Apparently, Robby Bridges has decided that Long Island’s weekends aren’t nearly loud enough, and judging by the latest additions to 103.1 The Wolf, he’s planning to do something about it. Connoisseur Media’s Country outlet WWWF is bringing New York DJ and producer Deerock aboard with Club Rodeo Country Takeover, an energetic blend of Country hits, dance production, and club-style mixing designed to give listeners a different kind of Friday night experience. And the additions don’t stop there. Kentucky-based broadcaster Michelle Heart is also joining the station’s weekend lineup, giving The Wolf another experienced personality as Bridges continues developing one of the more interesting Country radio experiments in the New York metropolitan area.
And I’ll tell you something. I like where this is going.
Country radio on Long Island has never been the easiest proposition. You’re competing for attention in the nation’s largest media market, surrounded by some of the biggest radio brands in the country, and serving listeners whose musical tastes can range from traditional Country to Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop, and practically everything in between.
So when you’re trying to establish a Country station in that environment, simply playing the same songs everybody else plays isn’t necessarily enough.
You’ve got to give people a reason to notice.
And that’s where Deerock comes in.
The New York-based producer has built an audience by blending Country music with electronic dance production, creating mashups and remixes that bring a different energy to familiar records. His original music and remixes have generated more than 230 million streams, and his performance résumé includes appearances at events such as Stagecoach, EDC Las Vegas, and CMA Fest.
That’s a pretty interesting combination.
A DJ who can move between Country and electronic dance audiences brings something different to a format that has spent decades debating just how far outside its traditional sound it should venture.
His Club Rodeo Country Takeover joins Bridges on Fridays at 5 p.m. to help launch the weekend, with another hour airing Saturdays at midnight. <Cite ref=”turn319513search2″/>
Now, I can already hear a few traditional Country programmers wondering whether somebody has accidentally connected the studio equipment to a nightclub.
Relax.
Nobody’s suggesting we replace George Strait with a disco ball.
But there’s nothing wrong with recognizing that Country listeners have different musical interests, especially on a Friday evening when the workweek is over and people are looking for something entertaining.
Country music has been experimenting with outside influences for decades. The difference today is how easily listeners move between genres, playlists, and social platforms without giving much thought to the format boundaries radio programmers have historically defended.
Deerock’s arrival gives The Wolf an opportunity to embrace some of that energy without abandoning its Country identity.
And then there’s Michelle Heart.
Heart comes to the weekend picture from Louisville, Kentucky, where she serves as Program Director and midday host of Connoisseur’s Adult Contemporary 102.3 The Rose.
She’s also an accomplished broadcaster whose career includes sixteen years in Boise, Idaho, where she developed a successful morning program at 107.9 LITE-FM. Her work has earned Gracie Awards and recognition from the Idaho State Broadcasters Association, and she’s demonstrated an ability to connect with audiences through both traditional broadcasting and digital content. <Cite refs={[“turn897387search0″,”turn897387search1″,”turn897387search4”]}/>
Her addition is interesting for a different reason.
Deerock brings a distinctive musical presentation. Heart brings experienced personality radio and programming knowledge.
Those are two different tools, but both can help strengthen a station’s weekend identity.
And there’s a larger strategy developing here.
Bridges has been busy reshaping The Wolf, including bringing Cane and Sabrina From Queens into morning drive and assembling a lineup designed to give the station recognizable personalities rather than relying exclusively on its music.
As readers of On The Dial already know, Robby is also a friend and contributing editor here, so I’m not pretending to be a completely detached observer.
But friendship doesn’t change the programming question.
Can a Country station in the New York market establish a personality and musical identity strong enough to stand apart from everything surrounding it?
That’s what makes these moves worth following.
I’ve spent more than thirty years programming radio stations, and I’ve always believed weekends represent one of the most overlooked opportunities in broadcasting.
Too many stations spend Monday through Friday trying to sound interesting, then apparently decide that Saturday and Sunday should be left on autopilot.
The music continues.
The commercials play.
And any recognizable personality seems to have left town until Monday morning.
That’s a missed opportunity.
People still listen on weekends. They’re driving, shopping, heading to restaurants, attending concerts, spending time with friends, and looking for entertainment.
Why shouldn’t the radio sound like it’s enjoying the weekend with them?
Deerock brings the musical excitement, while Michelle Heart adds another established voice to the station’s personality roster.
The two additions also reflect something I appreciate about good programming: every daypart doesn’t have to sound identical.
A Friday afternoon show should feel different from a Tuesday morning.
Midnight Saturday can have a completely different atmosphere from the workday.
And listeners ought to notice that somebody actually thought about the experience they’re hearing.
There’s a business opportunity, too.
A distinctive Friday mix program creates possibilities for local venues, restaurants, nightlife promotions, concerts, and advertisers looking to reach listeners beginning their weekend activities.
A stronger weekend personality lineup gives the station more opportunities to develop audience relationships beyond the weekday commute.
None of that guarantees ratings success, of course.
But it gives the station something to work with.
And right now, that’s a lot more interesting than simply running another weekend of anonymous voice tracks.
Congratulations to Deerock and Michelle Heart on their additions, and to Robby Bridges for continuing to experiment with what Country radio can sound like in a market that doesn’t always follow the traditional Country radio playbook.
I’ll be interested to hear how the programming develops.
Because Long Island may not be Nashville, Dallas, or Oklahoma City, but that doesn’t mean its Country station has to sound like everybody else’s.
The Wolf is building a weekend that combines personality, Country music, and a little nightclub energy. And in a business that could use some fresh ideas, I say turn it up.
Just do me one favor, Robby.
Don’t let Deerock get so carried away that somebody requests a mechanical bull for the studio.
Knowing radio budgets, you’ll probably have to assemble it yourself.
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