Road Trip #1: WVIC to KRNQ

This first Classic Rock FM Road Trip took us from Okemos/Lansing, Michigan to the small town of Wayland, Missouri. Wayland - population 438 - is just south/southwest of Keokuk, Iowa not far off the Mississippi River.

This trip takes a little over 8 hours driving time with travel through Southwest Michigan, Northeast Indiana, across Illinois - over the Mississippi into Burlington, Iowa and down into Northeast Missouri.

Observations: Listened to radio in both large and small markets. Market size had lots to do with a solid product. Some of the smaller markets had their issues; be it with music, talent or imaging. Heard one smaller market station with a daily contest where the winners would qualify for the "grand prize" drawing of a one new CD from a local department store. Another station with good concepts behind its imaging - but lacked strong voice talent to deliver it. Also heard one station airing ads for a tobacco shop promising great deals on "packs and cartons". Does that cross the line with the longtime prohibition against cigarette advertising on radio and tv?

That said - This blog isn't about critiquing stations. Wouldn't do so with casual listening and certainly not in a public forum. Its just a list of the music heard station by station (with a few thoughts here and there).

The trip began about 11:30am on Friday, April 6, 2007. Get a map and follow along...


Okemos/Lansing to Battle Creek, MI 64.5 miles


Station: WVIC (FM) 94.1 Jackson/Lansing, MI
Format: Classic Hits ("The One For Classic Hits")

Music log starting at 11:30am

I Won't Back Down-Tom Petty (1989)
Come Sail Away-Styx (1977)
Southern Cross-Crosby, Stills & Nash (1982)
STOPSET
Go Your Own Way-Fleetwood Mac (1977)
Old Time Rock & Roll-Bob Seger (1979)
In The Air Tonight-Phil Collins (1981)
12 NOON LEGAL ID
Another Brick In The Wall-Pink Floyd (1980)
Fame-David Bowie (1975)
My Best Friends Girl-Cars (1978)
Lido Shuffle-Boz Scaggs (1976)

Comments: As my former competitor in the Lansing market, WVIC is a station that I've had to pay attention to. The station has never sounded better with their music more focused than any other time in recent memory. Middays are handled by Kevin Conrad - a great talent with great pipes. With the best product they've had in a long time, WVIC should be cause for concern by others in the market. Station website.


Battle Creek to Kalamazoo, MI 29.8 miles


Station: WRCC (FM) 104.9 Marshall/Battle Creek, MI
Format: Classic Rock

Music log starting at 12:20pm

Animal-Def Leppard (1987)
Jean Genie-David Bowie (1972)
STOPSET
Penny Lane-Beatles (1967)
Born In The USA-Bruce Springsteen (1984)
In The City-Eagles (1979)

Comments: WRCC and the rest of Clear Channel's Battle Creek Cluster are being sold to Cumulus - putting the future of Rock 104.9 in question. I wonder what WRCC would sound like had we not lost creative radio genius Allan Stagg. Programming WRCC was his last job. Station website.




Click "Older Posts" below right to continue the roadtrip.....

Kalamazoo to Benton Harbor, MI 51 miles


Station: WRKR (FM) 107.7 Portage/Kalamazoo, MI
Format: Mainstream AOR ("The Rocker")

Music log starting at 12:45pm

STOPSET
Hurts So Good-J C Mellencamp (1982)
Love Drive-Scorpions (1979)
What It Takes-Aerosmith (1989)
Orange Crush-REM (1988)
Katmandu-Bob Seger (1975)
Dig-Incubus (2006)
Fire Woman-Cult (1989)

Comments: WRKR is a good sounding radio station. Trivial: a former co-worker of mine back at WJKL/Elgin, IL in the 70s was part-owner of this station ("The Air-Borne Group") when it went on the air many years ago. He was pretty proud of snagging the WRKR call letters after a station in Racine, Wisconsin gave them up. Hearing "Orange Crush" was a nice surprise! Listened until signal got too much noise.


Station: WZOW (FM) 102.3 New Castle/South Bend, IN
Format: Mainstream AOR ("Playing Whatever Rocks")

Music log starting at 1:15pm

Hells Bells-AC/DC (1980)
Time-Pink Floyd (1973)
Rag Doll-Aerosmith (1987)
Seeing Things-Black Crowes (1990)
(LUNCH/GAS STOP)
Cocaine-Eric Clapton (1980)
STOPSET
When I Come Around-Green Day (1994)
2PM LEGAL ID
Livin' On A Prayer-Bon Jovi (1986)

Comments: I didn't note it on my scribble pad, but as I recall WZOW was jockless - at least when I was listening. Nice variety of tunes; imaging was first-rate. Station is 2-frequency simulcast hitting both sides of South Bend/Elkhart with class A signals. Listened until signal became noisy beyond Benton Harbor going to Michigan City. BTW: Gas was $2.85 a gallon in Benton Harbor.


Benton Harbor to Michigan City, IN 43.1 miles


Station: WAOR (FM) 95.3 Niles, MI/South Bend, IN
Format: Classic Rock

Music log starting at 2:01pm

Sweet Child O'Mine-Guns N Roses (1988)
Do Ya-ELO (1977)
I Need A Lover-JC Mellencamp (1979)
Armageddon It-Def Leppard (1988)
ENTERING INDIANA-CENTRAL TIME ZONE
STOPSET
T.N.T.-AC/DC (1976)
Take It Easy-Eagles (1972)

Comments: Once I lost WZOW, tuned around and found WAOR. Very nice sounding classic rocker (and very "midwest" - I think it was the early Mellencamp song that made me note that). Noted promos for morning show doing Monday Morning remote at local food bank.

WAOR also promotes themselves as "America's 1st Classic Rock Station"; something we also did at WMMQ. Hmmmm...


Click "Older Posts" below right to continue the roadtrip.....

Michigan City, IN to Marseilles, IL 107 miles


Station: WDRV (FM) 97.1 Chicago, IL
Format: Classic Hits (beyond industry format boundaries)

Music log starting at 1:33pm

Dreams-Fleetwood Mac (1975)
Can't You See-Marshall Tucker Band (1977)
Dedicated To The One I Love-The Mamas & The Papas (1967)
STOPSET
Born To Run-Bruce Springsteen (1975)
2PM LEGAL ID
American Pie-Don McLean (1971)
Life In The Fast Lane-Eagles (1976)
Karn Evil 9 (First Impression)-Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1973)
Black Water-Doobie Brothers (1974)
Ain't Wastin' Time No More-Allman Bros (1972)
STOPSET
Feelin' That Way/Anytime-Journey (1978)
I Feel Fine-Beatles (1965)
Roll Me Away-Bob Seger (1982)
Have You Ever Seen The Rain?-Creedence Clearwater Revival (1971)
STOPSET
All My Love-Led Zeppelin (1977)
3PM LEGAL ID
Give A Little Bit-Supertramp (1977)
Brown Eyed Girl-Van Morrison (1967)

Comments: 107 miles of The Drive. Just great programming. The Mamas & Papas cut was played at 1:45pm - as midday host Bob Stroud plays "one 45" (thats one 45rpm single) everyday at 1:45 (complete with the ticks and noise you'll hear from vinyl). Station ran imaging piece going into above Allman Bros track promoting expanded music library "including this one" (segue). Did I ever mention this station doesn't do on-air contesting? The Drive is simulcast on 96.9 WWDV/Zion, IL - serving Northeast Illinois and Southeast Wisconsin.


Marseilles, IL to Geneseo, IL 82.1miles


Station: WBZG (FM) 100.9 Peru, IL
Format: Classic Rock

Music log starting at 3:07pm

Fire On The Mountain-Marshall Tucker Band (1973)
STOPSET
Authority Song-JC Mellencamp (1984)
Dirty Laundry-Don Henley (1982)
(ROAD FOOD STOP)
STOPSET
Don't Stop-Fleetwood Mac (1977)
ROCK REPORT
Her Strut-Bob Seger (1980)
Hush-Deep Purple (1968)
Tiny Dancer-Elton John (1972)
STOPSET
Centerfield-John Fogerty (1985)
Panama-Van Halen (1984)
Piece Of My Heart-Janis Joplin (1968)
4PM LEGAL ID
Run To You-Bryan Adams (1984)
White Rabbit-Jefferson Airplane (1967)
STOPSET
Bad To The Bone-George Thorogood (1982)

Comments: Bob & Tom Mornings. Alice Cooper Nights. Airstaff otherwise during week. Driving back Sunday the station was just running music and sweepers. Station website.


Click "Older Posts" below right to continue the roadtrip.....

Geneseo to Galesburg, IL 46.8 miles

Station: WZZT (FM) 102.7 Morrison, IL
Format: Classic Hits

Music log starting at 4:20pm

Running On Empty-Jackson Browne (1977)
Another One Bites The Dust-Queen (1980)
Rhiannon-Fleetwood Mac (1975)
Southern Man-Neil Young (1970)

Comments: Was only able to hear this station for a short bit before I lost the signal. Looking at the map, the station is only a class A from too many miles away and I was headed in the wrong direction. I sensed that the station might be satellite-programmed, using Jones' Classic Hits format. No station website (or logo) to be found.


Station: WMCS (FM) 93.1 Muscatine, IA
Format: Classic Hits ("Mac FM: We Play Everything")

Music log starting at 4:40pm

Free Ride-Edgar Winter Group (1972)
True Faith-New Order (1987)

Comments: Again, going in the wrong direction to really hear this station; it disappeared into noise just as the New Order song started playing (one of my secret favorites...shhh!). Caught this station again on Sunday. They do play everything...heard country...80s rock and more. WMCS is simulcast on 94.7/WMCN Clinton, IA. Station website.


Galesburg, IL to Burlington, IA 45.9 miles


Station: WPBG (FM) 93.3 Peoria, IL
Format: Classic Hits

Music log starting at 4:49pm

Bad To The Bone-George Thorogood (1982) 1st repeat all day!
STOPSET
American Woman-Guess Who (1970)
Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald-Gordon Lightfoot (1976)

Comments: Couldn't hold onto this one very long either. Headed away from Peoria. Nice sounding station though...using"The Drive" moniker. Station website.


Station: WJEQ (FM) 102.7 Macomb, IL
Format: Classic Hits

Music log starting at 5:10pm

Good Day Sunshine-Beatles (1967)
Be Good To Yourself-Journey (1986)
STOPSET
Good Times Roll-Cars (1979)
Good Lovin' Gone Bad-Bad Company (1975)
SPORTSCAST
Tuesday's Gone-Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973)
Lovin' Every Minute Of It-Loverboy (1985)
Josie-Steely Dan (1977)
STOPSET
Oye Como Va-Santana (1971)
Gimme All Your Lovin'-ZZ Top (1983)

Comments: Not a bad sounding station with pretty good imaging. Music set at start of monitor was part of an ultimate CD side feature with a "good" theme (for Good Friday). The picture to the right (looking at the cattle truck in front of us) was taken while Skynyrd was playing; somehow it seemed all to fit. Station website.






Click "Older Posts" below right to continue the roadtrip.....

Burlington, IA to Wayland, MO 49.8 miles

Station: KRNQ (FM) 96.3 Keokuk, IA
Format: Classic Rock

Music log starting at 6:00pm

Don't Do Me Like That-Tom Petty (1979)
Mysterious Ways-U2 (1991)
Feels Like The First Time-Foreigner (1977)
We're An American Band-Grand Funk (1973)
Up On Cripple Creek-Band (1970)
Black Dog-Led Zeppelin (1971)
Girls, Girls, Girls-Motley Crue (1987)
STOPSET
Barracuda-Heart (1977)
Sunspot Baby-Bob Seger (1976)
STOPSET
More Than A Feeling-Boston (1976)
I Shot The Sheriff-Eric Clapton (1974)
Rainbow In The Dark-Dio (1982)

Comments: KRNQ is not a bad sounding station either. During my stay in Wayland, I was able to see KRNQ's tower out the back window. Station website.



Also heard on the return trip:

KCQQ/Davenport, Iowa 106.5 Classic Hits heard "The Chop Shop" Sunday Morning
WXLP/Moline, Illinois 96.9 Classic Hits just launched
WRXQ/Coal City-Joliet, Illinois 100.7 Classic Rock nice!