Too Much Country, Rock and Gospel (?) formatting... and no real SOUL!

Hmmm...

This is my very first real post and although a member for quite some time and read quite a few and for the most part other then reading and then thowing my laptop at the wall. Fortunately it fixes up itself after some of the outbursts I have reading some of these posts over the years. The number of radio stations in this area, regardless of their size or power. Sometimes I can't believe what I hearing. The other evening I heard a cacaphony of profanity on the local college station here and I thought to myself what a waste. Radio broadcasting and programing has never been a toy. I remember in the early 80's when college radio stations had to do power upgrades to keep their license. As a program director I help upgrade a 10 Watt F-M college radio to 18,000 Watts. I had to run all over Houston looking for nitrogen the engineer needed to power up the antenna. And finally when I was able to opened the mic and ID the station, the greatest feeling swept over me. That was KTSU-FM Houston, Texas Southern University's community powerhouse. But you don't have to have power to be powerful, you just have to empower your listeners as consumers, as citizens and as knowledgable members of the community and sometimes your announcers need a sense of direction, especially neophytes. After all it is BROADCASTING... follow me? Why everbody trying to do the same thing and sound the same way at the same time escapes me...!

However, I wonder if my American Soul programming concept (www.americansoul.us) could work on one of those "idle/dark" or under used radio stations here in Eastern North Carolina (Arbitron Ranked #83). It's different. I mean after all, African-American consumers here (all demos) have only been spending a billion dollars plus here in Eastern Carolina annually since 2005. Beginning in 2004, a study "BLACK ECONOMIC IMPACT BY METRO AREA" according the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprises (UNC), black consumers spent $966 million dollars in the Greenville MSA. Statistically speaking in a consolidated Ten County DMA in 2000 (Pitt, Nash, Edgecomb, Wilson, Craven, Lenoir, Beaufort, Martin, Pamlico and Halifax) within a 35 to 40 mile radius of Greenville ranked somewhere as the 22nd largest black market in the nation (my "stats"). That was more than ten years ago.

In-migrating audiences to Eastern North Carolina, is and has been a factor for ten years or more, BUT this large and ever growing market composed largely of Baby Boomers who have traditionally listen to radio music programs as well as shaped by those musical forces have chronically, naively and even blatantly been ignored. And along the way evolving types of legislative decisions (and privledges) hasn't help either.

Ahhh... I wish I could get my "hands-on" hands on a radio station here, I don't even care if it is a large regional A-M facilty that can a reach of more than thirty counties on this side of North Carolina and has streaming capabilities (hey... that's value added stuff). It wouln't be status quo. I would call it Old School Boogie - MAYBE! Or maybe that programming would be slotted to a daypart.

I remember a Progressive Rock station I once sold advertising for in Houston, KAUM-fm, an ABC O&O (KXYZ was their sister station), we sold "ads" by music, by daypart, on-air personalities and the artists they discovered. Unlike now I can guarantee one thing I wasn't an impoverished broadcaster. I had a product to promote and sell. It was exciting! It was thrilling! And it was credible! If I could just sell American Soul programming I problely would have to look for "tax write-offs" because I would be making so much money. That what some broadcasters do with their radio properties, especially now. They make money with some and write off the rest. They have more stations then they can deal with... their bloated and poor me - oh well!? Or they make their money elsewhere. So much for the good old days. Shades of WLAC. You sounded good to me even with "the static." Randy where are you when we need you so bad. 몰라요...? Mul-Lah-Yo...? 'I just don't know', as the say in Korean...? It makes me want to scratch my head... From the posts I have read in the past you some of you 'Tarheels' should know what I mean.

Hmmm..., I guess I will just continue on with my Korean Language Studies. Maybe I will become fluent. And somewhere down they line, maybe they will like my "S(e)oul" music. Maybe they will want to import it back into America. Maybe Hyundai may like it. Maybe the 'Kia Soul' might like it '(아마 '기아 소울'이 그걸 좋아하지 수 있습니다) [sic]. Maybe Samsung might like it.... and they may like the target market as well. On the other hand, maybe... just maybe even Multicultural Contemporary Block programing could be a big winner right here in Eastern Carolina (just so long as you make sure you "save" a slot for AMERICAN SOUL) and I won't have to go nowhere. Maybe we should be thinking outside the box. Besides just how many Gospel Music stations and Country Music stations, et cetera; can you have here before you saturate the market..???

몰라요...?
Mul_Lah_Yo...? Aah - I I I just don't know...

My head hurts!

The Urban Gold format as well as soul have been done in eastern NC. I agree that the black population in that market is strong and one needs to keep that in mind when programming a station. Consumers today get their radio from more that the FM/AM dial, so it's harder unless you can find a niche format that nobody is doing, anywhere. Curtis Media has purchased WELS AM/FM in Kinston and I know that the format on that station will more than likely be geared to the black community.

Soul music programming philosophy and Urban Music programming philosophy are not the same. A prime example of that is Quiet Storm programming when it was first conceived at WHUR-FM in the late 70's compared to today's Quiet Storm programming. Quiet Storm then was EZ listening Album oriented Soul and Jazz and was in a class by itself. It no longer has that flavor. Jazz crossed over a lot and it blended well, and the keyword is "blended" - intuitively; not "geared" statistically. But initially they can thank the late Frankie Crocker who went from Top 40 Soul WWRL-AM New York to overhaul Percy Sutton's WBLS-FM (originally the Black Listening Experience In Sound). Soul Music gets lost in Urban formatting.

While I was at KAUM-FM Houston, Frankie was doing what they were doing at the leading Progressive Rock stations throughout the country and with "less shouting," while at the same time with others, taking up the fight with Arbitron to be fairly represented in the ratings from market to market.

And even though I consider myself a authentic soul music jock as we use to say, aside from that, I "have sold radio advertising for rock and soul music formats", AM and FM in the nation's Top Ten markets and have worked a number of major market in sales and as DJ as well. And I have cross paths with what I feel were some of the greatest Rock DJ's (and programmers) in the business especially at KILT Radio in Houston. This goes for major Market soul music DJ Associates as well.

Now with that being stated, if you divided the variations of rock and country formats as well as the number of stations providing service to their respective markets (or typically as in many radio markets) including gospel programming here with few exceptions, if you can really call it that; especially in eastern North Carolina (some of them try to play both sides of the fence with a little thinly veiled piousness thrown in to boot thus they never really acheiving their full potentials in their respective service areas because basically they have no image to sell) the audience gets cut a little thin.

So in reality what you are faced with is this. Would you rather have a thin sliver of the pie or as in reference to that 100kw in Jacksonville-Wilmington, the whole enchilada? If someone is executing their "yob" correctly, oh excuse me, I meant Job then implementing the proper programming concepts is self-explanatory. And as for that Billion Dollar Black Market in eastern NC; who wouldn’t want to reach that exclusively with an solid Soul Music format unless you are already “rollin’ in dough” but you have the facilities. And if you are “rollin’ in dough” and content then you’re delaying economic recovery because a Billion Dollar Market is a big market. The role Broadcast Communications plays or should play in economic development especially regionally is a very important one. Once a GSM of mine told me that nothing happens until something is sold. Radio sure plays a big role there?

Soul “Jocking” on radio is not exclusively an African-American pursuit, but with that being mentioned by yours truly, I have Soul Jocked on a lot radio station in the South. As a matter of fact I am a “Southern Soul Jock.” I have spun records for the Speidle Group vis-a-vis Joe Speidle (@WTMP – Tampa, WOIC – Columbia, WYNN – Florence) and OK Radio Group (@KYOK – Houston, WLOK – Memphis) to mention a few. And sometimes programming music I slipped in something that I knew my Grandma or Nana would like, or my aunts and uncles liked or catering to listener requests not on the playlist, that’s intuitive soul, that’s progressive soul, that’s deep Soul… and that’s American Soul which reflects the best of my broadcast experiences. It’s recorded music that intuitively consolidated and verified statistically I know they would like and; it is a long way from Urban programming.

By the way, I have been reading a book written by a neurologist called, MUSICOPHILA (Tales of Music and The Brain). It’s a number of fascinating narratives about music and the brain. His name is Oliver Sacks, MD. When it comes to our business Chapter 5, entitled, ‘Brainworms, Sticky Music and Catchy Tunes’ you might find intriguing. Reading is I am reminded of somethings I read years ago about ‘imprinting’ in L. Ron Hubbard’s, DIANETICS. Nonetheless, when programming soul music on general market radio stations to reach black listeners and white listeners alike – blends sound much better then ‘train wrecks’ as they say. It can be done but you need soul to do it. Let me close with this lyric from a song written by George & Ira Gershwin called, “FASCINATING RHYTHM…”,


They wrote that back in 1924. Maybe they were on to something....

Thank you for responding Firecop

I sorta see what you're saying...I'm not much of an "urban" listener, but what you're talking about is basically a lighter Urban AC mix combined with a little jazz and soul.

To answer your question, yes, there are *a few* stations (some in major markets) that sort of do what you're talking about. The best example I can remember was 105.7 the Oasis in Las Vegas, which at the time I was out there about 60% U.A.C. and about 30% smooth jazz and about one-two good dancing songs an hour. That was almost two years ago though.

However, most of these former "smooth jazz" stations that took up the format that you described either tweaked it to remove the soul music (essentially making it an urban soft AC) or flipped formats completely.

As for if its a good format in Eastern NC, I could see it making money if done right and if its community-oriented. But no station owner will give the format the time of day...you'd have to lease the station or buy it outright!

Radio-X

I've got an idea!

Let's have big ol' argument about what is and is not Soul Music.

;D

Thank you for your input UNITRON. I’m glad you asked that question. But before I go any further, in terms of nomenclature there are two which I don’t particularly care for, one, the term African-American. I prefer Black-American. It rolls off my tongue and it is more accurate regarding our collective social environment, not actually our skin color.

Two; in regards to “old school,” as Isaac Hayes once said, “there is no such thing as old school, there’s only school and either you are in it or your not.” He expresses my sentiments. Redefining the word “Soul” as refers to music on radio undermines and strips away all the things it has come to mean in the black community especially in regards to the political and socio-economic movement within the Civil Rights movement. Eradicate the term you eradicate the movement, our movement and our society moves backward instead of forward. We can’t do that, though it would satisfy people like Rush Limbaugh and his prototype who border on, in my opinion - sedition, because if I said what that "Pill Popper" was saying on air the FCC would yank my license, fine me and maybe the Justice Department would put me in jail. There are still a lot of things that yet haven’t changed and double standards are one of them.

Now at one time I search desperately for a definition for "Soul Music." Finally I read one definition that satisfied my particular intellect.... Soul Music is music that is popular with Black "listeners." To me that made a lot of sense because one side of the spectrum Tony Bennett was popular, Frank Sinatra was extremely popular, Dean Martin was popular... even Dick Ames had a #1 hit on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1942 before Billboard renamed that chart 'Race Music...' They threw eggs at Pat Boone and his version of "Tutti Fruiti." That was regarded as an insult to Little Richard. A slap in the face! They liked but scorned and envied Elvis Presley at the same time because he was trying to be "black" and; they were jealous of the white guy of the front cover of EBONY MAGAZINE that married Pearl Bailey, but they didn't want to admit it. That also went along went along with such artist as Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughn, Pearl Baily, Nat "King" Cole, Billy Eckstein, royalty - the iconic Duke Ellington and Count Basie (Sinatra and Basie were joined at the "Hep"- get it) just to mention a few "urban artists" if you will. On the other end of the spectrum there was Bill Medley (aka Righteous Brothers) and Johnnie Daye (Stay Baby Stay) and even the Young Rascals. There were quite a few artists warmly received by black listeners and aired on black radio ... it was called "Blue Eyed Soul," i.e., 'People Gotta be Free?' In between this was a multitude of Black R&B artists that produced a great body of R&B Soul music, which does not and has not been aired effectively to this day, Urban or Rural influenced broadcast music. (Why heck, when I got exposed to it I thought Country had a lot of soul.)

Some minority broadcasters like Frankie Crocker <www.answers.com/topic/frankie-crocker> or Hal Jackson responded to factors like this, but these kind of Crusaders were and are far and few in between. Their concerns were retaining a sense of legacy and heritage, not sell out. As a matter of fact the late Frankie Crocker who originally coined the term 'Urban Contemporary' in the sense that the nature of programming "reflected" a contemporary approach to the listening audience. Later in an article in the NEW YORKER MAGAZINE called the people whom he felt diluted the richness of this music Moles and Sellouts. He was deeply disturbed by real musicians and practitioners were being passed over in favor industry politics that "sanitized" the music.

But we have come a long way since then. My term AMERICAN SOUL as it regards to music and Programming concepts addresses this and the vacuum it has created - temperamentally and culturally.

(MEMBER: RADIOXRICHMOND) Now you are right about the fact that in order to reach the black consumer market with radio in this area you would have to buy or lease a station. Well I went that route and ran into road blocks there as well. I suspect that one of the reasons there is that it would "rock the ratings." And this is not an uncommon phenomenon. A format like this would not only draw listeners from the other Urban type stations but it would also draw listeners from other formats as well. It would "upset the applecart." I speak with having experienced of receiving many calls for from recognizable general market listeners wanting to hear certain records while working soul stations in the south. I wouldn't dare do urban of any kind of hinge my format on it, I'm progressive and in a contemporary sense, I am Progressive Soul. Collectively, there is a much larger body of music out there now then there thirty some years ago... but it's all good!

Now as for leasing or purchasing in this market, there was on 1.5 KW F-M stations I wanted to put together a group of investors to purchase. For the past few years it LMA'ed Gospel programming and occasionally it was dark and I felt it had extraordinary amount of potentials, but when I inquired about the price after pretty thoroughly researching the property, the owner according broker wanted $425,000 for just the frequency and studio equipment.... not the studio or facilities AND not the antenna, just the frequency. That price was way out of the ballpark. On the tax rolls the building, the equipment and the land (which doesn't even "perc" or have "other" connections) was valued at little more the half the price. In theory if I could purchase the "frequency" then foolishly I would have to rent the land and the facilities. Because of spacing concerns, I couldn’t move the frequency anywhere and if I defaulted that would more than cover the original purchase price. I would have been checkmated before I even got started... but I have seen arrangements like that.

At the same time there stations that were better facilitated and had more powerful being sold for far less. As a matter of fact here recently an AM/FM combo was sold for $225,000 and a thousand “Watter” for $50,000. Both of them were Gospel Stations. If I had the finances I could have bought three stations for combined wattage of 5,000 watts for $275,000. I feel sick - again!

Moving on, as a qualified minority broadcaster with lots of broadcast and media experience, professional training and some academic training in the "business of broadcasting" as well, unlike some of my peers I have had too continually has to prove myself, or give away the “goods.” One of the other possibilities that could have opened the door to ownership was a thing called, the Minority Tax Credits; but that was legislated out of existence. I've been through the petitioning process for a CP it was like spending money at a “crap table” and my pockets weren’t deep enough. I’ve spent money on FCC lawyers, Environmental and FAA studies, etc., and via a very long ‘nail biting process,’ I went from a field of 21 applicants down to 3 applicants, I was just mere weeks away from deposition when these Supreme Court blew up my chances to get a station and ever since then as the industry deregulated, the hopes for owning a station became slimmer and slimmer and many times I wonder if that was deliberate as a matter of fact I know it was deliberate. My Freedom of Speech or the equity of it, may have been violated but I don’t have the “coins” to prove it. As my homeboy Malcolm Forbes, the ultimate conservative once said, “Nothing says freedom like money in the bank.”

However; in my business-model (a very user-friendly programming concept a baby could do it), my business plan and my passions has only gotten stronger.... it's called AMERICAN SOUL....and my core target audience regardless of recessionary pressures and other inequities spends a trillion dollars a year nationally and a billion dollars here in eastern North Carolina (you still have people spending on movies doing millions of dollars the “gate.”) I had a GSM named Ralph Quortin back at Soul Radio, WNJR-AM Newark (then the Rollins Group) who told me two things and I will share one of them with you. "A fast nickel beats a slow dime." And with a full time operation being capable of selling some 8,600 minute units per year juxtaposed to all of this unused or under property around here "sounds" like bad business to me and as I was told by my instructor in a Business Communications class, the word business come from the word "busy_ness - he's about his busyness."

Guy
American Soul

My friend Guy has always been very passionate about his visions of American Soul. No one can make a short story long like Guy but Guy is a good dude who loves radio like I do. Good to see you posting my friend and hope you are well.

Allen

Speaking of great soul music in East North Carolina, I remember visiting East NC several times during the 70's and 80's and heard a jock name Little Willie. Little Willie use to play great soul music Tuesday-Saturday nights from 6pm-1am on WSEC-FM 103.7 in Williamston, NC and simulcasted on WIAM-AM 900 until sign-off. Does anyone know what happened to Little Willie and his show? It seems like he was a legend in the area and the show was the highest rated show in that time slot.

Little Willie Omar. I loved his show at night on 103.7...I loved the phones that rang while he was on the air..No light or silent ring..That was real live local nightime radio. Sadly that is now a thing of the past on most stations..Loved Q 97 live from the Chic disco on Friday & Saturday night as well.. It sounded crappy cause it was done on a phone line but it was cool WRAL in Raleigh had a Disco show called Night Fever that was good too..Bill Cozart at night on WRQR...WRNS doing live country request..Katie Country too.. Nightime used to be full of great radio locally and nationally..Not so much anymore...

• Artist/Group Label Sequence Title Year
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [1] (VEE JAY) Every Beat Of My Heart (BB 06)(RB 01)1961 [VJ Label introduced BEATLES to the USA]
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Operator (1962) (BB 97) 1962
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Lover's Always Forgive (PP) 1963
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Letter Full Of Tears (1962) (BB 19) (RB 03) 1963
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Stop And Get A Hold Of Myself (1963 PP) 1963
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Giving Up (1964 Version) (BB 34) (RB 06) 1964
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Either Way Lose (1964) (BB 119) 1964
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [2] (FURY BELL ?) Stop And Get A Hold Of Myself (Van McCoy Composition) 1965
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone (A6_1967) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Heard it Through The Grapevine (A4_1967 PP) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) He's my Kind of Fellow (Album Vers B2_1967) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) I'll be Standing By (A2_1967) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) It's Time To Go Now [EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE] 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) My Bed of Thorns (Album Vers B4_1967 PP) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Since I Lost You (A3_1967 PP) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me (B1_1967 PP) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Yes I'm Ready (Album Vers B3_1967) [Barbara Mason's Hit] 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) You Don't Love Me No More (A5_1967 PP) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Do You Love Me Just A Little Honey (Album Vers) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Everybody Needs Love (1967)(BB 39) (RB 03) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) I Heard It Through The Grapevine [EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE](BB 02) (RB 01) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Just Walk In My Shoes [EVERYBODY NEEDS LOVE] (1966) (BB 129) 1967
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Ain't You Glad You Chose Love (1968) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Every Little Bit Hurts [SILK N' SOUL] [BRENDA HOLLOWAY'S HIT] 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) I Know Better (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) It's Time To Go Now [slightly longer] (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) That's The Way Love Is (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) What Good Am I Without You (1968) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Your Old Stand By (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Boy From Crosstown (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Don't Let Her Take Your Love From Me (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Don't Turn Me Away (1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) End of Our Road (Single Version 1968 PP) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) I Wish It Would Rain[SILK N' SOUL](BB 41)(RB 15)1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) It Should Have Been Me (1968 PP) (BB 40) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) It Should Have Been Me [FEELIN' BLUSEY] (1968) (BB 40)(RB 09) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) The End Of Our Road [FEELIN' BLUSEY] (BB 15) (RB 05) 1968
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Didn't You Know You Have To Cry Sometime [NITTY GRITTY](BB 63) (RB 11) 1969
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Friendship Train [GREATEST HITS] (BB 17) (RB 02) 1969
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) The Nitty Gritty (TITLE TRACK 1969) (BB 19) (RB 02) 1969
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) A Letter Full Of Tears (1970 Newer Version PP) 1970
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Every Beat Of My Heart (1970 Version PP) 1970
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Giving Up (1970 Version PP) 1970
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) If I Were Your Woman [TITLE TRACK](BB 09) (RB 01) 1970
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You 1970) [GREATEST HITS] (BB 25) (RB 03) 1970
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) I Don't Want To Do Wrong [IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN] (1971) (BB 17) (RB 02) 1971
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Help Me Make It Through The Night [DOLLY PARTON HIT][STANDING OVATION] (1972) (BB 33) (RB 03)[/b] 1972
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Make Me The Woman That You Go Home To [STANDING OVATION] (1972) (BB 27) (RB 03) 1972
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Neither One Of Us (TITLE TRACK Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye] (BB 02)(RB 01) 1972
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [3] (SOUL) Daddy Could Swear, I Declare [NEITHER ONE OF US] (BB 19) (RB 02) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) All I Need Is Time [TITLE TRACK] (1973) (BB 61) (RB 28) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Best Thing That Ever Happen To Me (BB 03) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Here I Am Again [ALL I NEED IS TIME] (1973 PP) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) I've Got To Use My Imagination (1973 PP)(BB 04) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Midnight Train To Georgia (THE LOST LIVE ALBUM)(BB 01) 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Who Is She And What Is She To You (1973) Rec by BILL WTHERS 1973
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Between Her Goodbye And My Hello [KNIGHT TIME] (1974)(BB 57)(RB 45) 1974
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Make Yours A Happy Home (CLAUDINE OST 1977) (RB 13) 1976
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Try to Remember & The Way We Were (1976 PP) [BARBARS STRIESAND HIT}(BB 11) 1976
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) Love Is Always On Your Mind (Disco Version 1977 PP) 1977
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [4] (BUDAH) You Put New Life In My Body (1977) 1977
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Bourgie, Bourgie (ABOUT LOVE 1980 PP) (RB 45) 1980
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Landlord (ABOUT LOVE 1980) (BB 46) (RB 03) 1980
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Still Such A Thing (ABOUT LOVE 1980) 1980
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Taste Of Bitter Love (ABOUT LOVE 1980 PP) (RB 38) 1980
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) A Friend Of Mine (TOUCH 1981) (RB 50) 1981
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) I Will Fight (TOUCH 1981) (RB 21) 1981
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Ain't No Greater Love 1983
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Hero (Wind Beneath Our Feet 1983 PP) (VISIONS) (BB 123) (RB 64) 1983
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Save The Overtime For Me (1983) [VISIONS] (BB 63) (RB 01) 1983
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) When You're Far Away (VISIONS 1983 PP) (RB 42) 1983
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) You're Number One In My Book (1983) (RB 05) 1983
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Live Roxy 85) 1985
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Keep Giving Me Love (1985 PP) 1985
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Medley (Live At The Roxy 1985) 1985
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) Midnight Train To Georgia (LIVE AT THE ROXY 85) 1985
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [5] (COLUMBIA) My Time (LIFE 1985 PP) (BB 102) (RB 16) 1985
  Gladys Knight & The Pips [6] (MCA) Love Overboard (1988) (BB 13) (RB 01) 1988
  Gladys Knight Men (TITLE TRACK 1991) (RB 02) 1991

Nonetheless, it has been a passionate undertaking.... I just so glad I don't have to compete with my "peers;" unless of course competition could make things better or shall we say in regards to RADIO BROADCASTING.... more proactive!

NOT POP SOUL... BUT DEEP SOUL! AMERICAN SOUL...!

Softjamms...

WCPS 760AM/105.7 tarboro does this kind of format in the afternoons

Nobody's mentioned WNCT-AM 1070! It's out of Greenville!

http://1070wnct.com/

WCPS is a small 500 Watt AM station, which does not have a highly serviceable signal in eastern NC, primarily services the Rocky Mount-Tarboro Market with a translator and a format which "day-parts or block programs" a mixture of Rhythm & Blues, Southern Soul, Traditional and Contemporary Gospel and very few "commercial" jazz recordings.

I also doubt if they have more than 80 selections of Gladys Knight and the Pip songs in their individual “collections.” Additionally, there are no specific 'on-air' imaging parameters for defining their station such as Oldies 'this,’ Rock ‘that,’ or Soul ‘the other’ or even in more specific terms like ‘Classical Music.’ For instance, when formatting and imaging Classic Top 40 Radio, the most popular music usually follows the news and/or information programming.

Secondly, WCPS DJ's randomly play music from their own individual collection of CDs or Audio Wave Files with some software "assistance" and not from a station library, and not from a well structured database for programming music, but; you can still view this effort as being somewhat a progressive or freeform approach to music programming. If a Special Programming event required or even demanded focusing a 'spotlight' on the aforementioned group for some special occasion, show, tribute or for some other special selling event, the radio station which possesses a well defined "image" along with some level of comprehensive programming could get started at the click of the button. After all this is 2012 A.D., and as I read Jimmy Steal who is the VP of Programming for Emmis Broadcasting has 22,000 songs in his database and broadcast library and can probably do this for Emmis to cover any event they may have (see www.radioinfo.com/2012/11/13/part-of-a-rhythm-nation/#more-3849). For the past 20 years the database and lists I have been developing and defining Soul music with doesn't lag that far behind. You see Soul music programming is not only just playing Soul records on the radio, but as I view it, it is also a science. I suppose my programming efforts are not that unusual. (TIP: Steal is using ITUNES. I started with MUSICMATCH and migrated to Media Monkey and for music automation I have been using Ots Software for a number of years).

And thirdly, I live in Greenville. WNCT-FM (OLDIES 107.9) positions themselves as an Oldies Music station with a more recent focus on programming more popular R&B and Soul music hits in addition to Motown. In my opinion it OK, but it is a fairly shallow list of soul music hits. By comparison however, if you like to listen to Beach Music , more of a music phenomena, you would be more than accomodated (this includes AM, as well). When it comes to listeners who really like Soul music, it's lacking. If you are going to "promote" Natalie Cole.... play Natalie Cole! I mean with all the hits the Intruders have produced…. how many times can you play “Cowboys to Girls?” Nonetheless, even on this discussion board WNCT-FM programming has been criticized for "stepping up" and playing the “SOUL FIX AT SIX” and to be fair... WNCT-FM is a general market station. You can only do so much...

Softjamms….

:-*NOT JUST POP SOUL…. BUT DEEP SOUL!!! AMERICAN SOUL….!

Softjamms said:

And thirdly, I live in Greenville. WNCT-FM (OLDIES 107.9) positions themselves as an Oldies Music station with a more recent focus on programming more popular R&B and Soul music hits in addition to Motown. In my opinion it OK, but it is a fairly shallow list of soul music hits. By comparison however, if you like to listen to Beach Music , more of a music phenomena, you would be more than accommodated (this includes AM, as well). When it comes to listeners who really like Soul music, it's lacking. If you are going to "promote" Natalie Cole.... play Natalie Cole! I mean with all the hits the Intruders have produced…. how many times can you play “Cowboys to Girls?” Nonetheless, even on this discussion board WNCT-FM programming has been criticized for "stepping up" and playing the “SOUL FIX AT SIX” and to be fair... WNCT-FM is a general market station. You can only do so much...

Click to expand...

So how does WNCT-AM fall short in your opinion?

Thereotically, if I put my billion dollar a year consumer audience here in Eastern North Carolina up against with their audience... who would win??? Could a Adult Oriented Soul Station in this market have better ratings and could their advertisiers get more "smack" for their advertising dollar. Sounds more like good business to me. Did the Soul Music Radio Groups like Rollins Radio, the Spiedle Group, Katz Radio or The OK Group [by the way William Buckley, Jr. was a co-owner, so in essence he signed my paychecks] fall short? These companies made money and I saw it, it was only politically their voices where "squelched" which ultimately led to their demise. Black Radio has suffered ever since. Those listeners abandoned as an audience have continued to develop, and it's really about going after that audience that could generate revenue (and even more economic activity). As a psychographic dynamic this audience is not acknowledged. They are sanitized and treated as a general market audience. Phooey! I hate to bring up my experiences but when I sold KAUM-FM, an ABC O&O in Houston years ago... we sold psychographics, i.e., waterbeds, organic foods, wines, and jeans. We also sold banks, department stores, new cars.... and Head Shops. I had to convince advertisers who were very bias, that people with long hair had money to spend and were worth investing in.

In eastern North Carlina, Beach music is a regional phenomena. I estimate that between both stations about 70 hours/week is devoted towards Beach Music programming. Frankly, it's over played. How much money does it make? Has the audience been researched or effectively validated as a money making market? Is it, or can it really being used as advertising vehicle to generate profit in a general market enviroment? Most of it is passive. Special market programming with emphasis would equate to a better strategy. As a matter of fact, Beach music programming would probably be better positioned inside of a Soul Musc Format. And since we are talking about WNCT-AM in the same breath, why not flip-flop formats with WNCT-FM and see what happens.... Move the AM to FM, and vice-versa, the FM to AM... I dare the owners to do that! Would you do it??? Or on the other hand, hypothetically speaking, would you rather pair regionally, a potential AM Soul Music "giant" with; and totally unleash the programming dynamic of a regional FM Oldies Music Powerhouse? It's their money. More than once I have sold AM/FM Country & Soul Music Combos. Would AM Soul and FM Oldies be a better "combo," and possibly a better and more enduring move???

"Caa-Ching..$!" ;D

Softjamms...

NOT JUST POP SOUL....! BUT DEEP SOUL! AMERICAN SOUL (i.e., the cow and the milk)!