Fresno’s Classic Country KDWO (The Legend 105.5) Launches With Toni Marie As …
new legends
FRESNO, CA has a new Classic Country station with the launch of ONE PUTT BROADCASTING’s KWDO (THE LEGEND 105.5) YESTERDAY (7/4) at 6a (PT). Country radio veteran TONI MARIE, most recently in afternoons at CUMULUS Country WKDF/NASHVILLE, is PD and afternoon driver at THE LEGEND. The lineup also includes former Country KUZZ/BAKERSFIELD midday personality GEOFF EMERY in mornings, and SKIP ESSICK handling local news.
The launch follows the MAY 23rd move of Classic Hits KJWL (K-JEWEL)/FRESNO from the 105.5 frequency to 99.3 FM, replacing Top 40 KWDO (99.3 NOW FM) (NET NEWS 5/23). K-JEWEL had been running as a simulcast on both signals since then. JASON SQUIRES is Dir./FM Programming for ONE PUTT BROADCASTING.
The new station is focused on Country music from the ’80s and ’90s, with what it describes as “a significant number of songs played every hour from the legends, including HANK WILLIAMS, JOHNNY CASH, REBA McENTIRE, ALAN JACKSON, WILLIE, WAYLON & the boys.” It’s being positioned on its FACEBOOK page as “the Country music we grew up with that other radio stations left behind. Fifty-five minutes of music every hour, all day, all night.”
It is being launched with a TV, outdoor, print and social media campaign.
Said MARIE, “TODAY’s contemporary Country has created a large hole enough to drive a tractor through. Everyone seems to miss the legends of Country music, which is what we intend to provide.”
Prior to WKDF, MARIE was APD/MD and midday host at then ENTERCOM Country KWJJ (99.5 THE WOLF)/PORTLAND, OR; MD/afternoon host for BUCK OWENS Country KRJK (97.3 THE BULL)/BAKERSFIELD; and spent six years as MD/on-air talent for KRJK Country sister station KUZZ/BAKERSFIELD from 2009-2015. She also had a stint as APD/MD at iHEARTMEDIA Country KWNR (95.5 THE BULL)/LAS VEGAS.
EMERY retired from his full-time position at KUZZ last year, but continued to work there part time (NET NEWS 5/12/21). ESSICK also comes out of retirement. He previously had been part-time news anchor for ONE PUTT’s stations in FRESNO and the DESERT BROADCASTERS stations in PALM SPRINGS, CA until retiring in 2020 (NET NEWS 6/18/20).
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