WGRD-FM

WGRD-FM (97.9 FM) is an active rock radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.

WGRD-FM is the flagship station of The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show, a comedy/talk program, on weekday mornings. It consists of five members: Greg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels, Eric Zane, Joe "Producer Joe" Gasmann, Jr, and Steve McKiernan. The show is now syndicated in 16 markets throughout the eastern United States.

WGRD is heard as far South as Kalamazoo/Portage/Battle Creek, as far North as Reed City, Michigan, and as far East as Grand Ledge, Michigan, and occasionally heard as far West as Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Top 40 Era

97.9 FM began as WXTO, a station owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids and operated by Aquinas College; later, the owners of Top 40 music stations WGRD-AM 1410 in Grand Rapids and WTRU-AM 1600 Muskegon (Regional Broadcasters, Inc.) took full control of the station in 1971 and changed its call letters to WGRD-FM. The station's transmitter would remain on the Aquinas College campus until 1974.