WLNO traces its roots back to January 6, 1924, when WABZ, a 50 W AM station licensed to Coliseum Place Baptist Church in New Orleans first went on air. The station changed its frequency, and call letters several times, becoming WBBX in 1933 and WBNO in 1934, before the license was acquired by former Louisiana Governor James A. Noe, who renamed the station WNOE in 1941. WNOE was the market's first Top 40 outlet during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. When it launched its Top 40 format in early 1955, it stunted by playing the record "Shtiggy Boom" by The Nuggets nonstop for 58 hours and 45 minutes. Some of the most famous disc jockeys on the 1960s WNOE included Gary Owens, Greg Mason, C. C. Courtney and Frank Jolley (with his alter-ego - Count Down).