KUZZ

KUZZ is Bakersfield country radio royalty, and it wears that crown with a gravelly grit. The playlist leans traditional, think Merle Haggard and Buck Owens sit comfortably next to Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs. Daytime slots favor upbeat anthems and trucker ballads. Late afternoons drag a bit with too many ad breaks. But the station redeems itself in the evening with deep cuts from California's country underground. It's not trying to be Nashville. It's dustier, more honest. You can listen to KUZZ online and feel the Central Valley heat through the speakers. The DJs sound like they've been spi…