"Oh, the record's melting!  Wow....."
For over three decades, country music has been playing at 104.7 in Birmingham.  But before the present-day WZZK made its bow in 1977, it was another - completely different - sound at this location. 

The original call letters were WJLN, and it was co-owned with WJLD-AM 1400.  During the day, they mostly simulcast the AM's rhythm & blues/"soul" music programming.  However, at night the FM was Birmingham's outlet for progresive rock, also referred to as the "underground" format.  Or, as some called it, "that @#$% hippie music!"  It was the forerunner to Album Rock, which stations like WERC-FM "Stereo Rock 107", WRKK "K-99" and later WAPI-FM "95 ROCK" would play ... and represents the roots of what we know today as "classic rock."

WJLN was the first station in Birmingham to play this music, and in the late '60s a guy who went by the name of 'Father Tree' is regarded as the first "underground" jock in the Magic City.   There are no recordings I know of with Father Tree (if you have any ... please let us know!), but we do have a nice run of tape from September of 1973, featuring Wayne Braden.  This month, we rock out to the likes of Led Zeppelin, Buckingham/Nicks, Savoy Brown, the Allman Brothers, and others. 

Commercials are included, and they are priceless!  Z Z Top was going to be in town the next day playing a concert at Boutwell Auditorium.  There are also spots for the Stray Cat Lounge in Hoover, Cliffdweller magazine, and the requisite "head shop" advertiser: Angry Revolt!

Enjoy, but remember: drugs are bad, mmm'kay?

WJLN 104.7 ... September 27, 1973: Wayne Braden
(7.97 MB - MP3 format - length: 17.01)

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