First Listen: Abilene’s The Patriot (and Its Cluster)

I don’t think I’ve ever ended up writing about an entire cluster before. On Tuesday, I set out to listen to the Americana/Texas Country/Classic Rock hybrid on WesTex Telco’s KKHR (The Patriot) Abilene, Texas. Almost immediately, I knew I would be writing about it. I was curious enough to listen to Adult Hits sister KTJK (The Raider), which had just moved frequencies as a result of the format launch, and decided I had to write about that station too. Then I checked out the CHR format, Infinity FM, on KKHR-HD2.

I don’t usually reach out to industry friends individually to tell them to check out new radio stations. There aren’t as many new radio stations. There aren’t as many worth checking out. I’m usually only a few days from writing about the noteworthy ones in the Ross on Radio newsletter anyway. But I have been tipping off friends about The Patriot and The Raider — especially those in the Adult Hits and Country world – already. 

Each of the three stations has a distinction. The Raider is good for those still seeking out the Adult Hits format for songs not typically heard on the radio. It also plays newer compatible music, something you won’t typically hear on the gold-based format. Infinity FM, despite being HD2/streaming only, is hosted at night, carrying Mason Kelter’s syndicated LiveLine. It also carries R. Dub’s Slow Jams show. There’s also the presence of some indie-label pop not heard on other CHR stations.

KKHR is entering a market with six other Country stations, according to Country Aircheck, including traditional-leaning/yesterday-and-today KORQ (Q-Country 96.1), Classic Country KLGD (the Country Giant), and Texas Country KMWX (The Ranch). In the listening I’ve done (and monitors I’ve seen), KKHR’s music is about 60% from the Americana chart, with the remainder divided between Texas Country and Classic Rock (mostly Southern), with the seeming intent of making the format accessible for the market.

I haven’t heard any music that would be shared with the market’s three Mainstream Country outlets. So far, that includes crossover Texas Country artists such as Parker McCollum, Zach Bryan, and Cody Johnson. OM Dustin Tatro says that they could show up at some point. The station is playing Chris Stapleton, especially the new ‘White Horse.” The station is also running Texas Rangers games; Tatro is that team’s organist.

What is particularly interesting about the Patriot is that it’s not the station the name might indicate, particularly not in this time of “Try That in a Small Town” and “Rich Men North of Richmond.” That station called “The Patriot” is almost certainly coming, but KKHR is positioned in a way that is both pro-social and inclusive. Sweepers salute first-responders and the hard-working men and women of local businesses (a campaign that goes across the WesTex stations).

But there’s also this promo: “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a coal rollin’ diesel driver or you’ve got the most environmentally responsible EV in Abilene—to each his own. After all, this land was made for you and me, and so was America’s music. Americana’s best and more: this is radio for all Americans. 101.7 the Patriot.”

Here are two more Joey Butler-voiced promos:

“Whether you’re headed across town on your trusty old steed, or you’re the only guy in Abilene with a Lamborghini Huracan, this music is for you. Music for all Americans, and especially Texans. This is 101.7, The Patriot.”

“You don’t have to head to that weird little town in the Hill Country that puts beaucoups of money into trying to stay weird to know that Texas is America’s true melting pot of culture and music. We’re right in the middle of it. We like it that way.”

This is the Patriot at 4:45 p.m. on August 22:

• Reckless Kelly, “Vancouver”
• Brandy Clark, “Dear Insecurity”
• Doobie Brothers, “Long Train Running”
• Grace Potter, “Good Time”
• James Lann, “Here with You”
• ZZ Top, “Gimme All Your Lovin’”
• Aaron Watson & Jenna Paulette, “Seven Year Ache”
• Turnpike Troubadours, “Chipping Mill”
• Lori McKenna, “Killing Me”
• Bob Seger, “The Fire Down Below”
• Caleb Sutton, “Waltzing at Hondo Tonight”
• Ariel Hutchins f/Mark Powell, “Tequila for Two”
• Duane Betts, “Saints to Sinners”
• M. Ward, “Supernatural Thing”
• Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Simple Man”

Here’s 106.3 The Raider at 8:25 p.m. on August 22:

• Stevie Nicks, “Talk to Me”
• Citizen King, “Better Days (and the Bottom Drops Out)”
• Kiss, “I Was Made for Loving You”
• Rick James, “Super Freak”
• Vicki Sue Robinson, “Turn the Beat Around”
• Maroon 5, “Love Somebody”
• Adele, “Rolling in the Deep”
• Beatles, “Here Comes the Sun”
• Talk Talk, “It’s My Life”
• John Cougar [Mellencamp], “Hand to Hold on to”
• Three Dog Night, “Never Been to Spain”
• Bangles, “In Your Room”
• Steve Vai, “She Saved My Life Tonight” — with a new music stager; retro-rocker that feels like Boston doing Van Halen’s “Panama”
• Billy Joel, “Piano Man”

Finally, here’s the cluster’s Infinity FM at 6:15 a.m. on August 23:

• Jennifer Lopez & Ja Rule, “I’m Real”
• Latto f/Lu Kala, “Lottery”
• OneRepublic, “Wherever I Go”
• Dua Lipa, “Dance the Night”
• Tedashii, “Lights in the City”
• Carson Luders, “Toxic”
• David Guetta/Anne-Marie/Coi Leray, “Baby Don’t Hurt Me”
• The Weeknd, “Die for You”
• Chris Brown, “Run It”
• Taylor Swift, “Cruel Summer”
• Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
• Jonas Brothers, “Waffle House”
• Coi Leray, “Players”