The Forgotten Voice of Louisa

By Greg Fugitt

In the town of Louisa, Kentucky, there once stood a radio station that brought music, news, and a sense of community to the people of Lawrence County. WVKY Radio Station was more than just a frequency on the dial, it was the heartbeat of the town, a voice that echoed through the hollers and into the homes of its loyal listeners.

Founded in 1970, WVKY 1270 AM began as a humble broadcasting station, offering a mix of country, bluegrass, and gospel music. It became a trusted source for local news, high school sports, and church services, filling the airwaves with familiar voices and hometown pride. Farmers relied on the station for weather reports, while truckers and coal miners tuned in for the latest news.

As the years went on, WVKY adapted to the changing media landscape. The station hosted live call-in shows where locals could discuss everything from politics to lost dogs. DJs became local celebrities, their voices as recognizable as old friends such as Jim Bradley, Allen “Cassey” Kelly, Bobby Kise and Dana Lyons were among a few along with the station secretary, Lavern Boyd. From Sunday gospel programs to country classics, WVKY was always there steady as the hills that surrounded it.

Like many small-town AM stations, WVKY struggled to keep up with the rise of FM radio and cable television. Advertising dollars shrank and younger audiences gravitated toward other platforms. Ownership changed hands a few times, with each new operator attempting to revive its former glory.

By the 90’s, the writing was on the wall. Broadcast power was reduced, programming became sporadic, and longtime listeners noticed more dead air than music. Eventually, the station fell silent in 1996. The call letters WVKY disappeared from the FCC’s registry, and just like that, the voice of Louisa was gone until it was assigned by the FCC to Aloha Station Trust LLC to Southern Belle LLC, on Jan. 12, 2012.

WVKY 101.7 FM radio station is now licensed to operate in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and serving eastern portions of the Louisville metropolitan area. The station is owned by CapCity Communications under the licensee Southern Belle. It airs a country music radio format, like the good ole’ days in Louisa, which is simulcast on 104.9 WFKY in Frankfort. The station calls itself “Froggy 101.7 and 104.9,” using a frog as its mascot.

I personally have added “Froggy Radio” to my “Alexia” device. Now when I’m working around the house, I can still hear those familiar call letters WVKY once again come across the airwaves and send me back in time.