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We're still building... We're building this website
station by station, year by year. It's a slow process, but we're making progress every day. We invite you to keep checking
back because we're adding new material every week, and when we're done, the history of all radio and television stations that
went on the air in Nashville between 1922-1970 will be chronicled here.
___________________________________________________ Coming Soon! The Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame We will have a brand new website dedicated to honoring the men and women who built
Tennessee's radio stations and served the needs of their communities over the years.
In the meantime, you can find out more on Facebook at "Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame."
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| Available at all area bookstores and Amazon.com |
Nashville Broadcasting is now available at all Nashville area bookstores including
Borders, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million and Davis-Kidd, as well as at Amazon.com and Arcadiapublishing.com. It is
part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series, and includes 214 photos depicting the growth of broadcasting
in Nashville. Radio stations which went on the air beginning in 1922 and television stations in 1950 are included.
Lee
Dorman is making appearances at book signings throughout the area---the next one scheduled is Saturday, May 30th from
2-4 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble in Hendersonville.
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| photo courtesy of Nick Archer |
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| Late WSMV news anchor Dan Miller at Davis-Kidd signing |
| photo courtesy of WSM |
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| "Jack" DeWitt, Jr. founded WSM in 1925 as well as Nashville's first station in 1922 |
Nashville
has a rich broadcast history, beginning in 1922 with a radio station started by 16-year old John "Jack" DeWitt,
Jr. at Ward-Belmont School. Many other stations have come and gone since then. Some survive, and have thrived over the years,
including WLAC and WSIX, two of the other earlier stations in Middle Tennessee. Others have long since departed the airwaves,
such as the station owned and operated by the city's daily morning newspaper, the Nashville Tennessean, appropriately
designated WTNT, WBAW and WDAD, an offshoot of Dad's Auto Accessories in downtown Nashville. This website will tell
the stories of all of these stations, both radio and television, with a wealth of history and photos which show the announcers,
disc jockeys, news staffs and program hosts we listened to and watched as we grew up in Nashville.
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| Luke Lea, publisher of The Nashville Tennessean, started WTNT |
Wonderful photos and a nostalgic
look at the early days of Nashville television include portraits of Channel 4 (WSM) with Jud Collins, Dave Overton, the Waking
Crew and The Five O'Clock Hop; Channel 5 (WLAC) with Bill Jay, Bob Lobertini and others; and Channel 8 (WSIX) with Noel
Ball, Ken Bramming, Hudley Crockett and the ever-popular Live Studio Wrestling.
WSIX radio
was originally a radio station located in Springfield, Tennessee. Started by the 638 Tire and Rubber Company, WSIX moved to
Nashville and eventually added an FM station and the television station which became the ABC afilliate. It changed its call
letters to WNGE and later to WKRN, and also moved from Channel 8 to Channel 2.
WKDA and WMAK were Nashville's two most popular radio stations among listeners 18-49 years old between 1955 and
1970. During this period, the two battled for supremacy of the airways in almost every way. They tried to outdo each other
in contests and prizes; with the "coolest" DJ's and air personalities; with the most music and the best concerts
and shows; with the biggest station promotions and on-location
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| Photo courtesy of Nick Archer |
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| Book signing at Davis-Kidd |
| photo courtesy of WSM |
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| Earliest photo of WSM'S Grand Ole Opry |
Although there were several radio stations
in Nashville which went on the air before WSM, the station owned by the National Life and Accident Insurance Company was the
earliest broadcaster which is still on the air today. Hitting the airwaves for the first time in 1925, WSM was to arguably
become this city's most prominent and successful radio station, joining the NBC network and originating the Grand Ole
Opry, as well as going on to also become Nashville's first television station.
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The story of WSM, the creation and rise of the Grand Ole Opry, how the station became known across the country and not just
here at home, and how and why it also became Nashville's first television station, is told on both the Radio and Television
pages of this website. Other interesting stories you will find include how, after National Life and Accident Insurance Company
founded WSM, one of its biggest competitors, Life and Casualty Insurance Company, decided to begin its own station and started
WLAC; how WSIX was started as an offshoot of the 638 Tire and Rubber Company in Springfield, then moved to Nashville; how
Luke Lea, publisher of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper decided he, too, wanted a radio station and put WTNT on
the air; and the "radio wars" between rock and roll giants WKDA ("Home of the Good Guys") and WMAK ("Home
of the All-Americans") in the late 1950's and early 60's.
 remote broadcasts...even
with the "hottest" station jingles. For fifteen years they slugged it out, the WKDA "Good Guys" versus
the WMAK "All-Americans"...with WKDA usually ending up a few points ahead of WMAK in the Hooper ratings---radio's
popularity polls of listeners' choices.
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Enjoy what you see and read here, and feel free to make any suggestions if you think we
have forgotten something important. If you wish to e-mail us, simply click here.
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