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Al Isaac, Oral History
A flashback to the 1950's New York City days of Jocko Henderson, Birmingham born and raised Al Isaac had a special connection with his RnB and Blues listening audience at WATV 900 AM in Birmingham. His laugh, his character voices they were clearly a…
Arnold Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore, Oral History
Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore - (b. Nov 8, 1913, d. May 19, 2004). Starting his career on the air at WIBW in Topeka, Kansas, his home town, in the 1930's, Moore was a major blues singer in the 1930’s and 40's and a prolific recording artist and…
Ben Franklin, Oral History (part 02)
Engineer Ben Franklin (Ben) continues in this 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.
Zack Allen, Oral History
Zack Allen (b.Jan 16, 1936, d.Nov 2, 2010), radio broadcaster with WJLD, interviewed about music played during his time as a DJ in the 1950s
Curtis Bell, Oral History
Curtis Bell (b. Jun 1, 1962; d. Aug 25, 2020), speaks about getting his start in broadcasting in Birmingham.
Ed Boutwell, Oral History
Ed Boutwell (b. June 21, 1937, d. January 25, 2023) founder of Boutwell Recording Studios in Birmingham, Alabama. Nephew of Albert Boutwell who was mayor of Birmingham from 1963 to 1967, Ed recounts numerous memories of growing up on Birmingham's…
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…
Gwendolyn Sanders Gamble, Oral History
Gwendolyn Sanders Gamble (b. Nov. 17, 1947) and her two sisters Dot and Deborah, were Ullman High School students and active in the 1963 campaign. Gwen was 14 and a recruiter which means she would work inside the school letting other students know…
Reflections on Maurice "Thin Man" King, from his wife Lessie King
Richard Maurice "Thin Man" King (b.Sept. 15, 1937; d.June 17, 1980) - born in Uniontown, Alabama to mother Ora Lee Evans (her second marriage last name, not her maiden name) and father Konnie King. "Thin Man," as he was known on the air at WENN 1320…
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.…