at 3126 Jasmine Road, was built in the early 1960s by William J. “Bill” Brennan, one of the owners of The Big Bam, Montgomery’s renowned 50,000-watt radio station.  The Brennan Brothers were radio broadcast innovators of the 1950s and 60s, when they owned and operated powerhouse stations in Jacksonville, Chattanooga, and Birmingham, as well as Montgomery. There was Bill Brennan, whose business acumen and technical genius made him leader; Dan who was program director and had air talent; and Cyril, who was the engineer. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740, and it boasted a 750-foot tower hand-built by the Brennans. The Bam was known for its mixture of gospel, country, pop and Rock, and it reached much of three states during daylight hours. But unlike the big 50k “clear channel” stations in New Orleans, Cincinnati, Chicago and a few other big cities, WBAM had to drop its power at dusk each day; at which time it always signed off with the playing of “Dixie”.

-Charles Humphries