Launched in December, WHUR Washington’s “The Quiet Storm Station” was just an HD-2 outlet when it made our list of intriguing stations of 2020 in January. Forged in the progressive R&B format of the ‘70s, then becoming a template for the Adult R&B format born in the late ‘80s, WHUR’s signature The Quiet Storm late-night show was already a logical full-time offering for the infinite dial. Now it’s heard on FM as well, on the 98.3 FM translator in Northern Virginia that was previously the home of WTOP’s “extreme variety” format, the Gamut.
The Quiet Storm Station on FM was an opportunity to revisit WHUR as it celebrates “49 years of sounding like Washington” and listen to the hosted evening Quiet Storm with John Monds. I’ve heard the “sounds like…” positioner used very cynically in recent years by some stations over the years, but WHUR works hard to reinforce its heritage.
- The sweeper into the stopset refers to the spots as “the following community messages.”
- I listened previously in January between the Capitol insurrection and the presidential inauguration. “Trust WHUR for breaking news from the Capitol and the White House,” said a cross-plug for the long running Daily Drum.
- Both stations are “originating from Washington, D.C., on the campus of Howard University.” The Quiet Storm Station adds that it is “representing music lovers all over the world.”
- There were also promos for Howard’s WHUT-TV which was planning an on-air tribute to recently deceased Vernon Jordan.
- The crossplugs for other shifts tout “music you love with people you love.”
- WHUR is giving away groceries in conjunction with Giant Foods. They did a different recent giveaway with Weis Markets, the “Frank Ski New Year Family Fixup.”
In a way, WHUR recalls not just its own heritage, but all R&B radio in Washington over the years. The tone of Monds’ Quiet Storm is smooth, but WHUR’s imaging is livelier. It reminds me (in a good way) of the concert spots that were part of growing up with the format over the years. In fact, the 9 p.m. sweeper declares that “John Monds is the promoter, giving you the original Quiet Storm Mini Concert.”
Under PD Al Payne, WHUR’s secondary positioner is “Old School, ‘90s, and Now.” The evening Quiet Storm program I heard had a lot of mid-‘90s R&B, including Washington’s Pure Soul. Hearing SWV, Brandy, and Aaliyah in proximity recalls Hip-Hop/R&B WPGC in its mid-‘90s decade. As the decade went on, however, WHUR began to exert an equal or greater influence on WPGC, which became very R&B- and adult leaning by the late ‘90s/early ‘00s.
Here’s WHUR’s “Original Quiet Storm” with John Monds at 8 p.m., March 8, 2021:
- Pure Soul, “We Must Be In Love”
- Anita Baker, “Been So Long”
- Silk, Lose Control”
- SWV, “Weak”
- Keyshia Cole, “I Don’t Wanna Be In Love”
- Brandy, “Angel in Disguise”
- Ciara, “Body Party”
- New Birth, “It’s Been A Long Time”
- Aalyiah, “I Don’t Wanna”
- Mint Condition, “Walk On”
- Robin Thicke, “Look Easy”
- Isley Brothers, “Summer Breeze” (the beginning of the 9 p.m. mini-concert, a salute to Ernie Isley, whose birthday was the day before)
- Isley, Jasper, Isley, “Caravan of Love”
- Isley Brothers, “Contagious”
- Isley Brothers, “Sensuality”
There’s a ‘90s-and-beyond presence on the Quiet Storm Station as well, but there’s no question what the center of the station is. One promo features a clip of original Quiet Storm host Melvin Lindsey and a listener reminiscing about the time Lindsey put Earth, Wind & Fire’s live version of “Reasons” on repeat, which could be heard out of “every dorm room in Baldwin Hall.” The promo mentions Norman Connors, Phyllis Hyman, and Jean Carne—obscure now even on Adult R&B radio, but stars of WHUR in the ‘70s.
Here’s the Quiet Storm Station at 8 a.m., March 9:
- Whitney Houston, “I Will Always Love You”
- Al Green, “For the Good Times”
- Patti Labelle, “If Only You Knew”
- Faith Evans, “You Used To Love Me”
- Maxwell, “Whenever Wherever Whatever”
- Johnny Gill & Stacy Lattisaw, “Where Do We Go From Here”
- Levert, “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind”
- Barry White, “Playing Your Game Baby”
- Sade, “Cherish the Day”
- Anthony Hamilton, “What I’m Feelin’”
- Jagged Edge, “Gotta Be”
- Tavares, “Remember What I Told You to Forget”
- Roberta Flack, “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
The WHUR legacy is definitely a valuable commodity for “music lovers all over the world.” Despite a few newer titles, the Quiet Storm Station also has the effect of bringing R&B Oldies (at least the softer half) to the market on FM. As Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak throw back to early ‘70s R&B on their Silk Sonic project, there are definitely some Ross On Radio readers who would enjoy having a place to hear songs like “Remember What I Told You to Forget” on a regular basis.
