Saturday, June 14, 2025
No Result
View All Result
The Chimney Rock Chronicle
FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Pickup Locations
  • Columns
    • All
    • Book Notes
    • Faith
    • From the Potting Shed
    • Fulks Run Follies
    • Local Legends
    • Personal Development
    • Reflections from the Past and Present
    • The Wandering Wilkins
    The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

    From One Chimney Rock to Another

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell In the Secret Place Part 3

    George Bowers.

    Licking the Fruit 

    A Clear Picture of THEIR Purpose

    The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

    Another Story from Our North Carolina Friends

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell in the Secret Place – Part 2

    George Bowers.

    Stocking Trout and Jesus’ Return 

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell

    George Bowers.

    Who Are We Pleasing?

    Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    Gospel Vault

    Gospel Vault: April 1990 A Look Back

    Ken West.

    My will or God’s will?

    George Bowers.

    Dealing With Smoky Nostalgia

    Connecting Compromise to Our Clear Purpose

    Women in Leadership and Athletics:  Personal Reflections on How We’ve Come a Long Way!

    • Entertainment

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Off Broadway Players Announce 2025 Season

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    • History

      Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Life Lessons from Fulks Run Grocery

      When This You See

      When This You See

      161st Anniversary Battle of New Market Commemoration

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Justice in the Good Old Days

      When This You See

      When This You See

      Highlights From the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Connecting With Others, Bite by Bite

      Brocks Gap Heritage Day April 26

    • Lifestyle
      • All
      • Health
      • Inspirational
      • Travel

      The Wandering Wilkins

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

      Retta’s Column

      Local Teachers Attend VRTA

  • Events
  • Our Sponsors
  • Advertising
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Pickup Locations
  • Columns
    • All
    • Book Notes
    • Faith
    • From the Potting Shed
    • Fulks Run Follies
    • Local Legends
    • Personal Development
    • Reflections from the Past and Present
    • The Wandering Wilkins
    The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

    From One Chimney Rock to Another

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell In the Secret Place Part 3

    George Bowers.

    Licking the Fruit 

    A Clear Picture of THEIR Purpose

    The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

    Another Story from Our North Carolina Friends

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell in the Secret Place – Part 2

    George Bowers.

    Stocking Trout and Jesus’ Return 

    Ken West.

    Learning to Dwell

    George Bowers.

    Who Are We Pleasing?

    Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    Gospel Vault

    Gospel Vault: April 1990 A Look Back

    Ken West.

    My will or God’s will?

    George Bowers.

    Dealing With Smoky Nostalgia

    Connecting Compromise to Our Clear Purpose

    Women in Leadership and Athletics:  Personal Reflections on How We’ve Come a Long Way!

    • Entertainment

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Gospel Vault

      Off Broadway Players Announce 2025 Season

      Spotlight on the Off Broadway Players

    • History

      Highlights from the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Life Lessons from Fulks Run Grocery

      When This You See

      When This You See

      161st Anniversary Battle of New Market Commemoration

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Timberville Historic Notes

      Justice in the Good Old Days

      When This You See

      When This You See

      Highlights From the Plains District Memorial Museum

      Connecting With Others, Bite by Bite

      Brocks Gap Heritage Day April 26

    • Lifestyle
      • All
      • Health
      • Inspirational
      • Travel

      The Wandering Wilkins

      Sarah’s Recipes

      Sarah’s Recipes

      The Chimney Rock Chronicle.

      Retta’s Column

      Local Teachers Attend VRTA

  • Events
  • Our Sponsors
  • Advertising
No Result
View All Result
The Chimney Rock Chronicle
Subscribe
Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors! Thank you to our Sponsors!
Home Columns

Gospel Vault

WLTK-FM: A History (Part II)

Chris Runion by Chris Runion
June 29, 2023
in Columns

Last month, I introduced you to WBTX’s former sister station – WLTK-FM. Although now owned and operated by the K-LOVE radio network, for over twenty years WLTK provided listeners with a ‘live and local’ Contemporary Christian format. This month, we’ll dive into exactly what WLTK would have sounded like in its first few years of operation.

WLTK signed-on at 95.5 MHz on December 8, 1989. However, it was known at the time that WLTK soon would be upgraded to the more-powerful 96.1 MHz frequency (in April of 1990). Thus, the initial ‘brand’ for WLTK was ‘Light 96’.

Spearheading ‘Light 96’ was the ‘dynamic duo’ of Brad Huddleston and Brian Charrette. Huddleston had spent a few years on-air at WBTX, and Charrette was hired as a consultant. Together, they created the initial ‘brand’ for WLTK.

Brian Charrette recalls, “we wanted to center on music with Biblical lyrics, and we also wanted to be fearless in how we approached things. While the base [of the music] was mainstream, we also wanted to give listeners an education about the breadth and depth of Contemporary Christian music, since WLTK was really the first radio station of its kind in the area…we wanted a feel where listeners would hear a song and say, ‘I had no idea Christian radio could be like this!’”.

Although WLTK and WBTX were owned by the same company, and operated from the same studios on Main Street in Broadway, they were vastly different – not just in terms of formats, but also presentational styles. While WBTX balanced southern gospel music with Bible teaching programs and local interests, WLTK sought to be music-heavy.

Brad Huddleston noted on one of WLTK’s first promotional brochures, “you’ll never hear an hour of country-style music followed by an hour of headbanging music followed by preachers screaming about the headbanging music. We play Adult Contemporary Christian Music ALL THE TIME!!”

About three years ago, I uncovered a well-worn binder in our studios that was labeled ‘Light 96 Music Directory’. What a find! This was a printout of all the music that was in the WLTK library as of mid-1992, so it paints a clear picture of the early ‘sound’ of ‘Light 96’

Some of the artists you would have heard on WLTK in its first few years included Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Michael Card, Twila Paris, Susan Ashton, Margaret Becker, Steve Camp, the Imperials, Wayne Watson, and Sandi Patty. But remember that ‘education’ part that Charrette mentioned? Well, there were plenty of Contemporary Christian ‘pioneers’ in the library as well, including Don Francisco, Scott Wesley Brown, Mark Heard, the Sweet Comfort Band, and Randy Stonehill.

A typical broadcast day on WLTK began with sign-on at 5:15am. This first hour was praise and worship music, largely from the Integrity Hosanna library. Then, at 6:00am, Brad Huddleston began signature ‘Brad Huddleston Morning Show’, which aired until 10:00am. (WBTX would simulcast the show until 7:30am).

Afternoons and evenings were music-heavy. Yes, there were a few ‘talk’ programs, but they were centered around the music. Some early programs included On Track with Dave Tucker, The Contemporary Christian Countdown with Jim Channell, and Heartsong Magazine with Greg Fentress.

When programming ‘Light 96’, Charrette and Huddleston were careful in selecting just the right songs to fit not just the all-important message, but also the overall sound. The music was ‘Adult Contemporary’ (the same sound as ‘mainstream’ secular, but with Christian lyrics). Especially in its early years, WLTK largely steered clear of the fast-growing industry of ‘Christian rock’. In fact, an early promotional campaign for WLTK was labeled, “It’s not rock, it’s Light 96!”.

By 1994, both Charrette and Huddleston had departed, and WLTK was now in the hands of newcomer Greg Crabtree. Crabtree would carry WLTK through the next 16 years of its existence. Throughout the late nineties, the ‘Light 96’ brand would be retained, but the musical spectrum broadened just a bit. Programs such as ‘Z Jam’, hosted by Chris Swortzel, introduced listeners to the world of Christian rock. Other favorites such as Christian Oldies (hosed by Mike and Christine Pompeo) and The Light 96 Eight O’Clock Album Special (hosted by Tammy Cullers) debuted around this time.

WLTK’s programming did change drastically in late 1996. When the WBTX tower was destroyed by floodwaters in September of that year, a number of programs from WBTX (especially many of the Sunday morning local preaching programs) were carried on WLTK until December 13, 1996, when WBTX returned to the airwaves.

Next month, we will conclude our look at WLTK. In 2001, the station will move from 96.1 MHz on the FM dial to 103.3 MHz. Thus, ‘Light 96’ will become ‘Light 103’. We’ll also chronicle the latter years of the station, and its eventual lease – and sale – to K-LOVE.

Chris Runion

Chris Runion

Chris Runion, a 2020 graduate of EMU, is an on-air personality at WBTX in Broadway, heard weekdays 8:00am to 10:00am on 1470 AM and 102.1 FM. He may be reached via email – crunion@wbtxradio.com.

Next Post
Handy With Randy

Handy with Randy

Popular Articles

  • Life Lessons from Fulks Run Grocery

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A Little-Known Piece of Fulks Run History Uncovered

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Natural Healing

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reflections from the Past and Present

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Hair Nook

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 161st Anniversary Battle of New Market Commemoration

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Paramount Plant Co. Enters Second Season

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Promises of Springtime

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • F&M Bank Hosts “Hotdogs for Heroes” to Support Timberville Volunteer Fire Department

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • From One Chimney Rock to Another

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Contact
  • Pick Up Locations

© 2024 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Columns
  • History
  • Sports
    • Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors!
    • Advertising

© 2024 The Chimney Rock Chronicle - Website & E-Commerce by Bare Web Design, Broadway Va.