Sonrose Rutledge, Oral History
Title
Sonrose Rutledge, Oral History
Description
Sonrose Rutledge (b. Oct 15, 1937), Alabama broadcaster starting his career at WBCO, then WENN, WEDR and ending it at WEUP Huntsville. He then pursued a radio career in Louisiana.
Creator
Sonrose Rutledge
Bob Friedman
Publisher
Birmingham Black Radio Museum
Date
March 28, 1994
Contributor
Emily Bibb
Thomas Kulovitz
Format
MP3
JPG
PDF
Language
English
Identifier
RutledgeOH
Interviewer
Bob Friedman
Interviewee
Sonrose Rutledge
Transcription
Transcript of audio snippet:
Bob Friedman: 1953. Where’d you start?
Sonrose Rutledge: WBCO in Bessemer, Alabama.
B: Really? Were you there in 1953?
S: Yeah. Uh huh.
B: Were you doing part time or full time?
S: Well, actually, my first job for pay was in ’55, but I was there as a DJ representing my high school.
B: Oh really?
S: Right.
B: Which high school?
S: Huh? Johnny Jive as a matter of fact started it.
B: Johnny Jive started it?
S: Mmhmm. Johnny McClure. Johnny Jive started it and there was guest DJs from all the schools and I represented my school, Westville high school.
B: Well…Westville?
S: Uh huh. Westville High.
B: Did they change the name?
S: No. As a matter of fact, the school is not there anymore.
B: Oh ok. The reason I’m kind of surprised that you’re the second person of the week who I’ve talked to who’s been a high school representative at BCO. The other person who’s still working here is Al Bell.
S: Al Bell, yeah.
B: Who came from Western Olin as a high school DJ.
S: Right. Right.
B: A little bit later than that, but…
S: That’s when mine kicked off and when I finished high school, I got my first job there in radio at WBCO.
B: Uh huh. In 1955, was it?
S: In 1955, ‘56, somewhere in there.
B: Uh huh, so it was closing in on the time BCO would change to WENN.
S: Say that again.
B: It was closing in on the time that WBCO would change its frequency and its name to WENN.
S: Yeah, as a matter of fact, they changed from WBCO to WENN.
B: While you were there?
S: No, no, this was … When it moved from Bessemer…
B: Mmhmm.
S: And went to Birmingham, that’s when they changed to WENN, and I don’t remember the year.
B: That was about ’58.
Bob Friedman: 1953. Where’d you start?
Sonrose Rutledge: WBCO in Bessemer, Alabama.
B: Really? Were you there in 1953?
S: Yeah. Uh huh.
B: Were you doing part time or full time?
S: Well, actually, my first job for pay was in ’55, but I was there as a DJ representing my high school.
B: Oh really?
S: Right.
B: Which high school?
S: Huh? Johnny Jive as a matter of fact started it.
B: Johnny Jive started it?
S: Mmhmm. Johnny McClure. Johnny Jive started it and there was guest DJs from all the schools and I represented my school, Westville high school.
B: Well…Westville?
S: Uh huh. Westville High.
B: Did they change the name?
S: No. As a matter of fact, the school is not there anymore.
B: Oh ok. The reason I’m kind of surprised that you’re the second person of the week who I’ve talked to who’s been a high school representative at BCO. The other person who’s still working here is Al Bell.
S: Al Bell, yeah.
B: Who came from Western Olin as a high school DJ.
S: Right. Right.
B: A little bit later than that, but…
S: That’s when mine kicked off and when I finished high school, I got my first job there in radio at WBCO.
B: Uh huh. In 1955, was it?
S: In 1955, ‘56, somewhere in there.
B: Uh huh, so it was closing in on the time BCO would change to WENN.
S: Say that again.
B: It was closing in on the time that WBCO would change its frequency and its name to WENN.
S: Yeah, as a matter of fact, they changed from WBCO to WENN.
B: While you were there?
S: No, no, this was … When it moved from Bessemer…
B: Mmhmm.
S: And went to Birmingham, that’s when they changed to WENN, and I don’t remember the year.
B: That was about ’58.
Duration
Full interview: 29 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Files
Collection
Citation
Sonrose Rutledge and Bob Friedman, “Sonrose Rutledge, Oral History,” The Birmingham Black Radio Museum, accessed September 7, 2026, https://thebbrm.org/item/35.
Item Relations
| Item: Roy Wood, 1994 Oral History | dcterms:relation | This Item |
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