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Over the last few years, Birmingham radio stations have been switching dials and/or changing formats. I can remember when The X was on the radio. It changed dials a few times over the years, then finally left the airwaves for good about a year ago. It was replaced by sports talk radio. Now, another radio station has appeared on Birmingham airwaves, and I love the sounds of it. I just hope Birmingham listeners and the radio station owner will give it a chance.

The main reason why I listened to The X was because I discovered a show that aired on the station called Reg’s Coffee House. The X was considered a rock station and Reg’s show was called “the softer side of the X.”  The music played on this show was considered alternative rock, but it was more than this. It was just a DJ (Scott Register a.ka. Reg) who loved music and played artist that he enjoyed, some vets of the music industry, some newcomers. What I like about Reg’s show was that it was music that I didn’t really hear on any other station in Birmingham. He was playing music by artist like John Mayer, Maroon 5, Amy Winhouse, and Augustana  months and often years before the pop/”mainstream” radio stations in Birmingham even gave them a chance. When The X left the air, so did Reg’s show, at least for a while. He still had his website, where he introduced his listeners to talented artist and music he thought they would enjoy. I was glad when Reg found another radio station, 94.5. This station had a similar format for years, yet in August of this year, the format changed and sports talk radio took it’s place. I believe it was the same broadcast that took over The X. Anyway, it is only because I am such a dedicated fan of Reg’s Coffee House that I even knew about this new station,100.5 Live. Reg announced, on his website that he had found another home, after having to leave  94.5. He informed his loyal listeners to listen to him on a Friday, and he would do his show and announce the format of the new radio station he was now on at 10:05 a.m. that day.

Reg called the new format “modern music.” Honestly, I don’t quite know what that means, but I really have been enjoying the music this radio station has been playing. Reg was the perfect person to announce the format, because the kind of music this station plays is a perfect fit for Reg’s Coffee House. The music played is an infusion of veteran musicians, and newcomers, older music and new music. You can hear artist like Bruce Springstein and Colby Calais played on the same station. I guess that this kind of music would still be considered alternative rock, but I wouldn’t be so quick to categories it, or let this categorization deter you from giving this station a listen. Now Birmingham listeners have the opportunity to hear artist that other radio stations aren’t playing, or music that other radio stations may not play. It’s nice to know that the kind of music played on my favorite radio show, will no longer be relegated to one day a week, for 4hours, on a Sunday.

Don’t get me wrong, I love music and I enjoy listening to all kinds of music, but 100.5 is unlike any radio station in Birmingham. After changing the dial to the numerous radio stations that seem only to cater to the popular, familiar artist, it’s nice to have a station that takes a chance on new artist. I’m glad that more listeners will have the opportunity to discover the music of artist like Ray LaMontagne and Matthew Perryman Jones. The kind of music played on 100.5 might even sound familiar to some listeners. Like some of the artists on Reg’s Coffee House, some of these artist’s music have been heard on television shows like “Grey’s Anatomy. They may also be heard on commercials. Even if you don’t think you would like this new radio station, give it a try, break the monotony of all the other radio stations in Birmingham and give this station and/or shows like “Reg’s Coffee House” the chance they deserve.Birmingham needs a radio station like this, and I’m personally glad it’s here. Now let’s hope it will stay for more than a minute.

Denise Honeycutt

Columnist

honey_deni@hotmail.com