UTICA-ROME — The brand now likely has a larger following in the larger Syracuse market, but Galaxy Media’s first KROCK station, 94.9 WKLL Frankfort, signed on in the Mohawk Valley 36 years ago today. But longtime listeners might remember it wasn’t called “KROCK” from day one.
Morning show hosts Josh Grosvent and Cody Lisi paid tribute to the station’s anniversary this morning, on their three-station, two-market simulcast which originates from Syracuse’s Armory Square. (See the video here.)
Some minor Google searching for more background led us to some clippings from Utica’s Observer-Dispatch, the first of which reported on WKLL’s debut in 1990 as “Classic 94.9,” featuring a classic rock playlist with artists like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who. At the time, owner Ed Levine was 33 and still serving as program director of WJFK in Washington, DC.
From what we can tell after some (admittedly quick) research, the shift to harder rock and the KROCK branding came along in 1993, when Levine and his partners acquired control of the former 100.9 WEZG-FM (Lite 101) in North Syracuse and flipped it to WKRL, with KROCK branded as “the station 95X used to be.” The first song of the simulcast was Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town,” a nod to the fact Levine was returning to the market after having attended Syracuse University and helping to launch 95X years earlier. He told the Syracuse Post-Standard he was unhappy with the “repetitive dinosaur” of a station he felt WAQX had become since he left.
Since then, the KROCK stations in both markets have shared programming but air different commercials specific to each market. WKLL also breaks away to air Utica Comets games during hockey season. The third station, 106.9 WKRH Minetto, would follow in 1996, expanding the brand’s reach within the Syracuse market.
That same year would bring the debut of the K-Rockathon festival concert series, garnering such a following that it has its own Wikipedia page. The event would run annually for 16 years, ending in 2011. The concept has experienced a revival, with “K-Rockathon Reboots” taking place in 2024 and 2025, featuring artists who appeared at previous K-Rockathons.
Congratulations to all involved on 36 years!
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