MUSKOGEE, Okla. — The KTFX Okie Country 101.7 radio station in Muskogee is looking to be temporarily rehomed after the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame undergoes renovations soon.
The museum and music hall received $2.4 million in state funding to renovate the space and further boost tourism.
"We’re getting a large update which will allow us to be more competitive as a venue for a lot of things," said Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Executive Director Tony Corbell.
But in getting the grant it required the museum and the local country music radio station to leave temporarily.
While the museum has a space at the nearby Muskogee Civic Center, the radio station is still searching.
"We just moved in here to the Music Hall of Fame about a year and a half and that’s why this situation, it was so completely unexpected to us that we’re not exactly sure what we’re going to do and what’s going to happen the first of the year," said Morning Show Host Ron Stevens.
It's been on his mind as the moveout date gets closer. He sent 2 News an email explaining the issue.
KTFX radio has been around forever. It has a huge history, especially in the Muskogee area," said
Stevens.
He hopes someone from their musical past will help them with their broadcasting future.
"Well, there is a history with legendary Reba McEntire back in 1981, KTFX hosted a concert where Reba opened up for George Jones, now this was right before she went mainstream," Stevens said.
He said Garth Brooks was also a friend of the station's former owner, and his music was playing first on their airwaves.
While forced to look for a new space, they will be welcomed back to the museum in a new broadcasting studio once the renovations are finished.
"We are building them a state-of-the-art studio for them to come back to that will be pretty special I think," said Corbell.
The renovations are supposed to start in early 2025, so the radio station is holstering its microphones and packing its bags, hoping to find a space that will accommodate them.
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