Atlanta Radio: WKHX Rebrands As New Country 101.FIVE

CUMULUS MEDIA Thursday launched Atlanta’s New Country 101.FIVE WKHX-FM.

“Dirt We Were Raised On” by quintessential Georgian, Macon’s Jason Aldean, kicked off the new station at 3:00PM, followed by songs from The Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Thomas Rhett, Sugarland, and Trisha Yearwood, talent with deep local roots, each a testament to the global influence and power of the Georgia Country music scene.

This re-imagining of New Country 101.FIVE is the culmination of outreach to -- and ideas and input from -- artists, radio experts, researchers, and fans, all engaged to create a platform to promote the music of Georgia and deliver all of the hit Country music craved by the Atlanta audience. The heritage Country station, which originally launched in 1959, had been programmed as Kicks 101.5 since 1981.

Kindcaid & Dallas

Some of the U.S.’s most popular radio personalities have been tapped to join the 101.FIVE team, including “Kincaid and Dallas” airing weekdays from 6:00AM-10:00AM, and Lucas Phelan to helm weekdays from 3:00PM-7:00PM.  Corey Dylan hosts mid-days.

Mike Moore, Program Director, New Country 101.FIVE/WKHX-FM, said: “This station is borne of the most prolific time in history for Georgia musicians. New Country 101.FIVE reflects these artists’ views and the way they see the world. Their collective sense of pride in being from Georgia forms the common ground that they share with our listeners. You’ll hear it in the station – its music, but also from the voices of the artists and listeners themselves, who share memories and stories of their lives within the New Country 101.FIVE community.”

Lucas Phelan

Brian Philips, Executive Vice President of CUMULUS MEDIA, added: “New Country 101.FIVE is the passion project of an enormous team, including internal and external creatives, writers, artists, musicians,  and music-industry friends. We hit the ground this summer, and the ‘Georgia’ idea sprang to life, as if it were meant to be, at this time and place. Cumulus is proud of the youthful fun, fire and excitement of this new station. We will work on the air and in the streets to give these hungry fans the station they are owed—made in Georgia and loved around the world.”

Sean Shannon, Vice President/Market Manager, Cumulus Atlanta, said: “Atlanta is a world class city that is surrounded by towns and cities large and small where civic pride runs as deep as the Georgia red clay. New Country 101.FIVE is a station that is committed to those communities. Not only does country music need Georgia, Georgia needs a country station rooted in these towns. New Country 101.FIVE is Georgia Loud and Georgia Proud. This is what ‘Made in Georgia’ sounds like.”