WYCD
Encyclopedia
WYCD is a radio station
in Detroit, Michigan
. The station is the only country music
station in the Detroit area. WYCD's offices and studios are located on Woodward Heights (9½ Mile Rd). near Interstate 75
in Ferndale, Michigan
. WYCD's transmitter is located in Royal Oak Township in Oakland County off Wyoming Avenue just north of the Detroit city limits.
WYCD is licensed for HD radio
operations, it has two HD stations; its secondary channel is called "99.5 WYCD HD2 The Wolf" and features only "New Country" music. Its HD3 channel is "Muevete 99.5", a new Spanish Pop formatted station. WYCD-HD3 was formerly "Michigan Saver Radio", which was a 24 hour station that features programs related to financial and business purposes.
The station began broadcasting on May 4, 1960, as WABX, beginning as a classical music station before adopting the MOR format in 1964.
On February 1, 1968, "play lists" of acceptable tunes went out: the DJs picked their own music, and Century Broadcasting Corporation bit its tongue. With a freeform
progressive rock
format, WABX became a springboard for the new music that no other station in the market (least of all CKLW and the other Top 40 stations) would touch.
The ABX revolution was one of style as well as sound. The station made itself a community catalyst for fun: free concerts and movies, kite-flys, bike-ins, and conferences. Also, the station played a role in giving many artists the recognition that they did not have at the time, including The Doors
, Jimi Hendrix
, Cream
, Iron Butterfly
, and The J. Geils Band. The success of WABX inspired other Detroit stations such as WKNR-FM
and 101.1 WXYZ-FM
to adopt the progressive-rock approach. "Air Ace" Dave Dixon was a musician himself who co-wrote the Peter, Paul and Mary
hit "I Dig Rock and Roll Music
."
During the 1970s, WABX evolved into a more mainstream album oriented rock station, albeit one that took a softer, more laid-back approach than its competitors. The station was branded as "WABX 99" during this era with a logo similar to the one used by the current WABX station in Evansville, Indiana, featuring yellow lettering on a black background. The station's studio also moved from its original location in the David Stott Building
in downtown Detroit to a new facility in suburban Oak Park
during this period. By 1982, WABX was third-ranked out of three AOR stations in Detroit (behind WRIF
and WLLZ). Century Broadcasting sold the station to Liggett Broadcasting that year. Under new program director Paul Christy, WABX shifted from AOR to "Hot Rock," a Top 40/rock hybrid (known on the air as "Detroit's New Music"), playing a wide variety of new wave, pop, rock and urban product with a slick, Contemporary Hit Radio
-style presentation. However, the station's market share continued to decline throughout 1983, and a little over a year after WABX debuted "Hot Rock," Liggett decided to change the station's format and calls.
On January 9, 1984, WABX's long-term reign as a high-rolling rock station came to an end with the song "When the Music's Over" by The Doors, after which the station became "Class FM", WCLS, with a soft rock
format. However, the adult contemporary field in Detroit was as crowded as the rock format had become, and "Class FM" was not successful. At this same time, the station was sold to Metropolis Broadcasting.
The following year, in the station became WDTX, reverting to a rock-based CHR format meant to be a radio version of MTV. Eventually the format evolved into mainstream contemporary hit radio. In 1988 the station changed its call letters to WDFX, known as "99.5 The Fox". Part of the branding for this format included a logo with red lettering and a fox tail coming off the letter X. A cartoon fox was featured on some logos wearing a checkered shirt reclining on "The Fox" logo while holding a keytar
. For a short time, The Fox tweaked its CHR format into "Rock 40," a variation of Top 40 heavy on hair bands
and other rock-oriented acts, and saw its ratings slide after a promising beginning.
Afterwards, The Fox tweaked its format back to mainstream CHR and at the same time added some hip hop
to compete with Power 96 WHYT
. Ratings did improve and the station posted frequent Arbitron top 10 showings in the late 1980s and early 1990s - but advertising revenue was poor and, in September 1990, the station went into receivership
. In addition, WDFX's ratings were adversely affected (as were WHYT's) by the debut of modern rock station 89x in 1991.
by having a character named "Cowboy Hugh Chardon" (played by Dr. Don Carpenter) play "Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks
repeatedly (for his good buddy Bobby Stalls in Birmingham
) and try to kill "The Fox" using various methods suggested by "listeners". This was followed by an automated countdown that started at midnight on Christmas Day, beginning with 63,752 and ending with number one on December 28, 1992. (This was apparently done so they could rebuild the studios). Instead of changing formats when the countdown ended it stunted for another week with a six hour loop of novelty songs they called "goofy loops" played repeatedly. This continued until the early morning of January 4, 1993, (the first Monday after the holiday week) when the station finally finished changing formats and became "99-5 WOW-FM" WOWF, (the call letters had actually been in place since October, 1992), a news/talk station with broadcasters such as Art Vuolo and Ed Tyll coming to the station. However, by popular demand, the "goofy loops" track was brought back at weekends for the life of the station.
WOWF promoted its news/talk format as an alternative to WWJ-AM
by touting the station's FM signal as clear and static-free, including using the Steely Dan
song FM (No Static at All)
in their promos. However, the station could never make any significant inroads compared to the venerable CBS Radio
affiliate, and in less than five months' time, the news/talk format was abandoned for a new one.
A few months later on May 28, 1993, at 4pm, the station abruptly dropped the talk format in favor of "Young Country 99.5". Part of the branding for this format included the logo for Young Country with red and blue lettering and some blue background and a star in the middle of the word "Young". Dr. Don Carpenter was one of the few airstaff that remained from the "Wow FM" format. WYCD positioned itself as a younger-leaning alternative to crosstown 106.7 W4 Country
. The format kept its talk element and combined it with younger sounding country music and created "Morning Shows" all day that highlighted listener calls, tons of requests and fun jock talk. It was all a part of owner Alliance's "Young Country" concept that it had on the air in Dallas, Seattle and San Francisco. Although W4 Country typically had higher ratings with country than did WYCD, lack of advertiser revenue led W4 Country to switch to a classic-rock format in September 1999.
On February 16, 2001, WYCD dropped the "Young Country 99.5" positioner in favor of "Country 99.5". By late 2002, it seemed that the station had dropped its Country 99.5 positioner and rebranded itself as just 99.5 WYCD. In June 2009 in a way to symbolize where it is from, The station rebranded as Detroit's 99.5 WYCD.
With the country format all to itself in Detroit from 1999 to 2006, WYCD has consistently been a Top 10-rated station. In the spring of 2006, WYCD had its best ratings book ever when it tied for first place 12+ with hip-hop station FM98 WJLB
.
The high ratings at WYCD are probably what led 106.7 The Drive
to switch formats back to country in May 2006. After three years of competing in the format, 106.7 The Fox dropped country music for Rhythmic AC, due to low ratings, making WYCD once again the only country station in Detroit.
In 2007, WYCD was nominated for the top 25 markets Country music
Radio & Records magazine
station of the year award . Other nominees included WUSN
Chicago, KYGO-FM Denver, KEEY-FM Minneapolis, WXTU
Philadelphia, and KSON-FM
San Diego.
Detroit's 99.5 WYCD currently ranks at #3 (5.2) in the Detroit market according to the November 2010 PPM Rating release.
The Hoedown was established back in 1983 by former Detroit country outlet WCXI-AM/FM
. Its first event featured artists like Hank Williams Jr, Tanya Tucker
and Mel Tillis
. This event soon would attract people from all across the country. When WCXI-AM was sold by Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters to Shamrock Broadcasting, Shamrock's Detroit station W4 Country
took over the event.
On September 1, 1999, after nineteen years as a country station, W4 Country flipped formats from country to a classic hits format. When the station flipped formats there was no word if the hoedown would return. Then in May 2000, it was announced that the only other country station in Detroit, WYCD would take over hosting the Hoedown. The stations first year hosting saw artists like Trace Adkins
, Montgomery Gentry
and Rascal Flatts
. Over The years, The hoedown has had its share of very well known artists kicking off their careers at the hoedown. Some of these include Reba McEntire
, Travis Tritt
, Toby Keith
, Lonestar
and in 1989 came an unknown artist by the name of Garth Brooks
.
The audience at the event has always increased every year. In 2010 the Hoedown saw its biggest audience yet with over 1.3 million people showing up over the three day period.
In 2010, at the 28th annual Downtown Hoedown, WYCD welcomed nationally known recording artists Uncle Kracker, Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, Darryl Worley and Justin Moore, among many others.
Class FM era 1984–1986
99 DTX era 1986–1988
99.5 The Fox era 1988–1992
99-5 Wow-FM era January 1993-May 1993
99.5 WYCD era 1993–present
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...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The station is the only country music
Country 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...
station in the Detroit area. WYCD's offices and studios are located on Woodward Heights (9½ Mile Rd). near Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
in Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
. WYCD's transmitter is located in Royal Oak Township in Oakland County off Wyoming Avenue just north of the Detroit city limits.
WYCD is licensed for HD radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
operations, it has two HD stations; its secondary channel is called "99.5 WYCD HD2 The Wolf" and features only "New Country" music. Its HD3 channel is "Muevete 99.5", a new Spanish Pop formatted station. WYCD-HD3 was formerly "Michigan Saver Radio", which was a 24 hour station that features programs related to financial and business purposes.
99½ WABX
On February 1, 1968, "play lists" of acceptable tunes went out: the DJs picked their own music, and Century Broadcasting Corporation bit its tongue. With a freeform
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
progressive rock
Progressive rock (radio format)
Progressive rock is a radio station programming format that prospered in the late 1960s and 1970s, in which the disc jockeys are given wide latitude in what they may play, similar to the freeform format but with the proviso that some kind of rock music is almost always what is played...
format, WABX became a springboard for the new music that no other station in the market (least of all CKLW and the other Top 40 stations) would touch.
The ABX revolution was one of style as well as sound. The station made itself a community catalyst for fun: free concerts and movies, kite-flys, bike-ins, and conferences. Also, the station played a role in giving many artists the recognition that they did not have at the time, including The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
, and The J. Geils Band. The success of WABX inspired other Detroit stations such as WKNR-FM
WNIC
WNIC is an American radio station based in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 100.3 MHz FM. WNIC's studios and offices are located in Farmington Hills, MI. WNIC's transmitter is located near Schoolcraft and Livernois Avenue in the City of Detroit on the near west side. WNIC broadcasts with an...
and 101.1 WXYZ-FM
WRIF
WRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
to adopt the progressive-rock approach. "Air Ace" Dave Dixon was a musician himself who co-wrote the Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
hit "I Dig Rock and Roll Music
I Dig Rock and Roll Music
"I Dig Rock and Roll Music" is a song recorded in 1967 by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. The writing credits are given as Stookey-Mason-Dixon. Stookey is the "Paul" of Peter, Paul and Mary. "Mason" is musician and producer Jim Mason. "Dixon" is Dave Dixon, who was later a popular air...
."
During the 1970s, WABX evolved into a more mainstream album oriented rock station, albeit one that took a softer, more laid-back approach than its competitors. The station was branded as "WABX 99" during this era with a logo similar to the one used by the current WABX station in Evansville, Indiana, featuring yellow lettering on a black background. The station's studio also moved from its original location in the David Stott Building
David Stott Building
The David Stott Building is an Art Deco skyscraper in downtown Detroit, Michigan designed by the architectural firm of Donaldson and Meier. It is a class-A office building constructed in 1929 at the corner of Griswold Street and State Street , a part of the Capitol Park Historic District...
in downtown Detroit to a new facility in suburban Oak Park
Oak Park
Oak Park or Oaks Park is the name of some places around the world.in the United States of America:* Oak Park, Alabama, in Jefferson County*Oak Park, California, a census-designated place in Ventura County...
during this period. By 1982, WABX was third-ranked out of three AOR stations in Detroit (behind WRIF
WRIF
WRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
and WLLZ). Century Broadcasting sold the station to Liggett Broadcasting that year. Under new program director Paul Christy, WABX shifted from AOR to "Hot Rock," a Top 40/rock hybrid (known on the air as "Detroit's New Music"), playing a wide variety of new wave, pop, rock and urban product with a slick, Contemporary Hit Radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
-style presentation. However, the station's market share continued to decline throughout 1983, and a little over a year after WABX debuted "Hot Rock," Liggett decided to change the station's format and calls.
Class FM/99 DTX/99.5 The Fox
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
format. However, the adult contemporary field in Detroit was as crowded as the rock format had become, and "Class FM" was not successful. At this same time, the station was sold to Metropolis Broadcasting.
The following year, in the station became WDTX, reverting to a rock-based CHR format meant to be a radio version of MTV. Eventually the format evolved into mainstream contemporary hit radio. In 1988 the station changed its call letters to WDFX, known as "99.5 The Fox". Part of the branding for this format included a logo with red lettering and a fox tail coming off the letter X. A cartoon fox was featured on some logos wearing a checkered shirt reclining on "The Fox" logo while holding a keytar
Keytar
A keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands...
. For a short time, The Fox tweaked its CHR format into "Rock 40," a variation of Top 40 heavy on hair bands
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
and other rock-oriented acts, and saw its ratings slide after a promising beginning.
Afterwards, The Fox tweaked its format back to mainstream CHR and at the same time added some hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
to compete with Power 96 WHYT
WDVD
WDVD is a hot adult contemporary radio station in Detroit, Michigan, broadcasting at 96.3 MHz on the FM dial. WDVD's studios and offices are located in the Fisher Building near downtown Detroit. WDVD's transmitter is located in Oakland County in Royal Oak Township at 8 Mile Road and Wyoming Avenue...
. Ratings did improve and the station posted frequent Arbitron top 10 showings in the late 1980s and early 1990s - but advertising revenue was poor and, in September 1990, the station went into receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
. In addition, WDFX's ratings were adversely affected (as were WHYT's) by the debut of modern rock station 89x in 1991.
99-5 Wow-FM
On December 24, 1992, the station started stuntingStunting (broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs programming that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play...
by having a character named "Cowboy Hugh Chardon" (played by Dr. Don Carpenter) play "Friends In Low Places" by Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
repeatedly (for his good buddy Bobby Stalls in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
) and try to kill "The Fox" using various methods suggested by "listeners". This was followed by an automated countdown that started at midnight on Christmas Day, beginning with 63,752 and ending with number one on December 28, 1992. (This was apparently done so they could rebuild the studios). Instead of changing formats when the countdown ended it stunted for another week with a six hour loop of novelty songs they called "goofy loops" played repeatedly. This continued until the early morning of January 4, 1993, (the first Monday after the holiday week) when the station finally finished changing formats and became "99-5 WOW-FM" WOWF, (the call letters had actually been in place since October, 1992), a news/talk station with broadcasters such as Art Vuolo and Ed Tyll coming to the station. However, by popular demand, the "goofy loops" track was brought back at weekends for the life of the station.
WOWF promoted its news/talk format as an alternative to WWJ-AM
WWJ (AM)
WWJ is Detroit, Michigan's only 24-hour all-news radio station. Broadcasting at 950 kHz, the station is owned and operated by CBS Corporation subsidiary CBS Radio. The station first went on the air on August 20, 1920 with the call sign 8MK...
by touting the station's FM signal as clear and static-free, including using the Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
song FM (No Static at All)
FM (No Static At All)
"FM " is a song by American jazz-rock band Steely Dan. It is the title theme to the 1978 film FM...
in their promos. However, the station could never make any significant inroads compared to the venerable CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
affiliate, and in less than five months' time, the news/talk format was abandoned for a new one.
99.5 WYCD
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
. The format kept its talk element and combined it with younger sounding country music and created "Morning Shows" all day that highlighted listener calls, tons of requests and fun jock talk. It was all a part of owner Alliance's "Young Country" concept that it had on the air in Dallas, Seattle and San Francisco. Although W4 Country typically had higher ratings with country than did WYCD, lack of advertiser revenue led W4 Country to switch to a classic-rock format in September 1999.
On February 16, 2001, WYCD dropped the "Young Country 99.5" positioner in favor of "Country 99.5". By late 2002, it seemed that the station had dropped its Country 99.5 positioner and rebranded itself as just 99.5 WYCD. In June 2009 in a way to symbolize where it is from, The station rebranded as Detroit's 99.5 WYCD.
With the country format all to itself in Detroit from 1999 to 2006, WYCD has consistently been a Top 10-rated station. In the spring of 2006, WYCD had its best ratings book ever when it tied for first place 12+ with hip-hop station FM98 WJLB
WJLB
WJLB, is a Clear Channel-owned Urban Contemporary radio station in Detroit that broadcasts on 97.9 megahertz frequency. The station is known on-air as FM98 WJLB. This is the station that began the career of Urban radio legend and video jock, Donnie Simpson...
.
The high ratings at WYCD are probably what led 106.7 The Drive
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
to switch formats back to country in May 2006. After three years of competing in the format, 106.7 The Fox dropped country music for Rhythmic AC, due to low ratings, making WYCD once again the only country station in Detroit.
In 2007, WYCD was nominated for the top 25 markets Country music
Country 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...
Radio & Records magazine
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
station of the year award . Other nominees included WUSN
WUSN
WUSN is an FM radio station in Chicago, Illinois, The station broadcasts on 99.5 MHz and is a country radio station owned by CBS Radio. The station focuses on country music from the '90s, along with current product and some classic country from the '70s and '80s.-99.5 WEFM/99-"We" FM:Until 1978,...
Chicago, KYGO-FM Denver, KEEY-FM Minneapolis, WXTU
WXTU
WXTU is a Country music formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. It is the largest country radio station in the United States based on listener cume . The station plays a variety of country music, including current hits, as well as older hits...
Philadelphia, and KSON-FM
KSON-FM
KSON is a radio station licensed to serve San Diego, California, USA. The station, founded in 1964, is owned by Lincoln Financial Media and the broadcast license is held by Lincoln Financial Media Company of California....
San Diego.
Downtown Hoedown
Since 2000, WYCD has been the hosts for one of the largest free country music festivals in the world. The Hoedown takes place one weekend every May in downtown Detroit's Hart Plaza. It is a major showcase of new upcoming artists and some very well recognized ones as well.The Hoedown was established back in 1983 by former Detroit country outlet WCXI-AM/FM
WCXI
WCXI is a radio station licensed to Fenton, Michigan. The station broadcasts to the Flint area and the northwestern suburbs of Detroit....
. Its first event featured artists like Hank Williams Jr, Tanya Tucker
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
and Mel Tillis
Mel Tillis
Lonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
. This event soon would attract people from all across the country. When WCXI-AM was sold by Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters to Shamrock Broadcasting, Shamrock's Detroit station W4 Country
WDTW-FM
WDTW-FM is a classic rock formatted radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications. WDTW-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations; its secondary channel carries Clear Channel's "Pride Radio" format, which features music geared toward the LGBT audience...
took over the event.
On September 1, 1999, after nineteen years as a country station, W4 Country flipped formats from country to a classic hits format. When the station flipped formats there was no word if the hoedown would return. Then in May 2000, it was announced that the only other country station in Detroit, WYCD would take over hosting the Hoedown. The stations first year hosting saw artists like Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
, Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
and Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts is an American country music band that originated in Columbus, Ohio, United States of America. Since its inception, Rascal Flatts has been composed of three members: Gary LeVox , Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney...
. Over The years, The hoedown has had its share of very well known artists kicking off their careers at the hoedown. Some of these include Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
, Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, Lonestar
Lonestar
Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald , Michael Britt , Keech Rainwater , Dean Sams , and Michael Hill . McDonald left the band in November 2007 for a solo career before returning in 2011...
and in 1989 came an unknown artist by the name of Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
.
The audience at the event has always increased every year. In 2010 the Hoedown saw its biggest audience yet with over 1.3 million people showing up over the three day period.
In 2010, at the 28th annual Downtown Hoedown, WYCD welcomed nationally known recording artists Uncle Kracker, Zac Brown Band, Dierks Bentley, Darryl Worley and Justin Moore, among many others.
On-air staff
The current lineup and on air features (as of September 5, 2011) is as follows- Morning Show (5 a.m.-10 a.m.): The Dr. Don Morning ShowThe Dr. Don Morning ShowThe Dr. Don Morning Show also referred to as The All New Dr. Don Morning Show is a country radio morning show at 99.5 WYCD in Detroit, Michigan. It broadcasts between 5am-10am. The show is hosted by WYCD vet Dr...
with Dr. Don Carpenter, Rachael Hunter, Steve Grunwald
and Jason The 300 lb Cowboy - Mid-Days (10 a.m.-3 p.m.): Jack Shell
- Afternoons (3 p.m.-7 p.m.): Edwards & Lee - Chuck Edwards & Linda Lee
- Nighttime (7 p.m.-Midnight): The Coop Show - Sean "Coop" Tabler
- Overnights (12 a.m.-5 a.m.): Jason The 300 lb Cowboy
- Sunday Mornings (7 a.m.-10 a.m.): Classic Country Sunday Morning - Mike Williams
- Weekend's/Fill-ins: Madison White & Mike Williams
- Program Director: Tim Roberts
- Music Director: Jack Shell
- Production/Imaging Director: "Texas" Terry Phillips
- Station Voice: Brian Lee
Former on-air staff
WABX era 1968–1984- Doak Breen (Morning Host "Weekday Morning Crazyiness" early 1980s)
- Ken Calvert - Now mornings at 94.7 WCSXWCSXWCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
- Peter Carey (Morning Host, stayed after flip to Soft Rock)
- Dan Carlisle
- Ann Christ (last name pronounced with a short "i", not a long "i" as in "Jesus Christ")
- Paul Christy (Overnights/Program Director; initiated the CHR "Hot Rock" format in 1982) - Died June 4, 2007
- Steve Dahl (1975–1976)
- Dave Dixon (1968–1974) - Died June 1, 1999
- Dennis Frawley
- Jerry Goodwin (1969–1972)
- Jim Hampton (1968)
- Craig "The Hugger" Hunt (Morning co-host)
- BJ Hunter - Died of cancer on November 13, 2008
- Jerry Lubin
- Kris McClendon
- Larry Miller (1968–1972)
- Steve Monkiewicz (News Director 1976–1977; later returned when station changed to a talk format
- John O'Leary (Afternoon Host 1976–1980) - Now weekends at 94.7 WCSXWCSXWCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
- Harvey Ovshinsky (News Director, 1970–?)
- Gary Palmer
- Tim Powell
- Rod Prahin (Afternoon Host)
- Karen Savelly - Now Mid-day host at 94.7 WCSXWCSXWCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
- Don Schuster (1976–1977)
- Jim Sotet (mid 1970's- early 1980s) (Hey Hey Hey it's Jim Sotet - Lunch with Sotet)
- Allan Stagg (1979–1982)
- Steve Trella (Mid-day Host, stayed after flip to Soft Rock)
- Dick Thyne (1971–1975) - Died on February 11, 2005 in a car accident
- Pete Werbe - Now working at all Greater Media Detroit stations (Magic 105.1, WCSXWCSXWCSX is a Detroit-based FM radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. WCSX's transmitter is located in suburban Oakland County in Royal Oak Township near the intersection of 8 Mile Rd. and Wyoming Avenue. WCSX transmits its signal from an antenna 951 feet in height with an effective radiated...
and WRIFWRIFWRIF — branded 101 WRIF: The RIFF — is a commercial active rock radio station licensed by the FCC to operate in Detroit, Michigan serving surrounding Metro Detroit. The station is currently owned by Greater Boston Radio, Inc. WRIF is a grandfathered Class B station with a signal equivalent to...
)
Class FM era 1984–1986
- Peter Carey
- Tom Dean (1984–1985 later returned to station when it became "Young Country")
- Michael W. Kay
- Eddie Rogers (stayed after flip to Pop)
- Steve Trella
99 DTX era 1986–1988
- Karen Dalessandro (Stayed after flip to “The Fox”)
- Chris Edmonds - Now afternoons on Magic 105.1
- Jim Harper - Now morning host on Magic 105.1
- Eddie Rogers (1986–1987)
99.5 The Fox era 1988–1992
- Sean Caldwell
- Kim Carson-Afternoon Drive (stayed after flip to talk)
- Karen Dalessandro (1988–1991; later returned to station when it changed to Country)
- Scott Go Go Gordan (1991–1992)
- Bobby Hatfield
- Mark Mitchell
- Savage & Steve Morning Show
- Paul Schilling
- Bobby Breeze
- Paul Turner
- Magic Millen
- The Janitor
- Bob Schuman (Morning Co-Host/News Anchor; stayed after flip to talk)
- Dom "Domino" Theodore (1990–1991) - Now VP of CHR programming of CBS Radio Detroit
- Terry "The Motor Mouth" Young - Now at XM Satellite RadioXM Satellite RadioXM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
's "60s on 6" channel
99-5 Wow-FM era January 1993-May 1993
- RC Bauer (Afternoon News 1993)
- Alex Caruso (Afternoon Traffic 1993)
- Kim Carson-Mornings w/Lorna Love (1992–1993) - Now mid-days at 100.5 The RiverWTRVWTRV is a radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary format. The station is licensed to Walker, Michigan, and serves the Grand Rapids, Michigan market...
in Grand Rapids - Lorna Love
- Jim "JD" Daniels (Overnight/Nighttime Host, stayed after flip to country)
- John Delle Monache (Morning Host "Morning News Magazine" 1993)
- Cleat Dumpster (Sports Reporter 1993)
- Mark Elliot (Mid-day Host, stayed after flip to country)
- Todd Fowler (Afternoon Co-Host, stayed after flipped to country)
- Anthony Miles (Overnight Co-host 1993)
- Bob Schuman (Morning Co-Host; stayed after flip to country)
- Ed Tyll (Nighttime Co-Host Fill-in 1993)
99.5 WYCD era 1993–present
- Afentra (Morning co-host 1999–2001)
- Tom Baker (Weekends 1999–2000 & 2004–2005/Morning co-host 2005) - Now weekends at Magic 105.1
- Su-Anna Bareford (Nighttime Host 1996–1998)
- Lisa Barry (Morning co-host 2002–2003)
- Ron Brand (Overnight Host/Weekends 1998–2004 & 2006–2008)
- Ron Chatman (Overnights/Asst. PD/Music Director 1999–2007) - Now afternoons at 104.7 WZZK in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, AlabamaBirmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
- Pete Collins (Morning co-host 2005)
- Jim "JD" Daniels (Morning Host "The Moo Crew" 1993–1995) - Now handling marketing/promotions for X103.9KCXXKCXX is a commercial radio station licensed to Lake Arrowhead, California, broadcasting to the Riverside-San Bernardino, California-Ontario, California, area since February 2, 1995. KCXX airs an alternative rock music format...
in San Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States... - Karen Dalessandro (Mid-Day Host/Morning co-host/Afternoon Host 1993–1995) - Now Morning host at FM 106.1WMIL-FMWMIL-FM is a country music-formatted radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, licensed to Waukesha, Wisconsin. They are known on-air simply as "FM 106.1". WMIL is owned by Clear Channel Communications....
in Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the... - Tom Dean (Weekends 1993–1994) - Now at 103.5 & 93.5 WTCMWTCM-FMWTCM-FM consists of two radio stations: WTCM-FM 103.5 in Traverse City, Michigan and simulcast WBCM 93.5 FM in Boyne City, Michigan. The two stations carry a country music format and are owned by Midwestern Broadcasting. Today, WTCM-FM/WBCM is on or near the top of the Arbitron ratings...
in Traverse City - Mark Elliot (Mid-Day Host 1993)
- Joe Wade Formicola (Morning Host 1995–1997)
- Jyl Forsyth (Mid-day/Nighttime Host 1993–2008)
- Todd Fowler (Nighttime Host 1993)
- Dave Fuller (Weekends 1993–1994 & Weekends/Overnight/Nighttime Host 2006–2010) - Now afternoons at 104.3 WOMCWOMCWOMC is a Classic Hits radio station broadcasting in the Detroit, Michigan, USA area. WOMC's transmitter and studios are located on Woodward Heights . near Interstate 75 in Ferndale, Michigan. WOMC broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 190,000 watts from an antenna height of 361 feet...
- Brian Hatfield (Overnight/Weekends/Nighttime Host/Music Director 1994–1999) - Now afternoons at 99.9 Kiss CountryWKSFWKSF is a country music station licensed to Old Fort, North Carolina. The Clear Channel station broadcasts from a tower on Mount Pisgah, southwest of Asheville at 99.9 FM with an ERP of 48 kW, and a 6 bay antenna...
- Eddie Haskell (Weekends/Morning Host “The Eddie Haskell Show”/Afternoons/Program Director 1993–1999) - Now program director and afternoons at 92.3 KRSTKRSTKRST is a commercial radio station located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, broadcasting to the Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico area on 92.3 FM. KRST airs a country music format.- Album Oriented Rock, Out - Country, In :...
in Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As... - Stu Hawk (Afternoon Traffic Personality 1993–1995)
- Rhonda Hart (Weekends 1994–1996) - Died June 4, 2007
- Hugh Holsome (Weekends/Producer 1993–1996)
- John Kanakry (Weekends 1996–1999)
- Joe Lawson (Producer/Weekends/Monday Late Night Co-Host "The Maria Shaw Show" 2005–2008)
- Dana Lundon (Weekends 2002–2004) - Now mornings on 96.3 WDVDWDVDWDVD is a hot adult contemporary radio station in Detroit, Michigan, broadcasting at 96.3 MHz on the FM dial. WDVD's studios and offices are located in the Fisher Building near downtown Detroit. WDVD's transmitter is located in Oakland County in Royal Oak Township at 8 Mile Road and Wyoming Avenue...
- Tony Magoo (Weekends/Morning Fill-in 2000–2002 & 2004–2005)
- Katie Marroso (Morning Co-Host/Mid-day Host/Music Director 1993–1998)
- Michelle Metcalf (Weekends/Overnight Host 2006–2008)
- Ravenna Micelli (Morning Co-Host,1997)
- Sean Michaels (Overnight Host 1993–1994)
- Scott Moore (Weekends 1999–2004) - Now weekends at 104.3 WOMCWOMCWOMC is a Classic Hits radio station broadcasting in the Detroit, Michigan, USA area. WOMC's transmitter and studios are located on Woodward Heights . near Interstate 75 in Ferndale, Michigan. WOMC broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 190,000 watts from an antenna height of 361 feet...
- JR Nelson (Morning co-host/Production Director/Weekend’s 1997–2000) - Died of cancer on February 16, 2010
- Kevin O'Neill (Morning Host "The First Shift" 2000–2002) - Now nights at Magic 105.1
- Bill Plegue (Morning co-host/producer 2000–2002)
- Lori Rigato (Weekends 1994–1998 & 2004–2005/Morning co-host 2005) - Now morning co-host on 102.9 W4 CountryWWWW-FMWWWW-FM - "W4 Country" - is a country music radio station based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, broadcasting on 102.9 MHz.-Early years:The 102.9 frequency began operations in or on March 1, 1962 as WOIA and was co-owned with WOIB-AM 1290 in Saline, Michigan. Originally, WOIA and WOIB simulcast a middle of...
- Bob Schuman (Morning News Anchor/News Director 1992–2007) - Now mornins at 104.3 WOMCWOMCWOMC is a Classic Hits radio station broadcasting in the Detroit, Michigan, USA area. WOMC's transmitter and studios are located on Woodward Heights . near Interstate 75 in Ferndale, Michigan. WOMC broadcasts with an effective radiated power of 190,000 watts from an antenna height of 361 feet...
- Mike Scott (Weekends/Overnight/Mid-Day Host 1999-2011) - Now weekends at Country 95.9CJWF-FMCJWF-FM, branded as Country 95-9, is a Windsor, Ontario radio station. The station broadcasts a country music format at 95.9 FM.The radio station can be heard in the northern Detroit suburbs as far north as Lapeer County into Michigan....
in Windsor, OntarioWindsor, OntarioWindsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor... - Maria Shaw (Monday Late Night Host "The Maria Shaw Show" 2008)
- Marie Soraghan (Afternoon Co-host 1994–1995)
- Greg Stryker (Afternoon Co-host 1995–1999)
- Tim Wall (Morning host "Wilhite & Wall" 2002–2004)
- Kelly Walker (Morning Co-Host 2003–2005/Weekends 2008)
- Ken Warner (Weekends)
- Erin Weber (Mid-day Host 1999–2001)
- Darren Wilhite (Morning host "Wilhite & Wall" 2002–2004)
- Matt Vaughn (Weekend/Monday Late Night Co-Host "The Maria Shaw Show" 2006–2008)