30 Years

In 1996, Whip Radio Founder Lonesome Larry Williams brought his American Roots format to the 98.3 FM dial in Farmer City, IL. The terrestrial station served Central Illinois from Champaign-Urbana to Bloomington-Normal and all the towns and rural communities in between. The transmitter was old, needed costly upgrades and mouse traps, and didn't transmit as far as the FCC broadcast map indicated it should.  Despite that, loyal Whip listeners found ways to tune in (usually on their car radios). One of our savvy listeners built an antenna tower on his barn specifically to be able to listen to The Whip. Those were the days!

In 2014, Lonesome Larry sold the station (at a profit, we might add) and Auntie Industries took The Whip online to backlandradio.com October 1 that year. And here we are 30 years later.

We're so excited to be partnered up with the Historic Rose Bowl Tavern in Urbana, Illinois for the majority of our anniversary events.