In 1989 Rev. Wade Huntley learned that WBBO, a station where he had purchased broadcast time for many years was being offered for sale. Brother Wade was pastor of the Holly Springs Baptist Church in Rutherfordton, and one Wednesday night he mentioned to some of the men of the church that the station was up for sale. They said “Let’s go buy it.” Preacher Wade said they discussed it a bit and he left not giving it a lot more thought. During the night Preacher Wade woke up and he sat straight up in bed. Cleo, his wife, asked what was wrong. He said “Honey, we are going to have to buy that radio station.” Cleo responded, “Don’t get involved in something else.” Shortly thereafter the church began discussing the possibility of buying and operating it as an outreach ministry.

The church went forward in purchasing the radio station. During a prayer service Preacher Wade had church members write down possibilities for new call letters for the station on note cards. Mr. Jerry Reid wrote down “WWOL” standing for “Wonderful Words Of Life”. These new call letters were adopted and approved by the FCC, and the purchase was completed. Following improvements and renovations, WWOL began broadcasting on April 1, 1990 as a 1000 watt gospel radio station.

In December, 1994 WWOL increased power to 10,000 watts. Approval for this type of increase was historically rare for a sun up to sundown station. While discussing this power increase, one of the lawyers involved in the process told Brother Wade, “I believe divinity is at work here – it was approved.”

Listeners are scattered throughout Western N.C. and Upstate S.C. The gospel message is broadcast daily from sun up to sun down on AM78 “The Gospel Voice Of The Carolina Foothills.”

Twenty-seven years after going on the air, on April 1, 2017 WWOL began a simulcast online from its website wwol780.com. The world can now hear gospel preaching by both local and nationally known pastors, preachers, and churches, and especially southern gospel music. It is our continuing desire to lift high the name of Jesus and be a blessing to the people of God.