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Rick Upshaw, Oral History
Rick Upshaw was born and raised in Chattanooga and is a graduate of Howard School. Rick Upshaw was also a talented singer and was quite an expert at piano and organ. He began his musical studies at the Ken Keese Studios in Chattanooga and studied as…
Joe Lackey, Oral History
Joe Lackey (b. Aug 3, 1922, d.May 29, 2009), General Manager at WENN 1958-76. Part owner, WATV Birmingham. Joe reflects on his early career and on the 1963 Civil Rights Movement.
David Shears, Oral History
David Shears, WBCO Announcer known as Doc B. At WBCO from 1951 to 1954.
Erskine Faush, Oral History
Rev. Erskine Faush (b. Dec 2, 1931, d. April 25, 2020), Gospel Radio Announcer, 1951-2016. Radio Pioneer joining his brother William at WBCO, Bessemer and then moving to WENN Radio in 1958 and WATV in 1976, where he became part owner with Shelley…
Andrew Fields, Oral History
Andrew Fields (b.Jan 2, 1936, d. Nov 10, 2004), overnight broadcaster and part timer at WJLD and WBUL, discusses his career spanning 1969-1982; reflecting on his development and experience in Birmingham radio and his contemporaries.
Bruce Payne, Oral History
Bruce Payne (b. 1930, d. October 6, 2005) Birmingham Broadcaster from the early 1950's. Born in Jackson, MS and began his broadcasting career briefly at WVIM Vicksburg and then moved to Bessemer at WBCO. He made the transition to early WENN Radio in…
Ed "Johnny Jive" McClure, Oral History
Edward McClure (EM) (b. Jun 23, 1923, d. Sep 17, 2009) music jock and school teacher known on the air as “Johnny Jive” beginning his career at WBCO, Bessemer in 1952, at WENN for a short time in the late 50’s and then, WJLD until 1969. A master of…
Shelley Stewart, Oral History
Shelley Stewart, pioneer Birmingham disc jockey and announcer, reflects on his career in Birmingham radio beginning with WBCO and WEDR in 1952, then WENN, then WJLD, then WENN, then part owner of WATV. Retired from radio in 1999.
Lewis White, Oral History
Lewis White (b. Nov 5, 1932, d. Mar 16, 2017), a broadcaster with WJLD from 1958 to 1972, His show was a weekender characterized as a jazz show later on in his career; however, the BBRM has one of his shows from the early 1960’s that is a total mix.…
Brian Ward, Oral History
Interviewed on the air at WJLD. Author, “Radio and the Struggle for Civil Rights in the South” (University Press of Florida, 2004).