Black Mountain is on the air with ‘The Bear’
station brings classic country and traditional small town radio to the Swannanoa Valley
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 3, 2023
Jewel Groger will make her radio debut in Black Mountain in mid-March, with the launch of “The Bear 96.1 FM & 1350 AM Real Country.” The live local radio show will broadcast from the Town Hardware & General Store Studios in the center of town. Photo by Fred McCormick
It would be nearly impossible to get any closer to the heart of Black Mountain than in the seat Jewel Groger will occupy, between 7 - 10 a.m., every Monday through Friday. Overlooking Town Square, sitting behind the iconic bust of Elvis Presley in the newly christened Town Hardware & General Store Studios is an ideal location when you’re launching a radio show with a mission to become the “voice of the Swannanoa Valley.”
That’s exactly what the morning host, and the rest of the team from Signal Hill Media Partners, will do later this month, as The Bear 96.1 FM & 1350 AM brings “real country” and live local radio to the mountain airwaves.
The Statesville-based broadcasting company, founded by veteran radio personality Billy Blevins who acquired WAME 92.9 FM & 550 AM in 2015, is embracing its Western N.C. expansion.
“We’re not moving our Statesville operation to Black Mountain, but we’re bringing the local formula we’ve established on our station there to town,” said Blevins, known to his listeners as Billy Buck. “We want to be the voice of this area, so it was important that we have someone doing a show right here.”
Blevins will continue hosting The Billy Buck Morning Show on WAME in his hometown, but the media company quickly committed to establishing a presence in the mountains. He turned to Groger, a trained voiceover actress and small business owner who will make her radio debut in Black Mountain.
“I love local-centric stuff, so I enjoy going to events, pop-up markets or talking to other local business owners,” said Groger, who moved to WNC in 2019. “I’m really excited to get more involved in the community here, so far it seems like a cool place with a lot of great people.”
The interactive radio show will announce local birthdays, take requests, host contests and preview area events, offering an energetic and hyper-local platform that connects with listeners, according to Blevins.
“What I always say about our station in Statesville is it’s the only radio station you’re going to hear about our local restaurants, find out where the quilt show is or hear about a church cookie sale coming up this weekend,” he said. “The community just floods the email, social media or website with all kinds of events, and that’s what we’re going to do here.”
The Black Mountain station, which recently held a social media campaign allowing the public to name its mascot, Buckshot the Bear, will strike a nostalgic chord with the community, Groger said.
“I love that old school feel, where you can call in, make a request, and be part of the show,” she said. “We really want to get the local businesses involved and bring something amazing to Black Mountain, Swannanoa and the surrounding areas.”
Radio broadcasting isn’t new in the Valley, where the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association began operating a station at the former Black Mountain-Asheville Airport in the early 1960s. That station, now The Light FM, currently broadcasts from The Cove. In the early 2000s, another local radio show, hosted by longtime broadcaster and writer Matt Mittan, current owner of Asheville-based BizRadio and co-owner of Buzz Radio, broadcasted daily from a small studio on Charlotte Street.
“We feel like there is an opportunity to build something here that enhances the local sense of community,” Blevins said of The Bear. “Way back, your broadcast license used to say you were to serve as a public trustee, the voice of that community. You were granted a license to operate in the public interest, not just play music and commercials, and that’s why we’re here. We’re here for a reason, and we’re excited about that.”
The Black Mountain station, which will broadcast around the clock, daily, plans to launch its local programming in mid-March.
“I think the interpersonal connection we’re bringing here is something people crave these days,” said Groger, adding she was looking forward to hearing from locals on the show. “It’s common for people to want to go back in time a little bit, and find ways to create a sense of community they experienced in the past. Local radio is a great way to do it.”
Find out more about The Bear 96.1 FM & 1350 AM Real Country at 961thebear.com or on the 96.1 The Bear Facebook page.