WSEV is the heritage station in Sevierville. It has aired the talents of future country singers, including
Dolly Parton. In 1990 the station was purchased, along with its FM sister station
WSEV-FM 105.5, by the Dollywood Broadcasting Company, a privately owned corporation whose shareholders included Parton; managing partner Orr & Earls Broadcasting, Inc., of
Branson, Missouri; and other investors. The AM station's call letters remained WSEV, but the FM's call letters were changed to WDLY 105.5 to reflect the connection with Parton. In 1992 a remote broadcast booth was built on the
Dollywood theme park, similar to the
WSM (AM) broadcast booth located at the
Opryland USA theme park in
Nashville, Tennessee. WSEV's format fluctuated during the 1990s. Its programming mostly consisted of classic country during the day, with mornings featuring "Swap and Shop," a locally produced call-in show for buyers and sellers of household items, local news throughout the day, and a simulcast of the WDLY-FM modern country signal at night. Locally produced sports-talk programming continued to be added to the schedule. In 2000, the East Tennessee Radio Group purchased WSEV-AM and sister WDLY-FM from the Dollywood Broadcasting Company and later moved the studios from their old location on Middle Creek Road in Sevierville, Tennessee, to their current location on Dumplin Valley Road in
Kodak, Tennessee. Prior to adopting the current sports-talk format, WSEV simulcasted WSEV-FM's "Mix 105.5"
adult contemporary format. East Tennessee Radio Group sold WSEV (AM) to Grand Crowne Resorts with application filed on April 21, 2008. Some snippets of the station’s former country format are heard in Dollywood’s Lightning Rod attraction. ==Recent history (circa 2010)==