WYMX: From Max 99 to Bob FM


















"The Delta's Classic Rock Station," Max 99.1 is no longer. Ontario's own "We Play Anything" Bob FM is now the new kid in town.

For decades, WYMX has been a long-standing staple of constant commercialized music in the Mississippi Delta. Local advertisers have shelled out countless millions over the years for the chance to sneak a spot into the "Lunchtime Oldies" segment or between the pages of "Paul Harvey News and Comments."

In turn, many a Greenwoodian has seen the Max 99 van and tent outside a local business broadcasting live for some fundraiser or grand-opening. The once locally-owned station has sponsored festivals, races, concerts, balls, productions and teams.

But over the course of time, familiar voices such as Kristy Alford and Wes Sterling have all but disappeared, being replaced by yankee-sounding fellows who don't know their ass from their elbow when it comes to Greenwood, Mississippi. The days of calling in to request your favorite song are all but a distant memory.

To add insult to injury, our beloved Max 99 recently changed formats again, this time to CHUM Limited, a Toronto, Ontario owned company that plays under the Bob FM name and format. With the slogan "We Play Anything," Bob put a twelve-inch dagger into the ears of all classic rock lovers across the Delta.

The unveiling of the new format has come as a surprise to many due to the intriguing advertising campaign they unleashed in the local paper and on the former Max 99. The claims of "Bob is coming to town!" or "Bob has been spotted in Oklahoma and is headed your way!" caused many to ponder, "Who the hell is Bob and why is he coming to Greenwood?"

Well, it turns out that Bob is just some nut-hatch who sits around the radio station all day and plays whatever song he feels like playing at the moment. It could be disco, Donna Summer or Dave Matthews...funk, Foreigner or Fleetwood Mac. Whatever crazy ol' Bob is in the mood for at that particular time in his life...

Although they still play some classic rock tunes, you have to listen extra-hard because now they are sandwiched between Sugar Ray's "Every Morning" and Lou Bega's "Mambo No. 5." I'm just thankful I haven't heard "The Macarena" or Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" yet.

In the meantime, I will be listening to see if those Canadians are going to play the kind of music we like to hear over 1,100 miles away in Greenwood, Mississippi. And I will be looking at the fronts of kids' sports jerseys to see if Bob FM is sponsoring any local soccer or little league teams. I will also be scouring the road and sidewalks for a sighting of the Bob FM van and tent.

Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned scenarios are seemingly doubtful.

Comments

Thomas Gregory said…
Kevin,

Thanks for your update. I appreciate your kind-hearted approach to the corrections. In the meantime, please remember that this blog is an opinion site and if I don't like the new format over the old, it is my perogative to post how I feel. In review of my post, the only factual information I got wrong was when I said the station was sold to CHUM, when in reality it just changed formats to the Ontario-based company (I have made the change on the post). The rest, including that WYMX is not a locally owned company, is true. TeleSouth is a Jackson company, not a Greenwood company. As for the songs played and the genres listed, I chose songs that I had actually heard BOB play on 99.1. So while I do appreciate your opinion, kindly remember that the post was primarily my opinion mixed with some factual information and that is what my readers come here to see. Hope to see BOB at the soccer fields in the near future!

Thanks,
Thomas Gregory
9:43 AM
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