Garth Brooks’ Sevens Network LLC will acquire AAA “Lightning 100” WRLT Franklin/Nashville TN from Tuned-In Broadcasting for $3 million.
Brooks will flip the station to Country as “The New FM 100“, which intends to be “The voice of Music City, Highlighting local/breaking news, and spinning the entire family of Country music.” Brooks said, “This is an opportunity to bring the entire family of Country Music together in one spot…the legends, the greats, and the future greats. Nashville is being called ‘The Newest City in America,’ and we want to bring a new kind of communication, combining terrestrial and digital radio, built to grow with this city. Our job is NOT to compete with the local channels in Nashville, but to PROMOTE what they have going on. We are NOT a reporter, we are a SERVICE to Music City and its businesses.”
At closing, the AAA format will move to Cromwell Media’s 106.3 W292ED Franklin/102.5 WPRT-HD3 Pegram.
The acquisition of WRLT follows Brooks’ ending his partnership with TuneIn in September. Brooks told GarthBrooks.com that the idea began last year when he saw a 2020 post from the station asking for financial support. Brooks said, “I thought the post was current. I was looking for a station for this idea I had about an information station for Nashville locals, visitors, and tourists.”
He continued, “A country artist buying an indie-rock station made no sense. This way, the owner gets help in funding. The station lives on, while the new FM-100 finds a home in the middle of the FM dial.”
He intends to help promote what other Nashville radio stations are doing while playing a mix of Country music from the 1960s through today with an emphasis on public service including a partnership with Nashville Severe Weather to broadcast weather alerts and work closely with Nashville’s convention and tourism community.
