Comments on: WZLD ("Z-96"), 1303 State Street / 2334 Airport Boulevard: 1988

By: Marty

Marty — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:24:13 +0000

Yes it was the low brown brick/brown roof building with the fireplace chimney on Airport Blvd. The call letters for WCAY stood for We Care About You.

By: ted

ted — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:35:01 +0000

Thanks! -- I'll get a picture of the right building.

By: Robyn Watts

Robyn Watts — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:27:17 +0000

One minor correction to point out: WZLD's Airport Blvd. location was in the building located behind the Sunbelt Properties (it's now offices for "The Steel Group").

WZLD, as well as successors Top 40 WYYS and Country WHKZ, remained in that building on Airport Blvd until 1995 when WHKZ was acquired by rival Country outlet WCOS AM-FM and eventually moved into the WCOS complex at 2440 Millwood Ave (now occupied by Glory Communications group of stations).

PS: Hi to Jim Seay!!! Greetings from a another former WSCQ alumni!!!

Robyn

By: jim seay

jim seay — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:26:51 +0000

I helped put WCAY on the air in July 1958 after moving back to the area after working for the station owner...Olin Tice...a longtime successful announcer for CBS in New York.
We worked together in Dover, Delaware. I joined him after havng worked at stations in Richmond and Norfolk, VA.
We had a very ecliectic WCAY formet as a daytime only station at 620 AM.
My other jobs had been at WACA in Camden and WIS Columbia.
Eventually working iat stations in San Anonio and Dallas, we came back to Columbia.
I was working as an audio producer when Ben Dekle took an un-announced leave of absence and they were in need of someone to take over in his absence...but it became a fulll-time job as Progam Director
and we created a "Top 40 Country NMusic" format that took us to No.2 in the market. Will Sullivan, the station manager, was insttrumental in bringing in the top country acts to the Township Auditorium and Carolina Coliseum to sell out crowds.
Dekle did return and I decided to leave and return to WIS and later to WSCCQ in 1977.
WCAY occupied the same building on Sate Street until Tice moved it to Airport Boulevard.
Several other stations later occupied those locations. A Gospel Music station broadcast from State Street and WZLD took the site on Airport Blvd.

Jim Seay
owner Jim Seay Productions
and free lance sports play-by-play
on Lexington's WLXM

By: jim seay

jim seay — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:24:17 +0000

I helped put WCAY on the air in July 1958 after moving back to the area after working for the station owner...Olin Tice...a longtime successful announcer for CBS in New York.
We worked trogether in Dover, Delaware. I joined him after havng worked at stations in Richmond and Norfolk, VA.
We had a very ecliectic WCAY formet as a daytime only station at 620 AM.
My other jobs had been at WACA in Camden and WIS Columbia.
Eventually working iat stations in San Anonio and Dallas, we came back to Columbia.
I was working as an audio producer when Ben Dekle took an un-announced leave of absence and they were in need of someone to take over in his absence...but it became a fulll-time job as Progam Director
and we created a "Top 40 Country NMusic" format that took us to No.2 in the market. Will Sullivan, the station manager, was insttrumental in bringing in the top country acts to the Township Auditorium and Carolina Coliseum to sell out crowds.
Dekle did return and I decided to leave and return to WIS and later to WSCCQ in 1977.
WCAY occupied the same building on Sate Street until Tice moved it to Airport Boulevard.
Several other stations later occupied those locations. A Gospel Music station broadcast from State Street and WZLD took the site on Airport Blvd.

Jim Seay
now owner Jim Seay Productions
and free lance sports play-by-play
on Lexington's WLXM

By: John R

John R — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:51:26 +0000

WCAY featured Friendly Ben which was a staple in our house back in the 60s & early 70s. Friendly Ben played country music & comedy. He also did some political commentary & helped found the Chitlin Strut.

By: Bobby G

Bobby G — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:41:05 +0000

Further update to above comment: I found another web site that seems to confirm that country AM station WCAY was the original radio station in this building. It also indicated that WNOK-FM actually adopted a (somewhat soft) rock format before WZLD came on the air. WZLD was "less soft" and outrated it, then both stations gravitated to more mainstream Top 40 over time.

By: Bobby G

Bobby G — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:32:46 +0000

I remember this station coming on the air. For years Columbia was the only decent-sized city around this area that did not have a rock 'n roll station on FM, only 2 weak AM outlets. WZLD was the first. This station's initial format was programmed (pre-recorded song announcements from some outside service), with something of a Top 40 format, but leaning towards soft rock (similar to the current AC format). WNOK-FM adopted the exact same programmed format right after this. Eventually WNOK switched to live announcers and more straight-up Top 40. This station's format changes are documented in some of the previous posts. I went to BC High across the street and remember the building as well. Does seem like there had been an AM station previously, but I can't recall for sure. Maybe the then-country station WCAY at 620? This building is in Cayce, and those call letters are obviously based on that.

By: BC Bobby

BC Bobby — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:47:08 +0000

I remember the studio when it was on state st. It was an AM station earlier. Late 60's & 70's. My dad would take me with him EARLY on sunday mornings. He would preach for 30 mins. Can't remember the call sign. I do remember that at the end of the building in 1974 was Boones Ice Cream Parlor. First place I ever played Foosball! Ans some drink they had called bearcat juice! * dont think STEVE FM is spurrier. there are several steve fm's across the country. could be wrong ....

By: tonkatoy

tonkatoy — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:29:21 +0000

I didn't either.