Country KPLX (99.5 The Wolf) Dallas quietly phased out its current titles this week, further evolving to a gold-based outlet along the lines of Cumulus sister WSM-FM (95.5 Nash Icon) Nashville. As with that station and sister WKDF, the move creates separation between The Wolf and sister KSCS.
According to monitors from BDSradio, the change took place on Tuesday morning, March 15. The Wolf is still playing currents during the overnight show as part of the syndicated “Later … With Lia.” There were no changes to The Wolf’s “Texas Country” position.
Like WSM-FM, the Wolf is a station whose history is intertwined with the history of Country radio. As KPLX, it switched to Country in 1980 during the “Urban Cowboy”-inspired building boom, but never quite had the industry profile of KSCS with its AC-leaning presentation.
The Wolf launched in 1998 with an aggressive musical stance, including a lot of “Texas Country” artists, at a time when Country had become a more passive, upper demo format. When the Ross on Radio column looked back at that change a decade later, it was one of the column’s most reactive articles. (You can also see a music monitor of the station in 1998).
Over the years, and in particular once Cumulus owned both stations, The Wolf and KSCS ended up in opposite positions. KSCS was “New Country.” The Wolf evolved to a yesterday-and-today station. When the currents finally went away this week, it was a subtle enough change that the Country trade publications didn’t immediately report it.
When we took a Fresh Listen to the station on March 16, Rick Taylor was filling in for vacationing APD/MD Smokey Rivers. Country radio is trying to capitalize on the post-COVID excitement of touring resuming and the Wolf had promos for both Dustin Lynch and Alan Jackson ticket giveaways this hour as well as a Six Flags ticket contest.
Being gold-based Country in Texas means that you have at least one built-in core artist. When Taylor played “You Know Me Better Than That,” he talked about George Strait’s Chill of an Early Fall album, then noted, “Nobody plays as much George as we do in the Metroplex. If they do, we just play more George.”
Here’s a First Listen to The Wolf at 11 a.m. on March 16.
- Florida Georgia Line, “Cruise”
- Brooks & Dunn, “Neon Moon”
- Zac Brown Band, “Keep Me in Mind”
- Little Big Town, “Boondocks”
- Garth Brooks, “That Summer”
- Kenny Chesney, “Beer in Mexico”
- Old Dominion, “Snapback”
- Faith Hill, “Piece of My Heart”
- Luke Bryan, “Drunk on You”
- George Strait, “You Know Me Better Than That”
- Thomas Rhett, “It Goes Like This”
- David Lee Murphy, “Party Crowd”
- Midland, “Cheatin’ Songs”
Here’s the station at 6 p.m., according to BDSradio:
- Toby Keith, “Made In America”
- Garth Brooks, “Callin’ Baton Rouge”
- Zac Brown Band, “Chicken Fried”
- Tim McGraw, “Indian Outlaw”
- Maren Morris, “My Church”
- George Strait, “Blue Clear Sky”
- Kenny Chesney f/Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”
- Travis Tritt, “T-R-O-U-B-L-E”
- David Nail, “Whatever She’s Got”
- Tracy Byrd, “Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo”
- Billy Currington, “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To”
- Deana Carter, “Strawberry Wine”
- Florida Georgia Line, “Anything Goes”
- Randy Rogers Band, “Kiss Me in the Dark”
