WGRB (1390 AM) is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

owned by

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...

(formerly Clear Channel Communications until September 2014). It airs a

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...

format targeted to Chicago's

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

religious community. On Sundays, the station broadcasts the services of several African-American churches in the area. WGRB has studios located at the

Illinois Center Illinois Center is a mixed-use urban development in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA, lying east of Michigan Avenue. It is notable in that the streets running through it have three levels. Elsewhere in Chicago, some streets have two levels, wit ...

complex on Michigan Avenue in

Downtown Chicago ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distri ...

, and it broadcasts from a transmitter based near 87th and Kedzie in the city's southwest side.

History

Beginnings in Oak Park and Chicago

The station began broadcasting on October 13, 1923 as WTAY in

Oak Park, Illinois Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, adjacent to Chicago. It is the 29th-most populous municipality in Illinois with a population of 54,583 as of the 2020 U.S. Census estimate. Oak Park was first settled in 1835 and later incorporated in ...

. It originally operated on 1330 kHz running 15 watts, and broadcasting on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. It was owned by a community newspaper called '' Oak Leaves''.AM Histories
, '' Broadcasting — Telecasting''. A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. p. 18. Retrieved December 8, 2019. On February 15, 1924, the station began broadcasting from the

Oak Park Arms Hotel The Oak Park Arms is an independent living and assisted living retirement community located at 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois. The Oak Park Township Senior Services and The Lifelong Learning Center of Oak Park - River Forest are both ...

. Its frequency was changed to 1060 kHz and its power was increased to 500 watts. On April 6, 1925, Coyne Electrical School purchased the station and changed its

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...

to WGES, standing for Coyne's slogan, "World's Greatest Electrical School."

Ray Kroc Raymond Albert Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman. He purchased the fast food company McDonald's in 1961 and was its CEO from 1967 to 1973. Kroc is credited with the global expansion of McDonald's, turnin ...

played piano live on the air at WGES's studios in the Oak Park Arms.

WGES moves to the West Side

In the late 1920s, the station was purchased by J. Louis Guyon and moved to the

Guyon Hotel The Guyon Hotel is a historic former hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The hotel was designed by Jensen J. Jensen - no relation to the famous landscape architect Jens Jensen - in 1927 and was built in red and cream brick with arched windows on two floors ...

on the

West Side West Side or Westside may refer to: Places Canada * West Side, a neighbourhood of Windsor, Ontario * West Side, a neighbourhood of Vancouver, British Columbia United Kingdom * West Side, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Westside, Birmingham E ...

of Chicago. The station aired big band music from the nearby Guyon's Paradise Ballroom. It also broadcast African-American and foreign-language programming. In 1927, the station's frequency was changed from 940 kHz to 1210 kHz, and was changed to 1360 kHz the following year.History Cards for WGRB
fcc.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2019. WGRB - WVON transmitter site

Gene T. Dyer purchased interest in the station in 1930, and in 1937 its studios were moved to 2400 W. Madison Street, where co-owned

WSBC WSBC (1240 AM) is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, United States, which broadcasts brokered programming. It is owned by Newsweb Corporation. History WSBC began broadcasting in 1925 and originally broadcast at 1430 kHz. In March 1941, WGES moved to 1390 kHz as a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement and the following year its power was increased from 500 watts to 5,000 watts, moving its transmitter location from the roof of the Guyon Hotel to 86th and Kedzie in Chicago. In 1944 the FCC ruled that radio station owners could only own one AM and FM station per market. Gene Dyer sold WGES to his brother, Dr. John Dyer and associates. WGES's studios were moved from 2400 West Madison to 2708 West Washington Boulevard. In 1945,

Al Benson Arthur Bernard Leaner (June 30, 1908 – September 6, 1978), who was known professionally as Al Benson, was an American radio DJ, music promoter and record label owner in Chicago between the 1940s and 1960s. He was particularly significan ...

began hosting a Sunday evening program on WGES, using his real name Arthur Leaner.Barlow, William (1999).
Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio
'.

Temple University Press Temple University Press is a university press founded in 1969 that is part of Temple University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). It is one of thirteen publishers to participate in the Knowledge Unlatched pilot, a global library consortium approach t ...

. p. 98. Retrieved December 9, 2019. The program featured a sermon delivered by Leaner, a pastor, and

. After the station told Leaner he could not sell advertising on his religious program, he began hosting a secular show as "Al Benson", playing

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

, and R&B. Over the years, more hours of African-American programming were added, with the addition of disk jockeys Richard Stamz, Pruter, Robert (1992).
Chicago Soul
'.

University of Illinois Press The University of Illinois Press (UIP) is an American university press and is part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic project ...

. p. 12. Retrieved December 9, 2019. Ric Riccardo,New Chess R.&B. 'Baby' Shows Face in Chicago
, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

''. April 13, 1963. p. 24. Retrieved December 9, 2019. Sam Evans,

Herb Kent Herbert Rogers Kent (October 5, 1928 – October 22, 2016) was "the longest-running DJ in the history of radio", a radio personality in Chicago, Illinois, for more than seven decades. As a high school student, Kent began hosting a classical music ...

, Franklyn McCarthy, and Sid McCoy. WGES's foreign language programming was cut back to only four hours a day.

The McLendon years

WYNR

In 1962, the station was sold to

Gordon McLendon Gordon Barton McLendon (June 8, 1921 – September 14, 1986Texas State Historical AssociationMcClendon, Gordon Barton/ref>) was a radio broadcaster. Nicknamed "the Maverick of Radio", McLendon is widely credited for perfecting, during the 1950s ...

for $1 million, plus an additional $1 million for a non-compete agreement. McLendon eliminated all foreign language programming in favor of an all-black format.New WGES Format Draws Hot Words
, ''

Broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution (business), distribution of sound, audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio ...

''. September 3, 1962. p. 48. Retrieved December 9, 2019. There were complaints to the United States

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

that the station had eliminated foreign-language programming. The FCC held a hearing to investigate the complaints at which some politicians testified. The callsign changed to WYNR on September 1, 1962. The station was branded "Winner". Announcers included Big John Evans, Dick Kemp (The Wild Child), Luckey Cordell, Bruce Brown, Floyd Brown, and

Yvonne Daniels Yvonne Daniels (September 16, 1937 – June 21, 1991) was an American radio host in Chicago from the 1960s to 1991. Daniels was a member of the first all-woman radio team in 1967 for WSDM and the first woman radio host for WLS in 1973. Daniels ...

. In 1963, the station's studios were moved to its transmitter site at 86th and Kedzie.

WNUS

On September 3, 1964, the station adopted an

all-news All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to the discussion and broadcast of news. All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried on both major US satellite radio networks. All-news stations can run the ...

format with the new call letters WNUS. In 1965, McLendon bought WFMQ (107.5 FM), changed its call sign to WNUS-FM and began to simulcast the all news format on the FM frequency.Demand is Heavy For FM Outlets
, ''

''. December 5, 1964. p. 28. Retrieved December 10, 2019. In 1968, the station adopted a

beautiful music Beautiful music (sometimes abbreviated as BM, B/EZ or BM/EZ for "beautiful music/easy listening") is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator musi ...

format. In 1967, the station's studios were moved to Chicago's

River North The River North Gallery District or simply River North, in Chicago, is in the Near North Side, Chicago. It hosts the largest concentration of art galleries in the United States outside of Manhattan. River North has experienced vast changes in ...

neighborhood.

WVON takes over 1390

In 1975, Globetrotter Communications, owners of soul music station

WVON WVON (1690 AM "The Voice of the Nation", originally "Voice of the Negro") is a radio station serving the Chicago market, which airs an African-American-oriented talk format. WVON is owned by Midway Broadcasting Corporation, and broadcasts at 169 ...

, purchased WNUS-AM-FM from McLendon for $3,550,000, and moved WVON from its 1,000-watt signal on 1450 kHz to the 5,000-watt facility on 1390 kHz that had been occupied by WNUS. WVON retained the studios it had used on 1450 in

South Lawndale South Lawndale is a community area on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. Over 80% of the residents are of Mexican descent and the community is home to the largest foreign-born Mexican population in Chicago. Neighborhoods Little Village ...

. WNUS-FM changed to a

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

format later that year, with a change of call letters to

WGCI-FM WGCI-FM (107.5 MHz) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to Chicago, Illinois, serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia (formerly known as Clear Channel Communicat ...

. In 1977, Combined Communications Corporation purchased Globetrotter Communications, and the following year Combined Communications merged with Gannett Co.

As WGCI, & the switch to WGRB

On October 3, 1983, the station's call sign was changed to WGCI.Call Sign History
fcc.gov. Retrieved December 12, 2019. The station aired an

urban adult contemporary Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...

format.
Chicago Radio Guide
', Vol. 1, Issue 1. May 1985. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985
', Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1985. p. B-79. Retrieved December 12, 2019. Yvonne Daniels hosted mornings. By 1986, the station was airing an

urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...

format as part of a simulcast with 107.5 WGCI-FM. On January 16, 1989, the station debuted an African-American-oriented

talk Talk may refer to: Communication * Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people * Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people * Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct ...

format.Warren, James.
WGCI Ends Black-Talk Radio Format
, ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

''. September 11, 1990. Retrieved December 12, 2019. The talk format was dropped September 10, 1990, and it adopted an

urban oldies Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music on ...

format branded "Dusty Radio".Kirk, Jim.
WGCI-AM Decides to Sweep Away the Dusties
, ''

''. September 29, 1998. Retrieved June 21, 2020. The format changed to gospel music on October 5, 1998 under Chancellor Media ownership. Its call letters were changed to WGRB on June 1, 2004 to differentiate it from its sister FM station.

HD programming

WGRB was licensed to broadcast a hybrid signal (analog plus digital) on 1390 AM HD 1.http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=4 HD Radio Guide for Chicago

References

External links

* {{IHeartMedia GRB Gospel radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1923 GRB 1923 establishments in Illinois IHeartMedia radio stations Former Gannett subsidiaries