WTIX (AM)
Encyclopedia
WEGO is a radio station
licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina
, USA, which serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by Ghb Radio and airs a Spanish
contemporary Christian format.
On the afternoon of October 28, 1950 Larry L. Williams, an African-American, signed on radio station WAAA-AM 980. The first program broadcast was a football game between Morgan State University
and A & T State University
. The game was announced from the stadium by Togo West, Sr. (principal of Atkins High School) while Larry L. Williams conducted station operations.
On the morning of October 29, 1950 Larry L. Williams signed on WAAA for the first full day of broadcasting as the second radio station in the state (after WGIV
in 1947) specifically targeting an African American
audience. WAAA was believed to be the third black radio station in the United States, preceded by WDIA
in Memphis
and WERD
in Atlanta
. WAAA was also the first black-owned station in North Carolina.
Prior to becoming the General Manager of WAAA, Larry L. Williams gave play-by-play action of the Winston-Salem State University football and basketball games; becoming known as the "Voice of the Rams." Larry L. Williams went on to become General Manager of radio stations in Alabama, South Carolina, and Charlotte, NC. He returned to his home in Asheville, North Carolina
in 2002 to become General Manager of WOXL-FM
. Larry L. Williams, a pioneer in radio, retired in 2008 at the age of 90.
Oscar "Daddy-Oh" Alexander was the station's best known DJ. He was described as "a jive-talking hipster who radiated cool while spinning hits from Motown and Stax."
Jazz pianist Keith Byrd, who once lived near him, described Alexander this way:
Alexander left the station in 1962 after five years. But he made quite an impression with lines such as these:
Annie Bell Bowman played gospel music on the station. Anita "Boss Lady" Dean was a DJ for six years.
Mutter D. Evans bought WAAA from Media Broadcasting Corp. in 1979 for $1.04 million, making her the first African American woman to own a radio station in the United States. At the time, the station had 14 employees and was doing well financially considering its size. But in 1988 WAAA filed for Chapter 11. WAAA continued to broadcast but faced increasing competition from larger stations. But WAAA was unique in its service to the community, playing gospel music
, jazz
and rhythm and blues
and broadcasting news, daily obituary reports, and Sunday religious programming.
On July 9, 2001, deputies locked the doors to the WAAA studios on Indiana Avenue because court documents showed rent had not been paid since 1997. Evans and the community worked to bring the station back, and a web site was introduced in January 2002. On July 5, 2002, WAAA returned to the air with new studios and a limited schedule, with Evans claiming to have solved her problems and intending to return to a full schedule as soon as possible.
As recently as 2006, WAAA sponsored Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day celebrations.
GHB Broadcasting purchased the station. For
several years WAAA, later called WTIX, aired the programming of WIST-FM
, which played adult standards
and then classic country
. The switch to sports talk took place May 5, 2008.
Truth Broadcasting completed its purchase of the station January 6, 2010. The call letters changed to WEGO and the format changed to Spanish Christian. Programming includes syndicated shows plus local programming from Iglesia Luz Admirable Assemblies of God. An estimated 37,000 Latinos live in Forsyth County
.
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...
licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, USA, which serves the Piedmont Triad area. The station is currently owned by Ghb Radio and airs a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
contemporary Christian format.
History
WAAA was owned by white businessman Roger Page.On the afternoon of October 28, 1950 Larry L. Williams, an African-American, signed on radio station WAAA-AM 980. The first program broadcast was a football game between Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
and A & T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university located in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest publicly funded historically black college in the state of North Carolina.NC A&T is a constituent institution of the University of North...
. The game was announced from the stadium by Togo West, Sr. (principal of Atkins High School) while Larry L. Williams conducted station operations.
On the morning of October 29, 1950 Larry L. Williams signed on WAAA for the first full day of broadcasting as the second radio station in the state (after WGIV
WGIV
WGIV is an African american formatted radio station currently found at 1370 on the AM radio dial. Its city of license is Pineville, North Carolina...
in 1947) specifically targeting an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
audience. WAAA was believed to be the third black radio station in the United States, preceded by WDIA
WDIA
WDIA is an AM radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States of America. Its radio frequency is 1070 kHz. In 1962 it became the first U.S. radio station programmed by African-Americans, though its ownership was white.-History:...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and WERD
WERD
WERD was the first radio station owned and programmed by African Americans. The station was established in Atlanta, Georgia in early October 1949....
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. WAAA was also the first black-owned station in North Carolina.
Prior to becoming the General Manager of WAAA, Larry L. Williams gave play-by-play action of the Winston-Salem State University football and basketball games; becoming known as the "Voice of the Rams." Larry L. Williams went on to become General Manager of radio stations in Alabama, South Carolina, and Charlotte, NC. He returned to his home in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
in 2002 to become General Manager of WOXL-FM
WOXL-FM
WOXL-FM is a radio station licensed to Biltmore Forest, North Carolina, USA, the station serves the Asheville area and broadcasts an adult contemporary music format...
. Larry L. Williams, a pioneer in radio, retired in 2008 at the age of 90.
Oscar "Daddy-Oh" Alexander was the station's best known DJ. He was described as "a jive-talking hipster who radiated cool while spinning hits from Motown and Stax."
Jazz pianist Keith Byrd, who once lived near him, described Alexander this way:
He had a voice that was like gravel going through molasses. You know what I'm saying? It was smooth and sweet. He was a good spirit, a great character and he played the hottest songs. He was almost like the black Wolfman Jack in this area.
Alexander left the station in 1962 after five years. But he made quite an impression with lines such as these:
It's Hooty-Tooty your host, the one that loves you the most.
It's 24 O'Roolies past 4 Mac Vouchers.
Here in the atmospheric conditions of our universal solar system - it's clear as a bell and hot as - 98 degrees.
Stick around, don't be no clown. Listen to what I'm puttin' down. This is Hooty-Tooty, the bandit's booty.
Annie Bell Bowman played gospel music on the station. Anita "Boss Lady" Dean was a DJ for six years.
Mutter D. Evans bought WAAA from Media Broadcasting Corp. in 1979 for $1.04 million, making her the first African American woman to own a radio station in the United States. At the time, the station had 14 employees and was doing well financially considering its size. But in 1988 WAAA filed for Chapter 11. WAAA continued to broadcast but faced increasing competition from larger stations. But WAAA was unique in its service to the community, playing gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and broadcasting news, daily obituary reports, and Sunday religious programming.
On July 9, 2001, deputies locked the doors to the WAAA studios on Indiana Avenue because court documents showed rent had not been paid since 1997. Evans and the community worked to bring the station back, and a web site was introduced in January 2002. On July 5, 2002, WAAA returned to the air with new studios and a limited schedule, with Evans claiming to have solved her problems and intending to return to a full schedule as soon as possible.
As recently as 2006, WAAA sponsored Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
Day celebrations.
GHB Broadcasting purchased the station. For
several years WAAA, later called WTIX, aired the programming of WIST-FM
WIST-FM
WIST-FM is a Regional Mexican outlet serving the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. The GHB Broadcasting station is licensed to Thomasville, North Carolina.-History:...
, which played 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...
and then classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
. The switch to sports talk took place May 5, 2008.
Truth Broadcasting completed its purchase of the station January 6, 2010. The call letters changed to WEGO and the format changed to Spanish Christian. Programming includes syndicated shows plus local programming from Iglesia Luz Admirable Assemblies of God. An estimated 37,000 Latinos live in Forsyth County
Forsyth County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 306,067 people, 123,851 households, and 81,741 families residing in the county. The population density was 747 people per square mile . There were 133,093 housing units at an average density of 325 per square mile...
.