WKHX/Atlanta Relaunches As New Country 101.FIVE
• Cumulus Media stirred the Country pot in Atlanta today, re-imagining, re-launching and rebranding Country WKHX (known as Kicks 101.5 since 1981) as “Atlanta’s New Country 101.FIVE,” which will now focus on celebrating the songs and sounds of Georgia’s homegrown artists. The station relaunched at 3pm Thursday to the sound of “Dirt We Were Raised On” by Macon, Georgia’s own Jason Aldean, followed by Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett, Sugarland and Trisha Yearwood… you get the idea.
Mike Moore, PD of New Country 101.FIVE, said, “This station is borne of the most prolific time in history for Georgia musicians. New Country 101.FIVE reflects these artists’ views and the way they see the world. Their collective sense of pride in being from Georgia forms the common ground that they share with our listeners. You’ll hear it in the station — its music, but also from the voices of the artists and listeners themselves, who share memories and stories of their lives within the New Country 101.FIVE community.”
The unveiling of the new 101.FIVE on-air team introduces several very familiar names (and clears up a few questions we had) — we now know that major market vet JJ Kincaid (Z100/New York, KPTT/Denver), pictured, left, will co-host the 101.FIVE morning show, alongside 25-year station veteran Dallas McCade (center), who most recently did afternoons. That 3-7pm shift will now be manned by Lucas Phelan (right), who most recently programmed Entercom Country KMNB (102.9 The Wolf)/Minneapolis. Kincaid arrived in town last month and had performed some head-fakery by doing a shift on Cumulus Top 40 sister WWWQ (Q99.7).
Brian Philips, EVP of Cumulus Media, added, “New Country 101.FIVE is the passion project of an enormous team, including internal and external creatives, writers, artists, musicians, and music-industry friends. We hit the ground this summer, and the ‘Georgia’ idea sprang to life, as if it were meant to be, at this time and place. Cumulus is proud of the youthful fun, fire and excitement of this new station. We will work on the air and in the streets to give these hungry fans the station they are owed — made in Georgia and loved around the world.”
Sean Shannon, VP/Market Manager of Cumulus Atlanta, said, “Atlanta is a world-class city that is surrounded by towns and cities large and small where civic pride runs as deep as the Georgia red clay. New Country 101.FIVE is a station that is committed to those communities. Not only does country music need Georgia, Georgia needs a country station rooted in these towns. New Country 101.FIVE is Georgia Loud and Georgia Proud. This is what ‘Made in Georgia’ sounds like.”
