Classix 102.9 will be shifting its format starting Saturday by adding Southern soul to its existing R&B songs from the late 1970s through the 1990s.
Southern soul is a combination of styles including blues, country, R&B and gospel that came from the sounds of Southern Black churches. It will encompass about 15% of the playlist, according to Derek Harper, operations manager at Radio One Atlanta.
Core Southern soul artists include King George, Tucka, Sir Charles Jones and Calvin Richardson.
“It’s an evolution of the Delta blues,” Harper said. “It has evolved over the decades. In Southern markets, it’s definitely been a mainstay.”
Classix program director Tony Richards called Southern soul “a natural fit for our audience. It has the same feel as classic R&B. Real music with real stories. It’s a growing genre with passionate fans and I’m excited that we can give them a platform to hear their favorite artists while introducing listeners to the sound.”
Steve Hegwood, who runs R&B/hip-hop Streetz 94.5, recently launched the Vibe on FM 87.7 which features Southern Soul.
Harper said Radio One management started talking about shifting the format last fall before the arrival of Vibe, but upper management changes at Radio One delayed the decision.
Classix debuted in 2017 and has skewed its music older than Kiss 104.1 and Majic 107.5./97.5, which is also owned by Radio One. It became the home for the syndicated Rickey Smiley morning show in 2021 after he moved from R&B/hip-hop station Hot 107.9, another Radio One station.
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