KWEM-LP
KWEM-LP is a low-power FM radio station in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States, owned by Arkansas State University Mid-South. The station airs a format of blues and gospel music and is also used as a training ground for students in the community college's digital media program.
The call letters and format are a tribute to a former West Memphis radio station, KWEM (990 AM), which began in 1947; moved across the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1953; and changed call letters in 1959. The station was influential in the early careers of several blues and rockabilly musicians.
History
The original KWEM
The owners of Little Rock-area radio station KXLR sought to build a statewide network of stations to carry Arkansas Razorbacks football, and they felt that the Memphis area would provide important coverage and exposure for the football program.[2] After delays, KWEM (990 AM) began operating on February 9, 1947,[3] with official opening two weeks later.[4]
West Memphis was described as the "Las Vegas of the South" in this era, and its programming drew from the musicians playing clubs in that era.[2] Howlin' Wolf had a show on the station from 1949 to 1952, and Sam Phillips heard him and signed him to a contract with Sun Records;[5] his program aired after music by rockabilly guitarist Paul Burlison;[6] B.B. King was first heard over the station, getting his break on a show helmed by Sonny Boy Williamson II;[7] Stax Records founder Jim Stewart started at KWEM, as did James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin;[8] Johnny Cash's first radio broadcast was on KWEM in 1953.[2][9] The station allowed aspiring performers to pay for 15-minute blocks of air time.[10] Elvis Presley made his first radio appearance on KWEM in 1953, which did not go well because he lacked a band and moved around too much;[5] George Klein worked there as a DJ after its move to Memphis;[11] so did Eddie Bond.[12]
KWEM was purchased by Dee Rivers in 1951.[13] Rivers moved the station to Memphis, where from studios on Flicker Street, it continued to be an influential hotbed of talent; the transmitter remained on the Arkansas side of the river.[14] This lasted through the end of the decade, when KWEM became KWAM,[14] and it eventually stopped playing live music.[10]
The revival
In 2009, Dale Franklin purchased assets to relaunch KWEM as an online-only station, playing the genres of music where it had the most influence.[9] In addition, he acquired such historic artifacts as a recording lathe used by Ike Turner.[5] Franklin's goal was to increase recognition of KWEM's historical role and increase musical tourism on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi by restoring the original studio on Broadway Street.[10] He then opted to sell these assets to Mid-South Community College in West Memphis.[15] Streaming returned under MSCC management in 2014 ahead of the station's 2015 sign-on on FM.[16]
Franklin, who was described by the president of MSCC as having a "John the Baptist type fervor" for the project,[5] died in 2017.[17]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KWEM-LP". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ a b c Nelson, Rex (April 10, 2013). "Resurrecting a radio legend". Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ "New Station Gathers Audience From Afar: West Memphis KWEM Reported Clear 175 Miles Away". The Commercial Appeal. February 11, 1947. p. 11.
- ^ "Kay Arrives Today!". The Commercial Appeal. February 23, 1947. p. 4.
- ^ a b c d Randall, Mark (June 5, 2014). "KWEM 'flips the switch' at Mid-South Community College". The Evening Times.
- ^ Boehm, Mike (September 19, 1986). "Sun's sons: Rockabilly pioneers". Providence Journal.
- ^ Shuster, Fred (October 23, 1991). "Blues king had pauper start". Daily News of Los Angeles. p. L8.
- ^ Ellis, Bill (April 29, 2005). "Wolf's guitar man keeps his bite". The Commercial Appeal.
- ^ a b McCracken, Mitch (July 13, 2010). "Back on the Air: Historic KWEM returns to airwaves". Memphis Daily News. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c Boudreau, Eleanor (May 13, 2013). "You'll Be Mine: Bringing Musical Tourism To West Memphis". WKNO. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ "Platter Spinner Patter" (PDF). Cash Box. February 12, 1955. p. 11. Retrieved August 30, 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Country Round Up" (PDF). Cash Box. August 17, 1957. p. 43. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ "FCC Actions" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 3, 1951. p. 98. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ a b FCC History Cards for KWAM
- ^ "Historic KWEM Station Returns Online". Billboard. Associated Press. May 27, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ "Bob Mehr's Memphis Music Beat: Historic KWEM radio to relaunch, Pearl Jam in Memphis, new Amy LaVere". The Commercial Appeal. May 22, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
- ^ Randall, Mark (November 21, 2017). "Dale Franklin, KWEM radio revivalist, passes away". The Evening Times. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
External links
- v
- t
- e
LPFM |
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Translators |
frequency
- 162.475
by frequency & subchannel
- K213CN
- K268DA
- KAKJ
- KAMJ
- KARH
- KCHR-FM
- KERL
- KHLS
- KJIW
- KJMS
- KLJK
- KOSE
- KOSE-FM
- KQPN
- KWAM
- KWEM-LP
- KWNW
- KWYN
- KWYN-FM
- KXHT
- KXJK
- W221CR
- W229CT
- W242CF
- W244BY
- W249BN
- W253DF
- W257CY
- W261CE
- W264CO
- W276BH
- W281BR
- W285FI
- W288BJ
- W292EL
- W294BP
- W300DE
- WBBP
- WCRV
- WDIA
- WEBL
- HD2
- WEGR
- WEVL
- WGKX
- WGSF
- WGUE
- WHAL-FM
- WHBQ
- WHBQ-FM
- WHRK
- WIVG
- WJLL-LP
- WKBL
- WKBQ
- WKIM
- WKNO-FM
- WKRA
- WKRA-FM
- WKVF
- WLFP
- WLOK
- WLRM
- WMC
- WMDA-LP
- WMFS
- WMFS-FM
- WMLE
- WMPS
- WMQM
- WMSO
- WOWW
- WPGF-LD1
- WQOX
- WRBO
- WREC
- WRVR
- WUMY
- WURC
- WXK49
- WXMX
- WYPL
- WYXR
- Radio stations in West Tennessee
- Memphis
- Jackson and Northwest Tennessee
- Other nearby regions
- Cape Girardeau-Jackson
- Clarksdale
- Jonesboro
- Little Rock
- Oxford
- Tupelo
- See also
- List of radio stations in Tennessee
- List of radio stations in Mississippi
- List of radio stations in Arkansas
- Notes
- 1. Audio from channel 6 TV station