WMC-FM: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia

The Memphis Publishing Company, a subsidiary of [[Scripps Howard|Scripps-Howard Newspapers]] which owned the ”[[Memphis Commercial Appeal]]” and founded [[WMC (AM)|WMC (790 AM)]], launched this station as WMCF on May 22, 1947.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1948/1948-BC-YB.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1948 page 318] WMCF was the first FM station established in Memphis and the second in the state of Tennessee, after [[WSM-FM (1941–1951)|WSM-FM]] in [[Nashville]], which began in 1941. From its establishment, WMCF had an output of 515,000 watts; this would be adjusted multiple times before settling at its current power output of 300,000 watts. As the FM adjunct to WMC, WMCF largely simulcast the AM station’s programming.

WMC-FM was the first FM radio station in the market, and the first in Tennessee, to play [[progressive rock]], beginning February 6, 1967. Personalities on the station included Greg Hamilton, Ron Michaels, Jon Scott, David Day, and the program director was Mike Powell. Artists included the likes of [[King Crimson]], [[It’s a Beautiful Day]], and [[Quicksilver Messenger Service]]. The versions of “[[Light My Fire]]” by [[The Doors]] and “[[In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (song)|In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida]]” by [[Iron Butterfly]] (with its extended drum solo) were longer than the one most stations played.{{cite web|url=http://m.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/Jun/24/memphis-radios-rock-and-roll-revolution|title=The Commercial Appeal – Memphis Breaking News and Sports|access-date=February 11, 2017}} In the early 1970s, the station was responsible for regionally breaking many new artists such as [[David Bowie]], [[Alice Cooper]], [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]], [[ZZ Top]] and [[Billy Joel]]. By 1978, WMC-FM had evolved to a [[Mainstream Top 40|Top 40]]/[[contemporary hit radio|CHR]] format, which would transition to a [[hot adult contemporary]] format by September 1992.