Browse Items (55 total)

Andrew Dawkins, RnB announcer beginning his career early in 1950 at WBCO 1450 AM in Bessemer. BCO stood for Bessemer Cut-off. The station went all black staff in late 1951 and it was remarked locally that BCO actually meant “became colored…

Andrew “Sugar Daddy” Dawkins (February 24, 1930 - December 8, 2014), radio announcer with two seminal radio stations, the first at WBCO AM 1450 in Bessemer in 1950 and the second at WEUP AM 1600, Huntsville, the latter Alabama’s first Black owned…

Another interview with Ben Franklin on his radio career

Engineer Ben Franklin continues in this November 4th, 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Engineer Ben Franklin (Ben) continues in this November 4th, 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Engineer Ben Franklin (Ben) continues in this 1993 interview recounting his stories of early Birmingham radio.

Ben Franklin (b. March 12, 1919, Lees Vernon Parish, LA; d. May 10, 1998, Calera, AL) was a radio electronics engineer and eventually a station owner (WBYE in Calera) with a 60 year history in the field. He turned the transmitter of WJLD AM 1400 on…

Honey Brown (Willa Lee Davis) 3/8/94 a broadcaster with early WBCO (1951-1952), a Birmingham native sharing her memories of being on the air and working at the station and meeting others in other local stations, including Bob Umbach. She’s…

Hampton Sides, author of “Hellhound on His Trail” (publ 2010, Doubleday), the stalking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the international hunt for his assassin. Interviewed by phone while Friedman was on the air, so callers are part of the…

Dr. Frank “Doc” Adams (b. Feb 2, 1928, d. Oct. 29, 2014), Director of Education at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and The Carver Theatre. Well known for his proficiency as a sax and clarinet player, and for his stints with Duke Ellington and Sun Ra’s…