WRLT Lightning 100 Named “Station of the Year”

WRLT Lightning 100 has just been named “Station of the Year” for the 8th consecutive year at the 2023 JBE Triple A SummitFest Awards. The winner of this annual award is chosen by peers in the music industry and this year, awards were presented during a special SummitFest ceremony in Boulder, Colorado in early August. Lightning 100’s Lt. Dan Buckley was also named Program Director of the Year and Rev. Keith Coes took home Music Director of the Year.

“We have the best staff, in the best city in America. We couldn’t imagine doing this anywhere else or with anyone else. You are such an important part of what we do. Please keep listening and we’ll all keep winning” said Lt. Dan Buckley, Program Director for Lightning 100. “Special thanks as well to our fearless president, Lester Turner Jr,. who’s sole ownership and support of WRLT lets us work our dream job and make the community we live in a better place.”
At the festival, it was noted that as audiences become more fragmented, both on the dial and digitally, Lightning 100 has once again proven that they are truly powered by locals in Music City. The station does many things that are contrary to the norms in the radio programming business starting with how they select the music you hear on air. It’s a collaborative process and everyone on staff gets a vote, playing only their favorite songs with a spotlight on local, independent artists. These types of ‘think outside the box’ initiatives have made the station the best it can be.

“While I’m always thrilled to congratulate the award winners, I wish we could just give awards to everyone who works in Triple A for their dedication to local radio and artist development, said Jack Barton, founder Jack Barton Entertainment and the JBE Triple A SummitFest. “ In an era that emphasizes centralization and chasing quick results, it’s an honor to work with a group of professionals so dedicated to authenticity and hard work, who are driven by passion above all else.”

In addition to the industry awards, the JBE Triple A SummitFest also included performances by dozens of artists including Lukas Nelson, Brandy Clark, Grace Potter, Andy Frasco and The U.N. and many more. You can learn more about this festival here.