WBAM-FM
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| WBAM | |
| City of license | Montgomery, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Branding | Bama Country 98.9 |
| Slogan | "Today's Best Country and All the Country Legends" |
| Frequency | 98.9 MHz |
| Format | Country |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 299 meters (982 feet) |
| Class | C1 |
| Facility ID | 16379 |
| Transmitter Coordinates | |
| Callsign meaning | The State of AlaBAMa |
| Owner | Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | http://www.bamacountry989.com |
WBAM-FM (98.9 FM, "Bama Country 98.9") is a country music formatted radio station in the Montgomery, Alabama, United States.
Contents |
[edit] The Defunct WBAM AM 740
WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. WBAM was a powerhouse at 50,000 watts, covering much of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. From its earliest days, WBAM put on concerts for the Montgomery area. One of its earliest Big BAM Shows featured Elvis Presley as he ascended to fame, on the same bill with Roy Acuff.
The Big BAM, as WBAM became known, is legendary in Montgomery. Disc jockeys associated with WBAM's Top 40 heyday include Bill J. Moody, Coby Schubert, Bobby Brennan, and Joe Cook, among others. Big BAM Shows of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured all the biggest artists of the day, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, Iron Butterfly, The Carpenters, The Monkees, and many more. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00.
Mornings were dedicated to farm and gospel music programming, with country and popular music played during the day. When 740 AM powered down at night, one would hear "Dixie" as a sign-off.
In 1973, WBAM-AM 740 adopted a country music format. In 1978, WBAM-FM 98.9 signed on with a Top 40 format. AM 740 was sold to Colonial Broadcasting in 1985, and an era ended when the call letters changed to WMSP for sports radio programming.
[edit] WBAM-FM
WBAM-FM has survived, and has held on to its heritage call letters. After several years as Star 98.9 and a few as Oldies 98, "Bama Country 98.9" signed on in April, 2004. And, in the grand tradition of the Big BAM Shows, each year the radio station hosts a Bama Country Birthday Bash with many of today's top country music artists. Ticket prices remain a modest $9.89.
Notable local programming on WBAM-FM includes "The Bama Country Morning Show" with Bear O'brien and CJ plus local hosts Mike Alan and JR "your big bubba" and Kandy. Other notable programs include "Legends Saturday Night" , "The Jeff Foxworthy Countdown", "American Country Countdown" with Kix Brooks, Bob Kingsley's "Country Top 40" and "Rise up Country."
[edit] Ownership
The radio station was owned by the Brennan family until 2004. WBAM is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting.
[edit] References
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WBAM
- Radio Locator information on WBAM
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WBAM
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