Fantastic video about the greatest ROCK station Atlanta ever had or will have. Deregulation destroyed FM radio back in the 90's and it will never be the same. Pretty much all syndicated crap these days, or a revamped "99 Xcrement" that sucked when it was first on the air in the 90's wasteland of rock music. I was lucky enough to be in my teenage years when 96rock cranked up in the 70's. So many good memories of new groups and songs I had never heard before. I remember taping 96 rock for hours before going on a trip to Daytona, so we would have something to listen to on the way there and back. The station did so many cool promotions around town, and they were there at all the good concerts....and man did we have good shows come through town back then. I remember many a night spent at the Omni in a haze of smoke from all the "alternative" items being lit up. I also remember many stops at the Waffle House or Steak & Shake on the way back out to the burbs after the shows. Concerts seemed to always make you hungry back then.... Also gotta say kudos for having Officer Don give the station origin story. If you lived here in the 60's, you'll remember him from the Popeye Club kiddie show that ran on WSB Channel 2 on Saturday mornings. And with that all that's left is to share the words of Dean and say "Come get me Mother, I'm through".
Still have my 96rock plate that I actually bought from their studio one day after work (1985?). It was placed (upside down) on several of my cars in the day and now proudly hung in my garage upside down.
I'm 47 Years old and growing up in suburban Atlanta, 96Rock was THE rock station you listened to. Everyone in school, be it middle school or HS and whether you were old enough to drive it not had 96Rock gear. It was either the infamous car license plate, the sticker, the T-shirts or whatever. When you were in Atlanta, somehow and pretty quick, you were well versed on 96Rock. My three favorite memories of 96Rock were: 1. Willard! No disrespect to any other DJs, bc they were all good in their own right; however, when Willard was on air, you listened. He play great tunes, was funny as hell, laid back guy and just had that voice that radio voice that was unique. Kind of like when you hear a band on the radio that has their signature sound and you know it's them. That was Willard!! He was usually on either at night or midday. 2. Smash or Trash! This usually involved Willard too, but whomever the DJ was in air at the time, you could always count on 96Rock for the newest and most up to date New releases and they would play them for listeners so they could call in and vote: Smash or Trash. That's how they gauged what the audience wanted to hear and it worked. Plus, it was always fun calling in and chatting briefly with whatever DJ was on air at the time. 3. Pre-Concert warm ups! I think of all the things about 96Rock I miss the most, besides the on air personalities, we're the PCWU's. I remember going to see Bon Jovi and Skid Row at the old Omni back in !989 and the whole way there, 96Rock was doing their customary PCWU and it was FREAKIN AWESOME!! The whole hour driving to Atlanta for the show, all you heard on the radio was the band/bands that were in town that night and it got you pumped up and ready. It was like the party before the party!!!! I also remember going to see Iron Maiden at the Fox in 1988 on the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son tour and all we heard the whole time to the show was MAIDEN!!! Man I miss the PCWU so much bc you didn't have to worry about finding your cassette tapes to play or which songs you should play on the wah to the show. 96Rock had you covered! Sadly, it was in early 1993 or 94 (I think), is when I knew things were changing for the worst. I remember I heard Van Halen-Poundcake and Bonnie Ratt-Let's give em something to talk about back to back and I was like WTF is this shit?!?!?! I was wondering why in the hell Bonnie Ratt was being played on 96Rock...and after Van Halen of all damn bands???? Then slowly but surely up to the late 90's that was the changing format of the station and I, probably like most people, just stop listening. Basically OUR ROCK STATION WAS GONE! I, like most my age and even older that have grown up in Atlanta all our lives, will always love and miss what 96Rock was, meant to us and stood for as a pioneer rock station in the south. Thankfully I still see 96Rock licence tags and stickers here and there paying homage to what was the greatest rock station Atlanta and the south ever had! THANK YOU 96ROCK FOR 30+YEARS OF KICK ASS MUSIC AND FOR CREATING THE BEST ATLANTA RADIO AND MUSIC FAMILY IN THE SOUTH! YOU ARE SORELY MISSED!
Thanks so much for sharing this ! As a life long Atlanta gal, I absolutely loved 96 Rock, always put me in a good mood, especially the Friday 5:00 whistle. I sure miss those days , such great times, and great music , and, of course, 96 Rock had the very best DJ’s ! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
graduated high school in 1985 just outside of Atlanta in a little town called Loganville..96rock was the soundtrack to my life... everyone cruising around Stone Mountain on a sunday had it cranked
Same and i graduated in 03' i got the tail end of a great station growing up but it was infact related to almost every memory i have in some way shape or form. 96ROCK will never die. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
96 rock. Ahh MAN!!! 96 Rock crafted my life in a lot of ways!!! The greatest rock station ever. I heard so many first time great tunes there. I have 100 tapes taping the tunes on 96 rock. At night, they were so HEAVY!!!! I remember hearing Kashmire by Zeppelin late one night, and it changed my life. They were brave to play the heavy stuff. I doubt I will ever hear another station that comes close. It was a tragic time when 96 got taken off the air. 96 lives in my heart for surel
OMG, Uncle Tom's Tavern had free draft beer from 7:00 to 7:30, Monday thru Thursday and all my Clarkston, DeKalb Central friends were there. Sunday nights downstairs was the only local place to hear live music, drink and dance. I worked at Copperfield's across 285 when they had 3 for 1 on Wednesday nights. What a blast from the past.
I am from Atlanta....remember the first who song played....I was 16 years old in 1975......96 was the staple for a whole generation. Who else remembers hearing "We don't need to pay you to listen to 96 rock". Mark McCain and Steve Mitchell....what a great time!
Damn...I can't believe I forgot my fourth favorite thing I miss about 96Rock....... 4. The Friday Five O'Clock Whistle! This is what OFFICIALLY started the weekend on Friday afternoons just before quittin time! The FFOW, pumped you up for the weekend just like the Pre-concert warm up did for shows! When you heard it you knew it was about party time and head to the beer store lol 96Rock knew the audience and knew what we needed. That's what made the station so special. No cookie cutter phony bullshit! 96Rock made us ALL feel like family!!!!
I listened to 96rock wkls in Atlanta for 25 of the 32 years it was there. Now I'm listening to 96rock on iheart radio. 96rock wkls was the best rock station on earth...hell yeah...
96 Rock and 99X were groundbreaking and original. Both stations started before the 1996 Telecommunications Act and played a lot of variety 100.5 is just one of a thousand monotonous corporate stations owned and programmed by Cumulous. If you want variety and quality you won't find it anywhere on today's Atlanta radio dial. I have had XM satellite radio in my car for years now. Classic Vinyl, 70s on 7, Classic Rewind and some of the other stations are the only place you'll find the type of music 96Rock used to play.
I was about 14 (1978), and we lived in Doraville at the time and our phone still had a party line. 96 Rock was doing a contest, and if you know party lines it's a nightmare trying to get free time to call someone, especially a radio station...long story short I made it through - 3rd caller, if I remember correctly it was for a Styx concert or maybe Nugent...anyway I was so excited the DJ told me I won and said "hold on we'll be right back" and like a dumba$$ I hung up...what a putz. Loved 96Rock!
I wish there were more views. This was entertaining and informative...done professionally in fun way. Exactly like the station itself. I was a Yankee that attended Georgia Tech (RAMBLIN WRECK!). Lived in ATL from Sept '87 until Mar '92...96 Rock was the go to station. The 5 O'clock Friday Whistle never got old...it was a celebration public service announcement that brought a smile to our faces. Keeping it vague here...we had drinking games in college around this tradition. When I came back down for a visit in '96...broke my heart it was gone. Please keep this up for ad long as you can.
I grew up in northeast Georgia (Stephens Co. High '86), about two hours north of Atlanta by-way-of I-85, and received my musical education listening to 96 Rock. I especially enjoyed the weeknight 7pm block, with "Get the Led Out" leading off the hour, and "The Perfect Album-Side" concluding it. Most of the area FM stations in the 80's were Top 40, so WKLS was almost alone in its regular rotation of Rush, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. Saturday night cruising often featured every other car wearing the 96 Rock plate turned upside-down. Sure miss those days when radio was still relevant!
Indeed brother....get the led out and perfect album side. WKLS!!! I moved to Canada, and came back for a visit and was kind of devastated that 96 rock was no more. 96 Rock clued me into SO MUCH great music. It is good to see people remembering it. It had a huge impact on my life.
I can answer this because I made the video. There had to be cutoff point, otherwise it would have gone on indefinitely. I decided to make that cutoff point when the station had been sold and local control of programming was ended. (Also I made the original 5 o'clock Whistle)
What a cool story. I still have a 96 rock bumper sticker NOS. So many memories come back. Sitting on the mountain above Young Harris so we could hear the premiere of REO live. Couldn't hear the station down in the valleys.
Mark McCain DJd a dance at Rockdale High School in 1982. We had a blast. Heritage & Rockdale & Newton hung out a lot. We cruised both of the K-Mart plazas & we were just living our best lives.
I was born in 74' in Atlanta. Grew up on 96ROCK. Got my first and only 96ROCK licence tag, and a 96ROCK card froma record store called " Turtles " in Forest park, in 1986 when I was 12, lol. I live in Tennessee now, but I still have my licence plate hangin on my wall to this day, lol. When I went back home to visit bout 7 years ago, I just could'nt believe 96ROCK was gone!... just could not believe it... broke my heart. All us that grew up in the 80's... well all us cool kids with any sense, had our boom boxes on our shoulders, blastin 96ROCK, walkin round our neighbor hoods. Just jammin. Sure miss that ole station. If it was'nt that, it was Z-93 with Gary McGee in the mornings as the D.J. That was the only other station worth listenin to besides 96ROCK.... damn... this little history video sure does bring back some memories.. Like... the first time we heard VanHalen's " Jump "... or " Panama "... or first time we heard Motley Crue's " Smoking in the boys room "... that was the best radio station in the South ever. Never be another one like it. And we all remember the Friday 5 o'clock Whistle .... " Be cause it's Friday!... Friiiiiday!!... Friiiiiiiiiiiiiii DAY! " I'm 45 now. And I got that downloaded and still listen to it when I get home from work even these days, lol.... call me old fashion... lol. Hey Don Sharp, thanks for sharing the video, man. Preciate it. Have a goodin Jawga Boy! ;) Getcha Pull! :)
Turtles!!!! I bought many a record from there. The kids today know no what they missed. And I can remember when 96 premiered Van Halen's Jump!! Brother, I was listening at that very moment!!!! It is cool to know that 96 meant as much to me as to you. Now what do we have?! MEMORIES!!!! Cheers brother
Oh MAN!!! There was Turtle's. And if they didn't have what you wanted, there was Record Bar. And most of us made the trip to Buckhead just for the experience of going to Tower Records. Nope....today's kids have no clue what they missed, let alone what good music is. My young nephews stand in awe when they visit my house - I've got vintage Pioneer equipment that'll put out enough watts to level most any building. Today's kids know nothing of DYNAMICS in music. All they ever hear is that rap garbage with synthesized (at best) beats (if any beat at all), drone tones, and all at substandard digital bitrates.
@@paulhause9040 That's wild... I saw "Turtles" and immediately I was thinking "What was the name of the other chain besides Turtles??? "Record Bar!" Now that's a name from the past! I remember concert ticket stubs... "Brought to you by 96 Rock and Turtles..." The sign was "Turtles Records & Tapes" CDs were not even a thing yet...
I haven't even thought about Z-93 until I read your comment. Like you said 96Rock was 1st always and if you did change stations (had to be a stupid reason to change stations, but it did happen), then Z-93 was second. Thanks for jarring my memories about Z-93.
Ahhh...96 Rock. I was listening in on that first day in 1974 - 13 years old, and an instant convert from WQXI-AM. Jeff Winter used to wake me on my alarm clock for school - "Good morning, it's 7 O'clock, and this is 96 Rock, WKLS_FM, Atlanta..." I won lots of great albums and concert tickets from the station - my favorite was - in 1977 - the entire Yes catalogue, and 2 tickets to their show at the OMNI - my dad picked up all my winnings for me, because his office was close to the station - we lived in Decatur. Anyway, the first half of this video really brings back a lot of memories - my years there in GA were 74-79, and what an influence the station was on me and my musical tastes!
I remember when you announced the Lynyrd Skynyrd accident. You were my alarm back then. We were all shocked that day. I also won John Lennons album Double Fantasy. I picked it up from your studio off Clairmont...John was shot a week later. Always in my heart 96 Rock!!!
Loved Christopher Rude in the mornings. I had moved away, but I listened to the Regular Guys over the internet until I started going to Omaha and listened to some guys that broadcast online there. I’ll always love 96Rock from when I was in school. Working for the weekend!
They did indeed have the 18-35 demo locked down from the start. A big advertiser back then was the Shane Company, remarkably their radio ad approach is the same today 46 years later still voiced by Tom Shane. When it was easy listening they had an ad that played on the call letters "WKLS...that's class"
Is that the Officer Don from WSB kid's show? Don Kennedy who started 96Rock. I was on Officer Don show in the 60's. I loved that show wiht Popeye and other things. In the 701's 96 rock was my station with Classic Rock while I was going to GA Tech. Great time. Love the 5 Oclock Whistle.
99x hurt 96 rock a bit by taking away the youth audience. Alternative rock was the cool thing in the 90s, while Hard rock was dated and old timey. 1996 act hurt it and eventually the rise of southern hip hop put the nail in the coffin. By the 2000s, Atlanta was known as the mecca of trap rap music, it became a hip hop city. Since then, we've had Rock 100.5 but that sucks, its too corporate and mediocre. They try to play new rock artist but then they follow it up with an overplayed rock song from the past. I guess the ratings drops whenever they play new stuff. Thats sad. SInce the 80s college radio stations have Wreckage 91.1, heavy metal every Friday nights from 12am to 6am and Album 88 on 88.5 that plays rare indie rock, post punk and indie pop.
96 Rock emerged during the golden age of FM radio! On the dial, the station was just above WPCH (94.9 I think) which, in the early to mid-70s, was THE "elevator / easy listening music" station in Atlanta. Anyway, 96 Rock's willingness to play album sides was always nice. Jeff Winter? Seem to remember that DJ name. Anyway, 96 rock did a good thing with their Homecookin' albums to feature local bands. Can't say I agreed with their choice of bands but at least they wanted to give hometown groups a shot. They might have also sponsored a battle of the bands thing - seem to remember that but maybe it was before 96 Rock (Thermos Greenwood won the contest) For whatever reason, I didn't listen to the station that much after say mid-80s. No particular reason - just moved on. But glad someone took the time to put this video together to capture the history. I think at some point they moved over off Clairmont? In 1979 I won one of those "be the 5th caller" type of things to win a copy of The Wall which also entered me into a contest to get tickets to see The Wall concert in one of the few cities it was playing - LA I think.
i quit listening to 96 rock back in 2009 they started playing stuff that didn't involed rock i live in North Carolina 96 rock got me into bands from the 80s 90s and untill 2009
A station in Gadsden Al got the call letter WKLS . They totally suck . They mix bubble gum back door boys type music with classic rock and new rock . A total clusterfock.
IF 96 ROCK could start up again with some due diligence to the Atlanta Metro, it would be as if it never left Whoever (or whatever) it was that caused them to shut down should be unemployed. We only have the River these days, leading many away from FM broadcasting and annoying commercials. Most stations play FREE music that you can play for yourself. If not that, then pay per play is cheap. Ever wonder why they almost never play an odd request anymore? Not allowed if not on the list. Why bother when we can all listen to whatever we want at any time? Deregulation with changing times has allowed these conglomerates to sever their own wrists.
It's now known as 96Rap...absolute sewage. I worked in a warehouse in 1986, and everybody had "ghetto blasters". When it was time for the Friday Five-O-Clock Whistle, everybody would turn UP. A few years ago, somebody was selling a "Remembering 96rock 1974-2006" commemorative T-shirt, and I was fortunate enough to get one. There will never be anything again like 96Rock. Just like WSHE in Miami, which went off the air before 96Rock did, good rock is almost impossible to find unless one has everything on USB flash media and a digital receiver in the car. How sad it is that we find ourselves, here in Atlanta, living in a world of rap, right-wing hate radio, wannabe-country that doesn't even sound good anymore, and WAY TOO MANY sports and/or religious stations. JUST ONE GOOD ROCK STATION PLEASE ?? As I put my heart and soul into this message, I'm drinking a Jolt Cola. I first heard about that stuff during late-nights on 96Rock !!!
Im 62 years old and i seen this and laughed . i got a 96 rock tag on my truck now. Turned upside down.ever body. Listen to 96 roc in duluth ga. 10th anerver party was stepinwolf and it cost me 96 cent to get in the door.96 rock done alot for us in the 70s 80s thanks 96 rock for the memories. Tim webb
You can blame Republicans and their corporate donors for the deregulation of telecommunications. After 1986, both Clear Channel and Sinclair Broadcast Group started acquiring regional and local radio stations, the Party was OVER! They fired almost all of the local radio personalities and went with syndication! You will never see a local Radio station like 96-Rock again.
@@frankmarsh1159 Even though it reads 1996 that was talked to text and it's supposed to be 1986. Ronald Reagan sign that telecommunications Bill. Thank you for bringing that mistake to my attention.
@@theylied1776 No it was 1996. There was a lot of debate about what it would might do to American radio. Many of the predictions came true. Before 1996 you could only own 20 FM stations. Iheart radio and Cumulus now own about 2000 between them . Clear Channel ended up acquiring 96Rock and Cumulus ended up with 99x. After the corporations took over radio and started programming from central headquarters radio in America started to suck and it has gotten worse over the last twenty five years.
Fantastic video about the greatest ROCK station Atlanta ever had or will have. Deregulation destroyed FM radio back in the 90's and it will never be the same. Pretty much all syndicated crap these days, or a revamped "99 Xcrement" that sucked when it was first on the air in the 90's wasteland of rock music.
I was lucky enough to be in my teenage years when 96rock cranked up in the 70's. So many good memories of new groups and songs I had never heard before. I remember taping 96 rock for hours before going on a trip to Daytona, so we would have something to listen to on the way there and back. The station did so many cool promotions around town, and they were there at all the good concerts....and man did we have good shows come through town back then. I remember many a night spent at the Omni in a haze of smoke from all the "alternative" items being lit up. I also remember many stops at the Waffle House or Steak & Shake on the way back out to the burbs after the shows. Concerts seemed to always make you hungry back then....
Also gotta say kudos for having Officer Don give the station origin story. If you lived here in the 60's, you'll remember him from the Popeye Club kiddie show that ran on WSB Channel 2 on Saturday mornings.
And with that all that's left is to share the words of Dean and say "Come get me Mother, I'm through".
Still have my tag on my truck, upside down. 96rock lives on for those of us who still rock on.
The greatest rock station ever! I grew up listening to it in the 70s and 80s. and can still listen to it now. Thank you for this!
Still have my 96rock plate that I actually bought from their studio one day after work (1985?). It was placed (upside down) on several of my cars in the day and now proudly hung in my garage upside down.
And now 15 years later 96 Rock is back on the iHeartRadio app!
Brings back good memories bring back the Rock
Grew up on 96 ROCK and went all the awesome concerts at the Omni.
Me too !
I'm 47 Years old and growing up in suburban Atlanta, 96Rock was THE rock station you listened to. Everyone in school, be it middle school or HS and whether you were old enough to drive it not had 96Rock gear. It was either the infamous car license plate, the sticker, the T-shirts or whatever. When you were in Atlanta, somehow and pretty quick, you were well versed on 96Rock.
My three favorite memories of 96Rock were:
1. Willard!
No disrespect to any other DJs, bc they were all good in their own right; however, when Willard was on air, you listened. He play great tunes, was funny as hell, laid back guy and just had that voice that radio voice that was unique. Kind of like when you hear a band on the radio that has their signature sound and you know it's them. That was Willard!! He was usually on either at night or midday.
2. Smash or Trash!
This usually involved Willard too, but whomever the DJ was in air at the time, you could always count on 96Rock for the newest and most up to date New releases and they would play them for listeners so they could call in and vote:
Smash or Trash.
That's how they gauged what the audience wanted to hear and it worked. Plus, it was always fun calling in and chatting briefly with whatever DJ was on air at the time.
3. Pre-Concert warm ups!
I think of all the things about 96Rock I miss the most, besides the on air personalities, we're the PCWU's.
I remember going to see Bon Jovi and Skid Row at the old Omni back in !989 and the whole way there, 96Rock was doing their customary PCWU and it was FREAKIN AWESOME!! The whole hour driving to Atlanta for the show, all you heard on the radio was the band/bands that were in town that night and it got you pumped up and ready. It was like the party before the party!!!!
I also remember going to see Iron Maiden at the Fox in 1988 on the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son tour and all we heard the whole time to the show was MAIDEN!!!
Man I miss the PCWU so much bc you didn't have to worry about finding your cassette tapes to play or which songs you should play on the wah to the show. 96Rock had you covered!
Sadly, it was in early 1993 or 94 (I think), is when I knew things were changing for the worst.
I remember I heard Van Halen-Poundcake and Bonnie Ratt-Let's give em something to talk about back to back and I was like WTF is this shit?!?!?! I was wondering why in the hell Bonnie Ratt was being played on 96Rock...and after Van Halen of all damn bands????
Then slowly but surely up to the late 90's that was the changing format of the station and I, probably like most people, just stop listening. Basically OUR ROCK STATION WAS GONE!
I, like most my age and even older that have grown up in Atlanta all our lives, will always love and miss what 96Rock was, meant to us and stood for as a pioneer rock station in the south. Thankfully I still see 96Rock licence tags and stickers here and there paying homage to what was the greatest rock station Atlanta and the south ever had!
THANK YOU 96ROCK FOR 30+YEARS OF KICK ASS MUSIC AND FOR CREATING THE BEST ATLANTA RADIO AND MUSIC FAMILY IN THE SOUTH! YOU ARE SORELY MISSED!
Willard At 96 Rock facebook.com/groups/173301292715745/
The Friday 5pm work whistle I miss. I'll pull it up on here sometimes for the nostalgia.
Thanks so much for sharing this ! As a life long Atlanta gal, I absolutely loved 96 Rock, always put me in a good mood, especially the Friday 5:00 whistle. I sure miss those days , such great times, and great music , and, of course, 96 Rock had the very best DJ’s ! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
My FAVORITE “family”, as radio was OUR thing! Thank you 96rock for making my era- Love Gen X!
graduated high school in 1985 just outside of Atlanta in a little town called Loganville..96rock was the soundtrack to my life... everyone cruising around Stone Mountain on a sunday had it cranked
Loganville ain't so little anymore lol
Where's Loganville?
@@cynthiacrawford6147 Beat me to it! 🤣
Had you by a few years, Lithia Springs High School 1981 and then off to the USMC. I miss the days when radio was a big part of our lives.
Same and i graduated in 03' i got the tail end of a great station growing up but it was infact related to almost every memory i have in some way shape or form. 96ROCK will never die. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
96 rock. Ahh MAN!!! 96 Rock crafted my life in a lot of ways!!! The greatest rock station ever. I heard so many first time great tunes there. I have 100 tapes taping the tunes on 96 rock. At night, they were so HEAVY!!!! I remember hearing Kashmire by Zeppelin late one night, and it changed my life. They were brave to play the heavy stuff. I doubt I will ever hear another station that comes close. It was a tragic time when 96 got taken off the air. 96 lives in my heart for surel
Do u still have it tape of 96 rock
Proud to have been listening for the best part - 1985-1988!
The Greatest radio station ever. I loved 96 Rock and parties at Uncle Tom's Tavern, and it was a party.
OMG, Uncle Tom's Tavern had free draft beer from 7:00 to 7:30, Monday thru Thursday and all my Clarkston, DeKalb Central friends were there. Sunday nights downstairs was the only local place to hear live music, drink and dance. I worked at Copperfield's across 285 when they had 3 for 1 on Wednesday nights. What a blast from the past.
I am from Atlanta....remember the first who song played....I was 16 years old in 1975......96 was the staple for a whole generation. Who else remembers hearing "We don't need to pay you to listen to 96 rock". Mark McCain and Steve Mitchell....what a great time!
Damn...I can't believe I forgot my fourth favorite thing I miss about 96Rock.......
4. The Friday Five O'Clock Whistle!
This is what OFFICIALLY started the weekend on Friday afternoons just before quittin time!
The FFOW, pumped you up for the weekend just like the Pre-concert warm up did for shows! When you heard it you knew it was about party time and head to the beer store lol
96Rock knew the audience and knew what we needed. That's what made the station so special. No cookie cutter phony bullshit! 96Rock made us ALL feel like family!!!!
I still play it pretty often
It’s FRIDAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!
I listened to 96rock wkls in Atlanta for 25 of the 32 years it was there. Now I'm listening to 96rock on iheart radio. 96rock wkls was the best rock station on earth...hell yeah...
96 Rock was great. And then we got 99X. And now Rock 100.5! Atlanta has had it good for nearly 50 years!
96 Rock and 99X were groundbreaking and original. Both stations started before the 1996 Telecommunications Act and played a lot of variety 100.5 is just one of a thousand monotonous corporate stations owned and programmed by Cumulous. If you want variety and quality you won't find it anywhere on today's Atlanta radio dial. I have had XM satellite radio in my car for years now. Classic Vinyl, 70s on 7, Classic Rewind and some of the other stations are the only place you'll find the type of music 96Rock used to play.
I remember cruising around Stone Mountain park listening to 96 Rock. Great times!
96 Rock Atlanta Georgia Classic Rock And Album Oriented Rock From 1974 To 1993 Totally Amazing Badass
Great thing is....it's back! 96 rock is on Iheart radio!!
I still have my Rock Card and 96rock license plate on the wall in my garage.
I also still have copies of all my "perfect album side" submissions.
Dude all the memories... forgot about perfect album side.
When they shut it down Nov 17th 2006 was the "Day Music Died" RIP 96ROCK
I just remember when the whistle ended with 96 Rock and Roll Jet Patrol WKLS FM and AM... and the audio of that big helicopter roaring by..
Loved the weekend whistle. !!
I was about 14 (1978), and we lived in Doraville at the time and our phone still had a party line. 96 Rock was doing a contest, and if you know party lines it's a nightmare trying to get free time to call someone, especially a radio station...long story short I made it through - 3rd caller, if I remember correctly it was for a Styx concert or maybe Nugent...anyway I was so excited the DJ told me I won and said "hold on we'll be right back" and like a dumba$$ I hung up...what a putz.
Loved 96Rock!
I wish there were more views. This was entertaining and informative...done professionally in fun way. Exactly like the station itself.
I was a Yankee that attended Georgia Tech (RAMBLIN WRECK!). Lived in ATL from Sept '87 until Mar '92...96 Rock was the go to station. The 5 O'clock Friday Whistle never got old...it was a celebration public service announcement that brought a smile to our faces. Keeping it vague here...we had drinking games in college around this tradition.
When I came back down for a visit in '96...broke my heart it was gone.
Please keep this up for ad long as you can.
I grew up in northeast Georgia (Stephens Co. High '86), about two hours north of Atlanta by-way-of I-85, and received my musical education listening to 96 Rock. I especially enjoyed the weeknight 7pm block, with "Get the Led Out" leading off the hour, and "The Perfect Album-Side" concluding it. Most of the area FM stations in the 80's were Top 40, so WKLS was almost alone in its regular rotation of Rush, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. Saturday night cruising often featured every other car wearing the 96 Rock plate turned upside-down. Sure miss those days when radio was still relevant!
Indeed brother....get the led out and perfect album side. WKLS!!! I moved to Canada, and came back for a visit and was kind of devastated that 96 rock was no more. 96 Rock clued me into SO MUCH great music. It is good to see people remembering it. It had a huge impact on my life.
5 o’clock whistle on Fridays ... and how could they do this video without Christopher Rude?
I can answer this because I made the video. There had to be cutoff point, otherwise it would have gone on indefinitely. I decided to make that cutoff point when the station had been sold and local control of programming was ended. (Also I made the original 5 o'clock Whistle)
@@ingostudios Well hats off to you. I love the whistle. How many days did I sit on the top end listening to that.
What a cool story. I still have a 96 rock bumper sticker NOS. So many memories come back. Sitting on the mountain above Young Harris so we could hear the premiere of REO live. Couldn't hear the station down in the valleys.
Perfect Album Sides!!
Thanks, Great time to be in ATL!!
Mark McCain DJd a dance at Rockdale High School in 1982. We had a blast. Heritage & Rockdale & Newton hung out a lot. We cruised both of the K-Mart plazas & we were just living our best lives.
I was born in 74' in Atlanta. Grew up on 96ROCK. Got my first and only 96ROCK licence tag, and a 96ROCK card froma record store called " Turtles " in Forest park, in 1986 when I was 12, lol. I live in Tennessee now, but I still have my licence plate hangin on my wall to this day, lol. When I went back home to visit bout 7 years ago, I just could'nt believe 96ROCK was gone!... just could not believe it... broke my heart. All us that grew up in the 80's... well all us cool kids with any sense, had our boom boxes on our shoulders, blastin 96ROCK, walkin round our neighbor hoods. Just jammin. Sure miss that ole station. If it was'nt that, it was Z-93 with Gary McGee in the mornings as the D.J. That was the only other station worth listenin to besides 96ROCK.... damn... this little history video sure does bring back some memories.. Like... the first time we heard VanHalen's " Jump "... or " Panama "... or first time we heard Motley Crue's " Smoking in the boys room "... that was the best radio station in the South ever. Never be another one like it. And we all remember the Friday 5 o'clock Whistle .... " Be cause it's Friday!... Friiiiiday!!... Friiiiiiiiiiiiiii DAY! " I'm 45 now. And I got that downloaded and still listen to it when I get home from work even these days, lol.... call me old fashion... lol. Hey Don Sharp, thanks for sharing the video, man. Preciate it. Have a goodin Jawga Boy! ;) Getcha Pull! :)
Turtles!!!! I bought many a record from there. The kids today know no what they missed. And I can remember when 96 premiered Van Halen's Jump!! Brother, I was listening at that very moment!!!! It is cool to know that 96 meant as much to me as to you. Now what do we have?! MEMORIES!!!! Cheers brother
Oh MAN!!! There was Turtle's. And if they didn't have what you wanted, there was Record Bar. And most of us made the trip to Buckhead just for the experience of going to Tower Records. Nope....today's kids have no clue what they missed, let alone what good music is. My young nephews stand in awe when they visit my house - I've got vintage Pioneer equipment that'll put out enough watts to level most any building. Today's kids know nothing of DYNAMICS in music. All they ever hear is that rap garbage with synthesized (at best) beats (if any beat at all), drone tones, and all at substandard digital bitrates.
Turtles! Damn, those were the days!
@@paulhause9040 That's wild... I saw "Turtles" and immediately I was thinking "What was the name of the other chain besides Turtles??? "Record Bar!" Now that's a name from the past! I remember concert ticket stubs... "Brought to you by 96 Rock and Turtles..." The sign was "Turtles Records & Tapes" CDs were not even a thing yet...
I haven't even thought about Z-93 until I read your comment. Like you said 96Rock was 1st always and if you did change stations (had to be a stupid reason to change stations, but it did happen), then Z-93 was second. Thanks for jarring my memories about Z-93.
Ahhh...96 Rock. I was listening in on that first day in 1974 - 13 years old, and an instant convert from WQXI-AM. Jeff Winter used to wake me on my alarm clock for school - "Good morning, it's 7 O'clock, and this is 96 Rock, WKLS_FM, Atlanta..." I won lots of great albums and concert tickets from the station - my favorite was - in 1977 - the entire Yes catalogue, and 2 tickets to their show at the OMNI - my dad picked up all my winnings for me, because his office was close to the station - we lived in Decatur. Anyway, the first half of this video really brings back a lot of memories - my years there in GA were 74-79, and what an influence the station was on me and my musical tastes!
Make a museum for 96 rock wkls fm am atlanta I can donate some 3 hours of 96 rock tapes
Send them to the Georgia Radio hall Of Fame. They have a great exhibit there of 96 Rock
facebook.com/groups/173301292715745/
What an awesome video. Broght back some memories!
I haven't listened to a music station in Atlanta since 2006. RIP 96rock
Me neither !
Very cool
The greatest rock station in Georgia 96.1 ROCK EVER
I remember when you announced the Lynyrd Skynyrd accident. You were my alarm back then. We were all shocked that day. I also won John Lennons album Double Fantasy. I picked it up from your studio off Clairmont...John was shot a week later. Always in my heart 96 Rock!!!
Alex Cooley's electric ballroom. Remember it well. Right accross from the Fox theater.
Im friends with his business partner Steven Cole daughters. Cooley and Cole did a lot for the music scene in Atlanta with free concerts and events.
Loved Christopher Rude in the mornings. I had moved away, but I listened to the Regular
Guys over the internet until I started going to Omaha and listened to some guys that broadcast online there. I’ll always love 96Rock from when I was in school. Working for the weekend!
Interesting story! I miss this radio station!
They did indeed have the 18-35 demo locked down from the start. A big advertiser back then was the Shane Company, remarkably their radio ad approach is the same today 46 years later still voiced by Tom Shane. When it was easy listening they had an ad that played on the call letters "WKLS...that's class"
THE BEST! Fond memories of my youth!
BRING IT BACK! lol
Is that the Officer Don from WSB kid's show? Don Kennedy who started 96Rock. I was on Officer Don show in the 60's. I loved that show wiht Popeye and other things. In the 701's 96 rock was my station with Classic Rock while I was going to GA Tech. Great time. Love the 5 Oclock Whistle.
Indeed that was Officer Don ! From The Popeye Club on Channel 2, to 96Rock, to Big Band Jump....that's the man!
Great video! Jeff Winter lived just up the street from me growing up in the mid '70's. I always knew him as the radio guy.
96 rock in the '70's was as good as any radio station anywhere 🎸👍
Worked there 2001 to 2006 in sales before they blew it up. Was a blast. Met all kinds of fun celebrities and went to some hysterical events.
99x hurt 96 rock a bit by taking away the youth audience. Alternative rock was the cool thing in the 90s, while Hard rock was dated and old timey. 1996 act hurt it and eventually the rise of southern hip hop put the nail in the coffin. By the 2000s, Atlanta was known as the mecca of trap rap music, it became a hip hop city. Since then, we've had Rock 100.5 but that sucks, its too corporate and mediocre. They try to play new rock artist but then they follow it up with an overplayed rock song from the past. I guess the ratings drops whenever they play new stuff. Thats sad. SInce the 80s college radio stations have Wreckage 91.1, heavy metal every Friday nights from 12am to 6am and Album 88 on 88.5 that plays rare indie rock, post punk and indie pop.
Best R&R station in Atlanta ever!!
96 rock is back on iHeartRadio but the FCC needs to give the boot to power 96.1 so they can be back on FM radio permanently, amen
96 Rock emerged during the golden age of FM radio! On the dial, the station was just above WPCH (94.9 I think) which, in the early to mid-70s, was THE "elevator / easy listening music" station in Atlanta. Anyway, 96 Rock's willingness to play album sides was always nice. Jeff Winter? Seem to remember that DJ name. Anyway, 96 rock did a good thing with their Homecookin' albums to feature local bands. Can't say I agreed with their choice of bands but at least they wanted to give hometown groups a shot.
They might have also sponsored a battle of the bands thing - seem to remember that but maybe it was before 96 Rock (Thermos Greenwood won the contest) For whatever reason, I didn't listen to the station that much after say mid-80s. No particular reason - just moved on. But glad someone took the time to put this video together to capture the history. I think at some point they moved over off Clairmont? In 1979 I won one of those "be the 5th caller" type of things to win a copy of The Wall which also entered me into a contest to get tickets to see The Wall concert in one of the few cities it was playing - LA I think.
Rocky Alison was my neighbor she was a good ole gal r I p Rocky she used to give us stickers and tag's back in the 80s.
Check out 96 rock on I heart radio. Really enjoying the content.
listening to it right now playing Autograph turn up the radio
i quit listening to 96 rock back in 2009 they started playing stuff that didn't involed rock i live in North Carolina 96 rock got me into bands from the 80s 90s and untill 2009
i know my antenna was pointed at atl
A station in Gadsden Al got the call letter WKLS . They totally suck . They mix bubble gum back door boys type music with classic rock and new rock . A total clusterfock.
Well, you are talking about Bama! 😜
12:25 I feel the same as do many others.
IF 96 ROCK could start up again with some due diligence to the Atlanta Metro, it would be as if it never left Whoever (or whatever) it was that caused them to shut down should be unemployed. We only have the River these days, leading many away from FM broadcasting and annoying commercials. Most stations play FREE music that you can play for yourself. If not that, then pay per play is cheap. Ever wonder why they almost never play an odd request anymore? Not allowed if not on the list. Why bother when we can all listen to whatever we want at any time? Deregulation with changing times has allowed these conglomerates to sever their own wrists.
IZ THE FOREMAN......IZ THE ONE SAYS WHEN ITS QUITN TIME AT TARA.....
is that "Officer Don"?
It's now known as 96Rap...absolute sewage. I worked in a warehouse in 1986, and everybody had "ghetto blasters". When it was time for the Friday Five-O-Clock Whistle, everybody would turn UP. A few years ago, somebody was selling a "Remembering 96rock 1974-2006" commemorative T-shirt, and I was fortunate enough to get one. There will never be anything again like 96Rock. Just like WSHE in Miami, which went off the air before 96Rock did, good rock is almost impossible to find unless one has everything on USB flash media and a digital receiver in the car. How sad it is that we find ourselves, here in Atlanta, living in a world of rap, right-wing hate radio, wannabe-country that doesn't even sound good anymore, and WAY TOO MANY sports and/or religious stations. JUST ONE GOOD ROCK STATION PLEASE ??
As I put my heart and soul into this message, I'm drinking a Jolt Cola. I first heard about that stuff during late-nights on 96Rock !!!
Come on, Southside. We know why the license tags were really flipped upside down.
yeah i was raised up in.. i liked the wake-up crew, regular guys....lol & now BAILEY & S.S.
NATE AND BRANDY..( her sexy self)
Clive Cliverson
Question: did WKLS get it's name from the LA rock station KLOS? (still on the air!)
No, it was the first initial of the 3 guys that started 96 rock... Watch the video, it explains that in the 1st couple of minutes...
Im 62 years old and i seen this and laughed . i got a 96 rock tag on my truck now. Turned upside down.ever body. Listen to 96 roc in duluth ga. 10th anerver party was stepinwolf and it cost me 96 cent to get in the door.96 rock done alot for us in the 70s 80s thanks 96 rock for the memories. Tim webb
Kennedy's Last Stand LOL
When 96 rock ended I haven’t enjoyed radio Since ! 100.5 absolutely is horrible !
SUCK 100.5 ????
No mention of " the wake -,up crew, or the regular guys show ???
what the hell.!!!???
( That's my generation.)
Wasn't the night guy Blade Runner in the late 80s?
You are correct; I think Greg Clarkson was the DJ that succeeded Blade Runner on the night shift. I sure miss those two.
@@jrw24fan I was just listening to Greg Sunday morning on 92.9 The Game.
96RockFlock Card holder!
😅Bring it back
Officer Don
You can blame Republicans and their corporate donors for the deregulation of telecommunications. After 1986, both Clear Channel and Sinclair Broadcast Group started acquiring regional and local radio stations, the Party was OVER! They fired almost all of the local radio personalities and went with syndication! You will never see a local Radio station like 96-Rock again.
Bill Clinton was a Democrat and he signed the bill.
@@frankmarsh1159 Even though it reads 1996 that was talked to text and it's supposed to be 1986. Ronald Reagan sign that telecommunications Bill. Thank you for bringing that mistake to my attention.
@@theylied1776 No it was 1996. There was a lot of debate about what it would might do to American radio. Many of the predictions came true. Before 1996 you could only own 20 FM stations. Iheart radio and Cumulus now own about 2000 between them . Clear Channel ended up acquiring 96Rock and Cumulus ended up with 99x. After the corporations took over radio and started programming from central headquarters radio in America started to suck and it has gotten worse over the last twenty five years.
Peeteetong!