{"history":[],"article":{"id":"86c14e26-6466-4f81-bb26-c388c08c0ba5","title":"WSIX-FM","slug":"wsix-fm","content":":::summary\n![WSIX-FM](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/WSIX///radio///station///office.jpg)\n**Name:** WSIX-FM \n**City:** [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee) \n**Area:** [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee) \n**Branding:** The Big 98 WSIX \n**Frequency:** 97.9 [MHz](https://bliptext.com/articles/megahertz) \n**Airdate:** 1948 \n**Format:** [Country](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music) \n**Subchannels:** HD2: [Talk](https://bliptext.com/articles/talk-radio) ([WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac) simulcast) HD3: \"The Big Legend\" ([Classic country](https://bliptext.com/articles/classic-country)) \n**Erp:** 100,000 [watts](https://bliptext.com/articles/watt) \n**Haat:** 349 meters \n**Class:** C0 \n**Facility Id:** 59815 \n**Callsign Meaning:** From ****6****38 Tire Company in [Springfield](https://bliptext.com/articles/springfield-tennessee), original home of WSIX (AM) (****6****38 was the store's address, \"**W**here **S**ervice **I**s E**X**cellent\" its slogan) \n**Coordinates:** 36.04722°N, -86.83°W \n**Owner:** [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia) \n**Licensee:** iHM Licenses, LLC \n**Affiliations:** [Premiere Networks](https://bliptext.com/articles/premiere-networks) \n**Sister Stations:** [WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac), [WNRQ](https://bliptext.com/articles/wnrq), [WRVW](https://bliptext.com/articles/wrvw), [WUBT](https://bliptext.com/articles/wubt) \n**Webcast:** [Listen Live](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) HD3: [Listen Live](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Website:** [thebig98.iheart.com](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) HD3: [thebiglegend983.iheart.com](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Licensing Authority:** [FCC](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-communications-commission) \n:::\n\n# \n**WSIX-FM** (97.9 [MHz](https://bliptext.com/articles/hertz), \"The Big 98\") is a [radio station](https://bliptext.com/articles/radio-station) [licensed](https://bliptext.com/articles/city-of-license) to serve [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee).\nOwned by [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia), the station broadcasts a [country music](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music) format.\nWSIX's studios are located in Nashville's [Music Row](https://bliptext.com/articles/music-row) district and the transmitter site is in [Forest Hills, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/forest-hills-tennessee).\n\n# History\n\n## Countrypolitan\nOriginally the sister station of a similarly-styled [AM](https://bliptext.com/articles/am-radio) station (now [WYFN](https://bliptext.com/articles/wyfn) which simulcasts the [Bible Broadcasting Network](https://bliptext.com/articles/bible-broadcasting-network)'s religious programming), WSIX-FM is credited with pioneering the \"countrypolitan\" \"[Nashville sound](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-sound)\" of country music, which developed in the 1960s.\n[Violins](https://bliptext.com/articles/violin) and other stringed instruments (and occasionally horns) were added to the traditionally [fiddle](https://bliptext.com/articles/fiddle)- and [guitar](https://bliptext.com/articles/guitar)-driven sound of [country music](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music).\nDuring those years (beginning in 1967 until the late 1970s) WSIX-FM used the slogan \"We're metropolitan country.\"\nAs such, WSIX-FM became one of the first successful country-format stations on the FM dial in the U.S., as country music formats were typically found on AM stations until well into the early 1980s.\n# [Legendary Big 98 logo used from the 1980s to August 2011 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/WSIX.png]\n\n## The Big 98 Era\nIn 1983, then-owners [General Electric](https://bliptext.com/articles/general-electric) sold the AM and FM stations, along with WNGE-TV (now [WKRN-TV](https://bliptext.com/articles/wkrn-tv)), to other interests.\nAround that time, the stations were simulcast and the format turned to a more straightforward country sound (i.e., [honkey tonk](https://bliptext.com/articles/honkey-tonk) and \"[Outlaw.](https://bliptext.com/articles/outlaw-country)\")\n\n## XM simulcast\nFrom May 1, 2006 to August 8, 2008, WSIX-FM was simulcast on [XM Satellite Radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/xm-satellite-radio) (channel 161).\nThe satellite feed included commercials.\nA song that was not on the station's playlist at the moment would play during commercial breaks as well.\nAfter a leave of absence, on June 8, 2011, WSIX-FM returned to the XM platform, replacing \"Nashville\" on XM 57.\nStation owner Clear Channel Communications (now [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia)) sold off its ownership stake in [Sirius XM Radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/sirius-xm-radio) during the second quarter of fiscal year 2013.\nAs a result of the sale, nine of Clear Channel's eleven XM stations, including the simulcast of WSIX-FM, ceased broadcast over XM Satellite Radio on October 18, 2013.\n\n## HD Radio\nWSIX-FMHD2 launched with a new country format, branded as WSIXtra and later The Nashville Channel.\nIn August 2014, it was replaced by No Shoes Radio, which featured a freeform format curated and hosted by country musician [Kenny Chesney](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenny-chesney).\nIt was also available nationally on [iHeartRadio](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartradio) and sister station [KNIX-FM](https://bliptext.com/articles/knix-fm).\nIn March 2016, it was announced that the channel would move exclusively to [SiriusXM](https://bliptext.com/articles/siriusxm) on April 12.\nOn April 1, 2016, the channel was replaced by The Bobby Bones Top 30 Countdown.\nOn September 2, 2016, WSIX-FMHD2 relaunched as the [classic country](https://bliptext.com/articles/classic-country) station 98.3 The Big Legend, simulcasting on translator station 98.3 W252CM, On September 21, 2018, the subchannel and translator flipped to a simulcast of [talk radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/talk-radio) [WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac).\nThe Big Legend is currently heard on the HD3 subchannel.\n\n# Emergency Alert System\nWSIX is the Local Primary 1 (LP1) station for the [Emergency Alert System](https://bliptext.com/articles/emergency-alert-system) in the Nashville, Tennessee operational area.","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T07:25:12.467Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T07:25:12.467Z","search_vector":"'fm':3 'wsix':2 'wsix-fm':1","search_content":" \n \n**Name:** WSIX-FM \n**City:** [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee) \n**Area:** [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee) \n**Branding:** The Big 98 WSIX \n**Frequency:** 97.9 [MHz](https://bliptext.com/articles/megahertz) \n**Airdate:** 1948 \n**Format:** [Country](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music) \n**Subchannels:** HD2: [Talk](https://bliptext.com/articles/talk-radio) ([WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac) simulcast) HD3: \"The Big Legend\" ([Classic country](https://bliptext.com/articles/classic-country)) \n**Erp:** 100,000 [watts](https://bliptext.com/articles/watt) \n**Haat:** 349 meters \n**Class:** C0 \n**Facility Id:** 59815 \n**Callsign Meaning:** From **** 6 ****38 Tire Company in [Springfield](https://bliptext.com/articles/springfield-tennessee), original home of WSIX (AM) (**** 6 ****38 was the store's address, \"** W **here ** S **ervice ** I **s E** X **cellent\" its slogan) \n**Coordinates:** 36.04722°N, -86.83°W \n**Owner:** [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia) \n**Licensee:** iHM Licenses, LLC \n**Affiliations:** [Premiere Networks](https://bliptext.com/articles/premiere-networks) \n**Sister Stations:** [WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac), [WNRQ](https://bliptext.com/articles/wnrq), [WRVW](https://bliptext.com/articles/wrvw), [WUBT](https://bliptext.com/articles/wubt) \n**Webcast:** [[Listen Live](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined)](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) HD3: [[Listen Live](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined)](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Website:** [thebig98.iheart.com](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) HD3: [thebiglegend983.iheart.com](https://bliptext.com/articles/undefined) \n**Licensing Authority:** [FCC](https://bliptext.com/articles/federal-communications-commission) \n \n\n# \n**WSIX-FM** (97.9 [MHz](https://bliptext.com/articles/hertz), \"The Big 98\") is a [radio station](https://bliptext.com/articles/radio-station) [licensed](https://bliptext.com/articles/city-of-license) to serve [Nashville, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-tennessee).\nOwned by [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia), the station broadcasts a [country music](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music) format.\nWSIX's studios are located in Nashville's [Music Row](https://bliptext.com/articles/music-row) district and the transmitter site is in [Forest Hills, Tennessee](https://bliptext.com/articles/forest-hills-tennessee).\n\n# History\n\n## Countrypolitan\nOriginally the sister station of a similarly-styled [AM](https://bliptext.com/articles/am-radio) station (now [WYFN](https://bliptext.com/articles/wyfn) which simulcasts the [Bible Broadcasting Network](https://bliptext.com/articles/bible-broadcasting-network)'s religious programming), WSIX-FM is credited with pioneering the \"countrypolitan\" \"[Nashville sound](https://bliptext.com/articles/nashville-sound)\" of country music, which developed in the 1960s.\n[Violins](https://bliptext.com/articles/violin) and other stringed instruments (and occasionally horns) were added to the traditionally [fiddle](https://bliptext.com/articles/fiddle)- and [guitar](https://bliptext.com/articles/guitar)-driven sound of [country music](https://bliptext.com/articles/country-music).\nDuring those years (beginning in 1967 until the late 1970s) WSIX-FM used the slogan \"We're metropolitan country.\"\nAs such, WSIX-FM became one of the first successful country-format stations on the FM dial in the U.S., as country music formats were typically found on AM stations until well into the early 1980s.\n# [Legendary Big 98 logo used from the 1980s to August 2011 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/WSIX.png]\n\n## The Big 98 Era\nIn 1983, then-owners [General Electric](https://bliptext.com/articles/general-electric) sold the AM and FM stations, along with WNGE-TV (now [WKRN-TV](https://bliptext.com/articles/wkrn-tv)), to other interests.\nAround that time, the stations were simulcast and the format turned to a more straightforward country sound (i.e., [honkey tonk](https://bliptext.com/articles/honkey-tonk) and \"[Outlaw.](https://bliptext.com/articles/outlaw-country)\")\n\n## XM simulcast\nFrom May 1, 2006 to August 8, 2008, WSIX-FM was simulcast on [XM Satellite Radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/xm-satellite-radio) (channel 161).\nThe satellite feed included commercials.\nA song that was not on the station's playlist at the moment would play during commercial breaks as well.\nAfter a leave of absence, on June 8, 2011, WSIX-FM returned to the XM platform, replacing \"Nashville\" on XM 57.\nStation owner Clear Channel Communications (now [iHeartMedia](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartmedia)) sold off its ownership stake in [Sirius XM Radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/sirius-xm-radio) during the second quarter of fiscal year 2013.\nAs a result of the sale, nine of Clear Channel's eleven XM stations, including the simulcast of WSIX-FM, ceased broadcast over XM Satellite Radio on October 18, 2013.\n\n## HD Radio\nWSIX-FMHD2 launched with a new country format, branded as WSIXtra and later The Nashville Channel.\nIn August 2014, it was replaced by No Shoes Radio, which featured a freeform format curated and hosted by country musician [Kenny Chesney](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenny-chesney).\nIt was also available nationally on [iHeartRadio](https://bliptext.com/articles/iheartradio) and sister station [KNIX-FM](https://bliptext.com/articles/knix-fm).\nIn March 2016, it was announced that the channel would move exclusively to [SiriusXM](https://bliptext.com/articles/siriusxm) on April 12.\nOn April 1, 2016, the channel was replaced by The Bobby Bones Top 30 Countdown.\nOn September 2, 2016, WSIX-FMHD2 relaunched as the [classic country](https://bliptext.com/articles/classic-country) station 98.3 The Big Legend, simulcasting on translator station 98.3 W252CM, On September 21, 2018, the subchannel and translator flipped to a simulcast of [talk radio](https://bliptext.com/articles/talk-radio) [WLAC](https://bliptext.com/articles/wlac).\nThe Big Legend is currently heard on the HD3 subchannel.\n\n# Emergency Alert System\nWSIX is the Local Primary 1 (LP1) station for the [Emergency Alert System](https://bliptext.com/articles/emergency-alert-system) in the Nashville, Tennessee operational area.","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}