1971/72 were pivotal years in Charleston as the giant
5000 watt WKAZ had competition in the
form of a little 1000 watter called WXIT. The lineup at XIT included
one of the most
popular night time DJs of all time.. Poppa Jay Jarrell.
Rick Robinson (what pipes!) later
joined the WV State Police where he became spokesperson. At one point,
a very young
engineer moonlighting at WPNS (Hurricane) would get killed by bypassing
that transmitters
interlock (as I recall). We pretty much played what we wanted from
the "Top 35" and an
entire wall full of oldies just behind us in the studio. It was a
lot of fun in those days.
In 1972 as the interstate was starting to snake it's
way through Charleston, WXIT Radio
held a contest: The station had a boulder from the Interstate construction
delivered to
the corner of Capitol and Quarrier St in an empty lot where the bank
once sat. (McDonalds
would later be built on that spot.) The contest was called "How
Heavy Is The Rock?"
"The Rock" of course was "The Rock Of Charleston"..
WXIT. People had to guess the rocks
weight. I cant remember who won or what, but it was a very successful
contest.
