Radio & Record Relationship

Years ago when music was on vinyl and CD meant "Civil Defense," there was a long and successful relationship in the making. After the Second World War and Korean War, a great impetus spread across the nation creating newfound opportunities. American soldiers returned home from distant shores as they and their families moved around more freely and integrated throughout the country. Soldiers, both Black and White, who fought side by side in foreign countries, were exposed to different lifestyles and music and returned to the states with diverse humanitarian experiences. Each became more openly acceptable of cultures other than their own thus altering their social views. Within the larger cities, factories employed shift workers who continued in this inner-relationship of the masses which came together to spawn a new dawn for musical expression. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, Hillbilly Music began to spread from rural areas in the countryside into the larger Southern cities. Country radio provided the only broadcast available in some areas and was supported by mixed audiences. Already firmly entrenched into the fabric of consciousness was Blues Music, Jazz and Gospel. With segregation in existence, Black listeners were entertained by Country & Western radio while White audiences might tune-in the Blues. Musicians picked up on each others bipartite techniques thus creating a cross pollination of music styles. This infusion directly affected the components of each music tradition and pleasantly splintered a fusion of music thus resulting in a amalgamate of American music. At the same time, small record labels and recording studios began to pop-up while local radio's popularity spread like wildfire amongst the teenagers. A radio and record relationship would soon embark with a marriage created within Heavens transmitter. Call it Rock and Roll, Rockabilly or Soul Music, these songs were historic artifacts reflecting the social phenomenon taking place in the Deep South.

Control room photograph of WROX Radio in Greenville, MS by Tom Muck