You just couldn't fight FM. Star & Buc Wild (left) | Source: Getty Images / Getty. It officially launched in 2015 with a series of episodes highlighting Chicago Influencers and Chicago Dining. What makes for a good urban talk station? I think the black media in general, and WVON specifically, played a profound role in history and, in one case I can cite, the election of Chicago's first black mayor (Harold Washington). I began filling in as needed as the traffic/weather and news anchor, and things took off from there. So how did you come up with the concept of reviewing restaurants while interviewing interesting people? And we were 1,000 watts in the daytime, 250 watts at night, that's all! Jack Diamond hosted the Jack Diamond Morning Show in Washington, DC for ABC radio for 30 years! What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that? iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries. I think listening is key when it comes to communication. Cordell, 86, died Tuesday night at the University of Chicago medical center, where he had been in the intensive care unit since June 28. [11][15] Though the station was initially geared strictly to a black audience, by 1968 its playlist had expanded to include songs by white artists that were compatible with the station's sound, in an effort to reach a wider audience. [4][6] Hoffman bought out the other two stations, and by 1936 it operated on 1420 full-time. Saturday: 08:00 PM - 12:00 AM In a major market, it was the first 24-hour R&B station, and it had tons and tons and tons of listeners. Danielle Sanders is a journalist and writer living in Chicago. Part of that comes from working in TV news, especially during breaking news times. Heartbreaking losses. [4][5][9] Ernie Banks hosted a program on the station in the late 1950s. For the past 25 years, Jack has fronted a band that has opened for national touring acts including Elton John, the Moody Blues, and many others, and played for as many as 40,000 people. We went out in the street, made appearances at a lot of community centers. Why did you attend college away from Chicago? I think it is still (important). Jack and his partners, Jimmy Alexander and Lisa Anne are proud to host mornings on regional stand out 106.9 The Eagle. Russ Parr | Source: The Washington Post / Getty. I always tell people Chicago is such fertile ground for our people, great movements. Were you influenced by anyone? Type in the name of your neighborhood or select one from the list below. Of course, when the riots came (after the assassination of the Rev. Sunday: 03:00 PM - 07:00 PM, Mon - Fri: 12:00 AM - 06:00 AM Deep Cover drops on Mondays. For the listener, it not only was encouraging, but it came closer to giving the truth, the reason for the struggle, the importance of participating in the struggle to bring about change. Thanks for listening to 94.7 The Drive! When brothers Leonard and Phil Chess bought WHFC-AM 1450 in 1963, their goal was to promote Chess Records, renaming the outlet WVON for Voice of the Negro. Chuck Leonard, air personality in New York City in 1960-1970s on WWRL, WABC, WXLO, WRKS, WBLS and others. No one escaped this. Just making sure that I keep myself safe. Cook eventually landed a radio show on Berkeleys KALX. After college, Williams started her career in radio as an intern for Kiss 108 in Boston, and made the move to New York Citys Kiss-FM, where she eventually landed her own air shift; and then on to New Yorks Hot 97. [4][5] Like many stations of the time, WHFC shared time with other stations on its frequency. Mon - Fri: 07:00 PM - 12:00 AM There's something about this place. Ron DeSantis cements control of Disney World's special district DeSantis dealt another blow to Walt Disney World's ability to operate with autonomy by signing a bill on Monday to end the park's special tax status. Chicago Defender had an opportunity to chat with Samantha Thomas about her career, new show, and about being a fearless woman in media. Im smiling as I answer this. A triple-threat performer of song, dance and comedy, Thomas nighttime show, Hoot and Holler, was an influential source of blues and R&B for a generation of white and Black listeners alike. Jack Diamond Show. As president and general manager of Chicago's WVON-AM, Melody Spann-Cooper heads the only African American-owned radio station in the nation's third-largest market. Afternoon Drive,Weekdays 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Herb Kent, "The Cool Gent," who died last fall at age 88 after more than 50 years at the station. We mixed that in there. Rufus Thomas was the preeminent DJ of Memphis WDIA, the nations first radio station with an all-Black air staff. The Download,Weeknights 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. To this day, we still believe in gathering for family dinners. Jack has appeared on national television many times, including a speaking role on the George Lopez Show. "WVON celebrates 50th birthday with celebs, pols". If they continue to be the voice of the nation, we'll always respond. WBBM 780 AM/105.9 FM Newsradio CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Pat Cassidy, Felicia Middlebrooks, Keith Johnson, Kris Kridel TOP ROW, FROM LEFT: Josh Liss, Nancy Harty, Jeff Joniak BOTTOM ROW, FROM LEFT: Len. Main Menu. Stroger, the former Cook County Board president, joined him as co-host in 2019. R&B is a top favorite. "The only thing I can do is pray," Brown said a day after the fire. And two important guests I remember listening to were Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King. WVON never quite recaptured the enormous audience of its past, but in 1986 it switched to a talk format that reclaimed Chicago's imagination. Real Times Media. I tell people 'VON today is an acquired listenership. We had to get it done, and get it done efficiently fast. Magic Rivas created Disco Showcase in 1979 on a small pay-for-time FM station in New York called WHBI, he didnt know he was starting what would become the very first rap radio show. VON-TV is WVONs new digital streaming platform. DJ Red Alert | Source: Nicholas Rhodes / Getty. It's been playing a critical role since the '60s. What is the key to successful communication? A Chicago native and Cultural Enthusiast at heart, Samantha started her Media career as a Director and Television News Producer for several local news markets across the U.S., including Missouri (CBS), Las Vegas (ABC, FOX, and CBS), and Chicago (CBS) & (WGN). And they were saying how we should stop the riots. What does the science say about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? WVON Radio has announced today the return of media personality Matt McGill to WVON's line up beginning June 1, 2022. When Harold Washington was elected (mayor). [12] WVON debuted on April 1, 1963 and quickly became a success playing R&B music, becoming the second most listened to Chicago station during evening hours by early 1964. Saturday: 12:00 AM - 06:00 AM Im the oldest of three, with a younger brother and sister. Samantha Thomas: Samantha Thomas is a Chicago native who loves culture, creativity, gathering knowledge, and great laughs on occasion. @dnainfo_breen @trafficjamjen @jmd34john @C1McKnight pic.twitter.com/KTAke3a1it. Who did you inherit your style from? And WVON remained a sociopolitical powerhouse. Why journalism? Cooper was succeeded in Black Chicago radio by very important air personalities like Al Benson who brought the blues and jazz to Chicago on WGES and his colleague Herb Kent, who made his mark after his move to WVON, where he was a strong voice for progress during the tumultuous Civil Rights movement. Williams was Billboards Best On-Air Radio Personality in 1993 and became the second African American woman inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2009. Shes the host of the evening show airing Monday-Thursday from 6 p.m. 9 p.m., where she invites listeners and viewers on social media to simply, TALK to Samantha.. And we all went through it. WVON 1690AM/ iHeartRadio is a staple in the Chicago media community. With his Bronx Science high school colleague Kevvy Kev Montague over at Stanfords KZSU, and a number of other important DJs and shows at college and community stations across the Bay, Cook eventually became the ringleader of the Bay Area Hip-Hop Coalition, the first rap radio deejay collective in the world, with more hours of hip-hop on air than in any area of the country. Condon, David. Thousands of baskets we gave to the poor and the needy. I love all types of music. WRLL (1690 AM) was an oldies radio station licensed to Berwyn, Illinois, USA, serving the Chicago market. And it went right to Marmions Collin Wainscott. Mack gave the first airplay to now-legendary acts like the LA Dream Team, Egyptian Lover, World Class Wreckin Cru, Dr. Dre, Eazy E, Ice T, Ice Cube, NWA, Tone Loc and dozens more. [4], In the early 1950s, WHFC's studios and transmitter were moved to 3350 S. Kedzie, in Chicago's South Lawndale community. A nationally renowned pioneer blending hip-hop, radio and community activism, David Cook moved from the Bronx to the Bay Area shortly after the dawn of the hip-hop era. They finally caught up with us. Yvonne Daniels was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1995. Not everyone is pleasant to deal with all of the time. In the mid-1980s Parr also recorded with his band Bobby Jimmy and The Critters. In 1996, he became the second African American giant of syndication when his Russ Parr Morning Show on Radio Ones WKYS-FM became the base of operations for a network that eventually reached more than 3 million listeners daily on over 40 radio stations. It's this place that they can come to and feel like they're in a living room having a conversation with their family. In 1994, The Fly Jock became one of the first nationally syndicated Black DJs when was hired to host his own program, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, which spread to 29 stations. [39][40][41], 107.5 WGCI was also programmed to appeal to black audiences, and it and other FM stations won away many of WVON's listeners. In 1999, Spann-Cooper purchased a controlling interest in the Midway Broadcasting Company, the . Frank Ski has been an integral part of our local Atlanta . Officers also tried to rescue the Cordells but could not make it into the room where they were trapped because ofthe heat, authorities said. Sway himself became the morning personality on KMEL-FM, and then was hired by MTV as an on-air host and journalist. The station served as a springboard for Barack Obama during the early days of his political career.[2]. Some of my best work has been done under pressure. Mainstream media takes a mainstream approach on most subject matters, meaning a predominantly Eurocentric mindset, which is OK. Currently, Samantha is an on-air personality at WVON 1690AM/i HeartRadio, Chicagos oldest African Amercan-owned news talk radio station. No one can stop you, but you. I did this because I thought it would make me money. My professor at the time said to me one day, Samantha youre not doing well on the tests, but youre an amazing speaker; have you ever thought about journalism? I changed my major the next week. We took the market by storm. I would watch my mother, grandmother and aunts get dressed all the time when they would go out, or just on a regular basis. They don't play it safe. 199 talking about this. Get in touch Location 800 S. Wells St., Suite 170 Chicago, IL 60607 Contact Us Phone : (773) 247-6200 Our Hours MON - FRI 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM SAT - SUN CLOSED Follow Us The Laurence Holmes Show, Weekdays 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Kap & Co. Show, Weekdays 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. Williams currently hosts her own daytime TV talk show. Its just the opposite in my mind, though. Cliff Kelley, WVON radio personality, has an insightful interview with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. What has been your proudest achievement? Needless to say, Im creative all day! Not only did we play good R&B music, and a lot of white pop music too. Jack was also friends with Ambassador, Sergeant Shriver and his family, and he and the Band did work on behalf of Special Olympics, and continues to do so. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor. Sometimes I don't like your hosts' opinions. Along the way, the Voice of the Negro became the Voice of the Nation. It tells an incredible story about the graciousness of this city and how it really embraces its iconic things. This city loves its institutions, those that it grows up with. For fifty years WVON Radio has built a reputation for being the social conscious of Black Chicago. Melody Spann Cooper, chairman of Midway Broadcasting and general manager of WVON, confirmed that Jackson and. Although he had Chess Records, he was smart enough to know we had to play more than Chess records; we played Atlantic records. Youre such a fashionista! You want to learn about what matters, what impacts us directly or indirectly? A Chicago native and Cultural Enthusiast at heart, Samantha started her Media career as a Director and Television News Producer for several local news markets across the U.S., including Missouri. Use Of Negro Shows Thruout U.S. New Chess R.&B. In 2014, she started the initial concept of her web series, SmallTALK With Samantha. I keep a notepad and pen near me at all times because Im always thinking of ideas, and if I dont write them down, Ill forget. The hosts are not afraid to give an actual opinion on a hard subject matter such as guns, and what we need to do with these knuckleheaded kids who are adding to these atrocities out here. Leonard caught the radio bug in college as program director of the University of Illinois station WPGU. Like our content? Think about it: three U.S. senators (Barack Obama, Carol Moseley Braun and Roland Burris) and a president. Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox. His decision to. Do you work well under pressure? Only sometimes, lol! Copyright 2021 Midway Broadcasting All Rights Reserved, Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, elects Bola Tinubu as the new president, A man charged with killing 3 officers was found dead in his jail cell, Wray publicly comments on the FBI's position on COVID's origins, adding political fire. Throughout the 1960s, many listeners on the south and west sides of Chicago wholeheartedly agreed with Cordell's sentiments towards the local radio station WVON 1450AM, "The Voice of the But there were some of us missed! The idea was that, The People are as interesting as the Plates.. Required fields are marked *. Widely considered to be the first African-American radio announcer, Jack L. Coopers All Negro radio show aired in the 1930s on Chicagos WSBC. Critics say the move looks like retaliation. ThroughoutAmerican history, Black disc jockeys did more than just spin records. Two U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly support the lab leak theory with low-to-moderate confidence. In 2007, the station's studios were moved from their longtime home at 3350 S. Kedzie to the former Soft Sheen Products Building on 87th Street in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood. It's straight, no chaser. Producing on that show was my break from producing tv news, and an introduction to the restaurant scene. Berry Gordy, the president of Motown Records, sent every song he produced immediately to WVON before any other station. 17 open jobs for On air radio personality in Rockville. The Talk of Chicago. [4] Its city of license was later changed to Cicero, Illinois, and it studios and transmitter were moved to Cermak Rd. People keep asking me, "What will the next 50 years look like?" $19.99. WVON RADIO PERSONALITY Pam Morris with her grandaughter, Chloe Morris, 6 The doctors remained concerned about Morris. Artists like Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu are a few of my favorites. [13] In 2002, then State Senator Barack Obama filled in for vacationing Cliff Kelley. If it was when President Barack Obama was elected the first time. (WVON ) Moses "Lucky" Cordell, known as the "Baron of Bounce" on WVON radio, has died less than two weeks after he and his daughter were rescued from a fire in their South Shore home.. Everybody listened to it. Who has that depth and breadth? We were given credit for putting a lid on that. [50][51] In Summer 2020, Stroger left WVON, along with his co-host Maze Jackson, after being told by station management that they could no longer discuss Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and to disconnect any callers who were critical of her, immediately joining 1570 WBGX in the same time slot.[52][53]. What have you been able to bring to the late night talk format that will set you apart from others? Working with different people, you sometimes come across personalities that are less than favorable. The WintrustBusiness Lunch with Steve Bertrand, Weekdays noon-1 p.m. Schlikerman, Becky. We played the hit R&B songs 24 hours a day. The station played an active role during the Civil Rights Movement during this era. The mayor, the governor, preachers, players, from A to Z, people would not have a real sense of what's going on, or a pulse of what's going on in our city (without WVON). For more on Samantha Thomas check out her website www.TalkToSamantha.com or follow her on social media @Talk2Samantha. And is it still baseball if you're wearing a giant banana suit? What are talent hotbeds, and how do we create them? Crocker assembled a huge, multiracial audience, and had a great influence on the mainstreaming of disco. 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