WAME
Encyclopedia
WAME is a radio station
broadcasting a classic country
format. Licensed to Statesville, North Carolina
, USA. The station is owned by Statesville Family Radio Corporation. WAME's programming can also be heard on FM at 92.9 MHz over translator W225BD, which operates at 19 watts.
The programming is currently a mix of locally produced programming, Dial Global
's and Classic Hit Country
format.
, which initially was simulcast with WDBM. WDBM-FM continued to broadcast easy-listening music in the evenings after WDBM signed off.
format. The FM was given the calls WOOO and on-air was called "Triple-O 97".
music and religious teaching.
In 1990, the call letters became WAME and in 1994 they became WHYM.
In 1996, the station became WIST - "Station of the Stars" - an affiliate of the Music of Your Life
adult standards
network..
In 1997, GHB Broadcasting created a regional talk network called Total Radio to compete in the Charlotte, NC market against heritage station WBT
. As part that effort, the call letters changed to WTLI when it joined the Total Radio simulcast. The attempt to compete against 50,000-watt WBT
in Charlotte, NC was not successful.
By 1998 the WIST call letters were back to Statesville, with the Real Country
format on the station, and the station became WAME again in October 2000.
In the early 2000s, long-time radio personality J. D. Benfield began doing the morning show on the station, and the remainder of the day's programming was the Stardust
satellite format from ABC Radio Networks.
In February 2008, WAME became "Country Legends 550." Benfield left the station in August 2008.
On October 1, 2008, country radio personality John Glenn joined WAME as Operations Manager and Morning Show Host. "Big Country Mornings with John Glenn" began airing on Monday, January 12, 2009.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
format. Licensed to Statesville, North Carolina
Statesville, North Carolina
Statesville is a city located in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States and was named an All-America City in 1997 and 2009. The population was 24,633 at the 2010 census...
, USA. The station is owned by Statesville Family Radio Corporation. WAME's programming can also be heard on FM at 92.9 MHz over translator W225BD, which operates at 19 watts.
The programming is currently a mix of locally produced programming, Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
's and Classic Hit Country
Classic Hit Country
Classic Country is a 24-hour music format produced by Dial Global. Its playlist is composed of a diverse mix of mostly classic and some handpicked modern country music from artists such as Willie Nelson, George Jones, Dwight Yoakam, The Judds, George Strait and dozens more artists.Recently, Triton...
format.
Duke Family
The station on 550 AM in Statesville, North Carolina began in 1955 as WDBM, and operated only during daytime hours with licensed power of 500 watts. WDBM was founded by Walter A. Duke. In 1967, the Duke family started WDBM-FM at 96.9 FM, now known as WKKTWKKT
-History:The station on 96.9 FM in Statesville, North Carolina began in 1967 as WDBM-FM, and was largely the simulcast partner to co-owned daytime station WDBM-AM . The station's original owner was Walter B. Duke, and the call letters supposedly stood for "Walter Duke's Beautiful Music" station...
, which initially was simulcast with WDBM. WDBM-FM continued to broadcast easy-listening music in the evenings after WDBM signed off.
Ferguson Family
In 1973, the Duke family sold the both stations to the Ferguson Family. The new owners separated the operations of the AM and FM, and the AM began broadcasting a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. The FM was given the calls WOOO and on-air was called "Triple-O 97".
Metrolina Communications
In 1979, both WDBM and WOOO were sold to Metrolina Communications Corporation. WDBM became WDRV and switched to an adult contemporary format.GHB Broadcasting
WDRV was sold to Statesville Family Communications, a subsidiary of GHB Broadcasting. The format was changed to Southern gospelSouthern Gospel
Southern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
music and religious teaching.
In 1990, the call letters became WAME and in 1994 they became WHYM.
In 1996, the station became WIST - "Station of the Stars" - an affiliate of the Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
network..
In 1997, GHB Broadcasting created a regional talk network called Total Radio to compete in the Charlotte, NC market against heritage station WBT
WBT (AM)
WBT is a radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina, broadcasting on the AM dial at 1110 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it can be heard across most of the eastern half of North America at night. It simulcasts on WBT-FM, at 99.3 MHz in Chester, South Carolina. It is owned by Greater...
. As part that effort, the call letters changed to WTLI when it joined the Total Radio simulcast. The attempt to compete against 50,000-watt WBT
WBT (AM)
WBT is a radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina, broadcasting on the AM dial at 1110 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it can be heard across most of the eastern half of North America at night. It simulcasts on WBT-FM, at 99.3 MHz in Chester, South Carolina. It is owned by Greater...
in Charlotte, NC was not successful.
By 1998 the WIST call letters were back to Statesville, with the Real Country
Real country
Real Country is a 24-hour radio format produced by Cumulus Media Networks. Real Country, originally one of the Satellite Music Network stations, is marketed at the 18 to 54 demographic in rural areas of the United States...
format on the station, and the station became WAME again in October 2000.
In the early 2000s, long-time radio personality J. D. Benfield began doing the morning show on the station, and the remainder of the day's programming was the Stardust
Timeless (radio network)
Timeless was a 24-hour satellite music service of Citadel Media . It has distributed a mix of soft oldies and adult standards to radio stations around the USA...
satellite format from ABC Radio Networks.
In February 2008, WAME became "Country Legends 550." Benfield left the station in August 2008.
On October 1, 2008, country radio personality John Glenn joined WAME as Operations Manager and Morning Show Host. "Big Country Mornings with John Glenn" began airing on Monday, January 12, 2009.