Following its sale to New Albany Broadcasting earlier this year, Gospel “Praize Power” 1350 WLOU Louisville/104.7 W284AD New Albany IN flipped to R&B Oldies on Friday, August 7.
“The Original Soul of Louisville” is paying tribute to WLOU’s heritage as one of the first R&B/Soul stations in the country which lasted from the 1950s until 1995. The new format will also feature an emphasis on social issues. The station has announced the additions of Archie Dale as General Manager, former WGZB PD Mark Gunn as Program Director/afternoon host and ‘Miss Krystal’ Goodner as morning host.
Core artists for the new format are listed as Earth, Wind & Fire, O’Jays, Stylistics, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Sade, Isley Brothers, and Anita Baker.
With the change at WLOU, New Albany is also shifting 1240 WLLV Louisville from a mix of Gospel and Talk to all-Gospel picking up the programming shed by WLOU.
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On Friday, August 7, 2020 at 10:47 am the sound of 1350AM WLOU & 104.7FM returned to its original format of soul music.
With the new stereo sound, you will see a new logo and station tagline, but the roots of the station remain intact but with a broader appeal from news and information but filling a void in the community when it comes to soul music. The format will give listeners an opportunity to go back down memory lane with music from Earth, Wind & Fire, O’Jays, Stylistics, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Sade, Isley Brothers, Anita Baker plus many more.
“The Original Soul of Louisville” adds Archie Dale as the General Manager and Mark Gunn as Program Director and Afternoon Drive On-Air Personality to the already dynamic team of Krystal “Miss Krystal” Goodner in the Morning Drive and others to be announced.
With 70 years on the airwaves, WLOU is one of the oldest urban stations in the U.S. So, when it was acquired by David B. Smith Sr., long time radio personality, program director and co-owner of Kentuckiana Broadcast Group he wanted to make sure its rich history was celebrated but also be a voice for African Americans. Gunn says “We’re reaching the underserved adult Black demographic by going a lot deeper musically than the other Gold based stations in the market. In addition to REAL Soul Music, WLOU continues to deal with the soul of Louisville by directly addressing social issues we are facing today and to be an information hub to our listeners not only on the air, in the community but on our social platforms.
Smith’s love for radio has been a constant especially in Louisville and Southern Indiana so when he heard that the station may be acquired from someone outside the region he says “Passing up the opportunity to purchase such a legendary station was not an option. The possibility of WLOU being owned by anyone not from here just wouldn’t be right”. “I’m honored to walk in the footsteps of former owner The Reverend Dr. William E. Summers III”.
With more than 30 years in the radio industry, Smith says they are not deleting the Gospel programming but moving it to our sister station, AM 1240, WLLV.
