Less than a year away from flipping to Country, Top 40 WOKI (100.3 Oak Ridge) was in its final CHR incarnation, after trying different slogans such as FM 100 and “Hits 100” before finally coming up with “I-100”. One would think that with the monster signal WOKI had that virtually ANY format would do well, but apparently not, as CHR would go away in 2003, then the Country format would also go in 1998. The whole frequency and transmitter would go shortly thereafter.
Here’s an exciting slice of 90s history. Allow yourself to be taken back to an evening that perhaps, you’re heading out to dance for the evening. While you get ready to go to the club, you’ve got this station on and you’re getting all excited while you listen to the Top 9 at 9 countdown. It’s going to be a great night! Yes, life was good back then.
Its a fun window in time. Runs 13 minutes.
This was recorded toward the end of I-100. About 8 months afterwards WOKI had entered into an LMA with 93.1, moving WOKI’s CHR format to 93.1 as Z-93, while relaunching WOKI as New Country known as “The Hitkicker” in an attempt to take down WIVK.
I worked there part time during this era while attending UT. I transitioned with most of the staff downstairs to Z93. I was under the impression I had to make the change. Shortly after the change Brian went back to WOKI. I was the last live jock on Z93 before they changed to Star. I eventually went back upstairs to OKI and continued to work there until I graduated from UT. Had tons of fun when it was I-100 and CHR. Not so much fun when it was country but it was wayyyy more laid back.
Looking back I think I100 would have survived if they would have committed to a alternative rock CHR format. Back in the day what I remember is that the station lost its identity and would have been better off if they would have commited to the more alternative rock direction. Since they would not commit and continued to mix Tag Team with Nirvana then they made the right choice switching to country since that was the height of Garth Brooks and what every one accepts today as normal the country / rock sound. In my opinion they continued to make a mistake when Z93 went to a dance CHR direction. Again another missed opportunity should have went to an alternative rock format. The Knoxville market in the 90s was not ready to accept different kinds of music mixed together like they do today. Instead they let South Central jump on the format with 94.3 even though that station started out CHR but worked Alice in Chains in then very shortly switched to alternative rock and continued going strong even unto today on 95.7. You know what they say about hindsight….