WELO
Encyclopedia
WELO is a radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...

  broadcasting a Adult Standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...

 format. Licensed to Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...

, USA, the station serves the Tupelo area. The station is currently owned by Jmd, Inc..

History

WELO began broadcasting on May 15, 1941, on South Spring Street, Tupelo, above the Black and White dry goods store. Frank Kyle Spain and Jim Green, Tupelo High School students, became station engineers to complete building the station after Green's older brother became ill and unable to finish his engineering contract responsibilities.

Some local talents were involved in starting up the station, among them the announcer Charlie Boren and the bandleader and radio technician Archie Mackey. The hillbilly star of the station in 1946 was a 23-year-old native of Smithville, Mississippi
Smithville, Mississippi
Smithville is a town in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. Smithville is the birthplace of Rod Brasfield, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.-Geography:...

, Carvel Lee Ausborn, who went by the name of Mississippi Slim
Mississippi Slim
Mississippi Slim could refer to:* Mississippi Slim , Walter Horn Jr. * Mississippi Slim , Carvel Lee Ausborn...

.

Ernest Bowen, who had tangential musical connections with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

, became a longtime general manager at WELO. Presley occasionally performed on Mississippi Slim's radio program "Singin' and Pickin' Hillbilly."

At one time, WTUP and WELO were sister stations.

The station now plays an Adult Standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...

 format, supplied by the Music Of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...

network.
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