26 Photos To Celebrate the 26th Anniversary of Q97.9

On November 1, 1996, a brand new radio station launched in Portland and 26 years later, it's still going strong thanks to you.

Prior to 1996, there was no Top 40 station in Portland. In 1991, G-98 changed its format from a Top 40 station leaving Portland without a hit music station for the first time in most of Portland radio history.

The station was bought by new owners Bob Fuller and J.J. Jeffrey, two legendary radio DJs with roots in Maine that thought it was time to make a change and bring Top 40 radio back to Portland. Meredith and I were hired and joined Mike Adams who had been working for sister station WHOM. When we launched, Meredith did the morning show with owner J.J., I was on during the mid-day, Jeremy Daniels was on at night and Mike Adams handled overnights.

This is what it sounded like back at 2 p.m. on November 1, 1996 when it all started.

In 2000, I moved to the morning show with Meredith and Lori joined about a year later. The three of us were a team for 14 years until Meredith left in 2015.

Take a listen to what Q97.9 sounded like in 1997.

So many people have had Q97.9 as a part of their lives for so many years. It's the station you grew up on and still listen to today. For that, we all thank you.

A lot has happened over the past 26 years. People have come and gone, and the music has changed, but one thing has remained the same. We've always been playing Portland's hit music and hope to for another 26 years to come.

To celebrate the 26th anniversary, I went through station photos and some photos of my own. A lot of these had to be scanned in because they were actual physical photos! But here's a look at some of the best moments of Q97.9 over the past 26 years.