WKLH
Encyclopedia
WKLH is a classic rock
-formatted radio station
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. The station is owned by Saga Communications
.
(FCC) license on November 30, 1955. They signed on the air as WFMR
on June 26, 1956 with a classical music format from the Bayshore Shopping Center, in Glendale, Wisconsin
, with an effective radiated power
(ERP) of 24.5 kilowatts and an antenna height of 35 feet above average terrain (HAAT). They began broadcasting in stereo
in 1962. In June 1969, it boosted its power to 40 kW, becoming the most powerful FM station in Milwaukee at that time. They got another power upgrade in July 1974, this time to 50 kW.
) picked up the WFMR call sign, its classical music format, and several of its air talents.
as WKLH in 1986. WKLH was an immediate success, almost tripling its ratings and landing in the top five stations in the market in its first ratings book. The format continues to this day, and is credited by many as one of the first "classic rock" stations in the country. WKLH has long been a ratings success in the Milwaukee area, and has also won many awards, including Radio & Records "Classic Rock Station of the Year" in 2001.
Ironically, WKLH's sister stations are the two other frequencies associated with WFMR
- 98.3
and 106.9.
The WKLH call letters previously belonged to AM 1580 and FM 92.1 (K-92) in Saint Johns, Michigan, from October 1983 to September 1985.
The show is hosted by Dave Luczak, with Carole Caine, doing the news and adding the "female" perspective. The other regular
is Kevin (KB) Brandt. KB is a former stand-up comedian and a musician who also performs in several local bands.
His bands regularly appear at music festivals like Summerfest. Since early 2002, the show has been produced by Marcus Allen.
Over the past more than two decades, this show has featured a rotating cast.
Regulars have included many current or former athletes and coaches. These include former Milwaukee Brewer Paul Molitor
(86-92), former Brewer manager Phil Garner
(92-98), then-Green Bay Packer coach Mike Holmgren
(92-98), QB Brett Favre
(97-00), defensive lineman Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila
(02-06), and former Brewer pitching coach Mike Maddux
(05-08). Other sports guests include LeRoy Butler
, a member of the Packer Hall of Fame and Jason Wilde
of the Wisconsin State Journal, twice Wisconsin sports writer of the year.
Other current or former regular cast members include:;
Mike Gousha from WISN 12 in Milwaukee, improv master Dylan Bolin "Out Of The Box", Segway King Angelo "Mort" Snotlocker, Rudy "Itchy" Itchkowski, Gino (The Judge) Salomone, "MR. Angry",
Dutch "Wandering Wisconsin", Joyce Garbaciak from WISN-12, Katrina Cravy from FOX 6, Greg "The Gristleman" Koch, John McGivern
, Willy Porter
, Genesis touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer
and more.
Dave and Carole have also hosted thousands of comedians in their studios. Since 1988 they have featured the weekly headliner at the Comedy Cafe in Milwaukee. Other comedy "regulars" include: Fred Klett, Jim Gaffigan
, Kyle Cease
, Kathleen Madigan
and Stephen Lynch
and Wisconsin native Frank Caliendo
.
Dave and Carole also produce and host many live shows in the Milwaukee area. These include their yearly "Comedy 4 Kids" at the Riverside Theater, "Dave and Carole-ing" for Christmas, their annual Christmas show also at the Riverside Theater, and the "Music of the Morning 'KLH" featuring the talented musicians of the morning show. All of these shows are fund raisers for their various charity endeavors and all shows typically sell out within hours.
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...
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. The station is owned by Saga Communications
Saga Communications
Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting...
.
History
The station received its Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) license on November 30, 1955. They signed on the air as WFMR
WFMR
WZBK-FM is a classic country radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, licensed to the suburb of Brookfield, with transmitter facilities at the Milwaukee Radio Group complex on the west side of Milwaukee. The station is owned by Saga Communications...
on June 26, 1956 with a classical music format from the Bayshore Shopping Center, in Glendale, Wisconsin
Glendale, Wisconsin
Glendale is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,367 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glendale is located at ....
, with an effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) of 24.5 kilowatts and an antenna height of 35 feet above average terrain (HAAT). They began broadcasting in stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
in 1962. In June 1969, it boosted its power to 40 kW, becoming the most powerful FM station in Milwaukee at that time. They got another power upgrade in July 1974, this time to 50 kW.
WMGF
In January 1983, the station's owners switched the format to adult contemporary, picking up the call sign WMGF and named the station Magic 96.5. Three months later, on April 27, 1983, the owner of (WXJYWJMR-FM
WJMR-FM is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. They are known on-air as "Jammin' 98.3", and are licensed to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.-98.3 FM History:...
) picked up the WFMR call sign, its classical music format, and several of its air talents.
WKLH
WMGF carried on for three years until flipping formats to "classic rockClassic 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...
as WKLH in 1986. WKLH was an immediate success, almost tripling its ratings and landing in the top five stations in the market in its first ratings book. The format continues to this day, and is credited by many as one of the first "classic rock" stations in the country. WKLH has long been a ratings success in the Milwaukee area, and has also won many awards, including Radio & Records "Classic Rock Station of the Year" in 2001.
Ironically, WKLH's sister stations are the two other frequencies associated with WFMR
WFMR
WZBK-FM is a classic country radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, licensed to the suburb of Brookfield, with transmitter facilities at the Milwaukee Radio Group complex on the west side of Milwaukee. The station is owned by Saga Communications...
- 98.3
WJMR-FM
WJMR-FM is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. They are known on-air as "Jammin' 98.3", and are licensed to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.-98.3 FM History:...
and 106.9.
The WKLH call letters previously belonged to AM 1580 and FM 92.1 (K-92) in Saint Johns, Michigan, from October 1983 to September 1985.
Dave and Carole
The Dave and Carole morning show (Monday-Friday, 5 a.m. - 10 a.m.) has dominated Milwaukee radio ratings since WKLH debuted in 1986. Based on a yearly 4 rating book average, this show has finished either #1 or #2 in Adults 25-54 for 22 consecutive years.The show is hosted by Dave Luczak, with Carole Caine, doing the news and adding the "female" perspective. The other regular
is Kevin (KB) Brandt. KB is a former stand-up comedian and a musician who also performs in several local bands.
His bands regularly appear at music festivals like Summerfest. Since early 2002, the show has been produced by Marcus Allen.
Over the past more than two decades, this show has featured a rotating cast.
Regulars have included many current or former athletes and coaches. These include former Milwaukee Brewer Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor , nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Minnesota Twins...
(86-92), former Brewer manager Phil Garner
Phil Garner
Philip Mason Garner is a former infielder in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants from 1973 to 1988...
(92-98), then-Green Bay Packer coach Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
(92-98), QB Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
(97-00), defensive lineman Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila
Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila
Muhammed-Kabeer Olanrewaju Gbaja-Biamila , commonly referred to as "KGB", is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
(02-06), and former Brewer pitching coach Mike Maddux
Mike Maddux
Michael Ausley Maddux is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and the pitching coach of the Texas Rangers. He is the older brother of four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux....
(05-08). Other sports guests include LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler
LeRoy Butler, III is a former American football strong safety who played his entire career with the Green Bay Packers . He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, challenged by physical problems that forced him to wear leg braces and use a wheelchair at times while undergoing therapy...
, a member of the Packer Hall of Fame and Jason Wilde
Jason Wilde
Jason Wilde is an American sportswriter from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from Martin Luther High School in Greendale, Wisconsin in 1990. He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin and graduated in 1994 with a B.A. in Journalism.-Career:Wilde is the Green Bay Packers beat...
of the Wisconsin State Journal, twice Wisconsin sports writer of the year.
Other current or former regular cast members include:;
Mike Gousha from WISN 12 in Milwaukee, improv master Dylan Bolin "Out Of The Box", Segway King Angelo "Mort" Snotlocker, Rudy "Itchy" Itchkowski, Gino (The Judge) Salomone, "MR. Angry",
Dutch "Wandering Wisconsin", Joyce Garbaciak from WISN-12, Katrina Cravy from FOX 6, Greg "The Gristleman" Koch, John McGivern
John McGivern
John McGivern is an actor and writer. He has won numerous awards, including "Best Writer of a New Work" and the "After Dark Award". He also played the role of Bruce McIntosh in the Disney film The Princess Diaries, and many commercials for companies such as Kohls department store, Sears, and...
, Willy Porter
Willy Porter
Willy Porter is a contemporary American folk musician and singer-songwriter from Mequon, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and was a member of the Epsilon Chi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, a men's fraternity.-Career:...
, Genesis touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer
Daryl Stuermer
Daryl Mark Stuermer is an American musician who plays guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most of his solo tours and albums.-Biography:...
and more.
Dave and Carole have also hosted thousands of comedians in their studios. Since 1988 they have featured the weekly headliner at the Comedy Cafe in Milwaukee. Other comedy "regulars" include: Fred Klett, Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan
James Christopher "Jim" Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Early life:Gaffigan was born in Chesterton, Indiana and attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. He is the youngest of six children and often jokes about growing up in a large family. He attended one year at...
, Kyle Cease
Kyle Cease
Kyle Cease is an American actor and comedian.While still keeping residence in Bothell, Washington, his hometown, he was cast as Bogey Lowenstein in the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You. Right after the film, he moved to Los Angeles. Two years later he was featured in Not Another Teen Movie,...
, Kathleen Madigan
Kathleen Madigan
Kathleen Madigan is an American comedian.-Early life:Kathleen Madigan grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Florissant as one of seven children in a large Irish-American family...
and Stephen Lynch
Stephen Lynch (musician)
Stephen Andrew Lynch , is an American stand-up comedian, musician and Tony Award-nominated actor who is known for his songs mocking daily life and popular culture. Lynch has released two studio albums and two live albums along with a live DVD...
and Wisconsin native Frank Caliendo
Frank Caliendo
Frank Caliendo is an American comedian and impressionist, best known for his work on the Fox Network television series MADtv, and as the in-house prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, he performed his impersonations on his own show, Frank TV, which aired on TBS...
.
Dave and Carole also produce and host many live shows in the Milwaukee area. These include their yearly "Comedy 4 Kids" at the Riverside Theater, "Dave and Carole-ing" for Christmas, their annual Christmas show also at the Riverside Theater, and the "Music of the Morning 'KLH" featuring the talented musicians of the morning show. All of these shows are fund raisers for their various charity endeavors and all shows typically sell out within hours.