Best Tenn. stations of all time

[firepoint525]

I'm guessing that "WMAK-FM" might be a mistake, given that WMAK was only an AM station in 1975 (wasn't it?), and that WMAK-FM didn't exist until Oldies 96.3 adopted those call letters back around 2000.

actually...92.1 was WMAK-FM from July 1981 until picking up the current WQQK calls ('84?).
In '81...WMAK and 92Q were simulcasting mornings (Steve McCoy and Mary Glen) and afternoons (Doc Damon).
The brain-trust running things couln't comprehend that the perception of WMAK was not positive, and decided
to bank on the WMAK "image" for 92Q.  Epic fail.  McCoy bolted for Atlanta.  92.1 was sold to Sam Howard
(and was a MOYL knock-off for a while...another epic fail).  WMAK became WLUY "Lucky 13"...probably
the most horrible station ever conceived.  By it's timely end, it as manned primarily by broadcast school
students...went dark...and sold to Babb to become WNQM.  Sorry...tangent mode activated.

Was any of this during the time that AM 1300 (whatever its call letters were at the time) was (apparently) all-disco?

[secondchoice]

Too bad that WSIX didn't come up with a competing "barn dance" to go up against the Opry back in the 1920s, or they, too, might be considered a "heritage" station now.

I forget WSIX's sign on date, but at one time they were in Springfield TN. IIRC their studios were above a tire dealer.
They did not have an Insurance Company's $$$ like WLAC and WSM.

[romer979fm]

was any of this during the time that AM 1300 (whatever its call letters were at the time) was (apparently) all-disco?

no...the disco format ran from August 1978 as Majik 13 (still using WMAK calls) until 11:50pm December 31, 1979.
the last ten minutes were a Bill Berlin produced a bit where he hired a hit man to kill "the disco duck" on air.
(the hit man killed the duck by stabbing in in the heart with a rolled up posted of John Travolta...while
Berlin repeatedly kicked it in the face until it was dead).  it was as brutal as it sounds...we hated the format.
At midnight Jan 1, 1980...WMAK was oldies...using lots of the original jingles. Worked for a while...but the
days of AM being competitive were over (and we ran Atlanta Braves games 'cause they paid us).

[firepoint525]

So apparently, WMAK-AM was in an identity crisis from 1978 (when they went disco) to 1983, when they were "born again" as a Christian talk station.  But then again, quite a few AMs were going through identity crises about that time.

[Goldear]

Well, it looks like most contributors here are too young to remember a truly remarkable radio station that must be considered the best or at least one of the best ever in Tennessee.  It was a 250 watt station that transformed radio in Tennessee and influenced radio across the nation.  WKDA, Nashville, late 50’s early 60’s.  Some of the jocks were Bob Irvin; Hal Smith; Hugh Cherry; Sam Hale; Ronn Terrell (Terrell L. Metheny, Jr.); Hairl Hensley; Bill Randall; Wayne Moss; Dick Buckley; Rally Stanton; Audie Ashworth; Bill Hudson, Roger Scutt (Captain Midnight),  Quin Ivy (later producer of Muscle Shoals music), legendary sports announcer Larry Munson and manager Jack Stapp (owner of Tree Publishing Co.). The were truly a “David in the Land of Goliath”….a 250 watter that could hardly be heard at night beating the much more powerful stations… WMAK, WSIX, WLAC and WSM.

[secondchoice]

Well, it looks like most contributors here are too young to remember a truly remarkable radio station that must be considered the best or at least one of the best ever in Tennessee.  It was a 250 watt station that transformed radio in Tennessee and influenced radio across the nation.  WKDA, Nashville, late 50’s early 60’s.  Some of the jocks were Bob Irvin; Hal Smith; Hugh Cherry; Sam Hale; Ronn Terrell (Terrell L. Metheny, Jr.); Hairl Hensley; Bill Randall; Wayne Moss; Dick Buckley; Rally Stanton; Audie Ashworth; Bill Hudson, Roger Scutt (Captain Midnight),  Quin Ivy (later producer of Muscle Shoals music), legendary sports announcer Larry Munson and manager Jack Stapp (owner of Tree Publishing Co.). The were truly a “David in the Land of Goliath”….a 250 watter that could hardly be heard at night beating the much more powerful stations… WMAK, WSIX, WLAC and WSM.

Didn't WKDA have 1KW daytime and 250 watts night like most of the stations on 1240 in the pre 80 90 days?  IIRC they were in a building that used the building's steel as a grounding system.  In the late 1960's when they were going against WMAK, I could pick them up on a portable radio in my bedroom in Springfield TN during the day.  Of course at night they and WMAK went away, and WSIX was not that great of signal (I was too young much into TOP Forty to listen to WSIX any way.)  I did listen to "John R." selling baby chickens and the records on WLAC sometimes, and sometimes WLS at night. 

[firepoint525]

Well, it looks like most contributors here are too young to remember a truly remarkable radio station that must be considered the best or at least one of the best ever in Tennessee.  It was a 250 watt station that transformed radio in Tennessee and influenced radio across the nation.  WKDA, Nashville, late 50’s early 60’s.  Some of the jocks were Bob Irvin; Hal Smith; Hugh Cherry; Sam Hale; Ronn Terrell (Terrell L. Metheny, Jr.); Hairl Hensley; Bill Randall; Wayne Moss; Dick Buckley; Rally Stanton; Audie Ashworth; Bill Hudson, Roger Scutt (Captain Midnight),  Quin Ivy (later producer of Muscle Shoals music), legendary sports announcer Larry Munson and manager Jack Stapp (owner of Tree Publishing Co.). The were truly a “David in the Land of Goliath”….a 250 watter that could hardly be heard at night beating the much more powerful stations… WMAK, WSIX, WLAC and WSM.

Was this the same "Captain Midnight" who famously had 40 minutes of dead air?  Read about it here:

http://www.aroundtheblock.us/wkda.html

[jackandcoke]

Well, it looks like most contributors here are too young to remember a truly remarkable radio station that must be considered the best or at least one of the best ever in Tennessee.  It was a 250 watt station that transformed radio in Tennessee and influenced radio across the nation.  WKDA, Nashville, late 50’s early 60’s.  Some of the jocks were Bob Irvin; Hal Smith; Hugh Cherry; Sam Hale; Ronn Terrell (Terrell L. Metheny, Jr.); Hairl Hensley; Bill Randall; Wayne Moss; Dick Buckley; Rally Stanton; Audie Ashworth; Bill Hudson, Roger Scutt (Captain Midnight),  Quin Ivy (later producer of Muscle Shoals music), legendary sports announcer Larry Munson and manager Jack Stapp (owner of Tree Publishing Co.). The were truly a “David in the Land of Goliath”….a 250 watter that could hardly be heard at night beating the much more powerful stations… WMAK, WSIX, WLAC and WSM.

Thanks for mentioning the Early WKDA. A late friend of mine from down Slidell, LA way, Steve Remel, ex-WKDA/WKGN/WCOA/WOWW (et cetera) used to regale me with tales of the All-Star lineups that KDA had, back in the day. Most radio folks have long forgotten that Top 40 didn't start out on the WLS's of the world--it started out on the smaller stations (or daytimers) that had to take a chance and do something that the big players wouldn't touch.

[Goldear]

SecondChoi....eventually, WKDA was 1kw/250; however they began as 250 d/n. Not sure when the increase occurred.
Was this the same "Captain Midnight" who famously had 40 minutes of dead air?  Read about it here:
Same Captain Midnight.... You may recall that when he died, he was found in a garbage dumpster in an alley. Very sad....a very troubled soul.