Its a process.. Twin Cities: AM Personality Tom Barnard ReUps At KQRS; Portland OR Radio: Lar Larson Renews Deal With KXL; Richmond Radio: iHM Names A-J OM/Regional PM . And they even said to me, were going to even give you a company car to drive and this was February of 1983, and the rest is history, said OJay. Tuesday morning, iHeart Radio confirmed the death of O'Jay at age 68. His cause of death is currently unknown. Please include the headline. Listen online or on your phone with our free app! Black radio personalities such as Jack "The Rapper" Gibson of WERD and Tall Paul White of WEDR in Birmingham, drew praise from Martin Luther King and other prominent Black leaders for their contributions to American Civil Rights efforts. We want to hear from you! 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.". Johnson remembers that Moore came here to the Memphis market from Indianapolis. 1070 WDIA The Heart & Soul of Memphis Local News Tennessee Attraction Among The 17 Top Amusement Parks In America Feb 28, 2023 Sista Strut 2023! pic.twitter.com/DoZ0sl9QNg, Mayor Jim Strickland (@MayorMemphis) May 3, 2022. A builders' merchant with a branch in Slough has been awarded a prestigious national award. 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. Watch Bobby OJay reflect on his early days at WDIA below. Setlist: The Very Best of Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers. If you post anything unrelated to WDIA it will be deleted. [1] It featured black radio personalities; its success in building an audience attracted radio advertisers suddenly aware of a "new" market among black listeners. Radio proved to be a rocky road. 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 Search. Rodriguez . O'Jay often shared his life on-air with his late wife, Sharon. In 1949 the station was no. M-F 6am-3pm & Sun. The 68-year-old radio personality passed away on Tuesday morning before the start of his 9am show, according to WREG. Address: 2 Be Kind and Courteous We're all in this together to create a welcoming environment. As one of Memphis most celebrated radio personalities, OJay will be inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame July 31 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Listeners heard about all the significant moments in the couple's life. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. The Legendary Fred Hollywood Moore. He loved God and people. Last year, he was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame after being honored by the Living Legends Foundation in 2000 and iHeartMedia Memphis in 2018. When WDIA went on the air in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, its white owners, Bert Ferguson and John R. Pepper, were anything but blues aficionados; however, deejay Nat D. Williams was. Ownership of the station first changed hands in 1957. VIBE sends our deepest condolences to the OJay family and those affected by this tragic loss. 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. He drove the 50 miles and interviewed on the spot. One of the stations most well-known personalities, Bev Johnson, told, that Moore was kind of laid back and real smooth., We have lost a gentle giant in the radio industry. 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. degree in educational media technology from Jackson State University. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. 14. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. WDIA M-F 6am-10am & Sun. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say. Simple and modern interface. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say. Humbled, OJay came home to Batesville for a visit. Nat D. Williams show ended in 1972 following a stroke. Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. ICONIC DJ Bobby O'Jay has died while at work at a Memphis radio station. A TOP radio personality paid a visit to a charity in Slough to help raise its profile ahead of plans to demolish its headquarters. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also reflected on OJays life and legacy on Twitter. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. This callsign, however, is now assigned to an unrelated Christian-programmed station. Wdia Profile and History . During his 50 year radio career, O'J. Mathews has been quick to tell his listeners to check out the Arbitron ratings on radio on line.It is very clear that since WPLX as been on the air, that WDIA ratings has been on a decline. Healthy debates are natural, but kindness is required. 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. Using the name "Ebony Moonbeams," Williams started her career in broadcasting in 1973 when. Heres a guy who came from the cotton fields in Mississippi. Many grieved in 2017 with the devastating loss of Sharon after 30 years of marriage to O'Jay. When O'Jay would open. "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. Music News She was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and attended public schools. Its been fun more than anything, said OJay. www.mywdia.com; John Hopkins, Radio Center: A Landmark of American I wanted us to be able to talk to our listeners every day about what was going on every day.. Bobby O'Jay, radio personality on Memphis' WDIAthe country's first Black radio stationhas died at the age of 68. "Bobby O'Jay's impact on our industry is undeniable," said iHeartMedia Memphis Senior Vice President of Programming Sue Purnell. His son, WDIA-AM 1070 radio personality Kylan Hunt, 54, died two years ago from natural causes. Listen online or on your phone with our free app! Click here to sign up for our newsletter! 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. Web. 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. Afternoon On-Air Talent: Earle Augustus. After a series of local owners it was bought by media giant Clear Channel Communication in 1997. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say," he wrote. 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. The 68-year-old radio personality passed away on Tuesday morning before the start of his 9am show, according to WREG.. All Rights Reserved. Not only did the station feature black radio personalities, but it also brought awareness to a relatively new market of listeners. Colleagues and family friends took to social media as news spread that former WDIA radio personality Fred "Hollywood" Moore died Saturday (Jan. 9) morning. Wheelin On Beale: How WDIA-Memphis Became the Nations First All-Black One of the iconic voices of Memphis broadcasting, Bobby O'Jay, has died. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Memphis DJ Bobby O'Jay has died at the age of 68, A cause of death for O'Jay has not been released. One of the DJs said to me, let me hear it. So, I went through my little, you know, mimicking. The station's management had been mostly white. Updated: 5:25 PM CDT May 3, 2022. Longtime radio personality Stan Bell talks new role at WDIA By Jasmine McCraven, Daily Memphian Updated: September 24, 2022 5:31 PM CT | Published: . At the time, most stations had one talk show per week. He explained to Action News 5 last year he wasnt willing to just say anything. King, and Bobby Blue Bland. Colleagues and family friends took to social media as news spread that former WDIA radio personality Fred Hollywood Moore died Saturday (Jan. 9) morning. Listen to the radio in the background. WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. 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. Memphis mayor Jim Strickland also reacted to O'Jay's death on Twitter. 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. 69 talking about this. Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. His voice and opinions will truly be missed.. 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. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. America's first black radio station, playing classic R&B. 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. Fred was real smooth on the air, and he had that infectious laugh. 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 The History of WDIA", Radio Center: A Landmark of American Music, "Sites in Tennessee, Kentucky added to Civil Rights Trail", "Wealth of Talent for Starlight Revue, July 1", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WDIA&oldid=1132504634, This page was last edited on 9 January 2023, at 05:10. Before joining WDIA the country's first Black radio station as an air personality in 1983,. B.B. Fred Hollywood Moore was the leading Actor in MA&9s 1998/ 99/2000 stage play Have Eyes see not; Have Ears hear not: Story of a family witness signs of the timeMy Prayers & condolences to Mrs. Judy Moore & the Moore Family. He was a kind and good man with a super smooth voice and infectious laugh. Many shared how his sudden death had touched them, like losing a family member. 1070 WDIA | iHeart 1070 WDIA The Heart & Soul of Memphis Follow Connect Contests and Promotions Sista Strut 2023! [6] In June 1954 WDIA was licensed to increase its power from 250 to 50,000 watts, which meant moving to 1070kHz. iHeartRadio Ultimate Contest, Sweatfest Punta Cana with Keith Sweat. By age 17, OJay remembered walking the halls of his high school, using his radio voice.. What remained constant was his kooky smile and the genuine respect we had for each other. Half of the listeners who could hear WDIA's signal were African-American, and WDIA hired the first black disk jockey in the South. I need some help.. WHAL Sat.. Stormy Taylor After a switch to all-black programming, WDIA became the city's top station. . oldies. Kwanzaa and the celebration of Imani faith! He has become one of Memphis' most energetic & beloved radio personalities for twenty-nine years now! Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. They talk back to you, OJay said. MEMPHIS, Tenn Legendary Memphis radio icon Bobby O'Jay has passed away. I like to hear all kinds of opinions from all kinds of people.. A former high-school history teacher and journalist, Williams brought his own . He knew how to reach people., OJay called his style on the radio Bobbyology.. He was known as the 'King of Memphis radio', Bobby OJay dead at 68: WDIA host and King of Memphis radio dies before his morning show as fans pay tribute, Pedestrian who killed cyclist in clash over riding on pavement is JAILED after victim, 77, fell into path of car, Model 'paid thousands to smuggle 5m criminal cash into Dubai by hiding money in her holiday luggage', Dad 'fatally shot daughter, 7, in head & gunned down headteacher mum' who died of 'shock' from wounds in double killing, Rolf Harris sued over 'fresh sex attack after molesting vulnerable 10-year-old girl at school holiday camp', UK weather: Exact date snow and hail will hit Britain as chilly winds from the north blow in -1C temperatures, Frogmore eviction shows King Charles has drawn a line with Harry - now he must do two more things with the spoilt brat, Im a prison officer & worked with some of Britains feared men but I made a BIG mistake on my first month on the wing, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). 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