WHKY Information

WHKY Radio was the first radio station between Charlotte and Asheville North Carolina and is the oldest independent radio station in the United States that is still owned and operated by the founding family. Ed Long broke ground for a new radio station in 1939. During WWII, getting equipment was difficult so he broke ground with a mule and a plow. His determination paid off and WHKY Radio signed on June 10, 1940 and transmits on 1290 AM and 102.3 FM. Over the years, our station has been visited by many notable people, including President Ronald Regan. Always striving to be first, WHKY was a charter member of the Rush Limbaugh show and even hosted a live broadcast from our studio. WHKY has been a part of the local history and has become an integral part of the community. Our morning talk show brings the community to your breakfast table. As you start the day with your first cup of coffee, we give you a moment with your community leaders, aspiring young college students, volunteer organizations, and local authors. These neighbors inspire us with their latest venture, event, or masterpiece, and all of a sudden the larger world fades away and you are in your hometown having coffee and learning more about what makes our region so amazing. We understand Hickory and the surrounding area because, like our community, we started here with a vision of what could be. We have grown with the Hickory Metro over the generations. We are your neighbor. We are the folks sitting next to you at the Crawdad's game or at the Hickory Motor Speedway. We are proud to be a part of what Ed Long started as a service to Hickory. The torch has been passed for four generations of the Long family. We are honored to call you neighbor and are grateful for your support for over 83 years and in the years to come.