WGFX

The station signed on as WFMG-FM on December 1, 1960 in Gallatin, Tennessee, about 30 miles (47 km) northeast of Nashville, with a big band format. In 1971, Sumner Country Broadcasting Co., which owned WHIN in Gallatin, purchased WFMG and changed call letters to WHIN-FM. During the early years of WHIN-FM, the format was easy listening. In 1974, the station switched to an all oldies format. In July 1978, WHIN-FM switched formats to contemporary hit radio (CHR). Just over one month later, the call letters were changed to WWKX using the moniker KX 104 FM.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the station was very popular and featured morning DJ Coyote McCloud. Its 100,000 watt signal broadcasting from "Music Mountain", one of the highest points on the northern Highland Rim north of Gallatin and the site of several broadcasting facilities, boomed far into the rural areas of northern Tennessee and southern Kentucky. By the mid-1980s, KX 104 was faced with competition from two new area CHRs, "96 Kiss" (WZKS, now WCJK) and "Y107" (WYHY, now WRVW). Additionally, McCloud defected to WYHY in 1985 to host its morning show. To try to differentiate itself, WWKX segued into a rock-leaning Top 40 format calling itself Rock Hits 104, Kicks FM. This move proved unfruitful, and the station returned to mainstream CHR a year later in 1986. Faced with the success of Y107, this would not last.

In the summer of 1987, WWKX moved its tower from Music Mountain into Nashville and downgraded power, noticeably affecting signal strength in rural areas north of the city. The call letters changed to WGFX on August 13, 1987 and the moniker became 104.5 The Fox with a classic rock format.[1]

In the late 1980s, Dick Broadcasting Company (DBC) took over operations of the station through a local marketing agreement, and paired it with its popular rock and roll station WKDF to form "Nashville's Rock Network". In the early 1990s, the station became known as "Arrow 104.5" (with Arrow originally standing for "All Rock n' Roll Oldies"). This format was somewhat successful and endured until the late 1990s.

The station was purchased outright by Dick Broadcasting Company following the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which, in part, loosened broadcast ownership rules.

Shortly after the acquisition, Dick Broadcasting entered into an agreement with SFX Broadcasting, the then-owner of WLAC-FM, to trade the intellectual property of the stations. The trade, to have taken place February 2, 1998, would have moved WLAC-FM's adult contemporary format to 104.5 FM, and moved WGFX's classic rock format to 105.9 under SFX ownership. However, when the agreement fell apart, SFX converted WLAC-FM to a classic rock format of its own, changed the call letters to WNRQ, and began to compete directly with WGFX.

Responding to the early ratings success of WNRQ, WGFX reformatted to rhythmic oldies as "Jammin' Oldies 104.5", on December 11, 1998, but quickly changed its name to "Groovin' Hits 104.5" after a brief trademark dispute.[2]

In early 1999, WGFX was slated to convert to a country music outlet built around local air personality Carl P. Mayfield. Dick Broadcasting purchased advertising in other media promoting Mayfield's impending debut on 104.5 WGFX. However, the company ultimately succumbed to Mayfield's repeated demands that the format be installed on the stronger-signalled WKDF, leaving WGFX to continue broadcasting rhythmic oldies.

In January 2000, the station reverted to a classic hits format, focusing mainly on 1970s music. First known as simply "The New 104 — That '70s Station", it became "The New 104 — The Core" a few months later, and was positioned as a lighter alternative to WNRQ.

Citadel Broadcasting purchased the station (along with all of DBC's assets outside the Greenville, South Carolina market) in September 2000.

In the summer of 2002, the station broadened its playlist to include music from 1980s, and changed its name to "Rockin' Hits 104.5 WGFX", marking the only time the station has used those call letters in its branding.

The station also broadcasts an hour block of public affairs programming on Sunday morning in accordance with FCC regulations.

• Rockin' Hits 104.5 WGFX – Classic Hits, 2002–2003
• The New 104 — The Core (briefly known as The New 104 — That '70s Station) – Classic rock, 2000–2002
• Groovin' Hits 104.5 (briefly known as Hot 104.5 and Jammin' Oldies 104.5) – R&B Oldies, 1998–2000
• Arrow 104.5 – Classic Hits, 1993–1998
• 104.5 The Fox – Classic Rock, 1988–1993 (call letters changed to WGFX, which stood for Gallatin's FoX)
• KX104 – Top 40, 1986–1987
• Rock Hits 104, Kicks FM – Rock/Top 40, 1985–1986
• Kix 104 – Top 40, 1978–1985 (as WHIN-FM and WWKX)
• WHIN-FM – Oldies, 1974–1978 / Easy Listening, 1971–1974
• WFMG-FM – Big Bands, 1960–1971.

• Fiona – 1999–2000
• Mike "The Duke" Donegan – 2003–2004
• Hallerin Hilton Hill – 2003–2005
• Carl P. Mayfield – 2003
• Coyote McCloud – 1980s
• Mark Howard – 1998–2020
• George Plaster – 2003–2011
• Rich "Brother" Robbin – 2002–2003
• Frank Wycheck – 2004–2016
• Kevin Ingram - 2004-2020
• Clay Travis – 2009–2014
• Blaine Bishop – 2010–present
• Dallas Reese – 1990–1992
• Lauren McCleash – 1989–1992
• Melissa Johnson Sweeton – 1989–1992/1999–2001

• List of Nashville media

• Official website
• WGFX in the FCC's FM station database
• WGFX on Radio-Locator
• WGFX in Nielsen Audio's FM station database