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WGRD-FM (97.9 FM broadcasting) is a commercial radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it broadcasts a mainstream rock format. It is the flagship station of The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show, a syndicated comedy and talk morning program. WGRD's studios and offices are on Ottawa Avenue NW in Grand Rapids.
WGRD-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 13,000 watts. The transmitter is on 92nd Street SE at High Point Drive in Cutlerville.
It was sold to a commercial broadcasting operation, which also owned WNWZ 1410 AM in Grand Rapids and WTRU 1600 AM in Muskegon. Regional Broadcasters, Inc. took full control of the station in 1971 and changed its call letters to WGRD-FM. The station's transmitter and tower remained on the Aquinas College campus until 1974. WGRD 1410 AM was a daytimer station, hence the call letters, which stood for "Grand Rapids Daytime".
In 1971, WGRD 1410 AM, which had had a Top 40 music format in place since 1959, was struggling in the ratings against pop-rock competitors WJRW 1340 AM and 95.7 WZZM-FM (then known as "Z96", now WLHT-FM). Management decided to move the struggling Top 40 format onto its FM station as "The New 98 Rock, WGRD-FM". That made the FM stereo station the primary frequency while having the AM continue to simulcast. The newly revamped WGRD-FM quickly became the dominant Top 40 station in the market until the 1984 launch of WKLQ.
During the mid-1970s, WGRD was frequently the #1 station (12+) in the Grand Rapids market. In the 1979 Fall Arbitron ratings period, WGRD was on top with a 19 share. By 1985, the station was known as "98 Rock, WGRD". Throughout the mid and late 1980s, both WGRD and WKLQ battle for competition. WGRD earned a 12.2 share (12+) in the Summer 1986 Arbitron ratings, that was helped by the popular "98 Rock Morning Show" hosted by Johnny "Big John" Howell, Robert "Radar" Shroll, and Jennifer Stephens, but WGRD fell out the top spot when WKLQ dominated the ratings in the Fall 1986 ratings. KLQ would continue to dominate into 1987 but remained steady in the Top 5 by 1988. That same year in 1988, the station dropped the "98 Rock" brand and went with the branding "98 WGRD". Two years later in 1990, WGRD became the only CHR station in the Grand Rapids market following KLQ's CHR dropout that same year.
In 2000, WGRD was acquired by Regent Broadcasting, which changed its name to Townsquare Media ten years later. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-285. Retrieved June 10, 2025. In August 2010 a reunion of more than 60 former WGRD staff members was held in Grand Rapids which included market legend Bruce Grant, the original program director from 1948, and dozens of other personalities from the AM 1410/FM 97.9 history. During 2010, WGRD began to shift its focus from alternative rock to mainstream rock. This was due to a format hole in the market being created by longtime rock station 94.5 WKLQ switching to sports talk. WGRD's target demographic is Men ages 18–34 and a secondary of Men 25-54 (Arbitron demographics).
The cast consists of five members: Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels, Steve McKiernan, Kelly Cheesborough and Maitlynn Mossolle. The show is now syndicated in 38 markets throughout the United States.
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