Throwback Thursday: D93, 50 years later, still rockin’ on College Street
They’ve officially been rockin’ for 50 years. 2023 is the 50th anniversary of southern
Kentucky’s classic rock radio station WDNS. The mighty D93 station is in beautiful
downtown Bowling Green on College Street. This week’s Throwback Thursday topic
is a time capsule in itself. Walk into D93’s station and it feels like you’ve stepped
back into 1973 where it all began.
In March of 1973, the station began broadcasting at 98.3 megahertz. Branded D98, it
was a beautiful music format. A few years later, it changed to adult
contemporary. It wasn’t until 1991 that it became the classic rock station we all
know and love. It said adios to the 98 frequency and became D93 in 1995.
Memorabilia from rock history is scattered all over the place. The mothership studio
barely has room for a live D.J. and a guest or two. A wallpaper border with planets
in outer space sets the mood for the mothership. Its walls are covered top to
bottom with rock albums, posters, stickers, and autographs. Ancient cassette relics
are stacked on shelves, next to a list of over 100 rejected band names handwritten
on a dry erase board.
There’s something cool about this place. When you take a step inside, you feel like
you’re backstage before the band goes on. The voices you hear on D93 throughout
the workday are real time locals – somewhat of a lost art in the world of modern
radio. These characters have a classic sound all their own.
The Tony Rose Morning Show with Dr. Bob Arizona and Nerdman Captain Chris
wake you up with the likes of “stuff what happened on this date” and “Weird Al
Yankovic selector gizmo thingy.” Sheila Ash takes the wheel on the air as you head
into the mid-morning, before Bryan Locke helps you eat lunch midday. Tommy
Starr’s Afternoon Rock Show winds down your workday into the evening drive time.
Grammy and CMA award-winner Greg Martin of The Kentucky Headhunters hosts
the weekly Lowdown Hoedown on Mondays. Mellow Matt Pfefferkorn of Mellow
Matt’s Music & More local record store spends his Sunday nights hosting dead air.
Here’s to another 50 years of classic rock on D93, still rockin’ on College Street.
