Thanksgiving 1969

Thanksgiving 1969 and all is well.  Since October WWWS (W-3 Soul) is broadcasting live from our studio in downtown Saginaw, Michigan.

We are now receiving calls, visits from the business community as well as the listening audience. Some however still in disbelief.  There was now a Black owned, Black operated FM radio station with Black Jocks programming Black music.

We were all thankful and blessed we had accomplished the goal started over a year earlier (1968) that had been set before us. The owners (Clark family) and entire staff celebrate.

Eddie Donald White aka "Bobby Q. Day"

 

Bobby was born in Bald Knob, Arkansas; he attended White County Training School (WCTS) grades 1-12.  He graduated in 1957 and was valedictorian of his class. Upon graduation he enlisted into the USAF.  After serving two and one half years he was honorably discharged. Bobby returned  to Arkansas and  became an active member of the Arkansas Chapter of the NAACP and participated in the 1960’s Civil Rights movement in the state of Arkansas.

Bobby left Arkansas and after a brief stop in Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated from The Career Academy of Broadcasting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He was asked to stay on as an instructor.  His reply was sorry but no,  “I want to do live broadcasting."   So began his leap into broadcasting and a long and great career.

Bobby's first radio job was WAMM-AM in Flint Michigan.  In 1969 he became the station manager/program director of WWWS (W-3 Soul) 107.1 FM in Saginaw, Michigan.

Bobby Q. Day passed in July 20011 shortly after we completed documenting the history W-3 Soul.

October 1969

It was October 1969 forty-four years ago.  I’m not sure of the exact date, however I am sure it was a Saturday morning in Saginaw, Michigan, the weather that October day  was unusually warm and the day was sunny and bright.

Sometime between 1PM and 1:30 PM, as we prepared to travel home for the weekend, (home being Flint and Detroit),  we discovered the telegram that stated  that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) had granted license (to the Clark Family) with the permission to begin broadcasting at  107.1 FM  as WWWS. We were “W-3 Soul” and we were on the air!

So, on this Saturday afternoon in October 1969 we officially began broadcasting Blues, R&B, Soul, Jazz and Gospel throughout Saginaw, Flint and Bay City, Michigan.   We were bringing to this market new, mostly unheard  Black artists such as Sly and the Family Stone, Donny Hathaway, The O’ Jays, Albert King, O.V. Wright, The Delfonics and many others.

From now on listeners could stay on top of the latest music produced by the Stax label out of Memphis, Gamble & Huff (Philly Sound) Chicago studios (Curtis Mayfield) and studios out of New York, etc.

“W-3 Soul” would now be the avenue for Black business to promote and advertise through live radio twenty-four a day and seven days a week.

Vida Blue And The Summer of 1969

That summer was unusually hot. Returning back to Michigan from Arkansas we couldn’t tell much difference in the humidity, but that was okay because now the station has air conditioning on the upper level so day to day work is much more pleasant.

I’m getting out into the community and meeting with Black business owners. We invited them to the station so that could see what is about to take place --- a Black owned and operated FM radio station programming R&B, Soul, Jazz, and Gospel music for Saginaw, Flint and the surrounding area.

Also, by this time Choker Campbell’s Tri-City recording company produced one of its first recordings--- a song about Vida Blue, the great left handed pitcher for the Oakland “A” baseball team.

The Saginaw and Flint communities were excited about the new radio station and Choker Campbell’s recording studio.

 Detroit was getting competition and the Black community was proud.
  

History of FM radio: Detroit's first Black owned radio station.

During the 1970s FM radio experienced a golden age of integrity programming, with disc jockeys playing what they wanted, including album cuts not designated as “singles” and lengthy progressive
rock tracks.

"Institutional racism and a shortage of capital, however, continued to discourage Black entrepreneurs from investing in radio broadcasting. African Americans would not make substantial inroads into radio ownership and management until the 1970s. Black radio emphasized news, public affairs, and music after World War II".

source:  

"First exclusively Black radio show goes on the air--and others follow"

May 26, 1960 station WCHD simulcast the R&B format of WCHB. This was Detroit's first black owned radio station.  October 1969 WWWS/W3-Soul became the second Black owned and operated FM station in Michigan.

July 1969: Celebration Time

School is out for the summer and most of my time has been spent traveling  between Detroit, Flint and Saginaw with Earle and Bobby.

By this time the Saginaw-Flint grapevine has heard that an FM radio station, to be located in downtown Saginaw, was about to become a reality.

 

Everyone was pleased with the progress that had taken place. Now I had a chance to get away from Michigan to celebrate the 4^th with my family in Arkansas and to get some much needed rest.

With all that had been accomplished the most important celebrated event is the birth of my only son, Samuel Williams, III.  

W-3 Soul's Original Location

Earle rented a space upstairs over a hamburger restaurant known for its world famous scramble burger (Doyles). The space although large was an empty shell. We had to go in there and do everything: walls, wiring and carpet,  sections for broadcasting, news room, etc. Earl hired a contractor and we were the helpers (free labor). We pulled together to make this dream a reality.

"In 1968 there were no malls in Saginaw however there were a number of small plazas where businesses were located".

-Bobby Q Day-
Interview 2008

Saginaw 1968

Unknown to the general public, plans were being made for two history making events that would target the large Black  populations of Saginaw and Flint, Michigan in addition to  Bay City, Midland and  surrounding areas.

A recording studio (ULTRA-CITY)  owned and operated by a well known recording band director and leader was established.  Also a Black family out of Detroit built a  licensed FM radio station from the ground up.

I was at the right place at the right time.

Broadcast History

How many of you  remember the TV sitcom show WKRP In Cincinnati that aired from 1978 -1982?

It was a fictional story about a struggling radio station and its small staff. You may also remember that the station was family owned with the son as general manager.

Ten years earlier in 1968 in the city of Saginaw, Michigan an African American family was making history with their owned and operated FM radio station. It was the first of its kind outside the city of Detroit and the second Black owned and operated FM radio station in the state of Michigan.

Were you a listener back then?  Do you remember Donnie "Sweet-Meat" Cool or Miss Sadie?

Joining Bobby & Earle

I was employed in the Detroit Public School System as an (ESRP) Emergency Substitute in a Regular Position, teaching elementary music education & reading classes at Fairbanks Elementary School near Westside, Detroit for the program year 1968-1969.

Bobby moved his family from Detroit to Flint, Michigan to work as a DJ on WAMM- AM radio station in Flint. It was there that Bobby met Earle and agreed to come aboard, Sometime between  November-December 1968.  I’m not sure the exact time.  Anyway, I received a phone call from Bobby, who was in Detroit on business with Earl.  They would be stopping by to share this great idea that Earle had about owning a radio station in Saginaw, Michigan.  Bobby and Earle arrived a short time later.

From the moment of meeting Earle, anyone would get the feeling that this guy was near genius.  After a brief meeting, I agreed to go to Saginaw with Earle the following weekend.  We picked up Bobby in Flint and then traveled on to Saginaw (my first visit ) for a tour of the farmland where the tower would be located and also downtown Saginaw. This was the day that I first saw the building that would house Earle’s FM radio station .

The preliminary work had been completed.  We were ready to move forward with Earle’s dream.