On Monday, February 5th, 1973, WABB began broadcasting at 97.5 megahertz with the song “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” by Bob Dylan. Since not many automobile drivers had FM radio receivers installed in 1973, WABB broadcast a series of advertisements promoting their installation.
In 1975, Robert Scott Griffith was hired by WABB for the position of radio announcer. He went by the pseudonym (nickname) of "Scott O'Brien" for his radio listeners.
Robert Griffith had been involved in radio since he was an adolescent child working for his papa Don Griffith before working for WXIT-AM 1490 in Charleston, West Virginia, followed by WGAF-AM 910 in Valdosta, Georgia, where he was a director of programming, and WRBQ-FM 104.7 in Tampa Bay, Florida since December 1973, when he had an announcing shift from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM (WXIT-AM became WCZR-AM on Thursday, May 10th, 1990 and WSWW-AM on Friday, August 22nd, 1997).
In 1976, Robert Griffith recommended his brother Dave Griffith to Bernard Dittman for a open position at WABB in which he could be a radio announcer full time. After Dave Griffith was approved for the position, Barry Silverman, another announcer for WABB, hired him for an announcing shift after noon. Barry Silverman went by the pseudonym of "Gary Mitchell" while Dave Griffith went by the pseudonym of "Dave the Race!".
Shortly after Dave Griffith was hired, Robert Griffith recommended his brother John Griffith for another announcer position. Bernard Dittman was unsure about having three brothers on his staff before approving John Griffith, who chose to be called “Uncle Bob” on the radio. All three Griffith brothers took shifts on WABB-AM between 12:00 PM and 12:00 AM for years.
In 1980, Robert Griffith left WABB for WKRG-FM, which was using the contemporary hit music format just like WABB (WKRG-FM became WKRD-FM on Monday, September 12th, 1994, and WMXC-FM on Monday, October 3rd, 1994). Dave Griffith left Mobile for San Antonio, Texas, and John Griffith left Mobile for Jacksonville, Florida.
(see part one, part two, part four, part five, part six, part seven, part eight, part nine, and part ten)
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