- WZRR
Infobox Radio station
name = WZRR
airdate =1977 , as WVOK-FM (K-99)
frequency = 99.5MHz
city =Birmingham, Alabama
area = Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman Metropolitan Area
format =Classic rock
owner =Citadel Broadcasting
sister_stations = WAPI,WSPZ ,WUHT ,WWMM ,WYSF
erp = 100,000watt s
haat = 309meter s
branding = Rock 99.5
slogan = "Pure Classic Rock"
class = C0
facility_id = 16899
webcast = [http://www.wzrr.com/article.asp?id=545372 Listen Live]
website = [http://www.wzrr.com/ www.wzrr.com]
callsign_meaning = W Z Rock and Roll |WZRR is a
classic rock FMradio station licensed to Birmingham in theU.S. state ofAlabama . Its on-air name is Classic Rock 99.5. It is the flagship station of theAlabama Crimson Tide college football andcollege basketball radio network. It is the Birmingham affiliate of the John Boy and Billy network. The station is owned byCitadel Broadcasting . Other stations in the market that Citadel owns includeWJOX -FM (94.5),WWMM -FM (100.5),WUHT -FM (107.7),WSPZ -AM (690) and WAPI-AM (1070). Citadel also ownsWTUG-FM (92.9) from Tuscaloosa, whose signal covers much of the Birmingham market.History
The station broadcasting at 99.5 FM in Birmingham first signed on in
1977 as "WVOK-FM". "K-99", as the station was called, was Birmingham’s first full-timealbum rock station; previously, WJLN-FM (nowWZZK ) and WERC-FM (nowWBPT ) dabbled in that format on a part-time basis. K-99 played an eclectic mix of rock songs from artists of the 1960’s and 1970’s, and was a ratings success. When its AM sister station WVOK-AM (nowWSPZ ) was sold in 1978, the call letters of the FM station were changed to "WRKK", but the K-99 handle was retained.In 1981, WAPI-FM (now
WYSF ) changed its format from easy listening to album rock, thus giving Birmingham two stations in the same format. This continued until the next year, when the new owners of WRKK changed the station’s format tocountry music . The on-air name of the station was modified to "“K-99 Country’’". Competing against market leader WZZK, the new WRKK was not successful. In an attempt to change K-99’s fortunes, in 1984, the call letters were changed to "WQUS", and the on-air name of the station was changed to "U.S. 99". Neither the new name nor the hiring of the popular Birmingham morning drive team of Tommy Charles and John Ed Willoughby improved the fortunes of the station.In 1985, U.S. 99 dropped country music and changed its call letters to "WLTB". "Lite 99" was a soft
adult contemporary station, but was no more successful than its predecessor. At 6:00 p.m. onChristmas Day , 1988, the 99.5 frequency became the new home ofclassic rock in Birmingham, with the new call letters of WZRR and the new on-air name "Rock 99". The very first song that was played under the 'WZRR' moniker on Christmas Day, 1988 was "Alright Now" by Free. The station has stayed true to its format since then. In 1995, the on-air name of the station was changed to "Classic Rock 99.5". From 2002 until the next year it was known as "“99.5 the Buzzard”", and in 2003, the name was changed again, this time to "“Rock 99.5”", using basically the same logo as it did in the late 1980’s.ee also
*
List of radio stations in Alabama External links
* [http://www.wzrr.com/ Official Website of Classic Rock 99.5]
* [http://thebigshow.com/ Official Website of John Boy and Billy]
* [http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/K99_main.htm Tribute page to K-99 FM, the original station on 99.5 in Birmingham]
* [http://rolltide.com Official Website of University of Alabama Athletics]
*FMQ|WZRR
*FML|WZRR
*FMARB|WZRR
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