The first commercial radio station in America, KDKA in Pittsburgh, began broadcasting in 1920. Throughout the early 1920s, radio experienced explosive growth. By 1924 there were nearly 600 commercial stations broadcasting and three million receivers in homes. In the late 1920s, NBC and CBS established radio networks that provided programming to affiliate stations throughout the country. However, in the late 1940s and early 1950s, as television appeared on the scene many analysts were predicting radio’s demise. Radio stations up to this point had programmed a variety of material, including live music, drama, variety shows, sporting events, and news. With TV’s dramatic growth in popularity, radio stations in the 1950s began concentrating their efforts on playing music and emphasizing local programming rather than relying on the network feed. These trends led to the rise in popularity of the local disc jockey or DJ. DJs often had complete control of the style of l their show and the records that they played. After a time, it was not enough just to have a unique show, and many DJs started developing flamboyant and eccentric on-air personalities. They became showmen; in fact, several early rock and roll artists actually began their careers as DJs, including one at WDIA in Memphis named Riley B. King. King was known on the air as the “Blues Boy”; he later adopted those initials and became known simply as B. B. King.
Like the nation itself, in the late 1940s and early 1950s radio was segregated. A small number of black stations programmed jazz and R&B to black audiences, while white stations played pop and country for white audiences. However, R&B was becoming increasingly popular during the 1946–54 transitional period with white teenagers, who responded to the way the music was more emotional and viscerally exciting than conventional pop. To get their R&B fix, these teens began tuning in to black stations such as WDIA "America’s Only 50,000 Watt Negro Radio Station”, WERD in Atlanta, and KXLW in St. Louis.
As the audience for R&B grew, the more attentive white DJs picked up on the trend and also began to play R&B records... By connecting the rapidly expanding needs of the teenage nation with R&B and rock and roll records, these renegade DJs, both black and white, essentially saved radio from television’s onslaught. For all its strengths as a medium for family entertainment, TV could not connect with the young in the same direct way that radio could. By playing rock and roll records, radio could pin- point its audience with deadly accuracy. It was also portable, teens could listen at home or after school on the newly introduced transistor radio, or in their cars while cruising at night.
Source: The Roots of Rock and Roll from The History of Rock & Roll by Thomas Larson
Durand Jones & The Indications - Can't Keep My Cool
Like the nation itself, in the late 1940s and early 1950s radio was segregated. A small number of black stations programmed jazz and R&B to black audiences, while white stations played pop and country for white audiences. However, R&B was becoming increasingly popular during the 1946–54 transitional period with white teenagers, who responded to the way the music was more emotional and viscerally exciting than conventional pop. To get their R&B fix, these teens began tuning in to black stations such as WDIA "America’s Only 50,000 Watt Negro Radio Station”, WERD in Atlanta, and KXLW in St. Louis.
As the audience for R&B grew, the more attentive white DJs picked up on the trend and also began to play R&B records... By connecting the rapidly expanding needs of the teenage nation with R&B and rock and roll records, these renegade DJs, both black and white, essentially saved radio from television’s onslaught. For all its strengths as a medium for family entertainment, TV could not connect with the young in the same direct way that radio could. By playing rock and roll records, radio could pin- point its audience with deadly accuracy. It was also portable, teens could listen at home or after school on the newly introduced transistor radio, or in their cars while cruising at night.
Source: The Roots of Rock and Roll from The History of Rock & Roll by Thomas Larson
Durand Jones & The Indications - Can't Keep My Cool
- Released by: Dead Oceans
- Release date: 1 July 2017
"Duran Jones and The Indications members consists of vocalist Durand Jones, drummer Aaron Frazer, guitarist Blake Rhein, organist Steve Okonski and bassist Michael Montgomery."
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