Welcome to LakeMurrayRadio.com

The Home of 107.9 WLXM

About Us

administrator About Us - About Us

How it all began

Mike Willis and Richard Peterson, equal partners in Lake Murray Broadcasting, Inc., have over 60 years combined broadcasting experience. The two have worked together on multiple occasions including WZLD Z-96 and WMFX Fox 102 in Columbia, SC. In 1980, WZLD, managed by Frank Baker, took on the lofty task of competing head t Mike on air at WZLD o head with WNOK FM, which at the time was the number one radio station in America based on per capita share.

After two years of hard work and creative marketing, the impossible happened and WZLD Z-96 surpassed WNOK in the Columbia market ratings, earning a double digit share ranking for all persons 12+. A double digit share is virtually unheard of in today’s radio marketplace.

In the mid-eighties Mike and Richard were tapped by pioneer broadcaster Chuck Dunaway to create, market and program South Carolina’s first Classic Rock Station, WMFX FOX 102. During their tenure the “Fox 102 Bomb Island Blast” became the largest annual event on Lake Murray. Some 25 years later, Fox 102 is still on-the-air and is consistently ranked as one of the top rated stations in the Columbia radio market.

Today the two are back together and at it again; this time building Lexington’s first, 24-hour, full service FM radio station, 107.9 WLXM.

Mike Willis

Mike Willis is recognized as one of South Carolina's most accomplished and well-known on-air personalities. His radio career began in 1974 when Mike walked one city block from his junior high school and wandered into WLOW, the local radio station in his hometown of Aiken, SC. After about six months of ‘hanging around’ the radio station eager to accomplish any assignment, Mike was on-the-air, and has been ever since.

His broadcasting experience includes stations across South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina at leading radio stations, such as WLOW and WAKN in Aiken, WKZQ Myrtle Beach; WMFX Fox 102, WZLD Z-96, Kicks 96 and WCOS Columbia, WAUG Augusta and WROQ in Charlotte, NC. Throughout Mike's radio career, he has been fortunate to work alongside and learn from some of the best and brightest in the business, such as Mills Fitzner, Bill Hennecy, Greg Fowler, Frank Baker and Chuck Dunaway.

Along the way, Mike also served the State of South Carolina for 15 years as media relations and communications director for the state Department of Natural Resources. Although Mike is no longer a fulltime DNR employee, he continues to host Clemson University's "DNR on Your Day" radio program which airs the first Wednesday in each month on the SCETV public radio network. Mike remains an active volunteer with the Harry Hampton Wildlife Fund, a private, nonprofit wildlife conservation organization.

In addition to broadcasting, Mike is also a popular emcee, live radio host and party DJ, performing at thousands of public and private events, including wedding receptions, class reunions, birthdays, anniversaries, live radio remotes and numerous other special occasions. For seven years, Mike was a weekly guest host at the Punch Line Comedy Club in Five Points, opening for such comedy greats as Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Howie Mandel, Jeff Foxworthy, Rosanne and Seinfeld writer Carol Leifer.

Mike has now dedicated his time and talents to providing local, community broadcasting to Lexington and Lake Murray.

Richard Peterson

Richard Peterson graduated from the University of South Carolina as a Broadcast major and while attending USC worked for the start-up of the USC ETV closed circuit network producing and directing educational programming broadcast to the USC Regional campuses throughout South Carolina.

Broadcasting is in his blood. Richard’s father Daniel Peterson worked for the pioneer DuMont Television Network in New York as television’s original “Man on the Street.” He was also a sports announcer covering boxing from Madison Square Gardens and Philadelphia, pregame coverage for the New York Yankees and play by play for the Brooklyn Football Dodgers, now the Kansas City Chiefs. A true TV pioneer, Richard’s father announced the first televised professional football games.

After graduating from USC Richard was hired by, then one of the best and brightest minds in broadcasting, Frank Baker and Hunt Family Broadcasting at station WZLD Z-96 FM. Richard later joined the staff of Fox 102 in Columbia, South Carolina’s first Classic Rock format radio station.
In 1988, at the request of Chairman Lee Atwater, Richard accepted the position of director of marketing for the Republican National Committee and served on the Inaugural Committee for President George H.W. Bush.

Upon returning to South Carolina, Richard again worked for Frank Baker as regional manager of WLXC 98.5 FM in Lexington, Midland’s affiliate of the Breeze Radio Network. Other industry position’s include sales manager for Citadel’s Oldies 103 and News Talk WISW, development director for the SCETV Network, and sales and marketing for New Country New 92 and 94.3 The River in Columbia. Lexington’s Community Radio Station, 107.9 WLXM, went on-the-air in December 2010 and began regular programing on Wednesday, January 5, 2011.

Ken Martin

Ken Martin, better known as "Martin in the Morning" entertained South Carolinians for years on WCOS-AM and WCOS-FM. You may remember Ken and his colorful side-kick Aunt Eloise Louise. Ken was also a popular radio personality on WHKZ KICKS 96 and WOMG Oldies 103.

He was also a top rated morning DJ in major market Memphis, TN where the Broadcasters Association named him Radio Personality of the Year for two years in a row. Ken was the #1 rated morning personality in Mobile/Pensacola for three years.

Ken has been in radio for over 30 years and he still loves being on the air while the sun comes up. Ken has also been in the mobile DJ business for over 25 years doing corporate parties, holiday parties and wedding receptions.

Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson joined WLXM in April and does his "Mike @ Night" show weekday evenings from 7-10 pm. He got his feet wet in broadcasting working with Ken Martin back in 1975 on WCOS AM, doing a character, Agnes Gooch. Ken later hired Mike as part of the morning team at WCOS FM. The two have remained friends all these years. Anderson later joined the morning show across town at WZLD, Z96 FM, working with "Mountain in the Morning", playing sidekick character, "Mother Mountain". The show was a great success and the comedy duo had quite a following. It was while working at WZLD he became friends with Mike Willis and Richard Peterson.

After a break from broadcasting to start a family business, Mike returned part time at WSCQ, working for Bill Benton, Gene McKay, Dave Wright, and Dennis Waldrop. Says Anderson of the experience, "It was a tremendous pleasure to be associated with such talented, top-shelf businessmen". When he and wife, Michelle, decided to start a family, Mike left radio in 1990, but radio never left him.

Fast forward 21 years and a new radio station appears on the dial at 107.9. With a little research Mike discovered his old friends from Z96, Willis and Peterson were the owners of WLXM. The three met for lunch one afternoon and as they say, the rest is history.