Lisa Dent

Lisa Dent, one of Chicago radio’s best-known country music personalities, has moved up to middays on WEBG 95.5-FM, the iHeartMedia country station announced today.

Since June, Dent has been hosting weekends at Big 95.5. Effective immediately, she’ll be on from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.

“I am so excited to welcome Lisa Dent as midday host for Big 95.5,” Matt Scarano, president of iHeartMedia Chicago, said in a statement. “She brings an iconic presence to our team and will be a tremendous asset to our listeners, community and advertisers.”

Dent grew up in Rockford and worked in Minneapolis, San Diego and Seattle before joining Entercom country WUSN 99.5-FM as midday host in 2002. From 2006 to 2016 she co-hosted mornings at US99 with Ramblin’ Ray Stevens. In 2016 she was inducted in the Country Radio Hall of Fame.

Amber “Alabama” Cole

She replaces Amber “Alabama” Cole, who obtained an early release from her contract for personal reasons. Her last day on the air at Big 95.5 was Friday. “We appreciate all of her contributions during her tenure with the station and wish her the very best,” the station said in a statement.

Lance Houston, program director of Big 95.5, called Dent “one of the most talented and engaging personalities in Chicago radio history, and we are extremely lucky to have her.”

Dent, whose new deal was negotiated by attorney Steve Mandell, said in a statement: “I think Chicago is the best city in America. It’s home for me, and I’m so happy to be back on the radio every day in the city I love, on Big 95.5, a radio station I love.”

In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, Big 95.5 tied for 25th in middays. Overall the station tied for 24th with a 1.4 percent audience share.