Draft:WKLR-FM
Submission declined on 21 June 2025 by DoubleGrazing (talk). This submission is not adequately supported by reliable sources. Reliable sources are required so that information can be verified. If you need help with referencing, please see Referencing for beginners and Citing sources. This draft's references do not show that the subject qualifies for a Wikipedia article. In summary, the draft needs multiple published sources that are:
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
| ![]() |
WKLR-FM was a pioneering soul and R&B formatted FM radio station based in Toledo, Ohio, that operated during the late 1960s on 99.9 MHz. Branded as KOOLER Radio and later Super Soul KLR, it was Toledo’s first full-time urban contemporary FM station, designed to serve the city’s African-American and progressive music audiences.
WKLR-FM played a key cultural role during the civil rights era by offering around-the-clock broadcasts of soul, funk and jazz at a time when Black voices and music were largely underrepresented on FM radio.
History
[edit]WKLR-FM began as the FM counterpart of WTOD (AM), both operated by Booth American Broadcasting. It officially launched a new soul format in 1966 under general manager Robert Martz and was located at 3225 Arlington Avenue, sharing facilities with WTOD-AM."Legal Notice: WTOD/WKLR License". The Toledo Blade. July 19, 1967. p. 52.
An early promotional ad described the format as “24 Hours of Super Sonic Soul,” featuring artists like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Temptations and Otis Redding."WKLR 999 FM Soul Survey – July 1, 1968". Las-Solanas.com. Retrieved June 20, 2025 from https://las-solanas.com/arsa/surveys_item.php?sv=17603
Popular on-air personalities included Calvin "Baby" Richards, Chuckie Chuck Welch, and Mark Lawrence Vosko (billed as "Motivating Mark Lawrence"). Other WKLR DJs such as Russ Charles, Ty Amos, and Rita Mur-Ray hosted their own shows in 1967 and 1968.
A devastating fire in March 1968 destroyed the shared WTOD/WKLR facilities, briefly knocking both stations off the air."$75,000 Fire Gags 2 Stations". The Toledo Blade. March 18, 1968. p. 17. Though KOOLER Radio returned, it struggled to reclaim its previous audience and advertising support in a rapidly shifting radio landscape.
Transition to WKKO
[edit]In the early 1980s, Booth American repurposed the 99.9 MHz frequency for country music as "K100." The FCC formally changed the call sign from WKLR to WKKO in 1986."WKLR Becomes WKKO". The Toledo Blade. March 7, 1986. p. 33.
Legacy
[edit]WKLR-FM is remembered as Toledo’s earliest FM soul station and a cultural landmark that gave voice to Black music, DJs and community life in the pre-syndicated radio era. Its legacy is preserved in public library archives, aircheck recordings and retrospective journalism.
The Toledo Lucas County Public Library features WKLR in its 2021 retrospective "A Week of African American Music History.""A Week of African American Music History". Toledo Library Blog. February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2025 from https://www.toledolibrary.org/blog/a-week-of-african-american-music-history
Veteran DJ Chuckie Chuck Welch’s career is profiled in the Sojourner’s Truth: "Chucky Chuck: The Voice of the Juice". Retrieved June 20, 2025.
Archival WKLR audio playlists are hosted on Mixcloud ("The Big Soul Rocker") and SoundCloud ("WKLR Soul Archives"). Retrieved June 20, 2025.
References
[edit]External links
[edit]WKLR July 1968 Soul Survey at Las-Solanas
Sojourner’s Truth – Chucky Chuck Profile
Markie Mach (talk) 03:28, 21 June 2025 (UTC)