Midwest Communications CHR “Hot 106.7” WNFN Franklin/Nashville TN has flipped to 90s based Classic Country “Y’all 106.7“.
The flip followed an hour long loop of 2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready For This” before debuting with Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever, Amen”, Shania Twain “No One Needs To Know”, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Fishin’ In The Dark”. Travis was in studio to kick off the launch (pictured below).
Ron Allen, Brand Manager for Variety Hits “96.3 Jack-FM” WCJK, adds Brand Manager duties for WNFN. Allen also served as Format Captain for Midwest’s “Duke-FM” Classic Country stations across the company.
The new format targets Cumulus Media’s “95.5 Nash Icon” WSM-FM, which rose lost month from a 7.2 share to 8.8 ranking third overall, but just behind Midwest’s market leading AC “Mix 92.9” WJXA and WCJK.
WNFN has dropped over the past four months from a 3.2 share in January down to a 1.6 in April. The January monthly was the only time since its 2009 flip to CHR that the station beat iHeartMedia’s “107.5 The River” WRVW, which registered a 3.1 share in April.
– At 10:00am CST this morning, with one flip of a switch by country icon Randy Travis, Midwest Communication’s CHR Station, Hot 106.7, was transformed to “Y’all 106.7.” The first song to air on this new 80’s and 90’s-based country format was none other than Travis’ very own “Forever and Ever, Amen.”
Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member, Randy Travis – an artist with over 25 million albums sold and combined total of 22 ACM, CMA and Grammy awards – was in the “Y’all 106.7” studio with Brand Manager Ron Allen to kick off the new format.
Representing Midwest Communications ownership family, Mary Kay Wright said, “Nashville is a market already rich in great country programming, but we feel that this unique 80’s and 90’s-based format will bring country listeners an exciting new option. It’s such an honor to have Randy Travis as part of our Y’all 106.7 launch. He isn’t just a top artist from the 80’s, he helped define the best of what country music was then and still is today.”
Ron Allen, Brand Manager for Nashville’s 96.3 JACK-fm, will add programming responsibilities for the new brand. Ron has served as Midwest Communications DUKE FM Format Captain (Classic Country), and has launched and programmed several country stations over the course of his career. Allen said,
“We fully appreciate that the country format in Nashville is crowded, but we believe there is still an opportunity to serve the community and be successful in this lane.”
Regarding the format change today, as a personal note, Ms. Wright also shared that “Today is a little bittersweet for our family. Midwest Communications CEO and founder, Duke Wright, who recently passed away, was a huge fan of Randy Travis. ‘Forever and Ever, Amen’ was one of his all-time favorites. He would have been thrilled that Randy helped kick off Y’all 106.7.”
