Seattle Says ‘Howdy’ To HANK FM
• Seattle gave birth to its third Country station — and its second since breakfast — as Lotus Hot AC KPLZ (Star 101.5) flipped to Classic Country as “101.5 HANK FM — “Real Country… Real Variety.”
The flip happened at 2pm PT — just four hours after Hubbard Triple A KPNW returned to Country and reclaimed its former identity as 98.9 The Bull. HANK FM officially launched to the sound of Alan Jackson‘s iconic classic, “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere.”
“We’re deeply grateful for the support and loyalty of our listeners throughout the years,” said Regional Program Director Jeff Connell. “While bidding farewell to Star 101.5 is bittersweet, we’re thrilled to introduce HANK FM and continue serving the vibrant Seattle-Tacoma community with the best in country music.” We are excited to announce that HANK FM will feature significantly fewer commercials allowing for more uninterrupted enjoyment of the music our listeners love.”
Jim Kalmenson, President of Lotus Communications, remarked, “My father, Howard Kalmenson, who founded Lotus in 1962 and I are thrilled to introduce a customized version of HANK-FM, specifically programmed to serve the vibrant Seattle-Tacoma community. Howard Kroeger and his family enterprise are great to work with and have developed a remarkable brand in Hank FM.”
• RAMP has confirmed that, following the flip, Lotus has parted ways with morning host Curt Kruse and afternoon talent “Julian On The Radio“ Nieh.
