Country as "93-Q Country" on New Years Day, 1995. What ratings growth that WBBO had in the last few months dropped like a rock when the format was changed, and the move left the market with no Top 40 station (again). Hence WFBC-FM's flip a few months later.
Whew, sorry for the long post, but thought you would like the info.
As far as honoring local talent. I agree with you choices. Hunter Herring and Booby Nash are good choices. I would like to also add Woody Windham to your list as he has had a very successful career in Columbia radio. All the others that I can think of are sadly no longer with us.
Anyway, I enjoy the blog. Thanks for putting it up.
Robyn Watts