Alvin Price was a DJ for a country radio station way back in the 1970's. This is his story in his own words of what it was like being a DJ in those days.
He was a DJ on a country radio station in Georgia
Alvin Price is my second cousin from Georgia. He is my Aunt Clare’s nephew, my cousin Michael’s cousin. So Michael being my cousin I feel like Alvin is my cousin too.
Last August I got to know Alvin and Michael real well when I visited Aunt Clare in Georgia. That was such a blessing because Aunt Clare passed away several weeks later and I had good memories of that week with her. We laughed so much at Alvin’s stories.
I found out Alvin used to be a Disc Jockey back in the 70’s on a country western radio station in Georgia. He was so interesting I asked him to tell me how he got to be a DJ. This story is in his own words. I love oral history and history in people’s own words.
Alvin: My old memory not the best in the world, but maybe I can remember enough to help out...I was raised in a small South Georgia town (Quitman, Ga.) When I was 14 years old I started working part time with my daddy, he had a route business, we sold household goods door to door. When I got out of school I started doing it full time, I raised my family doing that (Sales).
Back when I was a boy I always had in my mind I wanted to be a DJ. I use to pretend I was one. I got a lot of practice. I think it was in the latter part of the 70s that I had a friend, Loran Brooks. We went to school together & went to church together for years. He was working the afternoon shift at the local radio station (WSFB 1490 AM in Quitman) it was a little 1000 watt station, so I stopped by few times to talk to him. I kept worrying him about letting me sit there and try it one time, but said he couldn't. He might get in trouble.
Guess he got tired of me bothering him, so he let me. I guess the boss was listening & he gave me a job on weekends. I loved it, sitting there in front of the control board, earphones on. I was in my own world. I was playing good old country music. I was a darn DJ -just like that. I had a great time doing it. I wasn't doing it for a living, I guess more like a hobby.
The owner of the station was a man named Bill Hoopes, he was a good man & boss and we got along great. He had a weekday morning show (Bill's Clock Show). I think about everyone in town listened to it from 6-9 AM Monday - Friday. A lot of great DJs got their start working at WSFB, and I was in good company. Loran of course, Chip White, Jack Ring and few more.
One thing I loved to do was live remotes, go to car dealers, furniture stores, etc., back then was a lot different than nowadays, we took turntables & the records with us, other-words we took the studio with us. Loran - he was great at doing the football games. Finally I got to help but it didn't last long. I got mad at referees and said things you couldn't say on he air, so the boss said I could help but to keep my mouth shut.
I remember my 2 daughters like me to play a song by Red Sovine called “Daddy's Girl” and Mama would always call before I went off the air and say, “Son you haven't played my song yet” (“Cabin On The Hill” by Flatt & Scruggs).
I was called Mr.Country Music, I guess because I liked to play the old country music. I had a gospel show on Sunday afternoon. I started working during the weekdays from 3-5. I was running my route, driving a school bus & working at the radio station, plus selling radio ads.
Another thing, back then we had to get the news off the wire and read it, no time to practice, and if I ever wondered if I had any one listening all I had to do was pronounce a couple of words or names wrong and the phone would start ringing.
One morning, my mama was working at the nursing home back then, she wanted me to come out there, it was a Saturday morning, said some of the ladies that listened to me wanted to meet me. I didn't really want to but I did and it felt good, meeting them and getting lots of hugs and THEN, we come to a room.
A lady was sitting in her wheelchair, looked up at me said, “Son you look a lot better on the radio than you do in person!”
It stunned me, what made it even better, her roommate said, “Son she didn't mean that the way it sounded.”
The lady looked at her and said. “Oh, yes I did!
A friend of mine started managing a station in Valdosta, Ga. WGOV; it was a 100,000 - watt station. He give me a job working the 8-midnight shift. Boy I was really covering some ground, 100,000 watts of power, and me under the controls, look out!
I loved working there, had lot of people call in for requests, and lot of ladies called for me to listen to their problems - some, interesting. They called me Captain Crazy there, can’t imagine why!
I worked there a short while, don't remember how long it was, new owners bought it out, and made lot of changes, name of station changed to WAAC, after they put them new machines in to play the music and some DJ way off playing the songs, all they would need me for was to run the board, so I told them if I don't get my own show I would just go.
Lois: Did you ever meet any country music stars?
Alvin: The only one I met and talked to was my all time favorite, Conway Twitty in Macon, Ga. and I met Merle Haggard there too.
I worked back in Quitman part time for short while. I had gone to work selling insurance and after about 4 months I got promoted & transferred to Savannah, Ga. in 1988.
I never got back on the radio after that. I have had a great life and interesting one for sure. I had two wonderful girls and two wonderful boys. I spent last the eight years of my working life driving a truck all over the country - it was lot of fun. Since 2009 I have just been doing a whole lot of nothing.
Alvin is certainly an interesting fellow who has lived a good life, especially his remembrance of being a DJ in country music.
I have remembrance of three DJs. The first, my friend, Herbert Morrison, who had a dance band and played live in 1928 at KDKA Pittsburgh. Shortly after that he was the first country DJ for a station in Fairmont, West Virginia. He also had a tremendous life in broadcasting topped off with his recording of the arrival of the Hindenburg that blew up and burned in his face in 1937, among others. I wrote an article about him and posted it here.
The 2nd DJ was from our local 1000 W station. And Arthur Murray instructor, he taught me how to do ballroom dancing during Friday noon hours and how to get up close and personal to all the cheerleaders. He was said to have had 50 occupations. A very good DJ and colorful guy.
Finally, a DJ that I didn't know, on or about 1964, was on his way to work and hit two kids on bicycles. The girl died. He went on the air and reported the accident many times, but did not give himself up to authorities for very long time, perhaps a month. I wrote a short story thriller about it, Hit and Run, and posted it here.
Maybe Alvin would like to read the short story and my expanded biography article of Herbert Morrison.
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He was a DJ on a country radio station in Georgia
