WBCT

For the canal restoration society in Wiltshire, England, see Wilts & Berks Canal Trust.

WBCT

City of license	Grand Rapids, Michigan
Broadcast area	Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo
Branding	B-93
Slogan	"Michigan's Country"
Frequency	93.7 MHz
First air date	June 25, 1951
Format	Country
ERP	320,000 watts
HAAT	238 meters
Class	B
Facility ID	73606
Callsign meaning	World's Biggest Country Transmitter
Former callsigns	WJEF-FM (6/25/51-7/24/63) WJFM (7/24/63-7/21/92)
Owner	Clear Channel Communications
Sister stations	WBFX, WMAX-FM, WOOD, WSNX-FM, WSRW-FM, WTKG
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	b93.com

WBCT (93.7 FM, "B-93") is a radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a country music format.

The station has had a country music format since July 24, 1992. WBCT's transmitter is at the WWMT Tower in Gun Lake (Michigan). The antenna is approximately 800 feet (240 m) up the 1,100-foot (340 m) structure. The station's signal can be heard as far east as Ann Arbor, Michigan, as far south as Rome City, Indiana, and as far north as Reed City, Michigan, providing a coverage area of 25,000 square miles (65,000 km²) over 20 counties in Michigan. This makes the transmitter one of the most powerful in North America.

History

WJEF-FM/The Modern Sound

The station began operations in 1951 as WJEF-FM, simulcasting the programming of WJEF-AM 1230 (now WTKG). In 1960, the station broke away from the simulcast and went to playing classical music. That same year, the station increased its power to 500,000 watts. This was under the ownership of John Fetzer, who also previously owned WKZO-TV (now WWMT), WWTV-FM (now WJZQ) in Cadillac, Michigan, and the Detroit Tigers. WJEF also owned and operated a Muzak franchise on a subcarrier.

In the mid-1960s, the station, now known as WJFM, switched to a MOR/news/talk/sports format, and in 1967 became more music-intensive, adopting the moniker "The Modern Sound," which Fetzer reportedly soon did away with because he felt the station played too much "rock and roll." From then on and through much of the 1970s, apart from an automated country format in 1971-1972, WJFM was primarily a Beautiful Music station. Despite its strong signal, the station usually hovered near the bottom of the ratings during this time.

Mellow 93/Joy FM/Classic Rock

WJFM changed to an automated Top 40 format in 1977 and then adult contemporary the following year as "Mellow 93", which lasted until the station called in a consultant, who attempted a CHR format change in 1984. The change on the airwaves not only included the play selection, but most of the staff either quit or was let go. With the Grand Rapids area flooded with CHR stations at the time, with WGRD, WSNX and WKLQ all playing Top 40 music, WJFM's CHR format lasted only two years before the station went back to Soft AC as "The New Joy FM." The "Joy" format also proved a failure, and in 1988 WJFM became a Classic Hits station. Ratings for the Classic Hits format were initially very good but soon dropped off, and in 1990 the station evolved to Classic rock.

B-93

In 1992, John Fetzer finally sold the station. In June 1992, Billboard magazine reported that a number of key WJFM staffers, including general manager Joel Schaaf, program director and midday host Sean Stevens, and morning man Jeff France, had left the station, and rumors began swirling to the effect that the classic-rock station would go country to take on incumbent country powerhouse WCUZ. Sure enough, on July 24, 1992 the classic rock format was dropped for country and WJFM became WBCT as "B93". Lee Cory was the original program director, and Neal Dionne and Reese Rickards were the original B-93 morning show hosts. B-93 wasted little time in becoming a consistently top five-ranked station in the Grand Rapids market. Despite recent competition in the format from Citadel's "Thunder Country" WTNR, B93 remains consistently one of the top-rated stations in West Michigan.[1]

Grand Rapids Winter 2011 Arbitron Ratings: #1 (7.9) Kalamazoo Spring 2011 Ratings: #4 (5.7)

Airstaff

The current lineup (as of November 29, 2010) is as follows

• Morning Show (5 am - 10 am): Neal & Reese with Neal Dionne & Reese Rickards
• Mid-Days (10 am - 2 pm): Britta Rodewel
• Afternoon Drive (2 pm - 7 pm): Dave Conrad
• Nighttime (7 pm - 12 am): Electric Barnyard - Bill "Broadway" Bertshinger
• Overnights (12 am - 5 am): Bobby Bare
• Weekend's/Fill-ins: John The Canuck and Dave Taft
• Program Director: Doug "The Corporate Fraud" Montgomery
• Station Voice: Jeff Davis

B-93 Birthday Bash

B-93 Birthday Bash started in 1993. It has become one of the biggest FREE music festivals in the Mid-west. and get some of the biggest country music artist every year.

Bash 14 was the first year that it was 2 days because of the cancellation of Fox Fest a rock show the day after.

In 2003, Featured Tanya Tucker as the headliner but because of a scheduling conflict, Tucker was forced to perform at 11 a.m.

In 2005, Sugarland's Kristian Bush was absent with a new baby’s arrival.

In 2009, The flood in Ionia shut down the bash and flooded cars.

(Headliner are listed first)

Bash 1 (July 24, 1993) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup : Sawyer Brown, Joe Diffie, Robert Ellis Orrall and Midnite Ryder

Bash 2 (July 16, 1994) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Diamond Rio, Radney Foster, Victoria Shaw, Tim McGraw, John and Audry Wiggins

Bash 3 (July 15, 1995) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Mark Chesnutt, Lee Roy Parnell, Blackhawk, James House, Terri Raddigan

Bash 4 (July 13, 1996) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Blackhawk, Neal McCoy, John Berry, Ty Herndon, Terri Clark and Mila Mason

Bash 5 (July 12, 1997) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Sawyer Brown, Trisha Yearwood, Deana Carter, Kevin Sharp and David Kersh

Bash 6 (July 11, 1998) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Collin Raye, Neal McCoy, Steve Wariner, Ricochet, The Wilkinsons, Victoria Shaw, Trasher-Shiver and Mark Nessler

Bash 7 (June 19, 1999) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Alabama, Aaron Tippin, Montgomery Gentry, SheDaisy, Lila McCann, and Shane Minor

Bash 8 (June 17, 2000) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Craig Morgan, Lonestar, Yankee Grey and Anita Cochran

Bash 9 (June 30, 2001) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Travis Tritt, Diamond Rio, Chris Cagle, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Trick Pony and Clark Family Experience and 3 of Hearts

Bash 10 (June 22, 2002) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Lonestar, Charlie Daniels Band, Steve Holy, Emerson Drive, Steve Azar, Mark McGuinn and Hometown News

Bash 11 (June 21, 2003) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Tanya Tucker, Phil Vassar, Confederate Railroad, Blake Shelton, Joe Nichols, Anthony Smith and
  • Surprise Guest Clay Walker

Bash 12 (June 19, 2004) in Allegan, MI

• Lineup : Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Buddy Jewell, Craig Morgan and Rachel Proctor

Bash 13 (June 18, 2005) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup : Big & Rich, Sugarland, Keith Anderson, Cowboy Troy, Josh Gracin , Kyle Jennings and
  • Surprise Guest Phil Vassar

Bash 14 (June 17 & 18, 2006) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Trace Adkins, Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Trent Tomlinson, Megan Mullins, Bomshel, Branded
• Sunday : Blake Shelton, Jamie O'Neal, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Eric Church

Bash 15 (June 16 & 17, 2007) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Dierks Bentley, Jason Michael Carroll, The Wreckers, Bronk Brothers
  • Special Guest Clint Black
• Sunday : Sara Evans, Josh Turner, Emerson Drive, Luke Bryan, Ashley Monroe, Bomshel, Whiskey Falls

Bash 16 (June 14 & 15, 2008) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Billy Currington, Chris Cagle, Eric Church, Phil Stacey, Emily West
  • Surprise Guests : Jack Ingram and Joe Nichols
• Sunday : Gretchen Wilson, Pat Green, Keith Anderson, Jake Owen, Marcel, Jypsi ,Jericho Road
  • Surprise Guest Jessica Simpson

Bash 17 (June 20, 2009) in Ionia, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Zac Brown Band,The Lost Trailers, Bomshel, Julianne Hough, Frankie Ballard
  • Surprise Guest : Michelle Branch (she played bash before as a member of The Wreckers)

Bash 18 (June 19 & 20, 2010) in Martin, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Blake Shelton, Keith Anderson, Jerrod Niemann, Frankie Ballard, Laura Bell Bundy, Tyler Dickerson, Jaron and the Long Road to Love
• Sunday : Darius Rucker, Jake Owen, Justin Moore, Love & Theft, The Band Perry & Dew South

Bash 19 (June 18 & 19, 2011) in Martin, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Eric Church, Thompson Square, Frankie Ballard, Aaron Lewis, Ty Stone, The JaneDear Girls, Corey Smith, LoCash Cowboys & Brian Lorente & the Usual Suspects
• Sunday : Josh Turner, Gary Allan, Josh Kelley, Ashton Shepherd, Randy Montana, Kip Moore & Gunnar & The Grizzley Boys

Bash 20 (June 23 & 24, 2012) in Martin, MI

• Lineup :

• Saturday : Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, Love & Theft, The Lost Trailers, Dustin Lynch, Janna Kramer
• Sunday : Montgomery Gentry, Brantley Gilbert, Chris Cagle, Gloriana, Thomas Rhett

Most Apperences

The Artist who have played at bash the most.

• 1)
  • Blake Shelton 4 times (2003,2006,2009,2010)
• 2)
  • Montgomery Gentry 3 times (1999,2004,2012)
  • Craig Morgan 3 times (2000,2004,2009)
  • Chris Cagle 3 times (2001,2008,2012)
  • Keith Anderson 3 times (2005,2008,2010)
  • Eric Church 3 times (2006,2008,2011)
  • Jake Owen 3 times (2006,2008,2010)
  • Frankie Ballard 3 times (2009,2010,2011)
• 3)
  • Sawyer Brown 2 times (1993,1997)
  • Blackhawk 2 times (1995,1996)
  • Neal McCoy 2 times (1996, 1998)
  • Victoria Shaw 2 times (1994,1998)
  • Diamond Rio 2 times (1994,2001)
  • Lonestar 2 times (2000,2002)
  • Emerson Drive 2 times (2002,2007)
  • Joe Nichols 2 times (2003,2008)
  • Phil Vassar 2 times (2003,2005)
  • Big & Rich 2 times (2004,2005)
  • Gretchen Wilson (2004,2008)
  • Billy Currington 2 times (2006,2008)
  • Bomshel 2 times (2006,2009)
  • Josh Turner 2 times (2007,2011)
  • Dierks Bentley 2 times (2007,2012)
  • Michelle Branch 2 times (she played bash before as a member of The Wreckers)(2007,2009)
  • The Lost Trailers 2 times (2009,2012)
  • Love & Theft 2 times (2010,2012)

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WBCT
• Radio-Locator information on WBCT
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WBCT
• List of "grandfathered" FM radio stations in the U.S.
• B 93.7 on MySpace