KTBQ
Encyclopedia
KTBQ is a classic rock
formatted radio station
serving the Lufkin
/Nacogdoches
area. Q107 is under ownership of Townsquare Media. Q107 has been the home for Classic Rock in East Texas since 1997.
In 1991, Ken Williams sold Q107 to George Wilkes and Class Act of Texas. Wilkes made many changes to the station both on and off the air. His changes included changing the station's logo, bringing back Jimbo Powers to program the station (Jimbo had left Q107 a year earlier to pursue an opportunity in Austin), and hiring new account executives when most of the sales staff quit. Wilkes' unfamiliarity with the Lufkin-Nacogdoches radio market, a new and relatively inexperienced sales staff, and a few bad business decisions resulted in a decreased stream of revenue for the struggling station. Wilkes began to consider satellite/computer automation to the dismay of his on-air talent. After two years of Wilkes' ownership, both Jimbo Powers and Chuck Baker left Q107 to pursue opportunities in other radio markets. As air talent departed and revenue continued to decline, Wilkes was left with little choice other than satellite automation.
In late 1993, Q107 was programmed as a satellite station with services coming out of Dallas, TX. During this time of automation, Gary Richards continued as News Director while George Wilkes recorded weather breaks to keep a local sound in the station. In the fall of 1995, Q107 and sister station KSFA-AM merged with KJCS-FM and KEEE-AM forming Class Act of East Texas with KJCS-FM owners the Vance Family of Beaumont, TX. During the spring of 1997, Q107 switched formats from Soft AC to Classic Rock. The summer of 1997 brought the end of the merger between Q107 and KJCS-FM with the Vance family moving KJCS in the middle of the night leaving George Wilkes with Q107 and KSFA-AM. Wilkes sold Q107 and sister station KSFA-AM in the fall of 1997 to Gulfstar Communications in Lufkin; later transactions put the station under the ownership of first Clear Channel Communications
, then Gap Broadcasting, and finally Townsquare Media. Gary Richards and John Moring moved with the station as its last remaining employees after the Wilkes sale. Upon the sale of the station to Gulfstar, Steve Rixx became the stations program director while Gary Richards continued as News and Sports Director. Q107 studios moved to Lufkin, TX in the summer of 1998 and is still there present day.
Most notable personalities on Q107 were Jimbo Powers, JJ Hemmingway, Denny Stone, Shelly Swanzee, Gary Richards, Johnny Walker, Chuck Baker, Jason Pointer, John Swan, Jana Stone, John Moring, Debbie Wylde, Doc Roberts, Eric Raines, Steve Ricks, Walton & Johnson and most recently John Boy & Billy.
" with Bill St. James on Saturdays and Sunday night shows "House of Blues
" and "The Classics
".
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
formatted radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
serving the Lufkin
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
/Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
area. Q107 is under ownership of Townsquare Media. Q107 has been the home for Classic Rock in East Texas since 1997.
History
In 1989 Ken Williams from Center City Communications purchased KTBC 92.5 from Texan Broadcasting Company Bob Dunn and upgraded to 50 kW and move to 107.7 creating Q107 and changing the calls to KTBQ. Q107 signed on the air in September 1989 as an Adult Contemporary format with Jimbo Powers (Jim Kipping) and JJ Hemmingway programming the station as the areas first Hot AC format. The station signed on with a simulated robotic countdown from 10,077 and Q107 was born.In 1991, Ken Williams sold Q107 to George Wilkes and Class Act of Texas. Wilkes made many changes to the station both on and off the air. His changes included changing the station's logo, bringing back Jimbo Powers to program the station (Jimbo had left Q107 a year earlier to pursue an opportunity in Austin), and hiring new account executives when most of the sales staff quit. Wilkes' unfamiliarity with the Lufkin-Nacogdoches radio market, a new and relatively inexperienced sales staff, and a few bad business decisions resulted in a decreased stream of revenue for the struggling station. Wilkes began to consider satellite/computer automation to the dismay of his on-air talent. After two years of Wilkes' ownership, both Jimbo Powers and Chuck Baker left Q107 to pursue opportunities in other radio markets. As air talent departed and revenue continued to decline, Wilkes was left with little choice other than satellite automation.
In late 1993, Q107 was programmed as a satellite station with services coming out of Dallas, TX. During this time of automation, Gary Richards continued as News Director while George Wilkes recorded weather breaks to keep a local sound in the station. In the fall of 1995, Q107 and sister station KSFA-AM merged with KJCS-FM and KEEE-AM forming Class Act of East Texas with KJCS-FM owners the Vance Family of Beaumont, TX. During the spring of 1997, Q107 switched formats from Soft AC to Classic Rock. The summer of 1997 brought the end of the merger between Q107 and KJCS-FM with the Vance family moving KJCS in the middle of the night leaving George Wilkes with Q107 and KSFA-AM. Wilkes sold Q107 and sister station KSFA-AM in the fall of 1997 to Gulfstar Communications in Lufkin; later transactions put the station under the ownership of first Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
, then Gap Broadcasting, and finally Townsquare Media. Gary Richards and John Moring moved with the station as its last remaining employees after the Wilkes sale. Upon the sale of the station to Gulfstar, Steve Rixx became the stations program director while Gary Richards continued as News and Sports Director. Q107 studios moved to Lufkin, TX in the summer of 1998 and is still there present day.
Most notable personalities on Q107 were Jimbo Powers, JJ Hemmingway, Denny Stone, Shelly Swanzee, Gary Richards, Johnny Walker, Chuck Baker, Jason Pointer, John Swan, Jana Stone, John Moring, Debbie Wylde, Doc Roberts, Eric Raines, Steve Ricks, Walton & Johnson and most recently John Boy & Billy.
On-air personalities
Weekday personalities include John Boy & Billy on mornings, Lisa on mid-days, and Jen Austin on afternoons. Weekend personalities include Jen Austin on mid-day plus programs such as "FlashbackFlashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
" with Bill St. James on Saturdays and Sunday night shows "House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
" and "The Classics
The Classics
The Classics was an American vocal group formed in 1958 in Brooklyn.The Classics first sang together in high school; two of them had previously sung in a group called The Del-Rays. In 1959, under the auspices of manager Jim Gribble, they recorded their first single, "Cinderella"; the record Bubbled...
".
- General Manager- Johnny Lathrop