OLD TIME RADIO, GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Stan Hitchcock
I really miss old time radio. From the years of the 40’s when Mom and Dad and I would sit in the living room of our farm house in the Ozark mountains, logs blazing and popping in the fireplace, wind howling outside on a cold winters night and the big old console radio bringing the world into our home. Fibber McGee and Molly, Lum and Abner, Abbott and Costello, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, The Shadow, Suspense, Lux Theater, The Lone Ranger, Dick Tracy, Superman and , of course, The Grand Ole Opry, Midwestern Hayride, WLS Barndance and Renfro Valley Barndance. Now these weren’t just passing programs, these were part of the family lifestyle that we lived.
In the late 40’s early 50’s our local radio station, KWTO, Springfield, Missouri, 560 on your radio dial, started really bringing in top country talent for their live broadcasts. These stars would move to Springfield and stay there for a period of time before moving on to another station, or as in the case of the local talent, would live there all the time. We had Mother Maybelle Carter and the Carter Sisters, Helen, Anita and June, with Chet Atkins playing guitar, we had Shorty and Sue Thompson, Slim Wilson, Goodwill Trio, Porter Wagoner, LeRoy Van Dyke, Tommy Sosbee, and a host of others. Stations all over the country were doing the same, live shows, live country talent in the daytime and network shows at night. I was glued to the radio, either in the living room or upstairs with the little radio next to my bed.
Country DJ’s were born during the 40’s and 50’s and exploded in the 60’s and 70’s with Eddie Hill creating all night country radio on WSM in the early 50’s, Jimmy Skinner on WCKY, Cincinnatti, Charlie Douglas down in New Orleans, Ralph Emery taking over for Eddie Hill on WSM, Mike Hoyer on WHO Des Moines, Bill Mack down in Fort Worth, King Edward IV spinning country in Roanoke, Billy Parker all night on KVOO Tulsa.
When I came out of the Navy in 1958 and made my way home to Springfield I had been faithful to country radio all over the country in my travels. In 1959 I landed a late night radio dj spot on KWTO called Hillbilly Heaven, taking the place of Fred Lynn who had started the show several years before. I was playing 33 1/3 albums and 78’s with a few 45’s just starting to trickle in. I loved it. Country radio was really a great thing in those days.
In 1962 I moved to Nashville with my country music dream, a recording contract with Columbia Records Epic label, a J45 guitar, a pretty good pair of Tony Lama boots, three pair of Levi’s and not a heck of a lot else. Hungry to sing, eager to hit the road, songs running through my head and a belief that I could make a life out of this music….I got here and never stopped believing that. Country Radio was the vehicle that allowed me to pursue my dream. Playing my records, getting the name out there, letting people know what and who you were, so when you came to their town folks would welcome you and come out to see the show. Country Radio and Country DJ’s that we developed friendships with were the marketing tools of our music and to them all we, the artists of the 50’s-60’s-70’s, owe a deep appreciation.
One of my long time friends, and famous Country DJ from the 60’s-70’s, Chuck Lowe, who was the voice of Country in Salina, Kansas, Little Rock, Arkansas, Orlando, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, St. Louis, Missouri and back to his home town of Nashville, Tennessee, comes to spend some time with me when he can and mainly fish all over the country together. Chuck retired from radio in the 80’s and now lives in the Smoky Mountains in a beautiful log house, with his good wife Nancy. Chuck’s real name is Charles Lowrance, but all Country Radio knew him as Chuck Lowe and every radio station that he moved to would be number one in that market.
Chuck took my music with him everywhere he moved and always pushed my records and promoted my shows in every town he worked. You just can’t say enough about that kind of loyalty. Chuck is still looking and sounding great, as he came to our BlueHighways studio and recorded a commercial for our new book, “At The Corner Of Music Row, And Memory Lane”, and even brought Denise and I a care package of great country ham, jams and jellies and sourwood honey from his company, Hassell Creek food products. It just reminded me of the impact Chuck and the other Country DJ’s have had on my life in music. To them all, but especially to Chuck and Nancy Lowrance, thanks for the lifetime of friendship and the helping hands along the way.
Add a comment to me, my friends, and tell me your old country dj’s that you grew up with in your hometown. They deserve to be remembered. God Bless Us All,
Stan
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