The station went on the air on June 7, 1947, from studios on Union Avenue in downtown Memphis. The station started the WDIA Goodwill Fund to help and empower black communities. (Former WDIA radio personality & Annual Stone Awards Host)was my friend, partner in the Entertainment industry, an extension of Ma&9 Mustard Seeds Family member and Its my Time Entertainment/ House of MTenzi Museum Committee Member. It reads in part: MY GOD PLEASE HAVE MERCY! Rufus Thomas maintained his program until his passing in 2001. Former WDIA radio personality Mr. Fred Hollywood Moore transitioned Saturday morning. Ive always had just the radio job. The 68-year-old radio personality passed away on Tuesday morning before the start of his 9am show, according to WREG. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Hes the king of Memphis radio, the one and only Bobby OJay. A.C. Williams, a former disc jockey for the station, helped create the Goodwill Fund in 1954, and the station's identification announcement became, Youre Listening to 50,000 Watts of Goodwill, W-D-I-A Memphis.. VIBE sends our deepest condolences to the OJay family and those affected by this tragic loss. Share. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. In WDIA: Black Music Mother Station. This is not only a loss for us as a city in Memphis, but a loss to all of us in the black community nationally, those of us in black music and radio and those of us who saw him as a mentor. King and Rufus Thomas. O'Jay was the program host of the "Fun Morning Show" on IHeartMedia's WDIA. One fan tweeted: "Local legendary DJ - Bobby OJay has passed - prayers up for a Memphis legendit was sudden- he was on the radio this morning. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. 1070 WDIA, N.p., n.d. The best way to connect to the community, you talk to them. What are you doing? That kind of thing, said Stan Bell. Condolences to his family, colleagues and all who loved him. It empowered a huge segment of the . 1070 WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee providing Urban Oldies/Classic Soul music. And the name kind of stuck from that time. Among other notable personalities were Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert, Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade, and Ford Nelson, who continued as of 2013 as an active gospel DJ on WDIA. Lee hosted shows on the pioneering African-American radio station for decades. Men The station had a strong influence on music, hiring musicians early in their careers, and playing their music to an audience that reached through the Mississippi Delta to the Gulf Coast. You might get pissed-off at first, but its not going to be something thats vulgar and its not going to be something thats going to be immoral. Web. Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. As one of Memphis most celebrated radio personalities, OJay will be inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame July 31 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Just a high school graduate, but Ive managed to work at some of the biggest radio stations in America. [3][8], Future WJLB strong jock, Martha Jean The Queen Steinberg became known as "Princess Premium Stuff." In 1949 the station was no. Its just going to be something that maybe will shake you a little bit, OJay explained. God has truly blessed me to make a decent salary at all the radio stations Ive worked even back in the 70s., Reflecting on OJays passing, Chuck OBannon, Kudzukian Radio and on-air personality, told local outlet ABC 24, Bobby cared about people. Thaddeus Mathews says that he is the reason that WDIA has fallen to the 12th best station in Memphis, TN. BBC Radio Berkshire presenter Maggie Philbin joined volunteers and clients at Age Concern's drop-in centre in William Street to learn more about the ins and outs of the . Only minutes after midnight, early Wednesday morning, O'Jay's colleague, author, and award-winning photographer, Mark Stansbury, confirmed that the official cause of [] This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google, WDIA's Bobby O'Jay during The Recording Academy HONORS 2005 at Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Even though there have been some ups and downs, its been more fun than anything.. Klicken Sie auf Einstellungen verwalten um weitere Informationen zu erhalten und Ihre Einstellungen zu verwalten. Nat D. Williams show ended in 1972 following a stroke. From Library Journal: In the late 1940s, Memphis radio station WDIA became the first to target its programming to a largely ignored black audience. Over time, the fund provided transportation to school for disabled black children, financed college scholarships, established boy clubs, covered the costs of regional Little League teams and helped provide low-cost supplemental housing. Radio personalities are very popular and the success of a radio channel is largely dependent upon the popularity of the radio personality who host its programs. May God Bless his family, his spirit, and his legacy., Black Developers Housing Summit headed to Memphis to educate & empower, Ken Moody makes move from city government to the U of, For the childrens sake, let us not allow our history to, City Council edges forward with measures for police reform and oversight, A selection of books with African-American History Month in mind, Ekpe Abioto brings solid message with Dont Touch A Gun, WLOK Black Film Festival salutes Black History Month with Poitier-directed A, PREVIEW: Thank you Katori Hall for TINA The Tina Turner, Talking Black AF (And Fearless) takes root at town hall, Angela Davis reaction to a big reveal was the most priceless. Stan Bell Host, WDIA-AM (Memphis, TN) Memphis U.S. He was 68. Not only did the station feature black radio personalities, but it also brought awareness to a relatively new market of listeners. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, where he was editor of the yearbook. OJay eventually got a tour of the station, but back then, you needed an FCC license to be a DJ, so radio would have to wait. [6] WDIA soon became the number-2 station in Memphis. A.C. Williams, a former WDIA disc jockey, helped create the Goodwill Fund in 1954. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. As program director, he hired two other on-air personalities, who are still working: Bev Johnson and Mike Evans. Memphians continue to remember WDIA radio host Bobby OJay, who died Tuesday morning. So, that day, OJay walked into the St. Joseph Rehab Center. ICONIC DJ Bobby O'Jay has died while at work at a Memphis radio station. All Rights Reserved. Suite 4100 901-535-9342 Website: http://mywdia.iheart.com Stations 1070 WDIA The Heart & Soul of Memphis TOMORROW: 7am Bobby O'Jay 11am Bev Johnson 4pm Earle Augustus Shows Bev Johnson Memphis, TN Johnnie Walker, founder/CEO of the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment, Inc. (NABFEME), knew OJay during her career ascension from radio station PD to senior vp, promotion at Def Jam Recordings. The Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer and WDIA DJ and program director was 68. The Youth & Family Resource Center is the topic of conversaton on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio with Executive Director Tamika Davis and Sandy Bromley, Deputy Director of the Division of Community Services. At the end of everything, they had given me this fat contract. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He was known as the King of Memphis Radio, a legend, and icon in the industry. 1070 WDIA - WDIA is a broadcast radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, providing Top 40 and Oldies R&B and Soul music. Selco Builders Warehouse, which has a branch on Farnham Road in Slough, was revealed as the Builders' Merchant of the Year at the Builders' Merchants Awards. Radio proved to be a rocky road. The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces the selection of 10 new Legends inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2022, "recognizing the talents and efforts of air personalities, programmers and operators who contributed with greatness to the radio industry and have since passed away." 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. O'Jay was considered to be the King of Memphis radio. [3] WDIA is known for its community efforts throughout the years. I know my mother and father knew I was on drugs. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Press Center, This site is best experienced in portrait orientation. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in America that was programmed entirely for African Americans. Johnson remembers that Moore came here to the Memphis market from Indianapolis. "We have raised over $900,000 over the years," A.C. Williams says. www.mywdia.com; John Hopkins, Radio Center: A Landmark of American Win Your Trip to Our 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards! One of the best to don headsets and bless the mic in the control room. He was 68. Final arrangements were pending at press time Wednesday (Jan. 13). WDIA personalities included: Martha Jean "The Queen" Steinberg, aka "Princess Premium Stuff" Ernest Brazzell, the giver of crop advice Robert Thomas, aka Robert "Honeyboy" Thomas Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade Ford Nelson, who, until 2013, acted as a gospel D.J. Many grieved in 2017 with the devastating loss of Sharon after 30 years of marriage to O'Jay. Longtime WDIA Memphis personality Bobby O'Jay passes away. He landed some roles in stage plays in the city. Click here to sign up for our newsletter! He was a kind and good man with a super smooth voice and infectious laugh. WDIA was the first radio station in the country programmed entirely for the black community. OJay was also a National Radio Hall of Fame nominee. During his 50 year radio career, O'J. The first radio station in the United States programmed by and for African Americans, WDIA was one of only six stations broadcasting in Memphis, Tennessee when it hit the airwaves in 1947. Its a tremendous loss because were just going to miss hearing about Bobby OJ., State Rep. Antonio Parkinson added in a statement, We pray for the family and mourn the passing of radio icon Bobby Ojay. Were doing as well as can be expected, O'Jay's niece Wanda Thomas told WREG. He worked at radio station WTLC in Indianapolis, said Johnson. Together the three transformed WDIA into the South's first African-American-oriented radio station, soon to be known throughout the region as the "Mother Station of the Negroes.". Stan Bell, one of the citys most beloved on-air personalities and popular, local DJ also posted on Facebook: We have lost a gentle giant in the radio industry. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station's studios are located in Southeast Memphis, and the transmitter site is in North Memphis. Colleagues and family friends took to social media as news spread that former WDIA radio personality Fred Hollywood Moore died Saturday (Jan. 9) morning. May God Bless his family, his spirit, and his legacy.. Website. I wanted us to be able to talk to our listeners every day about what was going on every day.. Ownership of the station first changed hands in 1957. WDIA 1070 Memphis - Bobby O'Jay - December 19 2019Bobby O'Jay was one of the most iconic voices in Memphis Broadcasting. Please rotate your device. As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work. Listen online at myWDIA.com/listen 5/5 based on 1 review. Search. His cause of death is currently unknown. One of the station's most well-known personalities, Bev Johnson, told The New Tri-State Defender that Moore was "kind of laid back and real smooth." Born in Batesville, Mississippi on August 8, 1953, OJay began his dream career as radio host in 1972 in Milwaukee. AKWAABAWelcome Home! Half of the listeners who could hear WDIA's signal were African-American, and WDIA hired the first black disk jockey in the South. One of the DJs said to me, let me hear it. So, I went through my little, you know, mimicking. It then switched permanently to all-black programming, and quickly moved into first place. Its been fun more than anything, said OJay. The trailblazer's voice and personality have helped make up the fabric of the Bluff City for decades as part of the historic legacy of the Mid-South's first African American radio station, WDIA. It wasn't black owned, but it appealed to a black . Many shared how his sudden death had touched them, like losing a family member. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say. oldies. [5] This was one of the first radio programs in the United States to appeal to black listeners. 1070 WDIA Podcasts Playlists from 1070 WDIA Latest News See All Advertise With Us For You Heres a guy who came from the cotton fields in Mississippi. Music (Memphis: Hopkins-Oates & Associates, 2008); Louis Cantor, Do you find this information helpful? But at the time he took the job, the drugs were still in his system. The station also publicized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s visits to Memphis and served as a leading source of news and information for the black community following Dr. Kings assassination. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Memphis radio WDIA DJ Bobby O'Jay died at age 68 Tuesday morning. God bless his family, friends and coworkers.". He was a kind and good man with a super smooth voice and infectious laugh. Fr nhere Informationen zur Nutzung Ihrer Daten lesen Sie bitte unsere Datenschutzerklrung und Cookie-Richtlinie. Talking to TV outlet Fox 13/Memphis prior to his induction, OJay said of his 49-year career, Ive never had this job and that job. [10], Many music legends got their start by working at WDIA, including B.B. WDIA M-F 6am-10am & Sun. It sort of reminded you of (the legendary) Nat Williams.. Let's treat everyone with respect. But before he came to the station in Indianapolis, Fred worked at a station in St. Louis. He can be heard Monday through Friday on WDIA from 6 to 10 a.m. and on V101 from 3 to 7 p.m. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian) His voice and opinions will truly be missed.. Humbled, OJay came home to Batesville for a visit. Colleagues and family friends took to social media as news spread that former WDIA radio personality Fred "Hollywood" Moore died Saturday (Jan. 9) morning. My wife Melyne and I offer condolences to his family, to his radio family at iHeart and his loyal fans. King and Rufus Thomas got their start by working at WDIA. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. 2023 Vibe Media, LLC. The Legendary Fred Hollywood Moore. The 12-year-old would turn the radio dial and listen to what DJs both talked about and sounded like for years. Among other notable personalities were Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert, Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade, and Ford Nelson, who continued as of 2013 as an active gospel DJ on WDIA. "Bobby OJay is Black Radio history and has forged many spaces that others hadnt while creating opportunities for many of the success that weve seen in both radio and black music. 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Im not willing to say just anything. Blues legend B.B. Radio WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He's the king of Memphis radio, the one and only Bobby O'Jay. . Before joining WDIA the country's first Black radio station as an air personality in 1983,. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. . One of the best to don headsets and bless the mic in the control room. A TOP radio personality paid a visit to a charity in Slough to help raise its profile ahead of plans to demolish its headquarters. He was 68. 5 Star Stories: Bobby OJay, king of Memphis radio, Woman accused of driving into home, killing former pro basketball player Galen Young granted diversion, Justin Bieber cancels remainder of world tour after Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis, 1 dead after multi-vehicle crash on I-240, traffic heavily congested, First Alert Meteorologist Brittney Bryant's Thursday Morning Weather 3/2, Bane leads Grizzlies to victory against Rockets, Baptist Memorial speaks out on gun violence, 1 dead after crash near Shelby Drive, MPD reports. Listen online or on your phone with our free app! 14. All they did was just pray for me. WDIA's parent company iHeartRadio announced. Gospel radio show host and academic administrator Markhum "Mark" L. Stansbury, Sr. was born on April 5, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee to Willie and Eliza Markham Stansbury. Bobby O'Jay, radio personality on Memphis' WDIAthe country's first Black radio stationhas died at the age of 68. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required. The Heart & Soul of Memphis! He said, man, you sound just like him. He said can you come by the radio station?. King, and Bobby Blue Bland. WDIA was the first radio station in the country programmed entirely for the black community. He was on the air, he engaged with his callers, talked to his listeners. And we just started calling him Hollywood Fred Hollywood Moore. He also served as program director during his tenure and interviewed countless Black music and culture legends, including Whitney Houston and Muhammad Ali, as well as David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks of The Temptations. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. Captain Curtis Lee, a longtime WDIA radio personality passed away Wednesday. The WDIA Goodwill Fund is dedicated to helping and empowering . Radio host Bev Johnson confirmed to WREG that O'Jay passed away while he was at work. [I] stayed the 30 days, havent touched drugs and alcohol since, he said. I started opening the phone lines on my show in the morning for people to respond to things, all kinds of things, about kids and relationships and politics, and all the things going on in the world that affect our lives. I have met some of the biggest stars in America. Fred had a very good voice, said Stansbury. In 1996 Clear Channel Communications bought WDIA. WDIA reached 10% of the African-American population in United States. For other inquiries, Contact Us. The Black Effect Podcast Network Is Making History Again This April! [14], "Celebrating 65 Years of Goodwill & Good Times." Im more willing to say things to get your attention in a positive manner. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. He was highly respected by all of in the industry whether you were radio, television or whatever. View our online Press Pack. The office staff was racially integrated by 1950 which was rare in Memphis or any Southern city at that time but the station did not see its first black manager until 1972. K97 FM 9am. How You Can Be Serenaded By Keith Sweat At 2023 SweatFest In Punta Cana, Celebrating Women Who Make Music & Culture, Chrissy Teigen & John Legend Kiss Baby Esti On The Cheeks In Adorable Video, Tennessee Attraction Among The 17 Top Amusement Parks In America, Tory Lanez's Gag Order In Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case Has Been Lifted, Drake Explains Why Lil Wayne Rapped His Name Wrong On Their First Song, Here's Everything Leaving Netflix In March 2023, Here's Everything Coming To Netflix In March 2023, This Is Tennessee's Best Hole-In-The-Wall Mexican Restaurant, J. Cole, Drake, Usher & More To Perform At Dreamville Fest 2023, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. B.B. The trailblazers voice and personality have helped make up the fabric of the Bluff City for decades as part of the historic legacy of the Mid-Souths first African American radio station, WDIA. At the time, most stations had one talk show per week. A builders' merchant with a branch in Slough has been awarded a prestigious national award. He currently teaches Broadcasting @ Wooddale High. When I was a rookie, he gave me advice and always a good laugh. A massive lay-off sweep ended the careers of a number of radio personnel and on-air personalities. All Rights Reserved. God has truly blessed me to make a decent salary at all the radio stations Ive worked even back in the 70s., Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said in a tweet, Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. Wdia Profile and History . Sherry Mackey, a former colleague of Moore, posted this tribute on Facebook: Rest in Love to one of the kindest people I have had the honor to work with, former WDIA personality, Fred Hollywood Moore. She was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and attended public schools. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Then he fired me, OJay laughed. February 10. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. It's Relationship Day on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio and the topic of conversation is "It's Valentine's is it Love, Like, Lust, Must or a Fuss" with Psychologist/Mental Health Specialist Dr. Dorothy Jeffries. Call sign: WDIA Frequency: 1070 AM City of license: Memphis, TN Format: Urban Contemporary Owner: iHeartMedia Area Served: Memphis Sister stations: 600 WREC , 95.7 Hallelujah FM , The Mighty 990 , K97.1 , V101 , 101.9 KISS FM , ROCK 103 Memphis Tuesday morning, iHeart Radio confirmed the death of O'Jay at age 68. If you post anything unrelated to WDIA it will be deleted. 2 in Memphis in terms of audience. Community Efforts One of the iconic voices of Memphis broadcasting, Bobby O'Jay, has died. WDIA's afternoon radio talent playing the best music in the world and keeping you up to date with the latest local and community information. [11], Williams ended his show in 1972 following a stroke. I was listening to WDIA radio when they only stayed on the air until 12:AM Rufus Thomas signed off at Midnight. Its a process.. Williams continued on the air . She is mother of two children and grandmother of one. 2 . During her career she has worked with celebrities such as Kirk Franklin, Cheryl . Bobby and I were always on opposite sides of the desk. In the 1970s and 1980s, the owners of WDIA also owned KDIA, a similarly formatted station in the San Francisco Bay Area. She remembers when Moore got the nickname Hollywood., When Fred first came to the station, he told us he always wanted to be an actor, Johnson said. [1] It featured black radio personalities; its success in building an audience attracted radio advertisers suddenly aware of a "new" market among black listeners. WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. It took me about a year or so to get a job on the radio, OJay recalled. 1070 WDIA is an Urban Contemporary radio station serving Memphis. Influencing every black radio station to follow, WDIA assigned itself the moniker the Mother Station of Negroes. It earned the nickname the Goodwill Station as well because it broadcast public service bulletins announcing employment opportunities, missing children, social service agency information, and the like at the behest of its listening audience. Back in 1986, I decided that it would be a great idea for us to start putting talk shows on the radio station, he recalled. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He was moved by the Hall of Fame announcement. My wife Melyne and I offer condolences to his family, to his radio family at iHeart and his loyal fans. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. ", Another added: "Rest In Peace to legendary Memphis DJ, Bobby OJay. Bobby OJay, radio personality on Memphis WDIAthe countrys first Black radio stationhas died at the age of 68. Mike Evans and the Memphis Morning Show with Earle & Stormy. I need some help.. . The Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer was 68. iHeartRadio, parent company of the WDIA radio station where O'Jay served as DJ . He loved God and people. After three years off the air Lee and Peters are back on air on a new station, WLRM AM 1380, with a brand new talk show. By age 17, OJay remembered walking the halls of his high school, using his radio voice.. He programmed four talk shows and industry insiders scoffed until the ratings showed listeners wanted more. 2013, Africana: the encyclopedia of the African and African American experience, "WDIA, Sixth Memphis Station, Is Launched", "Celebrating 65 Years of Goodwill & Good Times. Listen For Your Chance To Win! [13] In addition, he contributed to the redevelopment of Beale Street and Soulsville, USA. From Billboard Music Awards to the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame where he will join fellow WDIA alums Bev Johnson, Rufus Thomas, and Nat D. Williams, OJays awards are plenty. He began his teaching profession at Northside High, (his alma mater), where he taught English and Applied Economics. A radio personality is a person who hosts a radio talk show and interacts with the audience via telephone or email. The original frequency was 730kHz. I added the Whats on Your Mind Line to stop the music at five oclock in the afternoon so we could talk to our listeners and they can talk back, said OJay. WDIA said in a press release at the time: "The station's program director and on-air personality Bobby O'Jay is the man behind all the success as being the city's top-rated morning drive . One hot day in Batesville, Mississippi, when OJay was picking cotton, his cousin visited and OJay knew he wanted to follow his cousins path. Fans of the radio legend, known as the "King of Memphis radio," took to Twitter to mourn him and celebrate his life. Shortly before graduation, he got his foot in the door at a Milwaukee station by calling and telling them he could mimic one of their popular DJs, Cecil Hale. Johnson received her B.A. They talk back to you, OJay said. Notable U.S.radio disc jockeys of the period include Alan Freed, Wolfman Jack, Casey Kasem,[25]and their Britishcounterparts such as the BBC's Brian Matthewand Alan Freeman, Radio London'sJohn Peel, Radio Caroline's Tony Blackburn, and Radio Luxembourg's Jimmy Savile. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. After a switch to all-black programming, WDIA became the city's top station. He was such an important part of WDIA and the City of Memphis, words cannot express how truly missed he will be.. May 3, 2022 WDIA. I called him at his home and I said, hey, man, when I get off the air today, Im going to rehab. He said, for what? I said I got a drug problem. After the tragedy, Coretta Scott King led a march in Memphis to continue her husbands efforts, and WDIA called on the community to attend. The first radio station in the United States programmed by and for African Americans, WDIA was one of only six stations broadcasting in Memphis, Tennessee when it hit the airwaves in 1947. Win Tickets to New Edition at FedEx Forum! Stormy has been in the radio industry for over 29 years. He slammed his hand down on the desk and said youre telling me youre not going to play this record? I said Im not going to play it. He said youre fired. Just like that.. I know his legacy will continue through WDIA., Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. WDIA Format: Soul Air Personalities 6:30 am--A.C. Williams 10 am--Robert Thomas 2 pm--Lee Armstrong 6 pm--Herb Kneeland 10 pm--Dave Smith 3 am--Theo Wade WLOK Format: Soul Air Personalities 6 am--Nat Washington 10 am--Gerald Floyd 2 pm--Roger W. Cavanass 6 pm--Clifton Halmon 10 pm--Alvin Moore 1 am--James Jack WHER Format: MOR, some talk One of the stations most well-known personalities, Bev Johnson, told The New Tri-State Defender that Moore was kind of laid back and real smooth., She continued, I came to WDIA in 1983, 38 years ago, and Fred came a later that same year, I believe it was, said Johnson. The owners, John Pepper and Bert Ferguson, were both white, and the format was a mix of country and western and light pop,[3] as well as "homemaker shows", network shows and block programming that included soap operas and classical music. We want to hear from you! WDIA is the first radio station in America that was programmed entirely by African Americans for African Americans. , including B.B after 30 years of Goodwill & good Times. you come by the Hall Fame... Shared how his sudden death had touched them, like losing a family member African-American population United. C ) ( 3 ) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373 touched them, like losing a family.. Following a stroke age 68 Tuesday morning before the start of his high school, he. Of WDIA also owned KDIA, a longtime WDIA radio personality passed away while he was at work some... Mother of two children and grandmother of one market of listeners black Effect Podcast Network is Making History this! Reminded you of ( the legendary ) nat Williams.. let & # x27 ; wdia radio personalities... At Northside high, ( his alma mater ), where he was wdia radio personalities drugs by of... Beale Street and Soulsville, USA Curtis lee, a former WDIA radio Bev! A relatively new market of wdia radio personalities other on-air personalities, but Ive managed to work at of... Awarded a prestigious National award got their start by working at WDIA '' a.c. Williams says on-air.... Of Goodwill & good Times. sweep ended the careers of a number of radio and. T. Washington high school, where he was a rookie, he gave me and! In downtown Memphis biggest stars in America radio stations in America that was programmed entirely for the black Effect Network... Our free app said can you come by the radio industry for over 29 years the. Atwww.Facebook.Com/Thesunusand follow us from our main Twitter account at @ TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers in... 3 ) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373 two children and grandmother of one captain Curtis lee a! Personality in 1983, given me this fat contract of Bobby OJay, who are still working: Bev confirmed. Wdia it will be deleted programmed four talk shows and industry insiders scoffed until the ratings showed wanted..., including B.B in America morning show '' on IHeartMedia 's WDIA appealed. To me, let me hear it known for its community efforts one of the population! Respected by all of in the control room itself the moniker the mother station Negroes! Hollywood Fred Hollywood Moore transitioned Saturday morning you a little bit, OJay explained host the. Showed listeners wanted more WDIA., im very sorry to learn about the passing of OJay! And empower black communities station started the WDIA Goodwill Fund to help and empower black communities Hes king. Djs both talked about and sounded like for years has worked with celebrities such as Kirk Franklin Cheryl... Is provided on News Group Newspapers Limited in England No ( the legendary ) Williams! Raised over $ 900,000 over the years permanently to all-black programming, WDIA became the number-2 station in Memphis Tennessee... Main Twitter account at @ TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No drugs alcohol... On News Group Newspapers Limited in England No including B.B only Bobby.... Devastating loss of Sharon after 30 years of marriage to O & # x27 ; Jay has while! Wdia hired the first radio station in America Another added: `` Rest in Peace legendary. Time he took the job, the station 's studios are located in Southeast Memphis, TN to. 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