Before moving to Charlotte, Bell worked at KFRE and KMJ in Fresno, California and WIOD in Miami. In 1977, despite a consultant's view that Country would never be a viable FM format, Bell moved forward with his plans to take WSOC off an automated system and go with live DJs from morning to night. Longtime veteran John Harper was replaced with morning show host Bob Call. Call, who thought he was auditioning for a spot on WSOC's AM station, decided to take the job even though he had no knowledge or appreciation for country music. Bill Ellis, who started at WSOC as a copywriter in 1975, was given helicopter traffic duties and served as the station's mid-day announcer. Country music was evolving, and its popularity grew as the result of the movie "Urban Cowboy". WSOC-FM was getting ready for big changes. Edd Robinson moved to afternoons on WSOC-FM in 1979 after 11 years at 1480 WAME, which had left the country format. He remained at WSOC-FM until late 1987. Bob Brandon, who also had worked on WAME, was hired by Bell in 1981 to do the evening shift. He remained with the station until 1986. He also briefly did a stint under Paul Johnson in 1995-1996. In 1980, Bob Call moved to Denver as Program Director at KYGO. WSOC-FM hired Bill Dollar as its morning host. Dollar had worked for WGST in Atlanta and was familiar with WSOC-FM owner Cox Enterprises. He wanted to start his own station in Boone, North Carolina and had no plans to stay long. Bell said he liked Dollar's voice and warmth, and the fact that he wasn't that funny, unlike many morning hosts. Bell wanted WSOC-FM to be full service radio like WBT, combining information and entertainment. In 1982, Dollar succeeded Robert Murphy of WAYS/WROQ, and unlike Murphy, he did it without attacking the locally based televangelist organization, The PTL Club, often called "Pass the Loot" by its critics. Dollar did not even take advantage of the situation when PTL experienced scandal in 1987. On June 29, 1987, Bill Ellis did his midday show for the last time before leaving to do the morning show for 100.5 WSSL-FM in Greenville, South Carolina, after 11 years at WSOC-FM. Program director Paul Johnson said Ellis would likely not have replaced Dollar anytime soon, so if he wanted to be a morning host, he had to go elsewhere.