On Air Talent Oct 2007 - Present15 years 3 months. He was green so he hired an experienced executive who needed a job. WDIA was inducted in 2013. A builders' merchant with a branch in Slough has been awarded a prestigious national award. AKWAABAWelcome Home! God bless his family, friends and coworkers.". WDIA Memphis mainstay Bobby O'Jay passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday (May 3). Not only did the station feature black radio personalities, but it also brought awareness to a relatively new market of listeners. Pharos Books, 1992). I had a drug problem back then, OJay openly admitted. Listen For Your Chance To Win! After a switch to all-black programming, WDIA became the city's top station. Broadcasting Blues, Gospel, emerging R&B and various talk programs, WDIA became known as a direct appeal to advertisers who wished to reach the African American demographic. Nat was a history teacher and the first black radio DJ at WDIA in Memphis. I hired this guy and within two months, this man had taken my job. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. WDIA's parent company iHeartRadio announced. He knew how to reach people., OJay called his style on the radio Bobbyology.. Wdia Profile and History . Stan Bell Host, WDIA-AM (Memphis, TN) Memphis U.S. A cause of . degree in educational media technology from Jackson State University. Tennessee State Rep Antonio Parkinsonsaid: "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. Please rotate your device. Many grieved in 2017 with the devastating loss of Sharon after 30 years of marriage to O'Jay. One of the iconic voices of Memphis broadcasting, Bobby O'Jay, has died. Stormy has been in the radio industry for over 29 years. Listen online or on your phone with our free app! The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. He was highly respected by all of in the industry whether you were radio, television or whatever. Bobbyology is my thought pattern. Former WDIA radio personality Mr. Fred Hollywood Moore transitioned Saturday morning. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He was known as the King of Memphis Radio, a legend, and icon in the industry. The station did not do well until Ferguson learned about "targeted programming" and realized there was one audience in Memphis no other radio station served. He was inspired by his cousin, Victory in Christ Christian Church senior pastor, Melvin Jones, who was a radio and record executive in OJays early days. [11], Williams ended his show in 1972 following a stroke. 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) 1070 WDIA is an Urban Contemporary radio station serving Memphis. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia. Claim your profile A.C. Williams, a former WDIA disc jockey, helped create the Goodwill Fund in 1954. Sherry Mackey, a former colleague of Moore, posted this tribute on Facebook: Rest in Love to one of the kindest people I have had the honor to work with, former WDIA personality, Fred Hollywood Moore. Bobby OJay, radio personality on Memphis WDIAthe countrys first Black radio stationhas died at the age of 68. 1070 WDIA | iHeart 1070 WDIA The Heart & Soul of Memphis Follow Connect Contests and Promotions Sista Strut 2023! America's first black radio station, playing classic R&B. He was known as a pioneer of Black radio. WDIA personalities included: Martha Jean "The Queen" Steinberg, aka "Princess Premium Stuff" Ernest Brazzell, the giver of crop advice Robert Thomas, aka Robert "Honeyboy" Thomas Maurice "Hot Rod" Hulbert Theo "Bless My Bones" Wade Ford Nelson, who, until 2013, acted as a gospel D.J. They didnt get in my business and things like that. 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. He had a brief on-air stint in Montgomery, Alabama, but returned to Milwaukee prior to landing the hosting gig at WDIA in 1983. Regional As seen in: WDIA-AM (Memphis, TN), POWER Magazine Educator, Radio Personality, Husband, Father Is this you? He said, well, I thought you stopped using drugs. I said, no man. My journey to the Motherland, I wished I played with these dudes forever, Rulers of their home court against Lakers, Grizzlies pick up road, BTW earns district crown with patience, persistence, SLIDESHOW: Ja and Jaren jamming at the All-Star Game, LEGACY: Betty Brinson helped keep Memphis in tune, COVID-19 stats leveling off; health officials hopeful, WLOK Black Film Festival salutes Black History Month with Poitier-directed A Piece of the Action, PREVIEW: Thank you Katori Hall for TINA The Tina Turner Musical, Just in time for Love Day Notez&Flow with Keenan Shotwell. [3], WDIA is known for its community efforts throughout the years. 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. The station also publicized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s visits to Memphis and served as a leading source of news and information for the black community following Dr. Kings assassination. And the name kind of stuck from that time. 29 Apr. ICONIC DJ Bobby O'Jay has died while at work at a Memphis radio station. I know for many Memphians, including my wife, the day was not complete unless they tuned in to hear what Bobby had to say. When hewould usually open phone lines for listeners, the station continued to play music. "We have raised over $900,000 over the years," A.C. Williams says. [5] This was one of the first radio programs in the United States to appeal to black listeners. Moreover, the station owners established several other successful rhythm-and-blues outlets, including KDIA in Oakland, California. By age 17, OJay remembered walking the halls of his high school, using his radio voice.. It featured shows by Beale Street legends such as Nat D. Williams, Rufus Thomas, B.B. WDIA (1070 AM) is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. May God Bless his family, his spirit, and his legacy.. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. Listen live. Description: 1070 WDIA is the heart & soul of Memphis playing Memphis' top R&B music. WDIA went on the air June 7, 1947,[2] from studios on Union Avenue. Only minutes after midnight, early Wednesday morning, O'Jay's colleague, author, and award-winning photographer, Mark Stansbury, confirmed that the official cause of [] Radio WDIA is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - He's the king of Memphis radio, the one and only Bobby O'Jay. 1070 WDIA Podcasts Playlists from 1070 WDIA Latest News See All Advertise With Us For You But at the time he took the job, the drugs were still in his system. pic.twitter.com/DoZ0sl9QNg, Mayor Jim Strickland (@MayorMemphis) May 3, 2022, Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The station's management had been mostly white. The first radio station in the United States programmed by and for African Americans, WDIA was one of only six stations broadcasting in Memphis, Tennessee when it hit the airwaves in 1947. So, he moved back to Houston to return to radio there. It took me about a year or so to get a job on the radio, OJay recalled. SIDEBAR. WDIA radio station, which is based in Memphis, Tennessee, has been active since 1947 and has an amazing history. pic.twitter.com/DoZ0sl9QNg, Mayor Jim Strickland (@MayorMemphis) May 3, 2022. Notable U.S.radio disc jockeys of the period include Alan Freed, Wolfman Jack, Casey Kasem,[25]and their Britishcounterparts such as the BBC's Brian Matthewand Alan Freeman, Radio London'sJohn Peel, Radio Caroline's Tony Blackburn, and Radio Luxembourg's Jimmy Savile. . 3 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. When O'Jay would open. Fred was real smooth on the air, and he had that infectious laugh. One hot day in Batesville, Mississippi, when OJay was picking cotton, his cousin visited and OJay knew he wanted to follow his cousins path. She remembers her longtime friend as a visionary, teacher and game changer. He was 68. She is mother of two children and grandmother of one. [citation needed]. Initially programmed to appeal to the white demographic with classical, country-western, and various other musical genres, WDIA failed to distinguish itself, and in a last attempt to stave off failure, began to play Blues records. WDIA was the first radio station in the country programmed entirely for the black community. Dyana Williams is one of the earliest and most influential female air personalities in Black radio. Its owners, John Pepper and Dick Ferguson, established the station and located it at 2074 Union Avenue. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. We want to hear from you! Sandy Bromley & Tamika Davis #2. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. Talking to TV outlet Fox 13/Memphis prior to his induction, OJay said of his 49-year career, Ive never had this job and that job. r'n'b. soul. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in America that was programmed entirely for African Americans. May 3, 2022 WDIA. Listen to the radio in the background. Williams continued on the air . [I] stayed the 30 days, havent touched drugs and alcohol since, he said. Simple and modern interface. The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces the selection of 10 new Legends inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2022, "recognizing the talents and efforts of air personalities, programmers and operators who contributed with greatness to the radio industry and have since passed away." . One fan tweeted: "Local legendary DJ - Bobby OJay has passed - prayers up for a Memphis legendit was sudden- he was on the radio this morning. 5/5 based on 1 review. In 1996 Clear Channel Communications bought WDIA. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. WDIA M-F 6am-10am & Sun. Television and radio personality Colin . So, that day, OJay walked into the St. Joseph Rehab Center. Tuesday morning, iHeart Radio confirmed the death of O'Jay at age 68. Fired within three months of taking his first gig in Birmingham, that Milwaukee station he called during high school hired him and he quickly became program director. One of the DJs said to me, let me hear it. So, I went through my little, you know, mimicking. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station's studios are located in Southeast Memphis, and the transmitter site is in North Memphis. WDIA reached 10% of the African-American population in United States. Many shared how his sudden death had touched them, like losing a family member. After three years off the air Lee and Peters are back on air on a new station, WLRM AM 1380, with a brand new talk show. ICONIC DJ Bobby O'Jay has died while at work at a Memphis radio station. You can listen to Bobby OJay Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 1070 AM. That range included about 10% of the black population of the United States which in turn garnered substantial advertising revenues. Watch Bobby OJay reflect on his early days at WDIA below. Broadcasting & media production company Photos See all Videos See all 0:38 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. 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. These days, he eats vegan and looks back with appreciation, hoping to further WDIAs image as a goodwill station. "Bobby O'Jay's impact on our industry is undeniable," said iHeartMedia Memphis Senior Vice President of Programming Sue Purnell. Honored by the Living Legends Foundation in 2000 and iHeartMedia Memphis in 2018, he was also a National Radio Hall of Fame nominee. Ive always had just the radio job. 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. I need some help.. In WDIA: Black Music Mother Station. It empowered a huge segment of the . We were saddened to learn of the passing of Memphis radio legend Bobby O'Jay, longtime PD and morning personality on iHeartMedia's WDIA 1070-AM "The Heart & Soul Of Memphis," who died Tuesday morning, May 3 at the age of 68. Radio proved to be a rocky road. Competing against him in radio taught me programming; trying to get a record played at his station taught me the real meaning of perseverance, tenacity and how to be a record exec. After a series of local owners it was bought by media giant Clear Channel Communication in 1997. This callsign, however, is now assigned to an unrelated Christian-programmed station. Download the "WDIA 1070 Radio Station" radio app to enjoy the best programming in town - FREE! Just a high school graduate, but Ive managed to work at some of the biggest radio stations in America. Thaddeus Mathews says that he is the reason that WDIA has fallen to the 12th best station in Memphis, TN. Atlanta Radio Personalities Among National Black Radio Hall Of Fame Inductees. Im more willing to say things to get your attention in a positive manner. Were doing as well as can be expected, O'Jay's niece Wanda Thomas told WREG. Im very sorry to learn about the passing of Bobby OJay. King, and Bobby Blue Bland. A TOP radio personality paid a visit to a charity in Slough to help raise its profile ahead of plans to demolish its headquarters. I know my mother and father knew I was on drugs. I wanted us to be able to talk to our listeners every day about what was going on every day.. Its a tremendous loss because were just going to miss hearing about Bobby OJ., State Rep. Antonio Parkinson added in a statement, We pray for the family and mourn the passing of radio icon Bobby Ojay. I have met some of the biggest stars in America. Bobby O'Jay, radio personality on Memphis' WDIAthe country's first Black radio stationhas died at the age of 68. 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. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in the United States that was programmed entirely for African Americans. Address: Win Tickets to New Edition at FedEx Forum! In 1949 the station was no. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. He broke a lot of records. Share. America's first black radio station, playing classic R&B. degree in English literature from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and her M.S. [1] It featured black radio personalities; its success in building an audience attracted radio advertisers suddenly aware of a "new" market among black listeners. 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 When WDIA first went on air June 7, 1947, it was owned by John Pepper and Dick Ferguson, both . The best way to connect to the community, you talk to them. Setlist: The Very Best of Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers. He was such an important part of WDIA and the City of Memphis, words cannot express how truly missed he will be.. Mike Evans and the Memphis Morning Show with Earle & Stormy. It featured black radio personalities and its black listeners constituted a new market for radio advertisers. Many music legends got their start by working at WDIA, including B.B. Web. He landed some roles in stage plays in the city. 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. 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. RADIO ICON Bobby O'Jay dead at 68: WDIA host and 'King of Memphis radio' dies before his morning show as fans pay tribute. Condolences to his family, colleagues and all who loved him. [7] Its powerful signal reached the Mississippi Deltas dense African-American population and was heard from the Missouri Bootheel to the Gulf Coast. One of the stations most well-known personalities, Bev Johnson, told The New Tri-State Defender that Moore was kind of laid back and real smooth., She continued, I came to WDIA in 1983, 38 years ago, and Fred came a later that same year, I believe it was, said Johnson. On Wednesday, WDIA took phone calls from Memphians who grew up listening to and talking to O'Jay on his morning radio show. Having launched his start in 1972 in Milwaukee, O'Jay went from there to. During his 50 year radio career, O'J. All Rights Reserved. Stan is also a Shelby County Schools Careers and Technology instructor. I always enjoyed being with Bobby on his show or otherwise. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. Fred was also in a couple of movies that filmed here, too.. . "The radio station helps me, it's therapeutic," Lee said. Longtime WDIA Memphis personality Bobby O'Jay passes away. 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. [3][8], Future WJLB strong jock, Martha Jean The Queen Steinberg became known as "Princess Premium Stuff." My wife Melyne and I offer condolences to his family, to his radio family at iHeart and his loyal fans. Radio Personality iHeartMedia Oct 2018 - Jun 20223 years 9 months United States Morning On-Air Talent: Mike Evans and the Memphis Morning Show on V101. English. [11] Elvis Presley was greatly influenced by the station. Do you find this information helpful? Johnson remembers that Moore came here to the Memphis market from Indianapolis. 2 in Memphis in terms of audience. Mark as Played. Johnson received her B.A. Let's treat everyone with respect. Im not willing to say just anything. Praying for the strength and peace of his family as we honor his legacy.. 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. Ernest Brazzell gave crop advice, and Robert Thomas became a DJ named Honeyboy after he won a citywide amateur competition. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 69 talking about this. Humbled, OJay came home to Batesville for a visit. What are you doing? That kind of thing, said Stan Bell. His cause of death is currently unknown. Memphians continue to remember WDIA radio host Bobby OJay, who died Tuesday morning. WDIA Memphis mainstay Bobby OJay passed away of unknown causes on Tuesday (May 3). February 10. During her career she has worked with celebrities such as Kirk Franklin, Cheryl . 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