Jim Conley, 105.7 WKOX-FM Framingham | January, 1969

Airchexx Where Classic Radio Lives

WKOX-FM was a radio station that was way before it’s time. Originally a Classical music station, WKOX-FM was the FM side of WKOX (AM), then on 1190. In time, WKOX (AM) would move to 1200 and become “Metro West” radio, serving the city of Framingham and the western suburbs of Boston with a full-service format. The FM side broke away from its Classical format and launched a full-out Top 40 format called “The 105 Sound”, right about when this aircheck was recorded. In fact, its possible, although I have no facts to back it up, but this may have been recorded on the first night of the new WKOX-FM format. Which would make sense, if one wanted to preserve an historic event like this.

Very few FM stations tried commercial formats in the 1960s and it would be a few more years before the popularity of such FM powerhouses such as WBCN, WCOZ and WROR would come into being. Fairbanks Communications purchased 105.7 in July of 1971, and changed the call letters to WVBF (standing for owner Richard Fairbanks’ wife’s name, Virginia Brown Fairbanks), and the format then moved to a Top 40-Rock hybrid.

This represents an historic period of time when the original WKOX-FM did Top 40, and obviously with some success. We have no idea what became of Jim Conley or who recorded the station’s jingle package, but those in the know are invited to comment below.


Aircheck #1,312 since May 2, 2002!

Aircheck courtesy of Robyn Watts