WWMI

WWMI (AM 1380) is a radio station broadcasting a Business Talk format. Licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, the station serves the Tampa Bay Area. The station is owned by Salem Media Group.

History

Brothers Joe, Sam, and Farris Rahall bought the city's Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate, WTSP-AM 1380 and its FM, 102.5, from the St. Petersburg Times in 1956. Not interested in pursuing FM, they shut it down a year later. On July 15, 1959, the AM's call letters and format switched to WLCY ("Radio Elsie") and Top 40.

For many years, WLCY-AM was the Tampa Bay area’s premiere rock and roll station, with offices, studios, and transmitter in the previous WTSP facility on Gandy Boulevard near 4th Street North.

The disc jockeys during the era were known as "The Swingin' Gentlemen" and included "Stanley Steamer" Jim Stanley (mornings), Johnny Dart (Stan Grams), Rick Morgan, Mark Wheeler, "Shy Guy" Roy Nilson (also the Program Director), Al Dunaway, "Swingin' Sweeney," Johnny Rebel (Herb Hunt), George Nix, Jack E. Rabbitt, Dick Stambaugh (later Dick Starr in Miami), Tedd Webb, Bob Tracey, "Big Daddy" Don Owens, Pepper Lipsinx (James Wayman), Frank Lynn, Kenny Parks, Bob Collins, Bob Cannon, (Clande Miranda), Jeff Laurence, Johnny Stevens, Dave Archard, Bob Carr, D.J. O'Day, Rock Robbins (Bob Bernstein), Murph McHenry, Al Summers, Jack Kane, Bobby Lyons, Dean Drapin, Ron Parker, Dutch Walker, Wade West, Jim Clark, Johnny Byrd (Dennis Waters), Daylon Rushing, Mike Scott (Jim Shirah) and Lolita (Dottie Groven).