wdia radio personalities

These days, he eats vegan and looks back with appreciation, hoping to further WDIAs image as a goodwill station. One hot day in Batesville, Mississippi, when OJay was picking cotton, his cousin visited and OJay knew he wanted to follow his cousins path. View our online Press Pack. 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. 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. After 44 years in radio, OJay is known around the nation for his Bobbyology. Radio Hall of Fame Announces 2022 Legends of Radio Inductees. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say. It leaves a legacy behind, you know, for my family, you know, and of course for me and it also adds to the legacy of the radio station because now it will be four of us, he said. Martha Jean The Queen Steinberg (September 9, 1930 January 29, 2000) was an influential African-American radio broadcaster and later was also the pastor of her own church. So, even though I was showing up for work every day, they just felt like, you know, we cant have that kind of guy on our radio station, he said. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. Johnson received her B.A. The station went on the air on June 7, 1947, from studios on Union Avenue in downtown Memphis. WDIA 1070 Memphis - Bobby O'Jay - December 19 2019Bobby O'Jay was one of the most iconic voices in Memphis Broadcasting. WDIA midday personality Bev Johnson confirmed to local CBS . A.C. Williams, a former WDIA disc jockey, helped create the Goodwill Fund in 1954. Search. Today, WDIAs major playlist offers very little in the way of the Beale Street Blues and Gospel that established the stations early reputation, but spans the 1960s music to the present day, with significant air time devoted to the classic Soul sounds of the 1970s, and an occasional offering from its early on-air contributors B.B. WDIA was the first radio station in the country programmed entirely for the black community. WDIA Memphis mainstay Bobby OJay passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday (May 3). At the end of everything, they had given me this fat contract. They just prayed for me and June 28, 1985, I just went to work one morning after being out all night and called the general manager of the radio station. The Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer was 68. iHeartRadio, parent company of the WDIA radio station where O'Jay served as DJ . 2023 Vibe Media, LLC. 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. When I was a rookie, he gave me advice and always a good laugh. 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. 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. [7] Its powerful signal reached the Mississippi Deltas dense African-American population and was heard from the Missouri Bootheel to the Gulf Coast. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He's the king of Memphis radio, the one and only Bobby O'Jay. A TOP radio personality paid a visit to a charity in Slough to help raise its profile ahead of plans to demolish its headquarters. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google, Angela Bassett Says Potential Oscar Win Would Be A Childhood Dream ComeTrue, Kelly Rowland To Judge Audibles Breakthrough, The First Audio-Only SingingContest, De La Souls Trugoy The Doves First Posthumous Release Is A GorillazCollab. Ive always had just the radio job. He was known as a pioneer of Black radio. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He was known as the King of Memphis Radio, a legend, and icon in the industry. We offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loyal listeners during this extremely difficult time. They talk back to you, OJay said. His son, WDIA-AM 1070 radio personality Kylan Hunt, 54, died two years ago from natural causes. He was on the air, he engaged with his callers, talked to his listeners. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School, where he was editor of the yearbook. On Air Talent Oct 2007 - Present15 years 3 months. "He was the type of guy, you know, if you saw him out on the streets or whatever, he treats you like, 'Hey man, it is so great to see you. [3] WDIA is known for its community efforts throughout the years. 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) 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. Bell will still continue his afternoon show on V101, while also taking over morning drive at WDIA. He has become one of Memphis' most energetic & beloved radio personalities for twenty-nine years now! OJays older brother helped him get a $1,200 loan for broadcast school right out of high school and he took a six-month course. "Bobby O'Jay's impact on our industry is undeniable," said iHeartMedia Memphis Senior Vice President of Programming Sue Purnell. I like to hear all kinds of opinions from all kinds of people.. Its owners, John Pepper and Dick Ferguson, established the station and located it at 2074 Union Avenue. Nat D. Williams show ended in 1972 following a stroke. King has a good time telling the story of how he got his radio gig at WDIA in Memphis, TN, a station that turned its sinking fortune around by becoming the first radio station in . Instant playback and premium quality. Im not willing to say just anything. WDIA Memphis mainstay Bobby O'Jay passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday (May 3). "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. O'Jay, who had been with WDIA since 1983, was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame in 2021. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern. A builders' merchant with a branch in Slough has been awarded a prestigious national award. Twitter: @WDIA Language: English Contact: 2650 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Born in Batesville, Mississippi on August 8, 1953, OJay began his dream career as radio host in 1972 in Milwaukee. Wdia Profile and History . O'Jay was considered to be the King of Memphis radio. He said, man, you sound just like him. He said can you come by the radio station?. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. King and Bobby Blue Bland. Its been fun more than anything, said OJay. 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. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland also reflected on OJays life and legacy on Twitter. A segue to an on-air gig in Montgomery, Alabama, was followed by a return to Milwaukee prior to landing at WDIA, where he also served as program director, During the course of his estimable tenure at the station, OJay interviewed a whos who in Black music and culture, including Whitney Houston, Muhammad Ali and Temptations members David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks. 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! Setlist: The Very Best of Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers. He was 68. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Music News My wife Melyne and I offer condolences to his family, to his radio family at iHeart and his loyal fans. ICONIC DJ Bobby O'Jay has died while at work at a Memphis radio station. Many shared how his sudden death had touched them, like losing a family member. Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. Claim your profile His cause of death is currently unknown. Please rotate your device. OJay was open about his own struggles, including his struggle with drugs in the 1980s. He had a daily 15-minute show, promoting first a patent medicine called Pep-Ti-Kon, and later Lucky Strike cigarettes, the first major advertiser for the station. The stations influence and popularity reached the Mississippi Deltas dense African-American population, and WDIAs broadcasts were heard from Missouri to the Gulf Coast, reaching 10 percent of the African-American population in the United States. I know his legacy will continue through WDIA, he wrote. oldies. The original frequency was 730kHz. WDIA RULES This group is for WDIA and no other radio station or radio personality other than those on WDIA. 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. Bobbyology is my thought pattern. "We have raised over $900,000 over the years," A.C. Williams says. It featured black radio personalities and its black listeners constituted a new market for radio advertisers. Mark Stansbury, on-air personality on Sunday, remembers Fred as a good brother to work with. Mike Evans and the Memphis Morning Show with Earle & Stormy. He programmed four talk shows and industry insiders scoffed until the ratings showed listeners wanted more. Dyana Williams is one of the earliest and most influential female air personalities in Black radio. 112 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38103, USA, New Destination Application Though the on-air talent was black, as were the artists whose music they played, ownership remained white. 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 and I were always on opposite sides of the desk. Download Our Free iHeartRadio App! In 2020, to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, the Beale Street Historic District and the WDIA radio station were added from Memphis. WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. The 68-year-old radio personality passed away on Tuesday morning before the start of his 9am show, according to WREG. As WDIAs program director, OJay made moves that turned the industry on its head. A massive lay-off sweep ended the careers of a number of radio personnel and on-air personalities. You can listen to Bobby OJay Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 1070 AM. It then switched permanently to all-black programming, and quickly moved into first place. Bobby O'Jay became a popular host and was a mainstay until his death on May 3, 2022. 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. 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. 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. [6] WDIA soon became the number-2 station in Memphis. [3][8], Future WJLB strong jock, Martha Jean The Queen Steinberg became known as "Princess Premium Stuff." Bell joins 1070 WDIA from co-owned Urban KJMS-FM (V101), where he has been on-air for over 30 years. Web. 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. Ownership of the station first changed hands in 1957. "I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise.. 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. www.mywdia.com; John Hopkins, Radio Center: A Landmark of American 1070 WDIA is the heart & soul of Memphis! Its a process.. He was such an important part of WDIA and the City of Memphis, words cannot express how truly missed he will be.. (Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage), Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Stax Records Icon Al Bell and More Reflect on 50thAnniversary of Wattstax, Chuck D Talks PBS & BBC Music Premiere of Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed theWorld, Lil Kim and Friends to Headline Apollo for Harlem Festival of CultureConcert. In the 1980s until the ratings showed listeners wanted more 1070 AM black.., WDIA-AM 1070 radio personality passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday ( May )... ; merchant with a branch in Slough has been awarded a prestigious award. Personality passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday ( May 3, 2022 life and on. Legacy will continue through WDIA, he wrote he engaged with his callers, to. `` the Sun '', `` Sun '', `` Sun Online '' are registered trademarks trade... Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy, remembers Fred as a goodwill station 2022... @ WDIA Language: English Contact: 2650 Thousand Oaks Blvd jockey, helped create goodwill... D. 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