By Roger White

THE ROCK celebrates 9 years

Apr 11, 2017 | 12:27 PM

That inaugural clip (above) saw the launch of rock and roll in the Battlefords nine years ago today. It was 4 p.m. on Friday April 11, 2008; John Bonham of Led Zeppelin led a drum beat followed by the searing guitar of Jimmy Page — THE ROCK 93.3 was born.

“There was a need here that everyone was asking for as far as the rock genre went,” said program manager Nic Fransoo. “Everyone loves the traditional country music of CJNB and Q98’s fan base was still growing as it was just launched; there was just one piece of the puzzle missing.”

That piece was filled on that Friday afternoon in 2008 when THE ROCK hit the air playing the best in classic rock and the best new rock on the planet.

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“We said when we launched we were going to do one thing and one thing only and that was ROCK,” Fransoo added. ”We have stuck to that mantra ever since.”

Spinning the classic rock every morning for the past three years has been Ryan Rathwell, who said the station and the community of the Battlefords has been a great experience for him.

“It means so much to be able to work for a station that actually plays good music from any decade between the late 1960’s and today,” Rathwell said. “I’ll never forget the first time I came to work and was allowed to play Megadeth at 6 in the morning. You can’t do that in most places the size of North Battleford.”

As has been with all stations in the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group being a part of the community is an important part of what THE ROCK is all about. With initiatives such as the Ball Buster — which raises food and funds for the Battlefords and area food bank at Christmas — to being a part in the On-Air for Health Care Radiothon THE ROCK has proven that our community always comes first and foremost.

roger.white@jpbg.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNow