Radio 97 Rock (WGRF)

WGRF is a radio station in Buffalo, New York, USA. The station's on air branding is "97 Rock". The station mostly plays Classic rock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Since 2006, the station has also aired numerous rock-leaning oldies, such as songs from The Beatles, that were displaced by the format change at sister station WHTT. WGRF broadcasts at 96.9 MHz.WGRF started as the FM sister station to WGR, under the call sign WGRQ. It signed on in 1973 (relatively late compared to most of the other FM stations in Western New York) with a top 40 format known as "Super Q," which was rare at the time for an FM station. In 1975, the station began its best-known run as an album-oriented rock station, rebranding as Q-FM-97. On January 5, 1985, however, WGRQ dumped its rock format and shifted to adult contemporary music as "Lite" WRLT, firing the entire WGRQ airstaff as well. The loss of rock music in Buffalo led to stations WHTT adopting the format in 1987, as well as the brief success of distant station WBYR in 1986. In 1988, however, WRLT change back to rock, this time to classic rock, and rehired much of the airstaff under the name "97 Rock." (By the end of the year, WHTT would change to oldies; WBYR to beautiful music.) The station has remained mostly unchanged ever since.