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The NZ Top 10 for May 01, 2026!

Here is the first NZ Top 10 countdown for the month of May!

10. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind

09. ELEVATION RHYTHM – WASHED

08. Katy Nichole – Have Your Way

07. Caleb & John – Finished

06. Matthew West – Good

05. For KING + COUNTRY ft. Taylor Hill – World On Fire

04. Blessing Offor – Lift Me Up

03. MercyMe – Make It Well

02. Phil Wickham – Homesick For Heaven

01. Peter Burton – Where Would I Be (2nd week at #1)

Take a look at Peter Burton’s music video for his first ever #1 hit, Where Would I Be!

New Music This Week

Holly Brand – I Know Somebody

Holly is a brand new artist on WNZR! We got to talk with her today on The Afternoon Drive.

Listen to our full conversation and get to know Holly Brand here!

Tune in Monday with Joe and Gabriella for Monday Motivation!

Thank you for listening!
– Joe and Ethan

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Introducing New WNZR Artist Holly Brand!

In today’s conversation, you get to know WNZR’s latest brand new artist, Holly Brand! You’ll hear her on WNZR’s airwaves with her debut single I Know Somebody, reaching out to those facing loss, disappointment, and diagnosis.

Listen to our full conversation with Holly Brand here!

Learn more about Holly Brand:

(From hollybrandmusic.com)

Born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi, Holly Brand has always had a heart for telling meaningful stories through music that point people to Jesus. As the daughter of a former minister of music, she felt a calling to weave music and faith from an early age. Her music journey started with her singing in a small country church and has since seen her open for Blake Shelton at the age of 10, and, most recently, sign her first recording and publishing contract with Integrity Music in Nashville. 

Drawing from her roots, Brand infuses modern country melodies with powerful faith inspired lyrics to craft a sound that’s new and unique. Now based in Nashville, TN with her husband, she’s been writing and refining songs for her debut project, collaborating with some of the industry’s top writers and producers, and sharing her heart on stages across the country.

Learn more HERE!

Listen to Holly Brand’s debut single I Know Somebody:

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Faithful in Prayers!!

Today on Praise Thursday we gave devotions and talked about updates on our website wnzr.fm! Plus, we played Name That Tune in the 2nd hour! Here’s what we talked about:

Brook Abella’s Devotion: On Monday during chapel the speaker said something I wasn’t so sure about. I spent days trying to figure out what the truth was and as it turns out the speaker wasn’t far off from the truth. I challenge you to dive into the word of God and take note on what is being said especially geographically. I think God likes to see his kiddos diving into his word and being curious!

Gabriella’s Devotion: As Karen was cleaning out her great grandma’s house she found a prayer book. The apostle Paul wrote to the early church, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). In his letter he talked about having others pray to God for him. Prayer empowers us to live in a way that “overcomes evil with good” (12:21). Though we may not always see the outcome, it creates a legacy of faithfulness for generations to come.

Joe’s Devotion: Psalm 23 has been on my mind lately and since Ben Fuller’s song just played it reminds me of the speaker at Chapel on Monday. He said in order to get things done we have to get off our butts and do something. The same thing goes with growing closer to God. We need to be focused and bring people closer to God. God is here to restore your soul and lead you. Let Him.

MTVarts are presenting To Kill A Mockingbird Friday May 8th 7:30pm – 9:30pm at the Woodward Opera House, 107 S Main St, Mt Vernon, OH 43050. It is a school performance, but it does contain language, violence, and racism. It is important and relevant, but it can be emotionally intense and may not be suitable for younger viewers. Tune in during The Morning Thing and Afternoon Drive to win tickets!

This week’s Name That Tune was “Gods not done with you” by Tauren Wells! Congratulations to Erica of Utica for guessing the artist and song title correctly and taking home 2 $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 with Ethan and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe 🙂

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Fashion Fades… Denim is Forever!!

Today on Who Knew Wednesday we talked about National Denim and Zipper Day! Plus, we played our Who Am I trivia! Here’s what we talked about:

Who Knew: National Denim Day! Did you know your favorite pair of blue jeans has roots in France? The word “denim” actually comesfrom fabric made in Nîmes—“serge de Nîmes,” meaning “from Nîmes!” 

Who Knew: And here’s another one—early jeans didn’t even have zippers! When Levi Strauss first made them for Gold Rush workers, they used buttons because they were tough and reliable. 

Who Knew: National Zipper Day! Speaking of zippers… the modern version we use today was perfected by Gideon Sundback in the early 1900s—but they weren’t originally for jeans. They first showed up on boots!   

Who Knew: So how did zippers and denim finally come together? During World War II, zippers became more common in clothing—and eventually made their way into jeans for added convenience.  👖🔗 Today, whether you’re rocking a classic button fly or a zipper, you’re wearing a little piece of history. 

Who Knew: The zipper was invented in 1893 by Whitcomb Judson, but his version wasn’t very reliable. A better version came later from Gideon Sundback, who designed the modern zipper in 1913. The name “zipper” came from the sound it makes—popularized by the B. F. Goodrich Company when they used it on rubber boots in the 1920s.  

Who Knew: Early zippers were first used on boots and tobacco pouches—not clothing! 

WHO AM I?

  1. I was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. 
  1. I became a leading figure in the “outlaw country” movement, with artists like Waylon Jennings.  
  1. I wrote classics like “Crazy,” famously recorded by Patsy Cline, “Always on My Mind,” and “On the Road Again” 
  1. I am known for my distinctive voice, long braids, and my well-worn guitar named “Trigger.”  
  1. I’m also an actor, author, and activist, known for co-founding Farm Aid to support American farmers. 

I am… Willie Nelson!! Congratulations to Gidget of Mount Vernon for guessing our Who Am I correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Praise Thursday with Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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God is our Armor!!

Today on Monday Motivation we gave motivation tied into scripture and we also did a fun giveaway! Plus, we did Family Feud for Mystery Monday! Here’s what we talked about:

Gabriella’s Motivation: Anxiety is an inconvenience many people deal with on regular basis, but while I was getting ready for a formal I was anxious. I was frozen with anxiety and I didn’t know what to so I called my mom. After the call I knew my mom would tell me to pray about it and that’s exactly what I did. I sat down and prayed about it and just like that the weight was lifted off my shoulders. Instead of thinking about anxiety as a negative emotion think of it as a “check engine light” signal. Put your trust in the lord and let that motivate you to break the fear. Pray about everything good and bad. Let God replace your worries with gratitude.

Joe’s Motivation: Anxiety ties into fear, but we don’t really think about how being protected by armor can get you in trouble. Psalm 23 has gotten me into trouble in the past and sometimes we need to pray that God will guide our mouth. With different songs like “No Fear” and “Still Waters” we don’t really think about being overconfident. It’s important to know God your spiritual armer, but it’s also important to be humble and have humility. If you think you’re overconfident I strongly advise you to pray about it and remember to be calm.

Crowder is coming to Akron, Ohio!

There’s something special about hearing great songs in a room that was practically made for them, and that’s exactly what Crowder’s spring tour delivers. And he’s bringing along special guests Seph Schlueter and Patrick Mayberry! This Sunday, May 3rd at E.J. Thomas Performance Hall at the University of Akron, 198 Hill St, Akron, OH 44325. The doors open at 6pm and the concert starts at 7pm. Listen to The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive the week of April 27th for your chance to WIN tickets to this concert! Congratulations to Karen of Mount Vernon for taking home a pair of tickets!

Mystery Monday – Name something you start wearing again in spring. 

1 – shorts (42) 

2 – sunglasses (26) 

3 – light jacket/windbreaker (14) 

4 – rain boots (11) 

5 – sandals (7) 

Congratulations to Karen of Mount Vernon for guessing the top two answers and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Resturant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Artist Newsday and Gametime Tuesday with Xander and Ethan!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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The NZ Top 10 for April 24, 2026!

Here is this week’s NZ Top 10 countdown!

10. Caleb & John – Finished

09. TobyMac – Heaven On My Mind

08. Katy Nichole – Have Your Way

07. Chris Tomlin – How Good It Is

06. Matthew West – Good

05. Blessing Offor – Lift Me Up

04. MercyMe – Make It Well

03. For KING + COUNTRY ft. Taylor Hill – World On Fire

02. Phil Wickham – Homesick For Heaven

01. Peter Burton – Where Would I Be

Take a look at Peter Burton’s music video for his first ever #1 hit, Where Would I Be!

New Music This Week

Seph Schlueter – Valley Of Worship

Tune in Monday with Joe and Gabriella for Monday Motivation!

Thank you for listening!
– Ethan Hershberger

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Turn Your Lemons Into Lemonade!!

Today on Praise Thursday we gave devotions tied into scripture and played Name That Tune! We also had some students come in for Praise Thursday and give praises and prayer requests! Here’s what we talked about:

Brook Abella’s Devotion: “Turn lemons into lemonade” is a common saying, but we forget who can turn the lemons into lemonade. Life’s given me a few lemons recently and my friend got me lemonade and on the cup she wrote “Let God turn your lemons into lemonade” and it made me think. When you hold onto the lemons they become moldy which isn’t healthy at all. Give your lemons to God and let him add the sugar and stir it up.

Gabriella’s Devotion: A judge used a particularly unique technique to address the shoplifting problem in their town. The judge had the people arrested for shop lifting work a car wash in hopes that they would express accountability. “A person who wrongs another… must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution.” (Numbers 5:6-7). In these verses we see the importance God places on acknowledging wrong doing, confessing sin, and seeing restoration. To read more click HERE!

This weeks Name That Tune was a stumper, but come back next week for a chance to win TWO $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow to the NZ Top 10 with Ethan!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Brook Abella and Gabriella

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Who Doesn’t Love Jelly Beans??

On this weeks Who Knew Wednesday we talked about jelly beans and did our Who Am I trivia! Here’s what we talked about:

Who Knew Fact Check: Is it true over 1 billion people in more than 190 countries participate in Earth Day? Yes. Earth Day is considered the world’s largest civic-focused day of action, with more than 1 billion people in over 190 countries participating annually! 

Who Knew Fact: Did jelly beans go to space? YES. President Reagan was fond of jelly beans and sent them aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983. Astronauts were filmed enjoying the candies in zero gravity, turning the sugary treats into floating, bite-sized snacks. 

Jelly bean dad jokes: What do you call a group of jelly beans singing? A jam session.

How did the jelly bean get good grades? He was on a roll.

Happy National Jelly Bean Day!!

WHO AM I? 

  1. I was born today, April 22nd, 1904 in NYC, and passed away on February 18, 1967. 
  1. I was an American theoretical physicist and known as the “father of the atomic bomb.” 
  1. I served as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project during World War II, and led the team that developed the first nuclear weapons at Los Alamos Laboratory. 
  1. After World War II, I became a prominent voice warning about the dangers of nuclear weapons and advocating for international control. 
  1. I have a movie about me! I was portrayed by Cillian Murphy, alongside a cast of Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. 

I am… Robert Oppenheimer! Congratulations to Mark of Utica for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Praise Thursday with Brook Abella, Gabriella, and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

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Jamie MacDonald Performs on the Kelly Clarkson Show!

Jamie MacDonald has been making waves since her debut single Desperate, which only took 12 weeks to hit #1!

She hasn’t stopped there. Jamie made her television debut appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, featuring a song from her first and latest self-titled album!

Watch and listen to Jamie MacDonald’s performance of her song Won’t Let Go on The Kelly Clarkson Show here!

Jamie is also making her Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday, May 1st! To read more about this upcoming appearance, click HERE!

We Are Messengers are back with their 5th studio album, Halfway Home!

This new 13-track record is set to explore “the tension between the now and not yet.” Darren Mulligan, lead singer of We Are Messengers, talks about the need for other believers in his faith journey, a theme this album explores throughout.

This project will release this fall, on Friday, September 25th. More information can be found HERE!

We had a stumper this week for Song Poetry! Here were this week’s lyrics:

Go tell the world about Me
I was dead but now I live
I’ve gotta go now for a little while
But goodbye is not the end

Congratulations to Bonnie from Mount Vernon for calling in and correctly guessing the song title and artist. Because this week’s Song Poetry is a stumper, Bonnie will be taking home two $5 gift cards to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in on Wednesday for some Who Knew? fun facts for Who Knew? Wednesday, and another chance to win a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica with a game of Who Am I!

Thank you for listening!
– Xander and Ethan

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