WALT got off to a wild and "Wooley" start as a Top 40 station.

Previously a middle-of-the road outlet, the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg station switched to Top 40 in December 1958 by playing Sheb Wooley's "Purple People Eater" over and over again. The next day listeners were introduced to
the "New WALT", which held its own against rival WLCY despite the handicap of being only a dawn-to-dusk operation.

Future CHUM, CKFH and KEY-590 jock John Rode was among the many to work at WALT during its decade-long life as a hit music outlet. After a brief switch to an MOR-style format in 1968, the station flipped to country as WQYK in 1970.

Enjoy Johnny Walker on WALT (UNSCOPED) here.

(The Joe Fazio Collection)
 

More 1967 airchecks here!