SXM CH 69 Escape

[Turkeytop]

When I first subscribed, the Escape channel was a real disappointment. I expected it to be like the old "Beautiful Music" format that was the staple for FM radio back in the 60s and 70s.

Instead, it was mostly unknown artists performing bland arrangements of what otherwise was decent music. I had it on in the car tonight and it has improved. They had some of the great music from some of the big names that were around back then. Bet Kaenpfert, James Last, Al Hirt , George Shearing Henry Mancini etc.

They even played Nelson Riddle's Theme From Route 66.

I'll be putting it on more often.

[Turkeytop]

Had it on for a while today. Yeh, it's still pretty lame. Sounds a lot like Muzak.

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

I am usually never listening to that range. I thought channel 69 was Spa in fact. My mom loved listening to that station when she had XM.

[Turkeytop]

It could be better if they'd only try.

[matt1]

NOT quite as great as "Beautiful 102" WGER back then in Saginaw, MI (102.5 FM) in the 70's till September of 1986!!! John Doremus R.I.P.

[ChrisWL1980]

My personal choice for Beautiful Music is the KLUX (Corpus Christi TX) web stream. They do pretty well - ninth place among subscribing stations in the Fall 2020 Nielsens with a 2.8, and have been as high as a 4.0 recently.

WGCY in Gibson City IL is a real throwback too, lots of obscure MOR album cuts mixed in with the instrumentals, like the Connie Francis version of "The Last Waltz," along with a few MOR/AC chart oldies, such as Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" and Jimmie Rodgers' "Child of Clay" (the pop singer from the '50s and '60s, not the country singer from the '20s and '30s).

Gerity (owners of WGER) also signed on WQTE in Adrian as a beautiful station in the mid-'70s. "Beautiful Cutie."

[Turkeytop]

Web streaming is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining.

[ChrisWL1980]

Web streaming is no more like radio than intravenous feeding is like fine dining.

Beggars (who don't have the money to shill out for satellite radio) can't be choosers.

[WOHO]

When Bonneville's Marlin Taylor radio Escape for XM, he had 'the formula' and a music library of over 4000 songs. Some unseasoned person was running it for a while after Marlin retired and the merger from hell, but I have noticed recently a bit more Kaempfert, Al Hirt and Nelson Riddle. They just need to add some Henry Mancini and Ferrante and Teicher and they would be headed the right direction again.

ChrisWL1980- I concur, KLUX-89.5 is one of the few broadcast stations that actually have a decent beautiful/EZ format on the air, and they actually garner half-way decent ratings in Corpus Christi, and have live mornings and have even taken a request or two. Since KLUX is not a 50KW clear channel AM, it's not likely I'll ever get them over the air, so for now, streaming is the only way to hear them up here.

[paul8539]

Are there any stations now that have the beautiful music format over the air?

[matt1]

Especially in the United States alone???

[ChrisWL1980]

Are there any stations now that have the beautiful music format over the air?

A few that come to mind aside from the aforementioned KLUX and WGCY:
KAHM 102.1 FM Prescott AZ
KHOY 88.1 FM Laredo TX (mix of B/EZ and Catholic programming in both English and Spanish - an instrumental of David Gates' "Goodbye Girl" is playing as I type this)
KNCT 91.3 FM Killeen/Temple TX (playing as I type this: an instrumental cover of Champaign's "How Bout Us")
KWXY 1340 AM/92.3 FM translator Palm Springs CA (mix of B/EZ and Standards)
WEMP 98.9 FM Two Rivers WI

A Radio-Locator search will bring up some more examples, along with some that are more accurately classed as Soft AC, Soft Oldies or Standards. For example, KBVA Lite 106.5 in Bella Vista AR is listed as Easy Listening, but they actually play a varied mix of Soft AC and Oldies with a few standards and even the occasional hymn. One of the more interesting music mixes I've come across... one could hear Pharrell Williams and Connie Francis played in the same hour.

[ZenithCKLW]

While traveling near Manistee, I caught WEMP-FM and liked the programming. Not sure if that signal is typically received on that side of the lake since I'm from SE Michigan. I was happy when they started broadcasting online, and I tune in every now and then.

[ChrisWL1980]

While traveling near Manistee, I caught WEMP-FM and liked the programming. Not sure if that signal is typically received on that side of the lake since I'm from SE Michigan. I was happy when they started broadcasting online, and I tune in every now and then.

From my experience it does not seem to be one of the stronger NE WI signals in the area like a WIXX, a WDOR, a WAPL etc. But it is almost always there. ftballfan, who lives in that neck of the woods, would know better.
If my memory serves me correctly, WEMP simulcast on the AM 1530 signal out of New Holstein for a time, when the two were co-owned. That station is now True Oldies as WLAK (coincidentally the call sign of a former B/EZ station in Chicago, which is now Lite FM WLIT).

[paul8539]

Chris: Any here in Michigan?