Update: Rapid City Station Goes Classic Country, Latest in Trend

For the fifth time this month, an Upper Midwest AM station with an FM translator has switched to Classic Country.

After eight days of stunting with a loop of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” Homeslice Media Group has launched “The Cowboy” on K284BA/104.7 and KKLS/920 (Rapid City).

“The Cowboy” features a morning show from market veteran Kevin Phillips, who moved over from his longtime home on sister station “93.9 The Mix” (KKMK).

KKLS’ previous News/Talk format had launched less than two years ago. It had initially included blocks of local news in the morning and afternoon, but the most recent program schedule listed only syndicated programming, and the station’s Facebook page hadn’t been updated since July.

Homeslice owns six other stations in the Black Hills, including “Kat Country” (KOUT/98.7 Rapid City) and blowtorch Farm/Country outlet KBHB/810 (Sturgis). The stations are among a half-dozen Country outlets in the Black Hills, with Classic Country also heard on Bad Lands Broadcasting’s “True Country 99.5” (KRKI Keystone-Rapid City).

“The Cowboy” is the fourth Classic Country format to launch in the Upper Midwest since Jan. 1, with others in Aberdeen/Redfield (two stations), Jackson (MN), and Tomah (WI).

Here’s a sample of the stunting that had begun Jan. 13 on KKLS, which featured a lyric from a Classic Country song between each airing of “Old Town Road.”